Recently, I had the privilege of debuting a brand-new song in front of a live audience alongside my friend and creative collaborator, Matthew Shad. There’s something uniquely humbling about standing in front of an audience and sharing something that began as nothing more than an idea, a riff, and a feeling.
For most of my life, I’ve been the person behind the scenes — sculpting talent, developing artists, shaping productions, and helping other performers bring their best to the stage. So stepping out from behind the curtain and becoming the performer myself is a very different experience. It’s exciting, a little intimidating, and, ultimately, incredibly rewarding.
The song is called “On the Cliff.”
It explores a difficult moment that I believe many of us encounter at some point in our lives — that moment when adversity brings us to an emotional edge and we find ourselves standing metaphorically on a cliff.
You look down and wonder what it would be like to simply let go. To escape the pressure, the disappointment, the heartbreak, the fear, or whatever circumstances have brought you there.
But then comes the other choice.
You turn around.
You take a breath.
And you decide that whatever is waiting for you on the other side of that struggle is worth fighting for. “On the Cliff” is ultimately about that decision — the choice to stay, to confront the darkness, to find the strength you didn’t know you had, and to keep moving forward.
Debuting the song live was incredibly meaningful, and the response was terrific. I can’t wait to get “On the Cliff” into the studio, bring it to life, and eventually share the finished recording with all of you. I have a feeling this one is going to be something special.
And if you’re following along this far, mark your calendar:
BRILLIANT BY DESIGN drops October 22!
It will be available on all major streaming platforms.
The countdown is already underway at www.richardjaysimon.com.
Thank you for listening, for supporting the music, and for coming along for this next chapter.
There’s a lot more to come.
RJS