“The Climb” is a song I’ve been living with and reworking for some time. Like most of my songs, it began as a melody I carried with me for a long time, with different lyrics emerging and never quite getting to the core of what I wanted to express. It began as a song of seduction but gradually evolved into something both darker and more hopeful. The experience of the past two years was definitely a factor, trying to come to terms with the enormity of what we have been facing, including the impact of climate change, seeking meaning, understanding and hoping ultimately that we can all overcome. It may seem cliched or soppy to say but I genuinely believe love and compassion will be central to this and that’s what I try to communicate in the song.