Award-winning West Australian singer/songwriter Rose Parker is to release a breath-taking new song that captures the spirit of human generosity through the gift of life. Her new single, Because Of You is an emotional anthem that acknowledges both the grief of the donor family, and the joy of new life gifted to recipients and their loved ones.
The song will be released in conjunction with Transplant Australia in time for DonateLife Thank You Day, Sunday, November 17. Thank You Day is a national day to reflect and say thanks to those generous Australians and their families who make organ and tissue donation possible.
Rose is not only a talented and acclaimed singer-songwriter, but sings her song straight from the heart as a tribute to her brother Tim, who saved two lives through the gift of life. Already a semi-finalist in the International Unsigned Song Competition, Because Of You is a song that Rose has not only written but has lived… in the most profound circumstances.
“The song initially started as a tribute to my brother to honour a decision he’d made”, Rose explains. “Then as I wrote it, as the verses progressed, I realised I was writing a story that many other families have also gone through. To me, part of the beauty of writing a song is when you mine your own authentic experience and write it in such a way that it reflects some commonality of our human experience.”
‘My brother said to me one day
I’m not gonna need’ em where I’m going… so I’m gonna give ‘em away
And I said okay then
We’ll do it just the way you planned
Three months after her brother’s death, Rose – through her work as an Occupational Therapist – met a heart transplant recipient who was living her best new life. “Suddenly I knew there was another side of the story,” she says. “I knew that organ donation really helped someone else and gave them literally a second chance of life. She was living, breathing proof right in front of me. A vivacious, 70-year-old, and it was amazing. I almost stopped breathing when she said, ‘Oh, and by the way, I’m a heart transplant recipient’. It was like, ‘here it is, here it is’.”
‘I’m making memories they said I never would
I’m doing things that they said I never could
But I Am
And I can
Because of You’
The song came about in a serendipitous moment of planets aligning when Rose was approached by Transplant Australia to perform at the Opening Ceremony of the World Transplant Games at Optus Stadium Perth in April 2023. Rose performed ‘Because Of You’ with fellow WA musicians Jim Fisher (himself a transplant recipient) and First Nations singer/songwriter Dan Riches. Over 1000 participants entered the stadium with 5000 people in the stands and though it was the first-ever public unveiling of the song there was not a dry eye in the house as donors, recipients and their families recognised and reflected upon an experience they had all lived through.
Transplant Australia and DonateLife embraced the song from the first demo and the wheels were indeed set in motion for Rose to record the song at Panda Candy Studios in Perth with Glenn Sarangapany (Birds Of Tokyo) in the producer’s seat. Transplant Australia CEO Chris Thomas said the song resonated with the global transplant community as it came straight from the heart of someone who believes in the power of the gift of life.”
“Our community has long yearned for an anthem that brings both recipients and donor families together in honour and celebration. Because of Rose, and her song, the importance of donation will resonate worldwide through this inspiring song. Most importantly, it brings hope to the 1,800 Australians currently waiting for a life-saving transplant.”
Now a registered organ donor herself, Rose also sees the song as an uplifting call to action. “I hope it will prompt people to have the conversation with loved ones and to deeply consider going to the DonateLife website and registering. It’s a big conversation that you want to have, not in the trauma of a grief-filled moment. As we all know from every movie we’ve seen and every book we’ve ever read, you never think it’s going to happen to you.”
Because Of You is released on all streaming platforms on Friday, November 15 ahead of DonateLife Thank You Day Sunday, November 17.
Register as an organ and tissue donor today at www.donatelife.gov.au and talk to your family about your decision.