I have struggled with words for many months now. I’ve questioned how to share my life and art with you when every small win has seemed too trivial to mention and every loss has felt too monumental to burden you with. Running what feels like a local chapter of the Me Too movement in a small town has me merely surviving instead of thriving, and if I’m honest, that feeling doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. After today’s election results, I know that many of you may be feeling the same—like the obstacles in front of us are insurmountable, and the resources to tackle them are far too few.
But here we are, together, in this shared moment of challenge. And so I want to offer you the same pep talk I’ve been giving myself these past months:
Protect your energy. This is a marathon, not a sprint. We are in this for the long haul. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. Your thoughts and feelings are valid. Get meta on them: acknowledge what they are teaching you about yourself, the bigger picture, and your deepest values. But don’t let those emotions run away with you. Don’t let them drive you to a place of hopelessness or despair.
I know it’s hard. I know it feels massive, unending, and exhausting. But think about how the sun sometimes shines during or after a funeral, and how bizarre it feels. Robert Frost once wrote, “In three words, I can sum up everything I have learned about life: it goes on.” As difficult as it is, life goes on. And we must go on with it.
Yes, there are real, pressing, and existential concerns at play. The fear and frustration are real. But the only way forward is through. You are not alone. We are in this together. When it all feels overwhelming, give yourself permission to rest, to lick your wounds, to retreat and heal. And then, when you have the spoons, rejoin the fight.
Community, compassion, art, and education are the tools and weapons I hold close, and I offer them to you. I am here with you, a sister in arms. This is a battle lost in a war that has and may never be fully won, but must always be fought. Take comfort in the knowledge that so much of what we have now our ancestors once fought for. We will do the same today, and it will be the same for our descendents.
Musically yours,
Maggie
Musical Offerings:
1. Going Insane as recorded on the LIFE EP 2018
Pieces of my broken heart
Tailor made and torn apart
Shine much brighter than they’ve done
Whole and dark under your thumb
And I know no one’s gonna save me now
They don’t care to, they don’t know how
I’m naked and I need to be
Got all I need to set me free
Straight to the top
And I know I can’t stop
And i feel like I’m going insane
Others may wait
For a change they can take
But I’m never going back again
I keep my fire burning
I keep my soul alive
I keep my fire burning
Until the day I die
Could it be, I’m not the same?
Bent till I broke playing your game
The world you sought to keep me from
Comes crashing down, but I won’t succumb
And I know no one’s gonna save me now
They don’t care to, they don’t know how
I’m naked and I need to be
Got all I need to set me free
Straight to the top
And I know I can’t stop
And i feel like I’m going insane
Others may wait
For a change they can take
But I’m never going back again
I keep my fire burning
I keep my soul alive
I keep my fire burning
Until the day I die
I keep my fire burning
I keep my soul alive, alive
I keep my fire burning
Until the day I die
2. Keep Your Heart Good In The Bad Times
Livestream March 6th/7th 2024
Keep your heart good in the bad times
Keep your heart good when the bad times come
Keep your heart good in the bad times
Till they’re gone, gone, gone
Keep your heart soft in the hard times
Keep your heart soft when the hard times come
Keep your heart soft in the hard times
Till they’re gone, gone, gone
Keep your heart warm in the cold times
Keep your heart warm when the cold times come
Keep your heart warm in the cold times
Till they’re gone, gone, gone
Keep your heart bright in the dark times
Keep your heart bright when the dark times come
Keep your heart bright in the dark times
Till they’re gone, gone, gone
This is a mantra that can be sung on repeat to help calm the body and mind. Join me in unision or try out some harmonies that I teach to my local community choir here.
Upcoming Events:
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November 15th – Maggie Cocco’s Science for Sociopaths featuring Eliza Sanders at DAT Festival Wellington
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November 16th – Songwriting Workshop at DAT Festival Wellington
Project Updates:
Like A Moth Album Physical & Digital Release
The physical and digital release of Like A Moth is underway! Everyone who purchased a Limited Edition Vinyl or CD should now have received confirmation that the products have gone into production. The next update will be when they ship!
Music Videos
I’m honored to have assembled an incredible group of artists who are helping me bring a short film/visual album to life to accompany Like A Moth. We took our first pass at filming this past weekend—more details to come!
Europe Tour 2025
We’ll find out in January which festivals have made us offers for the 2025 European Summer Festival Season!
Other In the Works
Exciting news: I’ve been asked to curate a Science for Sociopaths multimedia show for the Hundertwasser Museum in Whangarei. This represents a significant step toward my vision of Science for Sociopaths as a touring performance art project. My collaborator, Jo, is a talented clay artist, so expect a very tactile and immersive experience! We’re looking at dates in early 2025.
Music Student Sponsors Needed:
Maggie Cocco Music is seeking sponsors for two differently-abled adult students with limited income:
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Tony: Studies for two hours each week. Tony would attend music lessons every day if he could! He earns pocket money performing at local music clubs, and music is his greatest passion. Subsidy needed: $60/week.
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Joey: Studies for one hour each week. Joey has already created three albums with Maggie Cocco Music and is currently working on his first album of all-original music. Subsidy needed: $30/week.
Finances should never be a barrier to living your best life! Maggie Cocco Music offers Pay What You Can services to ensure that quality music education and opportunities are accessible to all. Support this mission with a one-time gift via Zelle or PayPal (maggiecocco@hotmail.com), or through a Bank Transfer (NZ to 38-9022-0416841-00). You can also become a sustainer on Patreon.
🤍 THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! 🤍