I was reminded of this while listening to “Memories” by Ellus.

The song begins with a simple but devastating observation: ‘life is such a bitch’. It is not a dramatic declaration. Instead, it feels like the exhausted conclusion of someone who has seen the worst that life can offer and is still trying to make sense of it.

“Memories” is Ellus’ tribute to his late brother, and from the very first verse, grief hangs over the song like a shadow. At one point, he repeatedly asks, “Where’s my brother?” with a brokenness so palpable that it almost feels intrusive to listen. His lyrics paint such a vivid picture that I can see him moving from person to person, desperately hoping someone can answer the question that has already shattered his world.

The production amplifies the emotion beautifully. The guitars, drums and background vocals give the song a haunting quality, creating the feeling of someone wandering through memories they cannot escape.

Two things make this song particularly moving:

1. The inclusion of his brother’s voice; hearing him speak transforms the record from a tribute into an archive. It is no longer just a song about someone who existed. It becomes a preservation of Papa’s laughter, personality and presence.

2. Ellus is not an artist defined by this kind of sorrow. Outside of “Memories,” his work does not carry the same solemn weight. That context makes this song feel even more significant because it is an unguarded outpouring.

Loss has a cruel way of turning ordinary moments into treasured artifacts. All of a sudden, laughter becomes precious. A voice recording becomes priceless. Memories become a place you revisit over and over again because it is all you have left.

Ellus understands this deeply. Throughout the song, he recalls his brother’s face and his laughter that lit up a room. Suddenly, the title makes perfect sense. Similar to Wandavision’s ‘What is grief if not love persevering’, this is a song about what remains after grief arrives.

Somewhere within the sorrow, Ellus sings about becoming a warrior. My interpretation is that he is choosing to fight for his life. To honour his brother by making something beautiful out of the life he still has.

 That is what makes “Memories” so devastating.

It understands that grief is not just about death but about carrying love after there is nowhere left to place it.

By the time the eulogy delivered in Yoruba closes the record, the song has already done its work. It has transformed a personal tragedy into something deeply touching.

It is painful, it is beautiful and it leaves a lasting impression on you.

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