RIP Glen Hansard

Why the death of an artist matters to us all.

Image by Niccolò Caranti (via Wikimedia)

I just heard the news about Glen Hansard’s passing about a half an hour ago, and it hit me hard. I did not know Glen. I never met him, but I loved his music. I loved his spirit and his joy and the way he lifted others up. I loved watching him perform with such intensity and grace.

Glen Hansard was a bard who I think—kind of accidentally—ended up as an actor for a little bit. He starred in a movie called Once, that was a brilliant little indie film about a busker and a housemaid that released in 2007. It’s a movie that every creative person should see at least once, but probably a few times, and it fed me during a very creatively dry period in my life.

When we lose artists that matter to us, it hurts. And while some might dismiss that as some kind of parasocial relationship nonsense, it’s not. Poets and musicians and writers and visual artists create things that feed our souls and lift us up. Their loss is a loss for the world.

And in a time where artists and creative people of all kinds feel like their heart-work is being taken and fed into machines by men who care nothing for the human soul, the loss of any artist feels like a very deep cut.

Glen still had songs to sing and shows to play and more music to write. And the whole world lost those things when he lost his life. It’s okay to be sad about that. That means his art mattered.

I’ll be praying for his family, particularly his wife and young son. If you’ve never heard his music, please do listen for it. Buy a Frames album. Watch Once. Follow his Instagram @glenhansard. He offered the world so much for free, but please consider buying an album. He was an incredible songwriter and performer. You won’t be sorry.

What a gift he was. A gift to the world. A poet and a singer and a friend to so many other musicians. This one hurts, and that’s okay.

Rest in Peace, Glen Hansard. Thank you for all you gave the world. You will be very missed.