Levi Sap Nei Thang's 'I Was The Girl': Memory as Reckoning

Levi Sap Nei Thang does not wake up in a Silent Memory State (as indicated by our previous example). Rather, she wakes up in the same random and uneven way as real memory appears to us. Childhood Memories may have been presented to us in one continuous form, but we need to experience it as we do with other memories, which include sensations such as seeing the colours purple and green, or smelling dust, rain and static. Levi's "I Was the Girl" is not a protest song; it is an account of her coming to terms with her life.

Levi was born into an environment where her expectations would lead her in one direction, but she grew up in the opposite direction. The album provides a new perspective and interpretation of Levi's early life, preserving the gritty and raw element of it, without the use of theatrical devices. It provides Levi's account of her life with the calm assurance of someone who has already endured a traumatic event and continued forward in life.

The album appears to be structured in accordance with the Hero archetype, with each track representing different aspects or elements of this mythological journey. The opening song, "Born in September," presents the archetype's thematic elements of natural disasters, fate, and the development of endurance. The next song, "Seer," takes the sharp edges of the Hero's Journey and presents them with a calming presence from a Mother's loving arms. "My Name" continues the journey by acknowledging one’s ancestry and one's responsibilities. The next song, "I Was the Girl," takes the listener completely out of the path of the Hero's Journey.

The essence of Levi's writing is that she captures the detail of how memory—when approached in a truthful way—becomes the source of inspiration for many brands and products. The images she uses in describing her childhood experiences illustrate this concept through such items as beer bottles being clinked together at community events, radio waves emitting sounds from metal-tin structures, oil lamps burning brightly while the desire for success grows; these descriptions are not mere ornamentation but the bases of all of her creations.

Levi’s imagery parallels her musical style. She does not add a polish or safety net to her art; she has made a conscious choice not to utilize either of those tools, thus allowing her audience to participate in her exploration of her experiences without artifice.

The release of Childhood Memories on New Year’s Day was both planned and emotional. It represented moving forward from the past, as it is not intended to be a review of the past but rather, an integration of all the parts of the girl who became a woman, the trials she faced, the faith she found in herself, the fear of the future and the desire for a better life.

Levi Sap Nei Thang is not out to prove something; her goal is to leave a legacy through her written word and to continue to share her life experience with others in a calm, thoughtful manner. After hearing I Was The Girl you will know you have experienced something powerful and you will not forget it.