Christina Perri.Photo: Emily Winiker
WhenChristina Perrilearned she was pregnant last year, she knew she wanted to record an album for her unborn child.
During her pregnancy, Perri, 35, picked songs she planned to sing for the personal project. But her joy turned to heartbreak at 33 weeks when her daughter, whom she and husband Paul Costabile had named Rosie,was “born silent.”
Despite the painful blow, Perri — who hadsuffered a miscarriageprior to becoming pregnant with Rosie — thought it was “important” to go ahead and record the album.
“It was the best way to honor Rosie,” she says. “When she passed away, I felt like the songs took on a different meaning, but they’re still my song choices for her.”
After spending a year “healing in every way possible” with therapy and music, Perry is ready to release the album, titledSongs for Rosie, on Nov. 24, the first anniversary of the day her daughter was stillborn.
In addition to covers of classics like “Here Comes the Sun,” the album also features a duet with 3-year-old Carmella.
“I know I’m her mom and a little bit biased, but she is a gifted singer,” Perri says. “She’s singing in key, and she memorizes lyrics. She knows every word to everyTaylor Swiftsong. She’s obsessed with theCinderellasoundtrack and sings every word to that. The newCinderellamovie withCamila Cabello. So she’s definitely a singer. Whether she grows up to be one, is up to her.”
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Christina Perri, husband Paul Costabile and daughter Carmella.Christina Perri/Instagram
When they got into the studio, Perri says Carmella “literally looked at me and was like, ‘Mom, I got this.’ "
“I thought she was going to need guidance!” she says with a laugh. “She sang so cute. What’s funny is she doesn’t enunciate perfectly, but I kept it in there because it’s the way she sang the song. We tried to keep it light and joyfully sing these songs while thinking of Rosie.”
The family also plans to celebrate Rosie with a trip to Disney World.
“I decided that we’re going to go to Disney World every year on Rosie’s birthday, because there’s no better place to honor a kid than the happiest place on earth,” she adds. “To turn a sad day into joy with Carmella is the best thing we can do. We’re going full out with shirts, and we’re going to talk about Rosie the whole time.”
In addition toSongs for Rosie, Perri hopes to release a new album next spring.
“It’ll really be a collection of everything I’ve been through in the past five years since I recorded my last album,” she says. “In the past five years, I’ve had the most amazing things happen, like having a daughter, getting married, and all these things in my personal life. But also these tragic things have happened, and the world and the pandemic.”
“Everyone’s gone through an emotional couple years, and I feel like I have used all the emotions that I have to write new music,” she shares. “I feel like I didn’t know what I was going to do after my first two records because I just wanted to have a family and chill out for a bit, so the fact that I’m coming back and singing feels like an honor.”
Ashley Osborn
Since sharing about her pregnancy loss, Perri says she’s never felt so loved and supported.
Perri says that she and her family have also grown “tighter than we ever knew we could be” since losing Rosie.
“We all really healed together as a family,” she says. “Paul and I changed as people going through something like that, and we’re so much more present with Carmella. We’re so much more compassionate, and I feel like we just love a lot deeper.”
Through it all, Perri says she’s learned “how truly strong women are.”
“I’m not even talking about cliché superwoman stuff, just in general,” she explains. “The intuition that’s built into us when we become parents is crazy. I just feel like Carmella has made me a stronger person, and also a more confident person. I don’t think about insecurities that I had in my 20s. Now that I’m in my 30s and I’m a mom, I feel more at peace with who I am.”
source: people.com
