A difficult birth transformed Haldi Välimäe’s songwriting

Singer-songwriter Haldi Välimäe says a difficult birth and becoming a mother reshaped her songwriting, inspiring her new solo album, “Safiir” (“Sapphire”), ERR’s Vikerraadio reported.

Välimäe, 26, said motherhood had made her more socially sensitive and prompted her to explore her identity. The album is dedicated to her 10-month-old son, Theodor, whose deep blue eyes inspired its title. She also uses the sapphire as an image for a free Estonia: an uncut gem that is imperfect but close to perfect.

“Safiir” explores questions about identity, the space around her and the space in her mind, Välimäe said. In searching for answers, she read works by Lennart Meri, Jaan Kross, Viivi Luik, Doris Kareva, Betti Alver and Andres Ehin. She said her sense of self was connected to a much longer past, including her grandparents’ roots, genetics and the surrounding environment.

She said her voice became much lower after giving birth, but the biggest change was the impetus her son’s arrival gave her to complete the album. The idea had been on her mind for some time, but she had planned to release it the previous year and did not manage to work on it then, despite performing many concerts. She began writing the album soon after Theodor was born, with producer Mattias Tirmaste making a significant contribution. Eik and many other musicians also feature on the record.

Välimäe said labour lasted more than 90 hours from the start of contractions until her son was delivered by emergency caesarean section. She described it as a long, painful ordeal that changed her outlook: “Whatever comes my way in this world, I can handle it.” Her husband is on parental leave, allowing her to continue working as a musician.