Heart Break Like Mine: A Song to Awaken Empathy for Animals by Sylvie Abate
- Sylvie
- May 14
- 2 min read
Updated: May 29
Some songs live quietly in a songwriter’s soul, waiting for the right moment to find their voice. "Heart Break Like Mine" is one of those songs.
Originally written back in 2012, it was one of the very first songs I ever composed as I was beginning to awaken to the realities of animal rights. At that time, I was just starting to learn about veganism. Like so many, I was overwhelmed by the sheer scale of animal suffering — and equally stunned by how much of the world seemed indifferent to it.
In those early days, when the pain of that knowledge was still raw, I wrote "Heart Break Like Mine". It was an attempt to process the emotions I couldn’t put into conversation — a plea, not for debate or facts, but for empathy. I wanted to somehow translate heartbreak into music, in hopes that even if people couldn't confront the facts, they might feel them.
Over time, I learned about cognitive dissonance — the psychological barriers that allow good people to look away. I realized that simply telling people about animal suffering isn't enough. To change hearts, we must help people feel — not just know.
And so, more than a decade later, in 2024, I finally released "Heart Break Like Mine" through my independent label, Artists & Activists Records. The timing felt right — both for the movement and for myself.
This new recording features the deeply moving vocals of Bryon William Harris, whose voice brings a poignant vulnerability to the song's message. Together, we wanted to create not just a song, but an emotional experience that could gently open a space in listeners' hearts — the kind of space where compassion can take root.
“The calm, almost meditative atmosphere of the song reinforces the depth of the message and stays in the memory long after the last note. ‘Heart Break Like Mine’ is a musical plea for better treatment of animals and nature, a call that should be heard.”
I hope that when people listen, they don’t just hear a melody — they feel the heartbreak that inspired it. And more than that, I hope it stirs a quiet revolution within them — one rooted in compassion, empathy, and a commitment to a kinder world.
Because sometimes, it's not facts that change us. It's a feeling — a heartbreak — like mine.
"Heart Break Like Mine" is available now on all major streaming platforms. Released by Artists & Activists Records, 2024.
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