“What began as frustration ultimately became self-examination.”
Now that Vertigo has been released, I wanted to spend some time exploring the stories behind a few of the songs that make up the album.
One of the most personal tracks on the record is:
👁️ Seen
What’s interesting about Seen is that it began from a place of frustration.
Not the small kind.
The kind that comes from believing strongly in something, putting in the work, taking a chance, and ultimately realizing the final outcome rests in someone else’s hands.
Taking The Chance
Every once in a while, life presents an opportunity that feels important enough to pursue wholeheartedly.
You prepare.
You commit.
You envision the outcome.
Then comes the moment where someone else makes the final decision.
That’s where Seen began.
I found myself working toward something I genuinely wanted to succeed. When the final decision was made, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the wrong choice had been made.
What followed wasn’t acceptance.
At least not right away.
It was disappointment.
Frustration.
Anger.
And perhaps most of all, self-doubt.
Looking For Answers
When something doesn’t go our way, our first instinct is often to ask why.
Sometimes we direct those questions at others.
Sometimes we direct them at ourselves.
What surprised me while writing Seen was how quickly the song transformed from an accusation into a reflection.
The opening lyrics are pointed.
Disappointed.
Critical.
Questioning.
But as the song progresses, the perspective begins to shift.
The frustration that originally pointed outward slowly starts turning inward.
The real questions emerge:
Could I have done more?
Did I miss something?
Was the decision really someone else’s fault?
Or was I simply looking for a place to direct my disappointment?
The Space Between Invisible and Seen
At its core, Seen became a song about recognition.
Not fame.
Not attention.
Recognition.
The desire to know that your effort mattered.
The desire to feel understood.
The desire to know that what you brought to the table was genuinely seen.
Because if we’re being honest, everyone wants to feel that at some point.
Everyone wants to know they’re not invisible.
A Lyric From The Song
“Sometimes I feel as if I’m lost and in between
Being invisible
And being seen”
For me, this became the emotional center of the song.
That feeling of existing somewhere in the middle.
Not overlooked completely.
But not fully recognized either.
It’s a place many of us have visited at one time or another.
Why It Matters To Vertigo
Throughout Vertigo, perspective is constantly shifting.
Love changes perspective.
Memory changes perspective.
Risk changes perspective.
Loss changes perspective.
Seen explores what happens when disappointment changes perspective.
What began as frustration ultimately became self-examination.
And that’s what makes the song feel important to me.
Not because it provides answers.
But because it asks difficult questions.
The kind we usually keep to ourselves.
Looking Back Now
With some distance from the experience that inspired it, I can appreciate Seen in a different way.
The frustration was real.
The disappointment was real.
The feeling of having the outcome placed in someone else’s hands was real.
But those emotions also produced something worthwhile.
A song that feels honest.
A song that asks questions instead of pretending to have all the answers.
A song that acknowledges that even when we believe someone else made the wrong choice, we’re often forced to confront our own doubts along the way.
Sometimes that’s where the real story begins.
Now Streaming
👁️ Seen is available now as part of Vertigo.
If you’ve already listened to the album, I’d love to know:
What song connected with you most, and why?
Hey there — I’m Jon. This is Moteventure, my corner of the internet where music, movies, lists, and life all collide. Glad you’re here.