From me to you,

Hello, my darling Butterflies.

I pray that wherever you are, you are safe, your families and loved ones are safe, and you are finding some form of peace or comfort during all of this madness. I would like to start off with an apology for my silence the past 4 weeks. I hate to admit, but I'm sure like a lot of you have been struggling with, my mental health lately has not been where I would like it to be. I didn't really want to even write this to you but you have always been there for me, through the good and the bad, so I hope you to continue to be there. I think about all of the horrible things you must be going through: sickness, getting laid off, having to close a business, having children to feed, forced to work in an unsafe setting, someone you love falling ill or even passing away... I tell myself that my problems are not comparable to many others'. I know you look up to me. I know you are scared. I know most do not have my privileges. I have been doing my best to help as many people as I can but I also owe you honesty. I had so many plans to reconnect with you around the world, sing to your beautiful faces, bring my record label and stores to new highs... It's been eating away at me, day by day, to the point where most days I do not even smile. I didn't get to enjoy the release of my newest album at all. I can barely get through a meeting over Skype because my brain is just exhausted. I oversleep one night and get too little sleep the next, it's a very unhealthy cycle. But I do have hope. I have hope to see you again. I have hope to be excited again. I have hope to smile again. I am blessed to have my family there for me as well but I've always been a sort of lone wolf, dealing with my problems by myself. I do not want you to worry about me. I hope by saying all of this it actually makes you worry less. I'll be okay. I want you to focus on your own happiness and protect yourselves and those around you. This is the most important time for it.

Many of you are curious of the fate of the Butterfly Records World Tour. We are about 90% sure that Leg 2 will be postponed to next year, and 50% sure that Leg 3 will be postponed as well. As new information comes out every day, it is a tough call to determine. We already have estimates that extend all the way to late next year for any large gathering. I do not want to have to wait until last minute to cancel on you again. I will make an official decision by May 1st for those holding tickets for Leg 2.

That being said, just like Freeze Up North, we had already planned a 10-year anniversary release for my 2nd studio album Blink. The original album was intended to release as a companion piece to Freeze Up North, comprised mostly of tracks created during the making of Freeze Up North, that highlighted the softer, more hopeful side of Aurora. Blink was the Spring to Freeze Up North's Winter. I think a lot of the lyrics can also relate to the climate we are currently in. "Trying to keep myself from falling down / Always keep facing towards the ground / Knowing and waiting for something to arrive / Somehow I know there's always a sunrise" Physical formats were pressed but the printing and packaging was halted in the middle of production. We have decided to still pursue the digital release and offer a pre-order for the physical formats. All physical format pre-orders from the Butterfly Records Online Store will include an instant digital download in your choice of MP3 or WAV. Please keep in mind, if you redeem your digital download, your order cannot be canceled and exchanges or returns are not valid. We will announce a physical release date as soon as we can. Digital albums and physical pre-orders will go live on Saturday, April 25th, one day before the exact 10-year anniversary of the original Blink release date.

Please continue to shop digitally on the Butterfly Records Online Store. I have extended the #MusicIsNotCancelled 50% off sale to an undecided date. We will also be working with our artists to produce video content from home and offer new digital releases. One of the newest albums I've added to the store is The B-Sides, a collection of every b-side of mine from albums 1-10, originally released in 2015. As a thank you for your support, I will be digitally releasing The B-Sides II this Saturday, April 18th, including every b-side from albums 11-20 as well as an unreleased track from the << Afloat >> sessions.

I hope to reopen my stores in your communities, resume work in the warehouse to ship your music, and be able to travel and put on a show for you as soon as I can! A fire has been lit under me to push myself to be a better leader, a better artist, and a better version of myself.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I love you.

x

O

P.S. It warms my heart to see you listen to my music in quarantine!