Sarah McLachlan On Overcoming ‘Challenges’ with Her Daughter

Sarah McLachlan has transformed one of her most personal struggles into artistic expression with her new single “Gravity,” which chronicles the journey she took with her eldest daughter to repair their strained relationship and find understanding through professional counseling.

The 57-year-old singer-songwriter opened up about the deeply personal inspiration behind the track, revealing how she and her daughter India Ann worked together to overcome a difficult period in their relationship that ultimately brought them closer together.

From Conflict to Connection Through Understanding

McLachlan’s relationship with India Ann, now 23, went through a particularly challenging phase that the singer initially misunderstood. In an interview with Variety, she explained the breakthrough moment that changed everything between them.

“For a long time my daughter and I had a very combative and fraught relationship, and what I came to realize is that so much of what I perceived as obstinance or rage was actually masking a ton of anxiety on her part,” McLachlan shared.

The turning point came when mother and daughter decided to seek professional help together. Through family counseling, McLachlan discovered that she hadn’t fully understood their conflicts and missed the underlying emotional struggles her daughter was experiencing.

“We went to counseling together, and I learned that she felt so alone and unvalidated by me—which was devastating to hear, but it led us both to change the way we communicate with each other,” she said.

This revelation inspired McLachlan to write “Gravity” as a direct message to her daughter. “I wrote ‘Gravity’ as a way of saying to her, ‘I’ve always loved you and want the best for you, and you’re perfect the way you are,'” she shared.

The emotional weight of this experience and their subsequent healing process have made performing the song particularly meaningful for McLachlan. “I love playing this song because of the challenges that I went through with my firstborn daughter,” she told the outlet. “It feels really sweet to be able to sing this song and know that we’re in such a better place, having come through this really challenging time together.”

Getting Permission and Moving Forward

Before releasing such personal content, McLachlan made sure to respect her daughter’s privacy and feelings about sharing their story publicly. She played the song for India Ann and asked for her permission to discuss their relationship in the music.

Her daughter not only supported the decision but has been open about their counseling experience and what they learned from it. McLachlan continues to check in with India Ann to ensure she remains comfortable with the public discussion of their shared journey.

McLachlan considers “Gravity” one of the strongest tracks on her upcoming album “Better Broken,” which marks her first release in nine years since 2014’s “Shine On.” The album is set for release on September 19.

“I think it’s one of the strongest tracks, if not the strongest track, on the record,” she told Variety. “It’s highly emotional, and because I’ve had the opportunity to play it to other people for a year or two, the connection that people have had to it has been pretty immediate and intense.”

The song represents a return to McLachlan’s signature style of emotional balladeering, connecting with audiences through universal themes of family relationships and personal growth.

McLachlan shares two daughters, India Ann and Taja Summer, 18, with her ex-husband Ashwin Sood.