Lyn Lapid Ponders Life and Death on the Stirring "I Guess That Was Goodbye"

Photo: Meredith Truax

There is nothing quite like the lavish depth of sound that accompanies an orchestra. The combination of swelling strings, the booming timpani filling the room, and the richness of symphonic harmonies when dozens of instruments crescendo is enough to leave you breathless.

Filipino-American singer-songwriter Lyn Lapid leverages her background in classical music on her first single of 2022, "I Guess That Was Goodbye." A rich orchestral sound is on full display as the track cascades through your speakers, delivering a vibrant and unique take on a pop ballad. "I Guess That Was Goodbye" is masterfully composed, using the flow of the song to masterfully take you through a series of emotions, as Lapid reminisces her story of past heartbreak.

Melodramatic yet playful tones lead the verses, which are highlighted by soft piano melodies and Lapid's angelic voice. Then suddenly, without warning, the track gives way to a wave of sound imbued by opulent strings in a powerful and moving chorus. It continues this pattern of swells and softness as it builds, adding layers of voices and instruments into a final chorus that whisks you away into a world of life and death. In a moment of self-reflection: sadness, love, and regret hit you all at once as the climax of the song forces you to come face-to-face with the full weight of what Lapid must be feeling.

Watch "I Guess That Was Goodbye" lyric video below: