Exhausted Singer Finds Inspiration in Tragic Story

In October 2025, acclaimed singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan opened up about the emotional origins of her hit single "Angel." The 57-year-old artist revealed that she was feeling "mentally, physically, completely drained" after 2.5 years of touring and recording when her record label pressured her to start work on a new album.

Struggling to find inspiration, McLachlan stumbled upon a Rolling Stone article about the death of Smashing Pumpkins keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin, who died in 1996 at age 34 after using heroin with the band's drummer. Despite never having a substance abuse problem herself, McLachlan felt a deep "connection to this story" and the sense of loneliness and self-loathing that can come with life on the road.

The song "just got channeled through" McLachlan in just two days, a remarkably quick process for the artist who typically takes months or even years to finish a song. Looking back, she now feels the track was "something bigger than me" - a way of connecting to a universal pain that she had witnessed and recognized in someone else's struggle.

As McLachlan's hit "Angel" continues to resonate with audiences around the world, the singer's personal journey to create the emotional track serves as a powerful reminder of the profound impact music can have.