The Story Behind “Better”: A Song About Grief, Healing and Finding Yourself Again

Some songs are written to capture a moment. Others come from experiences that change the way a person sees the world.

“Better”, by Australian singer-songwriter Majelen, explores the experience of losing someone, the emptiness that grief can leave behind, and the possibility of finding love and happiness again.

At its heart, “Better” is about the difficult journey of learning to feel whole after loss.

When grief changes everything

Losing someone can leave a space that feels impossible to fill. It can change the way a person sees themselves, their relationships and the world around them.

“Better” explores that feeling of being permanently changed by grief — of carrying an emptiness that can make it difficult to imagine ever feeling quite like yourself again.

Rather than pretending that loss simply disappears with time, the song looks towards the possibility of healing. It recognises that moving forward does not mean forgetting someone or leaving the past behind. It means gradually discovering that life can still hold love, connection and happiness.

Finding the ability to love again

One of the central ideas behind “Better” is that the people around us can help us find our way back to ourselves.

Through love, friendship and the support of others, it is possible to rediscover strength, gratitude and the ability to experience happiness again.

For Majelen, the song reflects the importance of the people who bring light into life — including her wife, family, friends and Chino.

It is a reminder that even after profound loss, there can still be so much to be grateful for.

Bringing “Better” to life on film

The music video for “Better” takes a strikingly open-air approach.

Majelen performs seated on a stool in the ocean, with the surrounding water creating a dramatic natural setting. Filmed with the performance positioned around 100 metres offshore, the visuals give the song room to breathe.

Courtney captured close-up footage using a DJI Osmo, alongside aerial drone shots that reveal the landscape and the marine life in the water, including sharks and stingrays. Majelen then edited the footage to bring the finished video together.

The result gives the song a visual setting that feels expansive and reflective, allowing the performance and its surroundings to share the spotlight.

Music that makes room for the hard parts of life

Majelen's music often carries an underlying sense of positivity, but that doesn't mean avoiding the difficult parts of being human.

“Better” is an example of how those two things can exist together. It acknowledges grief and the feeling of being lost, while still leaving space for hope, love and the possibility of a happier future.

Because sometimes feeling better doesn't mean everything has gone back to the way it was.

Sometimes it means discovering that, despite everything, there is still room to love, grow and live fully.

“Better” is a song about finding that possibility again.