Stephanie Quayle Finds Redemption After Tragedy In New ‘On The Edge’ Short Film
In the cinematic piece, Quayle shed some tears, drank some tequila, and ultimately, readied herself for a new chapter of life.
Stephanie Quayle; Photo by Nate Griffin
Stephanie Quayle is taking a huge leap forward as she simultaneously allows herself to step back into the past and face one of the most difficult periods of her life. Throughout her latest eight-track album, On The Edge, and its accompanying short film, Quayle reveals a beautiful representation of all the emotions she’s been keeping to herself since tragedy struck in 2009.
The country artist endured something no one should ever have to experience when her boyfriend of four years was killed in a plane crash, leaving behind his 12-year-old daughter, Eden. In the midst of battling the tremendous amount of grief, even more devastation fell upon her shoulders when she found out her boyfriend was seeing other women behind her back.
For the sake of his daughter, Quayle never publicly shared the entirety of this journey. However, things changed when she received a phone call from Eden years later.
“Eden had grown into an incredible artist, and she just shared on that phone call that she was no longer going to guard these secrets [about her dad] anymore. She was choosing to heal those old wounds through her painting,” the female songstress told PEOPLE.
After getting that green light from Eden, Quayle decided it was time to tell her story too. “All of these lyrics and melodies and thoughts that I had kept inside me for 12 years just washed over me,” she says of the writing session that took place in her Montana home.
In her powerful new short film, which premiered with PEOPLE.com on January 31, viewers get a further look into this time that has been overshadowed by grief and redemption, as she leaves the pain and anger in the past.
“It’s a very docile version of everything,” Quayle says of the new film. “It was a way to conceptualize and create something that could continue the story as we continue the discovery.”
Produced by Camille Bostick and directed by Rachel Deeb, the cinematic masterpiece portrays a realistic chapter for each track. Starting off with “The Lost Years,” Stephanie Quayle sits alone, dressed in all black and her elegant pearls as she stares out the window, longing for a solution or at least a sign to guide her in the next direction. She exploits her raw truth as she makes her way through several more phases of hurt, confusion, rage, and finally, some freedom.
“Each song is featured chronologically to showcase and capture the grief, love, betrayal, reconciliation, and ultimately my redemption in this short film. I’ve been sharing music videos my whole career — as a visual person, this album opened the creative door to do something conceptual,” she said in a press release.
“Using the symbolism of the house and the rooms that I go back to and then ultimately break free of, our director, Rachel Deeb, did a fantastic job of capturing all the spaces between the lines to tell the whole story. I think the ‘home’ is such a symbol of family — you never know what is happening behind closed doors. This visual journey brings the viewer to the freedom of finding a way out of the unspoken pain, and finding a way to move forward in light and hope.”
As the film nears its end, Stephanie Quayle finds common ground with the group of women who were also mourning the lies they were fed by their late boyfriend. Finally, viewers get to see her escape the house of symbolism. In doing so, she also trades her black ensemble for a stunning white dress as she gazes out into the distance full of hope.
Taking to social media to reveal a bit more insight into her journey, fans learn of the terrible truth that has been shielded by her glowing personality and heartfelt take on finding light in the darkest times. Shedding this emotional weight through her passion for music and inarguable talent for songwriting has given Quayle what she sees as a “freedom of self” and the chance to finally forgive.
“The heaviness of the last 13 years is dissipating, the weight I’ve been carrying is becoming lighter and I’m excited to know me now. With this new freedom of self and what I have to say with my songs, I feel like the depth of my purpose is coming into full view. These feelings, thoughts, melodies and lyrics have been living in me for over a decade and now they get to live in the world,” she wrote in her caption.
While this new collection of songs is a product of her real life, they can still hold the same truth for many who feel they may have their own pain locked inside, and searching for a way out.
“My greatest hope is that these songs will bring healing to others too,” she continued. “On the Edge is yours now. I hope you love it. Thank you for always supporting me through this journey. #OnTheEdge”
Fans can stream Stephanie Quayle’s On The Edge album HERE.
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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