Music Crowns is proud to premiere the new release from singer-songwriter Marsha Swanson, “Something Real” — a deeply imaginative and emotionally resonant single that marks the first public introduction to her ambitious new creative project, TroubleChutes.
More than a standalone song, “Something Real” represents the beginning of a multi-platform artistic world bringing together music, storytelling, illustration, education and emotional literacy. Developed over more than two decades, TroubleChutes has grown from Swanson’s lifelong passions for songwriting, psychology and education into a creative project designed to help children better understand and express their emotions through imagination, story and song.
At its heart, TroubleChutes is built around the belief that music can provide children with a way to explore complex feelings without prescribing how they should think or feel. Rather than offering answers, the project encourages curiosity, empathy and conversation through original songs, memorable characters and visual storytelling.
“Something Real” explores the relationship between fantasy and reality, and the important role both can play in children’s emotional development. The track reflects one of TroubleChutes’ central ideas: that stories and songs can help children recognise elements of their own emotional experiences, creating a safe and meaningful starting point for reflection, dialogue and understanding.
The single features additional production and mastering from acclaimed British producer Stuart Epps, whose celebrated career includes work with artists such as Elton John, Led Zeppelin and Chris Rea. Also appearing on the track is musician, producer and presenter Henry Thomas, best known for BBC Rockschool, who also features in the TroubleChutes television pilot in his first educational presenting role since the original series.
Additional keyboards and string textures were provided by Paul Hirsch, while the recording reunites Swanson with several musicians from her previous project Near Life Experience, including Martyn Barker and Tony Qunta. The release also introduces a new creative collaboration with pianist Clifford Slapper, creating a natural continuation of Swanson’s distinctive musical journey.
TroubleChutes extends far beyond the recording studio. Alongside the music, Swanson has developed a comprehensive whole-school emotional literacy resource, informed by her extensive work across education, emotional wellbeing and therapeutic support. The resource is published by Karnac Books and includes a creative collaboration featuring lyrics by acclaimed author and social critic Lionel Shriver, used with permission from an earlier artistic partnership.
One of the earliest inspirations behind TroubleChutes was Really Rosie, created by Carole King with Maurice Sendak. As a child, Swanson was captivated by its combination of emotionally honest songwriting and imaginative illustration — an approach she hoped to reimagine for a new generation.
The project gained momentum during the pandemic, when the music was recorded remotely from musicians’ home studios. Following lockdown, TroubleChutes moved into the classroom through a pilot nurture programme in partnership with Oasis, after Swanson was invited by the late Camila Batmanghelidjh, with whom she had previously worked at Kids Company.
The wider nurture pilot, in which the TroubleChutes resource was tested and refined, was later highlighted by The Guardian, which reported improvements in pupils’ SATs results alongside increased motivation and confidence.
Since then, TroubleChutes has continued to expand across multiple creative formats. A television pilot featuring children from St Mary’s Hampton CE Primary School has been completed and is currently being presented to broadcasters. A new music video for “Something Real”, edited by George Clare using footage from the production, will follow the single’s release. Award-winning animator Sam Chegini is also developing a new animated film inspired by the TroubleChutes universe.
Although the project now spans music, publishing, education, illustration, animation and film, Swanson remains, above all, a recording artist.
“Songwriting is where everything begins,” says Swanson. “Music has always been the place where psychology, philosophy and storytelling come together most naturally for me. TroubleChutes has simply allowed those ideas to grow into something much bigger.”
With “Something Real”, Marsha Swanson opens the door to a world where imagination becomes a pathway to emotional understanding, reminding listeners that sometimes the stories we create can help us better understand the feelings we already carry.
“Something Real” is out now:
