In a new interview, Sean Ono Lennon opens up about coping with the loss of his father, John Lennon, through music and his role as custodian of his parents' musical legacy.
- November 22, 2024
AceShowbiz - On November 21, Sean Ono Lennon shared his deeply personal experience of coping with the tragic loss of his father, John Lennon, when he was just five years old. "I lost my father and I didn't know how to fill that void," he said.
Through music, Sean found a way to connect with his late father. "Learning how to play his songs on guitar was a way to process the loss," he explained. "It made me feel like I was getting to know him better."
Now 49, Sean has established himself as a successful artist in his own right. However, in recent years, he has taken on the mantle of managing his family's musical legacy, a role that comes with both responsibility and emotional resonance.
"I definitely feel like I was making music and art before I thought about it as a choice," Sean said. "Under his leadership, the concept of a music video for his parents' peace anthem, "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)", transformed into an Oscar-winning animated short film.
Sean's efforts to reimagine his parents' art continued with a lavish reissue of John's 1973 album, "Mind Games". The limited edition box set featured innovative packaging, puzzles, and even meditation mixes. "I wanted to treat it with as much love and intention and thoughtfulness as humanly possible," said Sean.
Through these projects, Sean aims to introduce new generations to his parents' timeless music and share his own passion for it. "I went at this thinking, 'My dad only has a handful of solo records. So if we're going to re-release them, my job is to treat them with as much love and intention as possible,' " he said.
Sean's approach to his father's legacy is deeply rooted in the concept of art as conceptual. "The essence of concept art is that it doesn't matter what medium you express yourself in because it starts in your mind," he explained. "That influenced me a lot."
Despite his father's tragic passing at a young age, Sean's memories of him remain vivid. "For me, they're etched in stone," he said. "Overseeing these projects transcends family duty. Sifting through the archive helps me make a mosaic of the man I barely got to know from the work he left behind."
Through music and the preservation of his parents' artistic legacy, Sean Ono Lennon continues to honor the memory of his father while inspiring and connecting with countless others who have gone through similar losses.