GRAMMY® For Your Consideration (FYC)

"No Pinks," It came to me late at night, around 3 a.m., during a moment of quiet chaos in my mind. The world was still, but my thoughts were loud, full of long-buried memories and emotions. The lyrics just poured out quickly, taking only a few minutes to come together into a story that touches on some pretty dark and raw feelings.

My main goal with this song was to explore the pain and regret that can come from unspoken decisions in relationships. It’s about how those choices can really shape us—especially when it comes to something as huge as parenthood.

The title,"No Pinks," kind of captures that somber mood. It’s not just about the absence of pink (traditionally associated with girls), but more about the feelings of loss and what might have been. It’s a mix of longing, reflection, and sadness over missed opportunities. The song centers around the decision to end a pregnancy without the father’s voice in the conversation, highlighting the emotional struggle of trying to connect when silence takes over.

When I wrote the lyrics, I wanted to show how complicated and painful that process can be. Dealing with regret over a choice made alone and wishing they could have shared that moment with their partner. It’s about how silence, especially during such critical times, can create emotional walls between people.

I used imagery like "smoke and ash" to symbolize loss, reminding us that what’s gone is like the remnants of something that could have been, leaving behind emptiness and regret.

The chorus really sums it up: "No Pinks and No Blues, Only regrets speak the truth." It’s about how unspoken feelings and unmet dreams can leave us with nothing but regret, showing how important honest communication is, especially when things get tough.

In the second verse, I dive deeper into the narrator’s feelings, how they wish they had been more aware of their partner’s emotions during such a sensitive time. The image of a child turning into a "ghost" captures that haunting feeling of missed chances and unresolved pain.

As the song wraps up, there’s a sense of longing for honesty and openness. The narrator reflects on how things might have been different if they had talked more openly about the pregnancy and the decision. Despite everything, love and hope still linger—showing how complex and layered these feelings really are.

At its core, "No Pinks" isn’t just about regret. It’s a call for vulnerability and honesty, especially on heavy topics like parenthood. I hope it connects with people and helps them understand the delicate balance of love, choices, and silence in relationships.

Bernice Marsala

This is a beautifully moving song, and listening to it actually made me a bit emotional. I agree with what you said about there often being a limit to what songwriters are willing to share, and one of the things I admire about this song is the openness. It’s very real.

Bryan Cooper

No Pinks is a sublime sounding record. Grandiose yet intimate. Private yet with open wounds for everyone to see. I think this is Rich's finest vocal performance. Although 'performance' feels like the wrong word, because the voice comes over every bit as sincerely as the lyrics they intone, like there's no interpretation needed, it's just an unfiltered expression of words invoked from the soul in real time. The review is every bit as classy. Tactful and sensitive, it offers a fitting end to the year. Closure, a chance to recharge the batteries and go again.

At its core, “No Pinks” is a confession, the nocturnal pieces wrapped in layered emotional complexity. A stark fingerpicking in the lower key strings of the opening tune places the listener instantly in a somber state of mind. The use of a guitar slightly out of tune offers the music a very organic sensation, almost taking on a measure of vulnerability, hinting that the guitar itself is carrying all the emotional heft of the song on its shoulders. Rich Allen's vocal performance translates equally well: heavy-timbred with a slight rasp, the voice easily alternates between haunting falsetto and grounded, conversational tones.