Harry Kappen talks with R+ about migration, empathy, personal transformation, and the questions that shape his album After the Crossing.
Moving to another country involves much more than a change of geography. It also means rethinking habits, relationships, certainties, and even the way we observe the world around us. On After the Crossing, Dutch composer, multi-instrumentalist, and music therapist Harry Kappen transforms that experience into the starting point for a collection of songs that reflect on the crossings that shape our lives: migration, emotional change, the search for belonging, and the need to find balance in times of growing polarization.
Written and recorded after relocating from the Netherlands to Mexico, the album moves between introspection and social observation. Through songs such as “Distant Shore,” “Balance,” and “Now,” Kappen explores themes including human displacement, solidarity, authenticity, and the ability to reinvent oneself in the face of uncertainty. In this conversation with R+, the musician reflects on how migration influenced the album, the impact of more than two decades working as a music therapist on his creative process, and the social and human concerns that continue to inspire his songwriting.
R+: After the Crossing is the first album you made after moving from the Netherlands to Mexico. Rather than focusing on the geographical change itself, I’m interested in the internal transformations that took place during that process. How did those changes find their way into the songs?
Harry Kappen: The change was indeed primarily an internal one: living further away from my family, letting go of Dutch culture and habits in my daily life, and starting a new chapter with my Mexican wife. Fortunately, there is the internet, so I remain in frequent contact with everyone back in the Netherlands.
I channeled my love for my wife into songs like “Going to the Max” and “While Life’s Rushing By.” The decision to embark on a new phase found its expression in “No Delays.” The realization that my story cannot be compared to the hardships endured by “real” migrants became the song “Distant Shore.” The awareness that time is precious and that you only live once became “Now,” and so on.
R+: The idea of a “crossing” runs through the album in different ways: as migration, as emotional change, and as a life transition. Was there a particular moment when you realized these songs were all speaking to the same underlying theme?
Harry Kappen: I only realized that this was what it was about while I was writing, because I write about the things happening around me and to me in the present moment. But given the major change in my life, it was also inevitable. I find the concept of “crossing” interesting in any case, because everyone encounters it in some form or another—whether on a grand scale or in the small details of life.
R+: In “Distant Shore,” you draw a clear distinction between your own experience of migrating by choice and the reality of those who are forced to leave their homes. As you were writing the song, what questions began to emerge for you around privilege, empathy, and the meaning of belonging?
Harry Kappen: I had to deal with bureaucracy in Mexico, and I found it frustrating and difficult—having to stand in lines outside government buildings, the feeling of being dependent on others, a move of personal belongings taking far longer than expected, and so on.
I thought to myself: if I find this annoying, how must “real” migrants feel? People—parents, children, grandparents—who have to walk for days or weeks, maybe longer, because their homes are no longer safe due to war or oppression, or who simply want a better future for their children. People who are exploited by profiteers along the way and then treated unkindly when they finally arrive in a strange, distant land, reduced to nothing more than a number. So, for me, it was purely about the experience—but also about paying tribute to all those, in my opinion, very courageous people.
R+: Throughout the album, themes such as social polarization, the search for authenticity, everyday solidarity, and the need to find common ground repeatedly surface. Do these concerns stem from your observations of the contemporary world, or are they questions that have accompanied you throughout much of your life?
Harry Kappen: Well, if you follow the news, there’s no escaping it; what is currently happening in U.S. politics has repercussions for the entire world. A shift to the right, scapegoating migrants, the deliberate refusal to acknowledge facts as truth, the spread of fake news and conspiracy theories, blatant lying—and so on. It looks like a trend that bears a striking resemblance to the 1930s. Nothing good came of that back then. The landscape is changing drastically, and not for the better, in my view.
I come from a social-democratic background. Not left or right, but humane. Solidarity is the only answer to that kind of politics; above all, people must not lose heart but continue to stand by and support one another.
R+: You worked as a music therapist for more than two decades. Listening to songs such as “Arms Wide Open,” “Take a Step,” and “Now,” it’s hard not to think about ideas of acceptance, resilience, and personal transformation. Do you see a connection between your therapeutic practice and the way you approach songwriting?
Harry Kappen: Therapy is about being stuck in a certain pattern—one that was functional at some point in the past but no longer is. Change is therefore essential, as is appreciating the present moment.
Improvisation often played a central role in my work as a therapist, and I still apply that approach when making music. It’s about simply giving it a try without knowing where things might lead; not imposing limitations on yourself beforehand; letting go of things that drain your energy while cherishing what gives you energy; and having the courage to change. So, there is definitely a connection there. But actually, I was already working that way before I became a therapist. It’s the result of having played in many bands with good musicians from whom I learned a great deal.
R+: After the Crossing brings together introspective songs, compositions with a strong social dimension, and moments that move between singer-songwriter rock and more atmospheric soundscapes. When you begin a new song, what role does sonic exploration play in relation to the story you want to tell? Do you usually start from a concept, an emotion, or the search for a particular musical language?
Harry Kappen: The music usually comes before the lyrics. Ideas and musical fragments emerge from improvisation—my phone is full of them. The process of writing lyrics only begins once the music has been fleshed out.
It is the music that draws lyrics out of me, triggered by a certain atmosphere or a hook within the music. Once the lyrics are in place, a back-and-forth process between words and music follows until the balance is right and the whole thing feels just right to me.
R+: After such a significant life change as moving to Mexico—and after making an album that constantly reflects on movement, transformation, and the search for belonging—how would you describe the creative moment you are living today? What questions are currently accompanying you as a composer?
Harry Kappen: Reflection has become second nature to me, especially after my studies and my work as a music therapist. The questions that have occupied my mind over the past five years remain relevant: taking a critical stance on the power of a small, ever-wealthier elite, the changing climate, ongoing wars, the dangers of A.I., hypocrisy, and injustice—but fortunately, also reflecting on beauty, the love I experience, and my dreams and desires. All of this is written in the here and now.
I am currently working on a new album for next year. I have yet to discover whether a common thread will emerge; I simply don’t know yet. It could just as easily turn out to be a collection of standalone experiences—I really can’t say. After all, life is a great journey, and there is no way of knowing how it will unfold or how long it will last.
You can keep up with these developments on my website, where you will eventually be able to read about the band I’ve formed with talented Mexican musicians. Performing live will be a new challenge for me, though I believe my music is well-suited for the stage. So perhaps I’ll see you at a show in your area soon.
Harry Kappen’s responses reveal a deeply humanistic approach to artistic creation. On After the Crossing, migration serves as a starting point for exploring broader questions surrounding empathy, identity, transformation, and the ways we inhabit the present moment. Throughout the conversation, the composer draws connections between his personal experience, his work as a therapist, and a critical observation of contemporary society, while never losing sight of the elements that continue to fuel his music: love, curiosity, and the ability to imagine new possibilities.
As he works on new material and begins a new chapter alongside musicians based in Mexico, Kappen continues to explore questions that are not necessarily meant to be answered, but rather lived through. After the Crossing documents one of those moments of transition, while reminding us that every transformation begins with the willingness to step into the unknown.
Lxs invitamos a escuchar nuestro podcast de entrevistas:
3L3D3P: "General", Baile, Catarsis y la Fiesta Como Territorio de Liberación | Entrevista – R+
También disponible en Spotify, Apple Podcast y más plataformas:
Con su donación ayudan a mantener este espacio
(un porcentaje se destina a la eliminación de las emisiones de dióxido de carbono)
Haz una donación mensual
Haz una donación anual
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Se agradece tu contribución.
Se agradece tu contribución.
Se agradece tu contribución.