After the luminous Magnolia, composer and pianist Maria Karakusheva deepens her exploration of emotional landscapes with Dahlia — a haunting, cinematic new single that speaks to the raw, often transformative process of growth and renewal.
Rooted in a personal poem, Dahlia carries the quiet power of a letter to the self — a reminder that every ache, every heartbreak, every dark season is not a defeat, but a necessary passage toward becoming whole.
The poem that inspired the piece reads:
Dear Love,
This ache is not a punishment, but a passage.
And when the bloom comes — and it will —
you will return more whole,
more rooted,
more real.Yours, Dahlia
Musically, Karakusheva blends piano and strings, with the cello’s repeating ostinato acting like the echo of something chased — a constant reminder of resistance. Yet, as the piece progresses, this tension begins to shift, turning into a quiet surrender. It’s a choice to embrace the pain, to live with the weight, and in that acceptance, find liberation — as though letting go of the struggle finally allows for freedom.
Pain doesn’t erase who you are, it reveals who you’ve been all along,” Karakusheva shares. “Dahlia is a reminder that growth is raw, messy, and profoundly beautiful.Maria
Listen to Dahlia on Spotify.
With Dahlia, Karakusheva offers not just a piece of music, but a companion for those navigating the spaces between breaking and blooming.