Ten minute tea with Afternoon Tea. Spend ten minutes with Afternoon Tea. In the time it takes to boil one kettle, and let one cup of tea steep, we will have your daily art + music fix covered. Take your afternoon break with our Afternoon Tea curators. Need an extra lump of sugar? One more sip? If you have five minutes more (or ten), we have one more hit.
Today’s tea + soundtrack + visuals curated by Nelson Sobral.
Toronto singer-songwriter and guitarist Nelson Sobral shares “Searching For A Higher Love,” an upbeat and soulful rock single that reflects on humanity’s enduring search for meaning, purpose, and connection. Blending blues-rock grit, Americana warmth, and classic soul influences, the track channels a universal longing for something greater than ourselves while delivering an irresistible groove driven by soaring harmonies and heartfelt conviction.
Inspired by contemplating humanity’s place within the vastness of existence, “Searching For A Higher Love” explores the many ways people seek answers to life’s biggest questions. “No matter where we come from or what we believe, we all seem to be searching for something greater than ourselves,” Sobral explains.
The title itself reflects the song’s central theme. For Sobral, a “higher love” extends far beyond romance. “It can mean truth, purpose, God, consciousness, connection, or simply a deeper understanding of life,” he says.
Stream + share “Searching For A Higher Love” now:
Musically, the song draws from a rich blend of influences, marrying the infectious grooves of classic Motown and Stax records with the swagger and soul of Southern rock. The result is a driving and uplifting track that feels equally indebted to classic rock, blues, and soul traditions while remaining distinctly contemporary. Fans of Marcus King, The Black Crowes, and Tedeschi Trucks Band will find plenty to love in its blend of grit, groove, and emotional depth.
One of the song’s most memorable moments arrives unexpectedly at its conclusion. After hearing his four-year-old son singing a melody after school one day, Sobral recorded the performance on his phone, initially believing it was an original creation. When he later discovered the song was “I’ve Got Peace In My Fingers,” written by acclaimed children’s songwriter Susan Salidor, he reached out directly to share the track. “She loved it and gave me her blessing to use it in the song,” Sobral recalls. The recording remains intact on the final version, adding a touching and deeply personal layer to the song’s message.
Lyrically, “Searching For A Higher Love” embraces questions rather than easy answers. Its themes of faith, self-discovery, free will, and human connection align closely with the ideas that have long informed Sobral’s songwriting. “Love, time, free will, and all the other timeless things poets and musicians have written about for centuries,” he says.
The single follows Sobral’s recent release “Built To Last” and offers another glimpse into his forthcoming fourth studio album. Together, the songs continue a creative period defined by reflection, growth, and a renewed commitment to exploring life’s enduring mysteries through timeless songwriting.
One piece of music: “Sting Me” by The Black Crowes
The piece of music I chose is “Sting Me” by The Black Crowes, from The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. The Crowes have been a huge influence on me because they bring together everything I love about rock & roll: rock, blues, soul, gospel and roots music, all played with a looseness that feels alive.
I love everything about this song. The opening riff immediately grabs you, then the handclaps and call-and-response vocals with the backup singers make the whole thing feel like a rock & roll revival. The chorus is massive without losing the groove and the blazing guitar solo keeps building until it crashes into that buzzsaw of a bridge. From there, it explodes back into the final chorus before ending with that dramatic slowdown. To me, it’s everything a great rock & roll song should be.
One visual: Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling, particularly “The Creation of Adam”
Lately, I’ve been fascinated by Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling. It’s so bold, intense and almost unbelievable. There are hundreds of figures, bodies twisting in every direction and these huge scenes about creation, humanity, faith and judgment unfolding above you. More than five hundred years later, it still feels overwhelming in the best possible way.
I also can’t stop thinking about the physical act of creating it. What kind of person looks at an enormous ceiling and thinks, “I’m going to cover that”? What was it like spending years working high above the floor on scaffolding? What was the scaffolding like in those days?!? Painting at that scale and level of detail? As a musician, I understand how an idea can grow through a long creative process, but this is on another level entirely.
“The Creation of Adam” especially stays with me. That tiny space between the two reaching hands contains so much tension and possibility. I’ve also become fascinated by the interpretation that the shape surrounding God and the angels resembles the human brain. Whether that resemblance was intentional or not, it adds another layer to the mystery: is the image about receiving life, consciousness, divine inspiration—or all three? It connects naturally with the questions behind “Searching For A Higher Love” and our constant desire to understand whether there is something greater beyond ourselves.
“The Creation of Adam” / Vatican Museums:
One type of tea: Lemon ginger tea with honey and a fresh wedge of lemon
My tea would be lemon ginger with honey and a fresh wedge of lemon. I’m a singer, and this combination is always a winner. The ginger brings warmth, the lemon gives it a bright kick and the honey makes the whole cup feel soothing and comforting. It’s something I reach for before singing, when my voice feels tired or whenever I want a simple reset.
Tea + Me 