SOCAN presented singer-songwriter Rose Cousins with a No. 1 Song Award, for writing “The Benefits of Being Alone,” which topped the CBC Music Top 20 on Feb. 6, 2020.

Co-written in the U.K. with Jonny Wright (in pre-COVID times), “The Benefits of Being Alone” – as performed by Cousins – takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the single life, and the kind of solitude we’ve all come to experience a little (or a lot) during pandemic lockdowns.

Since current health regulations prevent SOCAN from presenting a No. 1 Song Award plaque to Cousins in person, SOCAN A&R Representative Melissa Cameron-Passley bestowed it to her via video instead. And we took the opportunity of the occasion to add to our “Top Secrets” video series, as Cousins explains how the song was written.

Cousins’ latest album Bravado has earned her a JUNO nomination for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year. Her previous album, Natural Conclusion, received notable acclaim, including a nomination for a 2018 Grammy Award, a nomination for Songwriter of the Year Award at the 2018 JUNO Awards, and three wins at the East Coast Music Awards. Cousins also writes for film and TV, and her songs have appeared on the Grey’s Anatomy, Supergirl, Reign, and Nashville, among others.