Marc Dorian believes in the power of human connection and kindness.

The Metro Detroit singer-songwriter and pianist shares that universal message in his new lyric book, You’re Not Alone.

“If it makes people think a little bit about showing some kindness or reaching out to someone, then it’s done its part,” he said. “Hopefully, it can be relatable and maybe just give people something to think about. If you’re thinking of someone, why not let them know?”

Dorian initially explored that idea on “You’re Not Alone,” a pop-rock track from his 2021 album, Another Lucky Day.

“Somewhere along the way, I realized ‘You’re Not Alone’ was a storytelling song,” he said. “Some of the conversations and moments that I was having in my travels led me to think that I could develop the song a bit more behind the lyrics.”

It wasn’t long before Dorian’s uplifting song spawned a short lyric book of the same name, which takes an in-depth look at the track’s lyrics and the inspiration behind them.

“It’s for people who enjoy lyrics and who might enjoy diving a little deeper,” he said. “Perhaps it might make people see that they all can be creative in their own way.”

Dorian divides the lyrics featured in You’re Not Alone into four sections: “The Call,” “Passing By,” “The Weight We Carry,” and “Still Here.” Each section examines the meanings and stories behind different lyrics and verses.

“The first verse is when you get a call from an old friend, but that’s the thing about old friends: you can go right back in place,” said Dorian, who hails from Sydney, Nova Scotia. “In ‘The Call,’ I talk about how you don’t have to start from the beginning, and you have all that history.

“Then, the second verse is just about noticing a stranger, which happens in the song. It’s about a guy in a parking lot who looks forlorn, but it could be anywhere—even in an airport. That became ‘Passing By,’ or a stranger who passes by, and then the bridge, the lines are about everybody having a weight on their shoulders.”

As a touring musician, Dorian collected some of these memorable stories and relatable experiences while traveling and having random conversations with people on planes. Others stemmed from phone calls and meetups with old friends who needed a caring ear.

“It’s with strangers that you just run into, friendships that you already have, and the empathy you have for what your friend or a stranger might be going through,” he said. “When I’m talking to people on a plane, I don’t know if it’s my tattoos, an earring, or my haircut, but people always say, ‘Hey, are you in a band?’, so that usually starts some form of conversation.”

Dorian also added personal reflection pages throughout the lyric book, encouraging readers to jot down thoughts or ideas.

“You could have a cup of coffee and go through it in the morning or maybe before you go to bed,” he said. “It’s designed to be that kind of a book, and that’s where it came from. It’s not a self-help book, it’s not me trying to be preachy—it’s more observational.”

In You’re Not Alone, Dorian invites readers to observe part of his creative process and includes a photo of handwritten notes showing an initial outline for the book.

“It’s toward the back where I show my scribbled-down notes,” he said. “It’s a photo of the book ideas jotted down, and that might be of a certain era, too, where it wasn’t all written down on the laptop—it started on paper.”

In addition to releasing his lyric book, Dorian performs as a dueling piano player for different companies and as a keyboardist for Uncle Kracker. He’s also working on new music to share in 2027.

“I’m very lucky I can do music for a living, so my fall is split up into different things,” he said. “Because I have this variety, I wake up inspired to hit the ground running and always remember the gratitude of: What do I have to be prepared for this week?”

To order and purchase a copy of “You’re Not Alone,” visit Marc Dorian’s website.