your perspective is your freedom

despite my extremely positive nature, sometimes i feel like i’m swimming up-stream… going against the currents to get to where i want to be… and one of these moments was yesterday when not 1 but 3 of my band members (who i consider like family) had to cancel for our gig next friday because of other opportunities… its disappointing u know… i was thinking why can’t i be a superstar already and afford to keep “my family” close! lol! but it is what it is… i realized that loyalty lies with what you are able to provide financially for your musicians as well as creatively and opportunistically… this disappointment compiled with many other stresses (which i won’t focus on) triggered a mini melt down of sadness… but i decided to flip the script… because i KNOW that OUR PERSPECTIVE IS OUR FREEDOM! and that by forming almost a completely new band for this show i can learn and grow… feel the songs in different ways… and extend the family (and the extended family i must say is fucking exquisite as well!) so i encourage u when you are going through something difficult, feeling like ur swimming up-stream… find ways to flip the script! because your perspective is your freedom in this life. love and blessings to u!

how do u see your situation?

reflection on bringing M.U.S.I.C. into the world!

Reflecting back on the album release show I feel truly elated! It was one of the best nights of my life… It exceeded my expectations of what the show would be… The room was filled with so much love. It was like I was getting married! Seriously, my cheeks hurt from smiling! The band sounded incredible- we had only had 2 rehearsal and I had only run through the set with them twice on the day before the show. As my girl Aneesah says, “it wasn’t perfect but it was real.” And not only was it authentic- the performance was elevated- I felt fully committed to everything on stage. I even verbalized my intention to the audience, that I was going to give them love and inspiration… And they gave that beautiful energy in return. This was my first “real” show with songs I’ve created (with Dre) and my first time really leading a band. And I felt so at home… Having my NC girls and my mom there made the night even more special- their energy, their (loud) voices , enthusiasm and their dance moves definitely helped to ground me… And I absolutely adore the guys in the band (you can read more about each one of them in the interview blogs.) … they are like family- the connection is deep… And as my friend Quetzal says, “you can’t pay people to care” and they care deeply…I’m ready to go on tour with all of them! What also meant so much is that  people I admire so much musically said that they loved my voice live even more than on the album (which they thought was great as well)! What an honor! After the crowd started dying down, my girl Oshana bought a bottle of champagne and we got down on the dance floor! I really can’t find words to express this night… Thinking of all I went through to get this point…. the fear and doubts I had to overcome, the many many sacrifices, staying focused, staying positive, staying strong, staying motivated, enjoying the process of creation and recording, avoiding the disbelievers and the plastics,  and learning to believe in myself… It was such a incredible journey in which I encountered my darkness and my light. I grew so much from bringing the album officially into the world- it was a dream come true…. I’m so so grateful! I’m so excited for what’s to come!

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Erykah Badu, Pangea Collective, music with a message…

Yesterday’s performance at the UCLA Jazz Reggae Festival was so much fun! I love festivals- being outside in the sun, the energy, the people, the food, the cute little artists’ booths, the music… OOOhhhhhhh the music! I loved singing and dancing on stage with The Pangea Collective! Check them out- they fuse afro-beat and jazz together beautifully. I really dig “Right Brain Test” – such a hot song! I felt so at home on stage! I also got to stay on stage while ERYKAH BADU was performing, which was unreal for me. She was wearing typical Erykah attire- fabulously eccentric… She had tight black vinyl pants, crazy high patent leather shoes, a gray Public Enemy hoodie and top hat! I wish I could pull of some craziness like that so effortlessly! More importantly though I experienced her essence/energy/message up close. I love how she directed her band- they follow her at the drop of a dime and she kept bringing them out to where it would just be vocals – her solo or with the back-up singers so that the people could really hear/understand/take in what she’s saying. Her lyrics are profound and inspirational… I’m still understanding her lyrics in new ways. It’s interesting how our perception of art changes as we grow… We can listen to an album or see a film or read a poem and get more out of it the more life we live…. I love that! I just recently got more out of her song “On and On” which was out in the late 90s, her lyrics understanding her perception of God…. I live for music with a message….I looked out into the sea of people she was reaching and moving and inspiring! Ahhh I can’t wait to do that in such a meaningful and grand way!  Powerful!