Mirrors

“Find a Heart”

“Find a Heart” was originally written years ago in response to the murders of black and brown citizens at the hands of those meant to protect and serve. Unfortunately, this song has maintained its relevance and has only become more timely as it speaks to the poor conditions of race relations in our nation and across the world.

Make no mistake about it. All lives can’t matter until Black lives matter. I long for the day when this song is simply a glimpse at a time far in our painful past. However, for now, this song is a very present reality for the marginalized and oppressed. As a Black woman, the future wife of a Black man, and the future mother of Black sons and daughters, my heart is burdened with the plight of our people. My role as an educator is a constant reminder of my duty to be intentional in my purpose, unapologetically vocal about our experiences, and actively combat racism so that the world is better for the generations who will follow.

So, until the day that this song is no longer a mirror of the present, revealing to us our deepest and darkest flaws as a nation, I will continue to encourage people to “find a heart”.

#BlackLivesMatterToo

Windows

“See You Later”

“See You Later” allows listeners to peer into the experience of losing my dad as a window to my grief and healing.

It was a Thursday night when I received the phone call that shook my entire world. Doctors made it clear that, if we wanted a chance to say goodbye, we needed to come immediately because “he might not make it through the night”. Severe weather made it impossible to make the four-hour drive to my dad’s house that night, so I turned out all of the lights, turned on my keyboard, and began to weep. Through my tears, words began to pour out from my broken heart and the first half of this song was born.

I drove down the next day to find that my Daddy stuck around a little while longer for one last heart-to-heart. He was unable to respond verbally, but our hearts conversed in a way that words would never be able to duplicate. On Sunday, I made it three and a half hours back home when I received the call that he was gone. As soon as I got home, I placed my things down, turned on my keyboard, and wrote the second half of “See You Later”.

I revisit this song on the hardest days for a gentle reminder that we’ll one day be reunited. Though he is no longer physically present with us, I find comfort in knowing that my Daddy, my Twin, my Ace Boon, and my Superman has found rest.

I miss you, Daddy. See you later.

Sliding Glass Doors

“Too Broken to Love”

There isn’t enough space here to give you my full story. Between childhood trauma, sexual assault in adulthood, and an array of other life-altering factors, I have battled with both depression and anxiety, among other mental health struggles.

(Therapy is a must, guys. Seriously. Make the call.)

“Too Broken to Love”, a single from the upcoming project “Rose Gold Kintsugi”, is my sliding glass door because it offers transparency to the listener, but also represents the passageway from self-hatred and degradation to self-acceptance and love. This song is an answer to the question asked by a “friend” - “What kind of man is going to want to deal with damaged goods?” Through this door, it is my hope that listeners who have had similar experiences will be able to relate, step into who they truly are, and see themselves as God sees them - “not too broken to love”.

Kintsugi is the art form of mending broken items together with gold. The concept is that those repaired items are more beautiful having been broken. “Too Broken to Love” is my realization that there is beauty in my brokenness and that I am better because of the sum of my experiences.