Affirmation music: The journeys and evolution of Black spirituality with affirmations, through music.
How many times do you hear from folks, “music ain’t the same no more.” That may certainly be true in many ways. But everyone can have bad things to say about the town or city they reside in, whereas someone else may find that they love that same place.
Music has so much purpose…
For over more than a decade the mainstream music industry has been eroded away, by way of independent artists taking control of their own careers and divine destinies. Lil Wayne definitely changed up some stuff over a decade ago. It certainly gave other artists the courage to release music whenever they wanted. Who cares what the label thinks, they have consistently been losing money anyway.
2006-2012 was a big transitional period. Before we knew it, it became commonplace for anyone to have a mixtape. And before we knew it, anyone releasing an album, whenever, and even unexpectedly, became normalized.
Seasoned independent artists like Tinashe do everything from choreo, to writing, producing, arranging, tour details- everything. It’s worth it, according to these artists. To have the creative freedom and livelihood that their predecessors could only dream of. Artists like her have ushered in a new wave of artists set to shake things up even more.
With music that is loaded with affirmations and mantras, you can’t help but feel good, learn, and aspire to be who you truly are. All music can be therapeutic, but “affirmation music” is a whole different thang.
Over the years I learned to tune out music that the mainstream shoves down our throats. I use it as a rule of thumb, if mainstream is slanging a song to me repeatedly, chances are it’s trash. For a good decade, I have deviated away from what is played on the radio, and more into what I like to think of as going on adventures in nature and seeing what cool things you find and collect on any given day.
For me, music is therapy. It’s art. The interpretation is all at the behest of the listener. What may heal one may disrupt another. But overall, mainstream music seems to be quite monotonous. Like many politicians, not much of a variety of options are there for folks to choose from.
A whole generation of aspiring artists has grown up in an era where they are able to take their power back and keep it. They are their music. They honor their ability to have full creative control, and they put art to the forefront, not business. Business IS important in this career, but artists and fans alike want authenticity, passion, and raw talent. At this point, it is not just a movement. To many, it’s what is expected of music today.
I love finding new music. For years I have been listening to frequency waves, guided meditations, and different nature sounds. I came across a playlist that included artists who sang or spoke mantras, actual music though, not just the usual phrase spoken over and over, (although there is a new evolution of that too), but entire songs that are full of mantras and positive affirmations, guided meditations through bars, beats embedded with frequencies aligned with specific chakras or, vibrations made to affect you in many ways.
I came to realize that many if not most of these singers, lyricists, and artists are BIPOC, and they’re all over the world. There are even local ones: Lavva and FR33SOL of Philly.
In 2021, I discovered local artists in the city I reside in, Lancaster, Pa. Artists like Sir Dominique Jordan, Terian Mack, Soul Truu, and Evita Colon are also part of this new wave. Black and brown folk are owning who they are, and their art, while uplifting all people in the process. It’s one thing that truly connects us well- music. There is now a whole genre of artists from all over the world, now seeking to not only put great music back to the forefront but also seek to elevate the collective consciousness and connection of the human race. To bring us together and remind us of how amazing we are as people. What is nice is that folks from every nationality, background, ethnicity, age, and all shapes, sizes, and creeds have come to jump into the fold and you can find just about any community represented.
Most people want good music. Most people want music that actually makes them feel good but also makes them better. It’s out there.
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