New Jazzy Music: Insecure! *Warning: Explicit Language*

So Jazzy's back again with a new song! This hit called "Insecure" with Bryson Tiller is an interesting take on what it's like for a girl to feel her man is too clingy and well... insecure! I truly love this, and although it wouldn't be relatable to someone like me, it definitely gives a perspective of "too much clingy", but in this case, being vice versa. 

If you're familiar with Jazmine's love life, you would know she went through an abusive relationship a few years ago, and she went through a period where she didn't even want to make music any more before her 2015 album, Reality Show. Although she may not be able to relate in her current relationship, in all her music, all of her different sounds can relate to women who may experience hurt or happiness in some way, which I absolutely love! 

Hope you enjoy this sensational new sound! Happy listening! 

A Jazzy Premiere: AMAZING Riffs and Runs!

Jazmine Sullivan Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxRPasnb_hQ&list=LLe5bCDZ8jT1l5b_KOR3Ln_g

Hopefully by the title of my post, you can tell that I LOVE Jazmine Sullivan! She's my all time

favorite R&B artist, and my singing style is based off of her sound. Her vocals are definitely goals to

me!


Just a little background, her mother named her "Jazmine" for her love of Jazz music. Little did her

mother know that she would grow up and become and amazing singer who has such a jazzy voice in

her own way! Jazmine's fame began at age 11, when she sang Diana Ross's "Home" from the play

The Wiz. When you hear her sing that song, who would even think she's 11 years old?! You would've

thought it was an adult in the background, but nope, it's Jazmine! She went on to perform at the

Apollo in New York, several churches, in plays at her high school (which is in Philadelphia), and

even in clubs at 15!


Jazmine has three solo albums from the label J Records, and I can sing every single lyric to all of

them! I can relate to most of her songs, but most of all her incredible musical ear is so subliminal; I

hope that when I start making music, I will have that same ear she has! Now I know that her isn't

Christian, but when you listen to her songs, you definitely will feel the emotions that she conveys in

her lyrics. All in all, you will definitely enjoy this video. Feel free to watch it as many times as you'd

like, and hopefully, you won't get too tired of her "Jazzy" sound!

Breast Cancer Awareness Reflection: Remembering My Aunt Joy

In totally unrelated to music news, It's October. This is one of the hardest months for me to get through because of three words: Breast Cancer Awareness. As much as I love giving awareness, I find it so difficult, for I had two family members that passed from it; One of those people being my Aunt Joy, who is pictured at the far right. She passed on June 6, 2013, and I will never forget how devastated I was after her funeral. Out of all of my Father's sisters, my Aunt Joy was probably the one that I could relate to the most; She was extremely hilarious, and I loved her wisdom and faith and God. I always wished that she could pass on her faith to me before I finished high school, but remembering that I could always keep her in my heart, I graduated knowing that she was proud of this accomplishment I made. One of my favorite moments with her was when I was about eight years old, she babysat me at one of her old houses about ten minutes away. We ate good food and plenty of snacks, and I always laughed at her when she made fun of the commercials on TV (especially the laxative ones, LOL). Before I left, her cat scratched me, and I was so dramatic about it, I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital. All she did was put some alcohol and cream on it before putting a band-aid on it and laughed. After she did this, she told me this advice that I'll never forget, "It's okay. You're gonna have scars sometimes, but don't touch them! They'll heal soon!" I thought about this news when I found out about her passing, and I wished that my tears from my pillow could help me heal. Now almost four and a half years later, I am not totally healed from all my scars, but I definitely feel her presence and that advice that will never leave my mind. Aunt Joy, I love you so much, and I know you're proud of where I am. My next two degrees are dedicated to you, for they will be a remembrance of my scars that eventually healed because of a whole lot of FAITH. 

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." -- John 14:27

The Piano MUST Go Up: A Veggietales Lesson!

Here's one of my all time favorite Veggietales shorts (besides the silly songs, because who doesn't like those)! It's called Going Up! from the movie Sumo of the Opera, and surprisingly I didn't even know this existed! It took me a few times to figure out the lesson in this silent film; I don't really find interest in those kinds of shorts, but I went along with it, and now I love it so much (especially the dramatic background music)! What I really got from this message is you shouldn't give up if you want to reach the ultimate goal. In the beginning, we see that Larry the Cucumber and his fellow co-workers (Jimmy Gourd and Mr. Lunt) are trying to pull up the piano to Madame Blueberry's house so that their boss, Mr. Nezzer, will see that they are good employees, and that they each deserve a spot in the front seat of his truck. However, as they are pulling it up all the way to the top of the steep steps, both Jimmy and Mr. Lunt are extremely exhausted and decide to give up because of the hot sun. While Jimmy and Mr. Lunt take an ice cream break (and a nap), Larry, still persistent with the end goal in mind, still decides that even with no help, "The piano MUST go up!" Eventually with all his strength, he got the piano all the way up to Madame's house! What a hero! So Larry accomplishes the goal to sit in the front with Mr. Nezzer, and as for Jimmy and Mr. Lunt, well.... let's just say they got what they deserved.

So as young Christians in today's world, how can we live out this video?

YES, it is hard to live out our christian faith in our world, but if we begin with the end goal in mind (as Larry did with hauling up the piano), we will be victorious in every aspect of our lives. What is this end goal? Simple. Eternal Life. If we want to achieve this goal of seeing our Father in heaven, we must do the work here on Earth first. There may even be obstacles like the the steep steps the veggies had to climb, or there may be distractions like the ice cream truck and sleeping to avoid the work (not saying sleep is bad for you), but we must do keep trying with all the strength and persistence that we know God gives us each and everyday. So, don't give up, my friends, for "The Piano MUST go up!" Life may be tough, but we serve a God that's even tougher! 


"I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." --Philippians 3:14