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Rapsody 

Photo: Jose Gongora 

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Rapsody Honors Black Women's Past, Present And Future On 'EVE'

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On the rapper's third album, out now, she has a sonic conversation about black women's worth and resilience
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Sep 4, 2019 - 12:22 pm

Oprah, Maya, Serena, Michelle. These are just some of the black women, recognized by their first names alone in entertainment, sports, arts, politics and beyond, Rapsody recognizes on her third studio album, EVE. Over the course of 16 tracks, the GRAMMY-nominated rapper from North Carolina wants to show not only the strength and resilience black women hold, but that "black women come in a spectrum." 

 "I wanted to have a conversation," Rapsody tells the Recording Academy about speaking to black women through the album. "I wanted to write my letters to them to show that or remind us that we are beautiful, we are strong, that we are human."

EVE, the follow-up to 2017's Laila's Wisdom, which paid tribute to her grandmother, continues Rapsody's trajectory as one of hip-hop's most recognized and respected female voices. The Recording Academy spoke with the rapper about her album (out now via Roc Nation in partnership with Def Jam Recordings) about how black women are seen in society, how "IBTIHAJ" ​came about and more. 

EVE is not the first time you've paid tribute to women in the form of an album. Laila's Wisdom was named after your grandmother. Who are you paying tribute to on this album?

Leila's Wisdom was for me, and I wanted to make something that was more broad that all women could gravitate to and see themselves. I wanted to make something that showed that we're not monoliths, that black women come in a spectrum, that we have different flavors and styles and energy and it all should be celebrated and loved, and to show that even I am a reflection of so many different women. I'm inspired by so many different women I know, so many other black women. I learned motherly love from Phylicia Rashad, outside of my own mother and aunt.

I learned the power of words from Nikki Giovanni and Maya Angelou. It's examples like that. So I wanted to make a project that creatively told that story in this way. I probably recorded maybe 40 songs coming forth from this idea about 40 different women and I just would wake up every day and think of a different woman. And it was so much fun and so easy because I respect so many and I follow so many. We narrowed it down to the 16 that we have and that was based on sonics; how we wanted the album to sound, what songs sounded good together, but also for a wide range story. So that's kind of how we came to the project that we have now.

I mean, there's so many badass black women out there. How did you narrow it down to 16?

[Laughs.] It was so hard, believe me. I thought about doing a double disc. I thought about doing part one, part two, but I said in the world that we live in people can't consume that much music right now. They don't even have the attention span to. So once we found two songs that we really wanted to build around sound-wise, because when we make albums we make it off what sonically sounds good together, and that also doesn't repeat the same concepts that I did within the album, so I think we built around "OPRAH" and "SOJOURNER" and "AALIYAH." Those were the first three songs that we created that we knew we were going to keep for the album. And we built around what sounded good with those three songs.

That's kind of how we dwindled it down. And we might have two songs that told two different stories, but musically they sounded the same so we just had to pick which one we thought was the best one. But it was very difficult, though. But I think what we ended up with is variety. If you see music in colors, it's very colorful and a bunch of different colors. It shows the world of black women that I wanted to showcase. You're going to get the rowdy chick. You're going to get the introspective one. You're going to get the loving one. You're going to have songs about beauty. You're going to have songs that are political. So it just covered all the stories and energies that I wanted to showcase.

You named the album EVE. How come?

I wanted a title that represented black women. There's no one name that can tell the story of all these different women so I wanted to start with the first woman ever created, the mother of all living things, and that's Eve from the Bible. So that's why I chose Eve. God created man. He took a rib from him and blew life into a lung and He created the first woman and named her Eve. That is a reflection of who we are and where we come from and the beginning of women, giving birth to the world, nurturing the world, feeding the world through our bodies. So that's why I chose "EVE."

RELATED: Rapsody Reveals The Influential Black Women Behind Her New Album 'Eve' At ESSENCE Fest

Did you have an audience in mind when creating the album?

Yeah. Specifically, directly first I wanted to talk to black women. I wanted to have a conversation. I wanted to write my letters to them to show that or remind us that we are beautiful, we are strong, that we are human. It's okay to feel weak at times because we do carry so much and we have to go through so much. We have to fight so much, but we still persevere. So I wanted to talk to black women and black little girls, first and foremost. But then I wanted to talk to men to remind them why we should be loved, respected and protected, to remind them of their daughters, remind them of their sisters, their mothers, the women that are around them and to show them that at the core of who we are, you are this because of us.

Every man is raised by a strong woman. That's why I named the last song "AFENIA" but we kept it, we put the sample of 2Pac in it. We revere 2Pac and we love him for the man that he is, but he is who he is because he was raised by a strong black woman. And so those are the first two people I wanted to talk to. But I feel like no matter what race you are, what age group you are, what part of the world you are, this album will still resonate with you and you'll be inspired or feel something from it in some shape, form or fashion.

Do you feel like men have a role in uplifting black women?

I do. I think we have a role to each other. Women have a role to respect and love and uplift man and men should do the same for women. The men are the head of the household. I'm from the South, it's just one thing I believe. But it's for the man to protect the woman and to have her back and to love her and to be kind to her and to be patient and to step up for her in a time of need. Again, we deal with so much, having to bring life into this world, having to be the backbone when your man come home, especially black men from a long day of work and having to deal with the world, and how the world views black me, and how the black men is always on edge because of just everything that they have to deal with.

And it reminds me of a conversation that Nikki Giovanni had with James Baldwin. That section of where you hear Nikki expressing [something along the lines of,] "Well, you lie to the world all day. Why can't you lie to me?" The black man's saying, "Because I have to put on a front, because I have to hold everything in so long, you're the person that I could come to and let it all out and be myself." And it's just a powerful conversation, and I think it's important, that I want to make music that reflects both sides of that story. And at the end of the day we kind of have to be there for each other.

Do you feel the men have a role in uplifting women in the music industry?

Oh yeah, I definitely do. Especially as a female in hip-hop and coming up in this climate and we see how for me, our talent is looked at as less than because we're women, just the images that are portrayed and pushed to the forefront. So I think it's up to the men. It's a responsibility to have my back. And that's something men have been doing for me for my whole career. I was signed by 9th Wonder and Young Guru who believed in me, who felt like they didn't have to change my image and make me something that I wasn't just to fit up with what was trending or what was hot. Kendrick Lamar, he's been a supporter from day one. I'm the only feature on his second album, To Pimp A Butterfly, which is one of the most anticipated albums ever made.

Big K.R.I.T. has always been a supporter. He just recently hit me up to go on tour with him. Men have been supporting me my whole career. Jay-Z signed me. I'm the first female to be signed to Roc Nation and a lot of times men have stepped up for me more than women have at times. So it just shows when men step up and they're part of the conversation and they're part of the fight that we go through just to earn respect, it helps. In the same way, I would love to see the NBA players step up for the WNBA players when you talk about pay equality. It takes a village, not just gender. It takes everyone to create change and we should have that support.

"IBTIHAJ" came together in such a cool way. It features GZA and D'Angelo and it samples Wu-Tang. Tell me how that song came together. 

I was inspired to do it. One, from a Nicole Bus record called "You" where she actually used a old Wu-Tang sample the same way I did so I wanted something that felt like that for my album. And for whatever reason, myself and Nicole couldn't work, but 9th just went through a sample bank of a bunch of Wu Tang samples and he was like, "I'm going to do 'Liquid Swords,' just because how dope a song it was and what it meant for the time." And he just felt like that energy fit well with the album.They made the beat. It was crazy. I wrote to it and before we did anything, we had to reach out to GZA to ask for his blessing as a code of conduct because we are the culture and to also ask him to be on it because it just made sense.

It's probably his most popular song, so he agreed that we could even do the song and use the sample and that he would give us a verse. And while we were waiting on his verse we got a call, just trying to work out logistics and everything, getting GZA's verse recorded for the project. There was a person that was with D'Angelo, spoke about how D'Angelo was a fan of both myself and 9th and he thought that D'Angelo would really love the record.

So he wanted to play it for him and we told him we would love for him to. And he did. And D'Angelo connected with it so many other people because what that song meant when it came out for a lot of people, it connected a lot of people to a memory and the history that D'Angelo has with GZA and back then, the first time they did a song together, "Cold World," that's how much he loves Wu Tang. So for him the song inspired him in a way that he wanted to be a part of it and it just happened that naturally, just that organic and it came out to be a banger.

Malcolm X once said, "The most disrespected person in America is a black woman." Do you believe that still to be true today?

Yes, I do. That's one of the reasons I wanted to make this project.There's so much going on in the world: your gender, your race, your religion, so many factors. And black women are sometimes always at the bottom. Because we're women, we're looked at as less than because we're black, we're not respected, and then you have in your household we are the most disrespected, and sadly that's still true today. When I watch videos, black women having to fight for themselves and defend themselves and men are standing around in circles and just, it just never made sense to me.

They have to be the head of the household a lot of times and take up the slack and be the man or the woman. It's just a way harder fight than we expect, even in our image. There are a lot of times where our images are portrayed or taken by other people and they're looked at as being more beautiful when everyone else does. We used to get called ugly and talked about because we were thicker in our thighs and we had plumper, more beautiful lips. And the way we wore our hair, it was called "ghetto." But when other people do it that don't look like us in other races, it's called high fashion. And that's a disrespect. The way Serena Williams is treated sometimes in the tennis world, that's a disrespect that wouldn't necessarily happen if she wasn't a black woman. I definitely want to touch on that, and that's part of the reason I made the project.

What is the most empowering thing about being a black woman today for you?

For me the most empowering thing is our strength and our perseverance. No matter how much you disrespect us and how much you throw at us, we always find a way to thrive again. And that's embedded in our DNA because we've been doing it so long. Even in the political climate and time that we're in, a lot of black women are stepping up and saying we want change and we have to be that change, and I'm down for the cause. It's a powerful time that I love and appreciate. I always seen black women step up no matter how tired we get, no matter how much we continue to have to carry, no matter how many walls and doors get closed in our face, we don't give up. And that's powerful. And that's one thing that makes me proud to be a black woman and that I can stand on, something I can see when I was a little girl in my house with my mom and my aunt, to even in the world today that we live in. 

Saida Dahir's Spoken-Word Debut Is A Powerful Love Letter To Black Muslim Women

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Bun B

Photo: Johnny Nunez/WireImage

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Bun B On The Fight For Racial Equality & How Artists & Allies Can Help

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"Today looks better than yesterday, but we still got to fight for tomorrow," says the legendary Houston rapper and activist
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Jul 1, 2020 - 9:20 am

Houston rap master Bun B is widely respected as one of hip-hop's most influential architects, both from his two decades as one half of UGK as well as his extensive solo work and formidable features catalog. He's also a pillar of the music community, serving as vice president on the Recording Academy Texas Chapter, where he's activating his leadership role to drive meaningful conversations about racism. Recently, he participated in a webinar called "Industry Mix: Amplifying Black Voices" to open up the dialogue with his colleagues, which will be available soon here on GRAMMY.com.

Industry Mix: Amplifying Black Voices

The day after the webinar, GRAMMY.com caught up with the GRAMMY-nominated artists specifically to hear his thoughts on the climate of racial injustice in America, what the music industry and non-Black allies can do to support change and the many ways he's fighting for the cause.

[Editor's Note: This interview was conducted prior to Bun B learning that his son had tested positive for COVID-19.]

How did the "Industry Mix: Amplifying Black Voices" webinar yesterday go for you?

It went really good. We always want to make sure that we in Texas are doing our part. We have a very diverse chapter, but it doesn't hurt to have these kinds of conversations. We're trying to lead my example, in terms of the Texas Chapter. I'm vice president now, and our president's Latino, so the president and I are just trying to make sure that our chapter is engaging in these conversations right now and making sure that whatever level of action we can take collectively, as well as individually that we're going towards that.

So we came up with the idea of having a panel conversation within the chapter for people to ask questions. A lot of people have been asking different questions, everyone doesn't have the same frame of reference and perspective for these issues. So we just want to make sure that people know in this chapter if there's anything that they're curious about or need more information about that we create a platform to get them that information.

How would you describe the current situation? How does it look from your perspective?

It's progressively getting better, day by day, but we're still a very far ways off from getting to where we really feel we need to be. We have more people who are not people of color standing up and saying that Black Lives Matter, which is a bit refreshing, because racism has long been a fight surely by people of color in this country. So there's always a certain contingency of people who are not of color that engaged, but we've never had the numbers that we have now.

I said yesterday, we're very encouraged by people being willing to step up and stand up right now, so that's the encouraging. But we still have a lot of ground to cover. Racism in America and in the world for that matter is not going to go away quickly or easily, and they're counting on us to give up and kind of fall to the wayside with it.

So there's a certain level of urgency that we have to constantly stay reminded of, because unfortunately these different acts that are happening every day, so we're consistently reminded of the state of the country. Don't get me wrong today looks better than yesterday, but we still got to fight for tomorrow.

What does change look like to you?

Change looks like equality. Change looks like racial equality, where every human being, no matter what race they represent, what religion they represent, is treated as an equal citizen in this world. Equality as far as economic- there is racism that exists in America, that one, doesn't allow Black people to enter certain type of corporations to be involved with certain types of businesses in this country. Even the people that are allowed to work for certain companies don't get to move up to executive positions. There are a lot of fortune 500 company that do not have Black people or people of color in executive board positions. Even when Black people want to own businesses, there's always issues were being allowed to lease or rent or even purchase commercial real estate in America. So that hinders a lot of opportunities for Black people to, to work towards economic equality, so that's been an issue.

And then judicially equality in terms of how Black people are arrested, the kinds of charges Black people face all the time, the way Black people are prosecuted and sentenced in this country. A Black person stands in front of a judge for the same crime as a white man and get stiffer penalties. And so, we have a lot of different things that we want to fight for. Even the way that we're the way that we are arrested, the way that we're taken into custody, sometimes they don't even make it to the precinct in America. So there's a lot of different things on different levels that we got to fight for. So we're, we're getting racism from all angles right now, at every level.

How do you feel the music community and the music industry can do more?

Well, I think the first step of action for artists is to use their platform in a way that helps to benefit. So some artists can use their platform to put together a calls-of-action, to spread information, help to organize people, rally people together, other artists are creating music that galvanizes people, music that informs people, and just educate people about what's certain people in this country and in the world are going through. Some, some artists are more financially stable than others, especially with the industry is being slowed down based off of COVID-19, so a lot of them are funding initiatives. They're covering bail costs for people when peaceful protesters get arrested. So there's many different ways that artists can engage and have been engaged. Whatever it is that you feel in your heart, even if you can't protests. Everybody can't always attend the rallies, especially with the virus going on right now, but there are many different ways that artists can and have been activating and engaging in the space right now.

Well, and I think you have led by example, maybe you could talk a little bit about some of the things you've done to activate and advocate.

What we did yesterday with the panel discussion was to make sure that we're having these conversations, that we're talking about what Black people are going through, how Black people are feeling and what they see on a daily basis. With our Chapter as well as with the Academy, we're trying to make sure we talk about racism and police brutality, and we want to make sure that people who don't necessarily have the same perspective on these issues that we have, make sure that they're informed and educated on what people of color go through in this country.

It's not what you see on television. It's a lot more, just on a daily basis, even though police are killing us on the streets of America, there is voter suppression right now to suppress the Black vote and vote for people of color in America. But there's a lot of everyday harassment that Black people deal with, not being allowed in certain businesses, levels of provocation that people try to push us to so that we can try to fit their angry Black person stereotype, you know, that kind of stuff.

We organized a rally and a March for peace with a peaceful protest here in the city of Houston we drove above 70,000 people through the streets of Houston. We try to make sure that, even though we have a good relationship with our chief of police and the mayor of Houston here, that we still hold them accountable for transparency when it comes to the police department and different executive orders and initiatives that our city hall and our city council can push forward and to help shift the dynamic when it comes to interactions with people of color and the police in their communities. So, we do have great relationships with the leaders of this city, but we don't know rest on that at the same time… you could have a good relationship with the chief of police and still hold the chief of police accountable. Those two thing aren't mutually exclusive, right? So we can do both, and so we make sure that we do both.

Tomorrow we're going to Frankfort, Kentucky, which is the state capital of Kentucky, to demand that the police officers that killed the Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky be arrested and charged with murder. So far only one police officer has been reprimanded, but he still hasn't been charged and arrested and taken into custody. We went to Minneapolis to stand with Stephen Jackson when he was demanding justice for the four police officers that murdered George Floyd. We're doing what we can on a local level and we're supporting people on a national level as well. Anywhere we feel like we have a voice and we can help with what's going on, just bring attention to the situation and be active on the front lines, that's what we're going to do.

I think you've already addressed this question, but in your opinion, what should non-Black people be doing to support the Black community right now?

Well, they should definitely have that tough conversation with their friends, have these conversations with family. make sure that in their house that they're not tolerating racism, and that they're not doing anything to the hinder the process. If they have Black friends, they should ask their Black friends to talk to them about what life is like for them, educate themselves on what Black people and people of color deal with on a daily basis. I think that's very important. I think they should support initiatives that they see in their city and nationwide either by action or financially. We're not talking about thousands of dollars, $20, $30 for the good cause. Every little bit helps. And if you're indifferent and you don't feel like you need to do it, then recognize that you're part of the problem, and that [racism] will never go away unless you do your part. That's the most important thing.

How are you practicing self-care and coping during this time?

Well, I'm all in for this fight, right? So, I, even though I have, I'm not numb by the images I see on television, I'm taking good care of myself. I have a very strong family. My wife is very supportive of everything I do. My wife will normally march and stand with me. It's just, COVID is a lot right now, even though she didn't participate in the march and the rally in Houston, she doesn't feel safe traveling with me when I go to these different cities.

And just talking about it, being aware that a lot of this imagery can be triggers for certain people, and can bring back a lot of trauma people have, seeing people being slammed up against the cars and on the street by police is unfortunately many people of color have seen before. So a lot of this stuff can be a trigger. But I just pray very deeply. And I made sure to try to take some time to calm down, unwind, listen to easy music and try to decompress with whatever spare time I have available. Yeah, I just find a quiet space to have some quiet time to myself.

Thank you for sharing that. Are you working on anything creative during this time, or have any upcoming projects?

I was already working on several projects. I was finishing an album that I was doing with Manny Fresh. I was finishing another album and I was doing it with the producers, Zaytoven and during our actual quarantine, I recorded a full album with an artist from Houston by way of Louisiana. His name is LE$. We basically went out to a 400-acre farm in West Texas, kind of separated ourselves from everybody. It's the largest residential recording complex in the world, in West Texas. And so we went out there and kind of talked about what it's like being isolated and just trying to find peaceful moments to yourself. It's a very calming, very relaxed album, which is a little different from some of the more aggressive stuff that I've done. Like right now, I literally just left from Trae Tha Truth's house because he's put together a song with different artists talking about the state for America right now.

I'm trying to stay as productive as possible right now. I feel like this is a great time for creatives to be creating, so I definitely encourage other artists to take the time if they can, if they have a recording set up at home, to definitely talk about how they feel, what's on their mind, because I'm almost certain the majority of people in America kind of feel the same way they feel right now, both with the repercussions of the Coronavirus in America as well, that constant influx of imagery dealing with racism and police brutality.

For sure. Is there anything else that you want to say at the moment?

I'm very happy that the Recording Academy understands the need for having these kind of conversations and understands that we, as creatives, whether we're songwriters, musicians, singers, rappers, whatever it may be, we have power, right? There is power and strength in our words and in our message and in our unity right now. So I'm glad that Harvey Mason jr. and the rest of the Academy is not only supporting us, but standing with us and making their own respective statements and I want the Academy to be a part of things that we all want to see in this world.

Want To Support Protesters And Black Lives Matter Groups? Here’s How

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Jenni Rivera 

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EXCLUSIVE: Listen To A Preview Of Jenni Rivera's Never-Before-Heard Song "Quisieran Tener Mi Lugar"

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GRAMMY.com has an exclusive preview of the Mexican Regional music icon’s latest unreleased single
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jun 29, 2020 - 9:55 am

It’s been eight years since Mexican regional music lost their great lady, their "Gran Señora."

But Jenni Rivera’s one of a kind voice and rebellious, trailblazing spirt lives on in her latest never-before released track "Quisieran Tener Mi Lugar."

The unforgettable Mexican-American singer, who died in a tragic plane crash in 2012, paved the way for women in Mexican regional music with her command over several genre styles (banda, corrido and mariachi, to name a few) and a powerful, soulful voice that belted out lyrics about heartbreak, love, sex and mafia life. A female artist in a male-dominated genre, Jenni Rivera made room for herself and claimed her throne as banda’s diva, as she was lovingly known, with a spirit that was not afraid to break gender norms.

"Quisieran Tener Mi Lugar" exudes the confidence, determination, drive and outspokenness the world loved about her.

"They keep going with the same old story/ They judge and criticize my life/ I’m the diva and it hurts them/ I say what I want, I don’t care," she sings in Spanish over the brass heavy style of banda music. "They just want to talk to talk/ Because they don’t have any shame/Maybe they want to have my place and live the good life."

GRAMMY.com has an exclusive preview of the song, which will be fully released on what would be Rivera’s 51st birthday, July 2.

The unreleased song was discovered by Rivera’s brother Juan, who was unsure if the songs he had come across were new when he found them, after her death.

"When I found out they were unreleased records I wasn’t sure if it was sheer happiness or sadness," he told GRAMMY.com via email. "Happiness because it was something FRESH, TOTALLY NEW and UNHEARD for her fans. Sad because I’m afraid to find them all and reach that potential end."

"Quisieran Tener Mi Lugar" is the third single off a posthumous forthcoming album called Hablando Claro. No release date has been set. Juan and Rivera’s youngest son, Johnny, are aomg some that have worked on the album which will feature previously released singles "Aparentemente Bien," co-written by Erika Ender and Alejandro Lerner and "Enganemoslo" with Mariachi Los Reyes and written by Espinoza Paz.

Juan says working on the album has brought a new way for him to contribute to his sister’s legacy.

RELATED: The Spirit Of Jenni Rivera Is Forever Unbreakable

"It’s been the greatest honor and BLESSING. At times, difficult because as a brother i would have never imagined that I would have to work on her music in this manner," he said. "I had the honor of working with her on live performances and to see that PURE LOVE for her from her fans. Now, I can say I’m a part of her musical history via these new songs."

The family has been holding news of the album since 2017, waiting for the right moment to release it.

Rivera’s son, Johnny, has been looking forward to the album since then. For him, it’s been an honor to work on his mother’s music. He thoughtfully came up with the album’s title so that it could align with other albums in her catalog.

"I wanted to make sure it’d fit with the rest of my mom’s studio albums and so I chose Hablando Claro because she recorded that song on the album for my grandmother. She has the theme across many of her albums of honoring my grandmother with tracks like 'La Gran Señora,' 'Resulta,' 'Homenaje A Mi Madre' and 'Déjame Vivir.'" He said. "I feel this is her speaking her truth through her music."

Johnny reveals fans can expect his mother’s "most bold, broken-down and personal tracks" on the new album.

"She left behind some great music and I think she always had the thought in her that she wanted to leave music behind for when she was no longer here physically," he shares. She was always thinking about the future."

He adds that he hopes her fans, new and old, become touched by her emotion and resonate with every single one she leaves on the album—whether they laugh, cry, or celebrate with her.

"She knew her purpose in life was to help others through her music.,” he said. “That intention is still the main goal even almost eight years after she’s been physically gone."

The album’s release will be a bittersweet feeling for Johnny too.

"It makes it more real that she’s no longer physically here. This is her final album of original Spanish material," he said. "In a lot of ways you wanna hold onto it forever but I know this is going to hold such an important place in her legacy."

Hear a snippet of the song above.

Save The Date: The 2020 Latin GRAMMY Nominations Will Be Announced September 29

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Gaby Moreno 

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EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Mexican Institute Of Sound Takes Gaby Moreno Into New Musical Territory With Mystifying "Yemayá"

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Listen to the synth-infused track blending pop and Latin sounds that's named after the Afro-Carribean goddess who represents fertility, water and self-love
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jun 25, 2020 - 9:56 am

Anything Mexican Institute Of Sound (MIS), a.k.a Camilo Lara, touches turns into musical gold. The Mexican producer and artist proves that with celebrated GRAMMY-nominated singer/songwriter Gaby Moreno in "Yemayá."

Moreno, whose soothing voice we have heard magically adapt to a range of genres including Americana, Latin folk and R&B, continues exploring her creative range this time with GRAMMY-nominated Lara in the synth-infused, mystifying track blending pop and Latin sounds. The catchy song about the overpowering feeling of love is named after the Afro-Carribean goddess who represents fertility, water and self-love.

Moreno told the Recording Academy she and Lara wanted to capture the deity's essence in their collaboration:

"She's a powerful woman of color taking all forms. It's a universal theme and we wanted to incorporate this mysterious and mystic figure into the song, since it's part of the folklore of many different cultures." 

The song, which Lara brought to Moreno and was written in one day in 2019 at Red Bull Studios, takes Moreno into new territory. 

"I’ve been a big admirer of [Lara's] work and esthetic and the way he blends Latin folk music with electronic and hip hop. I come from a fairly different musical background, having very rarely experimented with synths and those kinds of sounds, so this was a really fun and different collaboration for me," she said. "I got to step out of my comfort zone and bring forth something a bit unusual but very much enjoyable, nonetheless."

The Guatemalan singer/songwriter will also soon be releasing "Fire Inside," a song she wrote with Andrew Bissell. The song has already been featured on ABC’s "Station 19", TLC’s promo "I Am Jazz," UK’s "Free Rein," NBC’s "American Ninja Warrior" and recently on YouTube’s "Dear Class of 2020."

Moreno is also working on an upcoming album she will produce herself and is also producing other artists. 

Listen to "Yemayá" in full above. 

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Coping For The Best: How To Manage Mental Health During Social Unrest & A Global Pandemic

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Try these helpful and creative ways to keep your mind and body strong, healthy and together even if it feels like the world is falling apart
Melanie Lockert
GRAMMYs
Jun 24, 2020 - 12:30 pm

For several weeks after the pandemic began, a friend of mine heard a neighbor play the song “We Are The World” each night at 7pm during the applause for essential workers. The song and sound of thunderous clapping filled the Harlem neighborhood and provided a certain sense of comfort and connection, even if for only for a few minutes. But what about the other 23-plus hours?

During these challenging times, it’s critical that we find spaces of joy, connection, rest and comfort. Not only are we living through a global pandemic that has affected nearly every aspect of life, but we are also engaged in the fight against grave inequality and racial injustice in America. Additionally, there are looming fears and buzzing anxieties about reopening the economy — and let’s not forget, we’re in an election year, too. To say, it’s a lot is an understatement. During these unpredictable and heavy times, taking care of your mental health isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. 

“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” - Audre Lorde

Managing your mental health is vital to your overall health and well-being. During these times when our lives have been turned upside down and every news headline is bordering on traumatic, it’s important to rest and recover. 

If you’re like me, you might find yourself more fatigued than normal. You can’t produce at the capacity you once did. Doing the smallest tasks can seem like a chore. 

In our culture that worships the art of the hustle, it’s easy to internalize this and feel bad. But if there was ever a time to cut yourself some slack, it's now. Here is your permission slip. When you’re hungry, you eat. When you’re thirsty, you drink. So why not rest when you’re tired? 

"Give yourself permission to rest," says Licensed Master Social Worker Lindsay Bryan-Podvin. Resting can look different for people, so check in and evaluate what activities restore your energy. 

"To truly show up for this revolution, you need to do it rested. Yin yoga, stretching, napping, reading, watching mindless TV, and sleeping are some great ways to restore yourself," notes Bryan-Podvin.

As the adage goes, "You can’t pour from an empty cup." It sounds trite, but it’s true. 

“The fastest way to still the mind is to move the body.” — Gabrielle Roth

Your mind and body are interconnected. To manage your mental health, you also need to manage your physical health. Yes, that means that you should exercise. 

If you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed, fatigue may make it difficult. If you’re like me and you suffer from depression, simply leaving the bed can be a feat. 

However, moving your body, even just a little can help. Start with stretching. 

"Practice getting energy out of your body. With all of the uncertainty happening, we tend to store the anxiety and tension in our bodies,” says Bryan-Podvin. “Research shows that we store trauma, specifically, in our hips. Make sure you are engaging in some sort of physical activity to dial down cortisol, get some endorphins flowing, and don't forget to stretch out afterward to keep that trauma from sticking around.”

You can check out these 15 hip stretches to get started. If you can do a bit more, commit to just seven minutes. That’s what I’ve been doing when I feel like exercising is a chore and something I can’t manage. 

I commit to doing the signature seven-minute workout, which uses high-intensity interval training (HIIT). The exercises are 30 seconds, with a 10-second break. I know that I can invest, at a minimum, seven minutes a day to move my body. 

Walking around your neighborhood (with a mask, of course) is also a good way to keep your body moving. Research has shown that a brisk 10-minute walk or meditation has a positive impact on your mood. 

You can also take advantage of the many online exercise classes and do something like yoga or dance. Finding something you enjoy is paramount so that you can try and stay consistent. 

Use music as your guide to get moving. Put on a playlist that inspires you to workout or one that you can’t help but dance to. 

Like many people, I often lament about “needing to exercise”. It feels like an afterthought or something getting in the way. But I do know that I’ve never felt worse after a workout or regretted doing it. 

Something I like to do is rate my mood before the workout and after it. I rate on a 1 to 10 scale. One is the lowest mood and 10 is feeling pretty good and five is just average. After doing a workout, I typically see my mood improve by a few points. Doing this helps me realize that exercise is helping. It reminds me to move my body in some way because I will feel better. 

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”― Viktor E. Frankl

One of the hardest parts to deal with right now is a lack of control. All of our plans went out of the window and circumstances changed overnight because of the pandemic — and for many people, for the worse. It’s disheartening. 

And not having control over the pandemic, reopening, whether people wear masks or not, racial injustice, etc. only adds to the worry. 

Finding peace, though, requires focusing on what you can actually control, not the things you can’t. “In times of high stress, it's helpful to take a step back and determine what things we can and can't control, both in the short-run and in the long-run. If you can't control it, worrying about things we can't control can lead to unnecessary stress,” explains financial therapist Derek Hagen. 

“Life seems to go on without effort when I am filled with music.” – George Eliot

Music can also play a role in managing your mental health. You can find the perfect song to match your current mood or engineer your playlist to get out of a funk and feel better. 

"As a singer-songwriter, music is life to me. Listening to the music of other artists and creating my own helps me to process my emotions, and experiences, especially the painful ones.  Without a doubt music plays an integral role in my mental wellness," says singer, Kassandra Dasent. 

This works well for me. As I was dealing with my own emotions related to the pandemic, I identified three songs that helped my mental health and played them on repeat. It was like a sonic cocoon, keeping me safe. 

Music has the power to make you feel less alone. It can boost your mood and make you dance. It can also move you to tears. To maintain your mental health, identify one song that you can’t help but feel good every time you listen to it. Like this one. 

"Crying is how your heart speaks, when your lips can't explain the pain you feel." — Unknown Author

It’s natural that we experience a lot of feelings and emotions given everything going on. But if you keep those feelings inside and don’t have an outlet for release, it can deteriorate your mental health. 

You can journal out your feelings or call your best friend. Find online communities to connect with. But sometimes you just need to cry it out. Crying gets a bad rap, but everyone can benefit from crying. Crying actually releases feel-good endorphins and can improve your mood, while lessening the pain. 

When managing your mental health amongst all the chaos, think about the things that make you feel good. Ask yourself what you really need, right now. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help, either. You can reach a crisis counselor by texting HOME to 741741 or find a therapist using OpenPathCollective.org.

To help ground you when anxiety spikes, focus on gratitude. 

“Gratitude is important. When nothing seems to be going your way, try to find a way to pause and think about all the things in your life for which you are grateful... our brains have a negativity bias so it's important to counter our natural negative thoughts with the good that's all around us,” explains Hagen. 

And finally, remember to try and stop dwelling on the things we no longer have (though it’s not easy!). Instead, focus on all the things we still do have and what kind of life you want to create moving forward. Remind yourself you are safe and healthy in this moment.

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