Today's Music Munday guest post is brought to you by Vasilly. I can't add her picture right now, but I will later!
When I was younger and homeless, there were few things that lifted my spirit like the music of Nikka Costa. I first heard her music on tv and became mesmerized by this funky little chick who has one of the best voices I've ever heard before. I didn't know it at the time, but the video I was watching was Like a Feather. In the video, Costa shows a passion that so many singers refuse to even have nowadays. Nikka dances all around a stage with just a microphone to keep her company. She wasn't like anyone else that was out in the music scene. Even now years later, there's not a singer who comes close to having her style, her passion, her voice. Well maybe Jill Scott but that's another Music Munday.
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It took days of me watching MTV before I was able to find out who she was. Though I had practically no money to spend on shelter and food let alone a cd, I bought Nikka's album, Everybody Got Their Something. I was transformed.
How can I explain it to you? Every day of the two and a half years I was homeless, I usually worried about one of three things: having enough money for a room for the night, having enough money for food, or not having enough money for either one of those things and wondering/panicking/trying to figure out how I was going to get them.
That's where Costa's So Have I For You comes in at. In the song's chorus Costa sings,
Mama, you can choose the rain
But I choose the sun.
That's all I need to free myself.
That's all I need to free myself.
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That's what I need to hear. That no matter what I could choose the light, the good that was in my life over the darkness. Choosing the light was so hard at times, but I always felt good doing it. Though I had so little, there was so much I could be thankful for. I had my health, my library card, and something always came though at the last minute for me.
I'll be lying if I said that there wasn't times I didn't plunge into darkness. Panic was an everyday emotion that had to be kept back or nothing would get done. It was cold, hard, and unrelenting. In those times, I still listened to Costa. I must have listened to her everyday for most of those two years. Costa helped to keep me going.
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Wow Natasha. I had no idea. I already admired you; for going to school with three kids, for all the reading you do alone and with them, all the wonderful reviews you post...I knew you were a strong, intelligent, remarkable woman, but I had no idea.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of Nikka Costa and actually remember that song "Like a Feather." I'm so glad that her music came to you at the time you needed it and gave you the will and courage to continue on. I'm glad someone was watching out for you, to make sure you found each other. Fantastic post.
I had no idea either. You're amazing, you know. And like Heather, I have always admired you. I'm glad Nikka's music was able to bring you hope.
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say, other than to add my voice to the chorus of *Wow, Vasilly!* Great post, love it. I can totally relate to how sometimes food for the spirit feels as important as food for the body.
ReplyDeleteI'm a broken record here (ha!), but I too have always admired how much you are doing for yourself, your family, and the blogging community. I had no idea what you had to do to get to where you are now. Wow.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post! Music can come to us when we need it and help to heal our hurts. Brava!
ReplyDeleteOh you guys! Thank you so much! I've been out because I've had my wisdom teeth taken out. Thanks so much for all the great comments. You're making me feel so much better.
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