🎶 I'm high, I'm from outer space... 🎶
I heard the music singing out loud from my sister's room while I paddled away on my sewing machine, feeling every rhythm as if it was piercing through me. Why do I feel this way, I thought, as different emotions washed through me, a feeling of sadness as if I just remembered someone or something I loved and lost, yet again, It felt unusually satisfying like what I lost was right here beside me. I couldn't help but go straight to leave several heavy knocks on her door, that was the only way I could get her to open the door because for sure I knew it was locked from the inside. It was the only way she could prevent the little children in the house from entering her room and spoiling her gadgets in the process as they did before, she had to take such strict measures.
"Who sing this song?" I asked in pidgin English.
"It's Iniko," she replied.
"Please send this music to me," I replied as I passed her my phone.
I like her, even though that was my first time hearing about her or her music. She's unique, her ways are outta the world, and how she blends music making it sound like you are no longer standing on Earth. From then henceforth, Jericho by Iniko became number 1 on my playlist. Just when I thought I'd heard the best, next I stumbled on a remix of the same song with Michael Jackson's song, "They don't care about us" and I tell you, that love for Jericho increased double than I had already loved it before. It felt like two worlds the seemingly gone one and the freshly found one colliding in the most beautiful way. The gap between my newfound love for Iniko's music and my lifelong adoration of Michael Jackson was effortlessly bridged, It was as if my musical past and present had found a way to harmonize, creating an even more profound listening experience.
Michael Jackson is my favorite all-time artist. I remember crying literally when I saw the news of his passing on TV. Even as a teenager then, I knew what love and passion for good music that touched the heart and soul felt like, courtesy of my dad's stereo. I remember feeling my dreams of growing into an adult and meeting Michael Jackson in person had become shattered. I cried so much, it was shocking to my family I had such love for an artist I'd never met.
The way Jericho resonated with me was truly special. It wasn't just the melody or the lyrics, but the entire atmosphere the song created. Iniko's voice seemed to transport me to another dimension, she made me feel surreal like I always felt whenever I listened to Michael Jackson's music. The song's ability to stir such strong emotions in me proves how powerful it is, a mix of melancholy and joy, loss and that refreshing feeling, listening to something new and fresh and not just recycled music like most artists are used to dishing.
You know how they say some smells or music we listen to brings back either good or bad memories from the past, for me it is a good one, Iniko's song reminded me of my time as a child in my parent's home, when I didn't have the burden of adulthood, all I cared about was facing my studies, eat, play and look forward to my dad coming back from work, because when he did, he would always play those soothing music on his radio that relaxes and made me feel good, it made me remember the way the music filled our home because my dad would always keep the radio on till daybreak, a habit I have also adopt. the way it made me feel, it was all coming back with Jericho.
Listening to Jericho reminds me of how my passion for good music was shaped, now this goes beyond the tune, lyrics and even the artist, if you ask me, I would say music is spiritual, whenever I have a stressful day which is more like a regular thing as an adult, all I have to do is just put Jericho on repeat as I drift away to a more relaxing sleep, waking up feeling refreshed, now tell me if this isn't a food to the soul. It also proves that even after your favourite artist passing, there is a possibility of something new coming to take what you love to the next level when they merge in beautiful harmony.
*This post is inspired by the #septemberinleo monthly topics in conjunction with Afritunes for day 10 Check It out guys and be inspired.
All Images are edited using canva