Nothing Without intention (interlude)

It took me a while to realize I was good with words. It took me even longer to realize music was a real option for me. This May marks seven years since my first project, Portrait, was released. I truly had no expectations, just a little bit of talent and a lot of determination. That set the precedent for what the next few years would look like.

I worked tirelessly, coming up with a bunch of terrible ideas that eventually led me to some really good ones. I leaned on the immense talent around me, talent I truly wouldn’t be here without. I spiraled too, wondering why I hadn’t made it yet. The lack of stability. The highs and lows. Bursts of confidence mixed with self-doubt. Asking myself, why the hell am I even doing this? I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world.

Growing up, I moved through life a little too comfortably. I had no work ethic. I relied on my memory to get me through school. It worked, but it never really pushed me. It wasn’t until music, specifically production and songwriting, entered my life that I developed a real understanding of what it meant to work hard. I nurtured that and built real skill. But I was still missing something important: intention.

The first time I heard Solange’s When I Get Home, that voice saying “nothing without intention. do nothing without intention” hit me like a Mack truck. It was as poignant as a mother, as sharp and direct as a teacher, and as gentle and warm as a grandmother. It stayed with me. I worked harder, became more disciplined, but I hadn’t yet understood what intention truly meant.

I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I’m in a good place now, not because everything is perfect, but because I understand myself better. The music I’ll be playing on March 6th is some of my most dynamic and interesting work to date. I’ve never been more certain about anything.