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To channel one's own vulnerability is tremendously striking, a super-power skill in its own right.
When one bears the soul for the masses to see without apology fear, people gravitate towards it like bees to a field of pollinated flowers.
People bask in the vulnerability of the artist and true to its purpose, it gives them courage to face their own demons.
We live in a society where everyone hides behind masks. We don't like to display any sign of supposed "weakness" so we never show our fear, our pain and most importantly, our vulnerability.
Yet, we yearn to be understood. And when someone comes along and expresses themselves in a way where we can find traces of our own emotion, we cling on to that mutual understanding and we are comforted.
One such display of powerful vulnerability can be found in the Songs For Women (EP.)
Released on 14 March 2017 by American modern poet and author of Because Of A Woman, Malanda-Jean Claude's Songs For Women garnered over 900 000 streams on SoundCloud -- the only site it was published on.
In this eleven-minute-two-second production of prose, Malanda talks about topics that are relevant to new adults trying to maneuver through love, relationships and empowerment.
The EP starts off in intro: prelude with a soft, melancholy instrumental in the background while Malanda -- through his use of unique placement of elusive metaphors sets the mood for the rest of the production.
"Songs for women is the ghost of un-watered love, the residue of things unsaid and thorns I still bleed from."
The intro bleeds into the jazz-like solo surface and Malanda talks about the realities many young people face with unhealthy soul-ties.
The track is shortest of the entire EP but the words, "the temptation of skin is very loud, especially in your loneliest hour," are an effective thought-provoking climax to the poem.
rose thorn is a heart-wrenching recount of a toxic relationship.
The lonely instrumentals are accompanied by soulful croons as Malanda goes into detail about the highs and lows of this relationship. With a few well-placed metaphors he expresses the toxicity of his own mindset, "how dare you kick down the door I kept you out of?" as well as his counterpart's: "you wanted jazz notes I still cannot account for."
There's also a well of deep affection within the poem and the words "we used to laugh with god in our belly button," create a sense of a strong, emotive bond. The poem takes on a sad, yet resolute ending when with a final surrender he says: "I only know thorns, you only know gold. Please, don't stay."
little lady is an ode to black women, written with the utmost care that not only comforts but empowers. In this particular prose the words are delivered by a woman (Destiny Anderson.) Her tone contrasts to the rest of the EP in the sense that her while the other tracks have a tone of melancholy, her tone is resolute and powerful.
"And we go back to the past where they was lynchin' my kin. I cannot stay silent to the ignorant bigoted I - I - I won't."
Destiny's voice is also soothing towards the end, almost like a reminder to black women that there is a reward to standing up for themselves and ends the poem on a triumphant "my mama told me my kin came from a kingdom."
for me is perhaps the most soulful piece in the EP. Part of it has to do with its heightened musical features -- the instrumental is accompanied by the clear, crisp, goose-bump inducing vocals of Sylis.
The other part is the complete vulnerability the prose displays: "things always feel worse when nothing is relatable. Memories come in waves but it's the void that eats me"
This is the most vulnerable Malanda has ever been in the production, as he goes into detail about how lost he feels in every plane of consciousness. Here, the paradoxical power vs vulnerability comes into play as he says, "I feel powerful and defeated, will you carry me?"
The reason Songs For Women resounded in the hearts of many was the honesty the author chose to embody and channel. In stripping himself he clothed his audience. It is truly a stunning and captivating work of art.
You can stream Songs For Women here