Friday, January 31, 2014

A Different Light



Greetings Everybody,

We’re rapidly approaching the end of January, and I’m REALLY looking forward to February. I have several grand things going down, and I’m always interested in adding more opportunities onto my calendar. I’ve been seeking out Black History Month programs to participate in because not only do they give me the chance to perform (specifically, poems that I, otherwise, don’t blow the dust off that often), but they also provide a wonderful opportunity to continue to learn.

Let’s see. I recorded a new version of my poem Weight, which is dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr. A few days ago, I was resting up after a car accident, and I started thinking. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m not really one to sit still. I added some music to the poem when I recorded it, and I wanted to do something visually to add another aspect to the text. So, I went to work on making a little video.

 

I culled together some images that I felt fit PERFECTLY, and sequencing them with the audio was pretty moving for me. The pictures really allowed me to see the poem in a different light.

Without any further ado, here’s what I was able to make. If you’re moved by it or just appreciate the work, please share it, and don’t be strangers. Also, my debut EP is available here: http://christianjcollier.bandcamp.com/

Monday, January 20, 2014

Weight




Hey Everybody,

I know that it is officially no longer MLK Day on the East, but better late than never, right? I’ve said this before, but 2009 changed my life. That year, I embarked on my Forced Exposure Tour where I said yes to as many creative opportunities as I possibly could, released my chapbook Ghosts & Echoes, etc. It also was a year where my personal life shifted substantially, and I got involved in a relationship that yielded some damaging results. It impacted some of my close friendships at the time, my family, etc., and I found myself feeling a number of intense things. Honestly, it was the closest I’ve been to being completely consumed with hate, and it was a pretty scary thing.

 
As fate would have it, I ended up rediscovering Martin, his work, and his words. I was blown away by how he, in spite of the deep turmoil he faced in trying to elicit change, managed to maintain his faith. I felt so dejected, because I was in a questionable place with mine, and up to that point, I had always been solid in that area. I had to examine what I could do to reclaim my core self and become the person that I knew I was again.

That journey allowed me to analyze Martin, and, specifically, one of his speeches. It deeply resonated with me, and after I read it, all of these questions hit me. How was he able to carry all of the weight? Just how physically, spiritually, and emotionally taxing was it to be in his shoes?  Those questions (and many more) are how my poem Weight started taking shape.

 
Fast forwarding, when I woke up earlier, I was thinking about the poem again and wanted to present it in a different light. I’ve not produced anything for myself in over a year now, and I just wanted to do something to play up the emotion of the piece. The result is this. I hope you enjoy it, and if you do, you can download it for FREE. Share it, stay in touch, and my debut EP, Between Beauty & Bedlam, is available here: http://christianjcollier.bandcamp.com/ and here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/christianjcollier



Blessings

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Humbled


 
Greetings & Happy New Year,

Hopefully, 2013 ended in swimming fashion for you and the first few days of 2014 have been full of good times. It certainly has on my end, and I feel immensely pleased to be able to say that.




 

Right before my birthday, I was FINALLY able to perform in Nashville. Music City has been really elusive for me over the years. Each time that I had something in the works, it fell through on at least five separate occasions, so I was very pleased to be able to jump on the microphone after years of trying. I had such a good time that I decided to go back last Monday night. My second time around also proved to be a great time, and I had a tremendous time performing and getting to meet new and creative people.

Over the years, I’ve been humbled on MANY occasions. I’ve had the opportunity to share the stage with a number of personal heroes, to touch people through my work, etc. One of the most humbling experiences of my life occurred in Nashville, though.



 
One of the young women that I met, who is a lovely spirit and poet, bought my chapbook Ghosts & Echoes. She was reading through it, and leaned over to ask me if she could read one of my pieces on the mic. That’s something that I’ve never encountered before, and I was really taken aback by the request… in a good way. I told her that I would be honored if she wanted to read it, and a few minutes later, she made her way to the stage.

I sat there, watching her read the piece, and it was surreal. I was both in the moment and transported back to when I wrote it, and the person that I wrote it for. It was overwhelming, honestly. I came DANGEROUSLY close to shedding a few tears, because it was extremely touching.

 

I feel that 2013 was a big year for affirmation. In many ways, I feel like it’s the year that I really stretched out as an artist, but more importantly, I feel that it’s the year where I learned to truly connect and be connected through my art. This experience was the icing on the cake, brothers and sisters. I know that nothing in this life is promised, but my hope is to continue to connect, to affect and be affected, and continue to make the most of this journey. I really don’t have any other option anyway.

Blessings


Links:
Twitter - @ichristian3030