So Help Me God

Michael Writes

Top 3 Songs from Bernice & Why

Every Hour – Kanye West ft. Sunday Service Choir

One Friday evening, I was on the London underground returning home. Kanye’s “Jesus Is King” album had dropped and this song had got me hooked with the piano’s energetic keys. I have so much appreciation for choir members. There’s so much skill involved in having such a mastery of one’s own voice when singing. I found their voices to have enough power and might to tempt you to stand up and reach for something greater than you. It reminds me of how much I want to train my voice to sing and share beauty in such a powerful and energetic way.

I Gotta Find Peace of Mind (Live) – Ms. Lauryn Hill

For me, Summer 2018 was a good time for rap music. I had just discovered the treasure of Mac Miller’s Music, Astroworld was at dangerously high volumes and ASAP Rocky had dropped his album. At the end of Rocky’s album was the most beautifully sampled song that stood out in the album. Somewhere in between then and now, I would return to the song just for the sample before finding the original. It was so cathartic when I saw what Bernice had waiting for me in the playlist. It had been so long, and that acoustic guitar brought a tear to my eye. I stood aside, shook my head and took a sigh of pure exhaustion. I felt like shouting “someone finally gets it!”, it was just what I needed and that song became the nod of understanding and empathy I needed.

Go Baby – Cleo Sol

Can we all agree Cleo Sol is our empress when it comes to healing and redemption? She’s got this gentle compassionate vibe about her that I will always spin about. Her voice is just like honey soothing any cuts we got after that one biking accident. Even when we’re raging and screaming profanities at her because of life’s disrespect for fairness and justice… she just understands. She’s not angry at us, she knows we’re protesting the experience we don’t like, and she’s got no desire to punish us for our expression. She wears her warm smile and hugs tightly; she clearly sees something that we don’t. Maybe, she even knows something we don’t, something we don’t understand right now because we’re suffering. She just “hopes that we never stop trying”. To me, Cleo Sol’s music will always be part of the remedy to life’s injustices.

A song that made you feel blessed and highly favoured?

Blessings – Chance the Rapper ft. Ty Dolla $ign, Anderson .Paak, BJ The Chicago Kid, Raury & Jamila Woods

I find Chance the Rapper’s “Colouring Book” a bittersweet album. I remember truly being upset and disappointed with how life insisted on misunderstanding me at every turn. In the space of two weeks, I had gone from playing “Blessings” with a smile of appreciation for the art in the world, to listening to the same song with tears streaming down my face, and a shattered view on the world. I now listen to this song realising just how those experiences were the awful backstory to the events happening now. I see those wishes and prayers I made long ago with teary eyes being answered now. Listening to this song makes me remember how I deserve all the good in life now… and then some.

How do you keep your faith strong?

I like to keep a bag of tools to fiddle with when I know I’m struggling with keeping the faith. Most of the tools have come from my big mindfulness & meditation phase from 2017. I like to believe there’s a being out there that knows me very well through each phase of my life. It knows what was, what is and what will be. It’s truly on my side in a way that might even be tricky for me to understand. It understands that there are times where I might need a break and space to protest its “ultimate plan” – because I don’t see what it sees and it’s hard sometimes. Sometimes I just have to be honest with that being, and I want it to hear me share some honest feedback on the process. `’Yeah I fully don’t agree with you on this”, “I’m super upset with you” and “don’t even chat to me”, are some of phrases I can imagine telling that being – obviously without the profanities. Somewhere in the process of being mad and being back side-by-side with that universal being is a ‘little miracle’ that might happen in my life. Something small: a smile, a “you first” or even when my local chicken shop owner slips me an extra wing, these things make a difference in knowing not all is bad, and not all is good. But those good things… boy are they sweet when they finally do come.

Bernice Writes

Top 3 Songs from Michael & Why

Ultralight Beam – Kanye West

Life of Pablo is one of my favourite Kanye albums and for me Kanye nod to faith has always done in a intricate way, even from his earlier tracks like Jesus Walks. Ultralight Beam always reminds me of my own journey with faith and how much I have overcome with God beside me, the gospel influence and church choir vocals really take this song to another level.

Things Will Get Better – Cleo Sol

Need I say more, this track from her Gold album- was perfect. I remember listening to the album when it was first released and just kept saying “wow”. The melodies are so calming and gentle and the words feel so real to the listener. This song and her album mean so much to me beyond words, it became a routine for me to do my daily devotionals then have it playing in the background while working from home, or doing anything else for that matter,it really set the tone for my day ahead.

Wish – Ravyn Lenae

This ballad literally took me by surprise, funnily enough I’ve never listened to this song by Ravyn but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The vocal arrangement and instrumentation creates this ethereal and euphoric feeling almost as if you’re floating. The message once again was encouraging, to be hopeful and wish or anything yout heart desires.

A song that made you feel blessed and highly favoured?

Kirk Franklin – He’s Able

I usually have this on repeat on Sundays but it gives me the opportunity to show gratitude to God and all his wonders , its a powerhouse track for sure. I’m always reminded to give thanks even when things don’t go my way but I feel strongly about this song and the way it uplifts my spirit.

How do you keep your faith strong?

I started the yearly Bible challenge with my sisters, even though we are extremely close I feel that it has given me the confidence to seek the Word and understanding for myself but also created a stronger bond between us. I find that when I am disciplined in listening to the Word I am at my happiest and things seem to align, so I usually engage in praise and worship , meditating to gospel songs and most importantly having quiet time to process my thoughts and have an open and honest dialogue with God.

Track Listing

• Ultralight Beam – Kanye West
• no longer bound – Forrest Frank
• Blessings (feat. Ty Dolla $ign, Anderson .Paak, BJ The Chicago Kid, Raury & Jamila Woods) – Chance the Rapper
• Every Hour – Kanye West
• Things Will Get Better – Cleo Sol
• Anchor – Madison Ryann Ward
• Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe – Kendrick Lamar
• Next To Me – Kendrick Lamar Remix – Emeli Sandé
• Masterpiece – SAULT
• I Gotta Find Peace of Mind – Live – Ms. Lauryn Hill
• Celebrate Life – Lucky Dube
• Me & U – Tems
• Right – Mac Miller
• Green – Madison Ryann Ward
• By Your Side – Sade
• Go Baby – Cleo Sol
• Wish – Ravyn Lenae
• YET (feat. Ashley Hess & the King will come) – Maverick City Music
• There Is No Way – Ricky Dillard & New G
• He’s Able – Live – Kirk Franklin
• My Daddy, My Daddy – Live at AiiiH – As It Is In Heaven – Sunmisola Agbebi
• We’re Blessed – Fred Hammond

Playlist Image by Isabella Fischer on Unsplash