Rachel Cotton Tells Us How She Made It

I Made It < Rachel Cotton < John Patrick Adams

Today marks the release of John Patrick Adams’s new single, “I Made It”. The song is a beautifully poignant reminder that we can make it against all odds, with God. “I Made It” gives an immediately audible embrace of peace and tranquility. Anyone can relate to the song’s transparent lyrics of hope and triumph.

Rachel Cotton is the featured vocalist on the song. Her voice is unmistakably unique and rich. After hearing “I Made It”, I had to find out who Rachel Cotton was and find out more about her. I was able to catch up with her this week and ask her a few questions about the song, the process of her ministry and some of her greatest influences.

Who are some of your biggest musical influences?

John actually picked up on it, but Whitney Houston is a big one. He asked me if I was influenced by her. There are six of us; five girls (my sisters), including myself, and one brother. I’m number five of the six. We grew up singing in the church. I wanted to sing lead and my oldest sister said, “You can’t sing”. So, I wanted to prove her wrong.

My mom’s voice is really anointed too. So her and my sisters are big influences too. We grew up listening to a lot of Shirley Caesar.

Is there any artist of today that you think could be the next Whitney or Shirley Caesar?

As far as females, Maranda Curtis’s voice is unreal. Brian Courtney Wilson’s ministry is amazing too. He does a great job of merging the soulfulness of music with what’s current and going on today.

How does “I Made It” speak to you specifically?

When I first got the song, I was honored to do it. I was listening to the lyrics and trying to find out what the message was for me. I believe songs have a personal message for everybody. It’s very relevant to everything I have going on in my career. I recently got my administrative certification (in the teaching field). The job search process is not what I thought it would be.

I’ve made a name for myself in the district but the jobs aren’t necessarily coming along. That song reminded me of what’s to come. Even if I’m not there yet, I need to celebrate where I am. It reminds me of all the trials I’ve been through. Plus, it tells me to remember it’s not about me and what I want. It’s about going through the process. God has a message for all of us.

Do you have any rituals or things you like to do before ministering a song?

Just really spending a lot of time with the song; listening to it and making a personal connection. I actually go into my garage. The acoustics in there are awesome. My family knows to let me work through the process when I’m in the garage.

How do you think Gospel music specifically has changed over the years and where is it headed now? The lines are a bit blurred now between gospel and other genres.

I definitely get what you’re saying. The lines are more blurred now. I think that speaks to people trying to ensure that their music is listened to. They are trying to reach the mainstream audience. I don’t necessarily have an issue with it because you’re meeting people where they are….as long as it doesn’t interfere with the message.

The cadence of some songs can make you wonder if they are going to the club or not. The Clark Sisters were one of the first to be played in the club. It’s all about the intentions of the artist to me.

Are there any other recordings you have coming up?

I don’t at that moment. If John calls, I’m there though. Whenever I sing, I want it to be intentional; not a performance. I realize it’s not about me. Someone will hopefully be blessed by the message. I told John that’s what I struggle with. I don’t want it to ever feel like just a performance…it’s so much bigger than that.

Check out a snippet of “I Made It” by John Patrick Adams featuring Rachel Cotton below. The single is available now on all online digital retailers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsnSzjMuaBE

Common Lets Love Lead Again

Common < Let Love

Common has always pushed a conscious message in Hip Hop. However, his latest album, Let Love, comes with an extra dose of introspective gems. The album is dubbed as a musical companion piece to his latest memoir, Let Love Have the Last Word. Common’s latest collection of rhymes is less about conforming to trends and more about healing.

Although Common’s catalog includes positive messages, he still has a streetwise edge (check out the thumping bassline of the Swizz Beatz featured “Hercules”). However, love takes center stage on Let Love. He reflects on life and is hopeful for the future. Songs like “Show Me That You Love Me” featuring Jill Scott and “Memories of Home” featuring BJ the Chicago Kid. The former finds Common addressing his once strained relationship with his daughter. Conversely, the latter struggles with his own demons of an absent father and being molested.

The production is more sophisticated and grown-up too. The live instrumentation (supplied by producers Karriem Riggins, Samore Penderhughes and Burniss Earl Travis II) marries with his message well. Common even gives a gift to his day one fans with the J Dilla produced “HER Love”. The song completes a trilogy of tracks about his love for Hip Hop (following “I Used to Love H.E.R.” and “The Next Chapter (Still Love H.E.R.)”).

Common’s 12th studio album proves he still has something relevant to say. While his quest for everyone to embrace love may feel a bit cliche at times, it’s a call to action that needs to be pushed. Common takes the listener on an enjoyable journey of healing, starting with himself first.

Jovani Figures it All Out

Jovani < Music Monday

Breakups can be a hard thing to get over, especially when the other person lied to you. However, knowing that someone else has been in your shoes can help heal the wound. Meet DJ Jovani. His latest release, “Figure it Out”, depicts those feelings we all have when love turns sour. The pop tinged ballad was written by Max Billion of the group Everywhere.

“Figure It Out” is a new release from DJ Jovani, featuring Youth Appeal. The production here is slick and modern, without coming across too commercialized. Also, Max Billion does a wonderful job of lyrically conveying heartbreak in a way that’s easy to relate to without being too cliche. As if that wasn’t enough, the light and airy vocals here create a whimsical marriage of all the song’s elements.

DJ Jovani has already experienced massive success as one of the biggest electronic producers in the Baltics. Among his many accolades, he has been nominated for a Lithuanian Grammy for his previous single, “Keep it to Myself”. I can easily see “Figure it Out” following the same vein of success. The song’s smooth, pop appeal will surely make it another fan favorite.

Lao Soda on the Table

Lao Soda

I had the chance to visit San Francisco earlier this summer to celebrate one of my best friend’s birthday. Of course, a highlight of any trip is good food (well at least for me). Lao Table was one of the restaurants we tried. The restaurant specializes in Thai and Laotian cuisine. I love Thai food, so trying Lao Table for the first time was right up my alley.

Of course, I had to try a new drink there to see if it was worthy of being featured on Thirsty Thursday. First, let me mention that their pineapple fried rice is amazing. The dish includes pineapples, chicken, prawns, cashews, raisins and cucumbers (as garnish). The mixture may sound strange, but all the flavors actually married well together.

Alright, now back to the topic at hand, the drink. I tried the Lao Soda and it was quite refreshing. The drink included Absolut Vodka, fresh watermelon puree, lime juice and kaffir lime leaf. I really jumped on a limb by trying this drink, because watermelon flavors are tricky. Some watermelon-flavored drinks have an artificial aftertaste that ruins the drink itself. Thankfully, Lao Table crafted a combination that packed a cool, natural punch without an unpleasant aftertaste.

Lao Soda is a perfect summer drink that gives just enough sweetness and buzz. If you find yourself in San Francisco, be sure to try it out. Bottoms up…..it’s Thirsty Thursday!

Snoh Aalegra Gives Us Electric ‘Feels’

Sheri Nowrozi, a.k.a. Snoh Aalegra, has been giving us sunshine (check out her debut EP, There Will Be Sunshine) for more than 5 years now. The 31-year-old Swedish singer has always had a knack for conveying the complicated feelings of love. Now, she’s back with her uniquely mellow, signature songbird stylings on Ugh, those feels again.

Just last week, I was listening to tracks from Feels (Snoh Aalegra’s 2017 LP). Ugh, those feels again picks up where that project left off and doesn’t miss a beat. She comes out swinging on the melodic love letter, “I Want You Around” (the project’s first single). Lyrically, it’s a whimsical push and pull that cleverly details that cautionary feeling of falling in love.

Snoh Aalegra keeps the energy high as she weaves in and out of blurred relationship titles (“Situationship”), finding true love (“Find Someone Like You”) and taking chances on being forward (“Toronto”). Even on uptempo tracks such as “Love Like That”, Snoh Aalegra exudes a vocal maturity and confidence that’s well beyond her years.

“You” exudes a synthesized, bare-bones sexiness that would make Prince proud. She tests out a new style (which she pulls off well) on the rap-songy, dismissive anthem “Nothing to Me”. However, Snoh Aaalegra isn’t afraid to lay down sass for the vulnerability (“I Didn’t Mean to Fall in Love”).

Once again, Snoh Aalegra has served up a body of work that transcends genre boundaries and conventional melodies. Ugh, those feels again details all the high and low moments of love, with grace. Her album cover is simple and elegant, even reminiscent of a young Sade. As if that wasn’t enough, the album was also executive produced by No I.D. Nonetheless, Snoh Aalegra makes sure that her raw talent is the focal point.

Hot Boy Summer……Forever

The photo above was taken about 5 years ago. I wasn’t in my 30s yet. Oh, I was also 20 lbs smaller than I am now. I laugh every time I see it, because my trainer at the time used to always say, “get your stomach out your shirt!” On this particular day, I reached a new milestone and he made all of us (oh, I blurred out the other 3 guys in the pic lol) run without our shirts on. We argued and I specifically fought it tooth and nail. I felt self-conscious and even if I had a six-pack, I wouldn’t walk around with my shirt off.

After we took this photo, I asked the guys not to tag me on Facebook. They will laugh if they see I’m sharing it now. I don’t want to be that small again, but I wouldn’t mind being close to it. Fast forward to this summer, the hot girl/hot boy summer. Hot girl summer started from a female rapper named Megan Thee Stallion. Although she insists her song, “Hot Girl Summer”, is primarily about female empowerment, it also has connotations of being a hot thot, if you know what I mean.

Guys soon followed the trend and now everyone is celebrating a hot girl/hot boy summer……whatever the hell that means or doesn’t mean. It’s funny to me how conscious thoughts of body image control so many things we do. Honestly, I feel more confident in myself now than I did back then when I took this photo. Sure, it’s great to have a nice body, but being “hot” comes from within. It’s a swagger, a vibe, chemistry that can’t be explained. Women and men both are fighting so many stereotypes of how they should look. We often look to people and material things for validation, while constantly being let down.

Why spend your whole summer (and sadly for some, their whole life) trying to be the next “hot” thing for somebody that will drop you as soon as the next six-pack or piece of ass comes along. Shouldn’t we think better of ourselves? I think so. 5 years ago, you couldn’t have paid me to share this picture (well, maybe past a certain monetary threshold), because I didn’t want to be vulnerable to what people might say. Now, I don’t care because it’s hot boy summer…..forever. Love yourself, even with your flaws. Now, that’s really hot.

Blame It On Ken’s Bourbon

Many of you may know by now that I recently released my third novel, When the Cookie Crumbles. The book marks the final chapter of the trilogy series. Ken takes center stage here as his perfect image is tarnished. Cookie never believed her husband would have any reason to lie to her. Now, she finds out that her trust in Ken is tested. Find out what happens once she realizes his love isn’t as true as she imagined it was.

Let’s not forget the reason why we’re here today though – Thirsty Thursday. The Ken was 1 of the 3 crafted cocktails for my Cookie’s Last Stand event at The People’s Last Stand. This one had the strongest kick that settled in with a slightly minty aftertaste. What’s in it? The drink has bourbon (of course), lemon, mint, mango and turmeric syrup. Basically, it’s amazing.

I’ve always loved going to The People’s Last Stand, but now I have 3 more reasons to love it even more. Stay tuned for another upcoming novel I have that is co-written with Akela Renae. I’ll share more details on that soon. Kick back with Ken’s bourbon specialty in the meantime.

It’s Thirsty Thursday…..bottoms up!

A Spicy, Cool Chelsea in the Middle

Chelsea < No Cream in the Middle

Chelsea is one of the most loved fictional characters I’ve ever written. Many people have told me how much they like her character in my trilogy novel series. Here’s the background story on Chelsea. She’s Cookie’s firecracker sister who helps her with a mischievous plan that they keep secret for years. Fortune Cookie, my first novel, details how their secret unravels and the consequences. Chelsea then takes center stage in the follow-up, No Cream in the Middle. This time, she has her own skeletons she’s desperately trying to keep tucked away in her closet…..but to no avail.

Alright alright alright (in my Matthew McConaughey voice). What does this have to do with Thirsty Thursday? I’m glad you asked. As promised, I mentioned in my Sippin’ On A Sexy, Sweet Cookie post that I would highlight each of the signature drinks I had at my recent Cookie’s Last Stand event. The event was held at The People’s Last Stand restaurant in Dallas, TX. This signature drink was my personal favorite of the three.

“The Chelsea” consists of tequila, lime, kaffir lime syrup, jalapeno, and cilantro. The end result is a drink that has a smooth taste, with an infectious kick at the end. I’ve actually considered requesting this drink at The People’s Last Stand again. Maybe they’ll make it for you if you find yourself there soon. This is a must-have drink if you’re a fan of spicy and sweet combinations.

Bottoms up…..it’s Thirsty Thursday. If you don’t have your copy of Fortune Cookie, No Cream in the Middle or When the Cookie Crumbles, get your copies HERE.

Destiny’s Child: 20 Years of ‘The Writing’s on the Wall’

Destiny's Child

The summer of 1999. We were on the cusp of Y2K, leaving the last of the 90s R&B golden years behind. Destiny’s Child returned with a vengeance on their second album, The Writing’s on the Wall. The project boldly defied the sophomore jinx and became the group’s biggest selling album to date (over 8,000,000 units in the US alone). What made this album such a big hit? Let’s travel down memory lane to revisit why The Writing’s on the Wall was such an important album.

The Revolving Lineup

The Writing’s on the Wall was not only the last album with all original members but their most controversial. The lineup of Beyonce, Kelly, LeToya, and LaTavia literally switched overnight. Beyonce, Kelly, Michelle and Farrah (for an extremely brief stint) were the new fierce foursome. When the “Say My Name” music video debuted, so did the two new members of the group – without any notice to the fans. However, LeToya and LaTavia revealed creative differences with management (Matthew Knowles) as the reason why they left (or ahem…were kicked out of) the group. Ironically, Kelly and Beyonce fired him as their manager a few years later. The music was good, but the unraveling scandal was better.

The Male Bashing Bandwagon

TLC’s “No Scrubs” was released months before “Bills, Bills, Bills”. The latter was the breakout hit single from The Writing’s on the Wall. The song dug the knife deeper into the “no good man” craze. However, Destiny’s Child took it a step further. The group sang about a particular type of man that was ruining their finances. Ironically, the song was even written and produced by the same team who worked on “No Scrubs” (Kandi Burruss and Kevin “Shek’spere” Briggs). “Bug A Boo” similarly addressed a type of scrub who was too clingy. “Bug A Boo” was one of the defining moments of their career, as it solidified their trademark style of melodic, stutter-step harmonies.

Deep Album Cuts

The success of any album is attributed to the impact of its singles. The Writing’s on the Wall had that in the bag with a string of four hits (“Bills, Bills, Bills”, “Bug A Boo”, “Say My Name”, and “Jumpin’ Jumpin'”). Nonetheless, several of the album’s “filler” tracks were just as strong. The painfully truthful “Confessions” and the sultry low growls of “Temptation” more than held their own. “So Good” was also a memorable kiss-off to haters. The group even worked with some heavy hitter producers this time, including Missy Elliott. Plus, their ode to infidelity (“If You Leave”) with the male R&B group, Next, proved they were transitioning from young ladies to women.

While the closest we may ever get to a full-fledged Destiny’s Child reunion (of any sort) was Beyonce’s Coachella performance, the group made their mark. The group delivered an infectious blend of sass, sexiness and pure talent to become one of the biggest girl group’s music has ever seen. Throw in a few negative headlines, a lead singer that the world adores and some catchy hooks and you have a juggernaut of a sophomore album.

Sippin’ On A Sexy, Sweet Cookie

The Cookie < Thirsty Thursday < Fortune Cookie

This past weekend, I celebrated the closure of my first novel series. I say first because I have no plans on doing another one. However, I do like to leave room for chance since I never had any intention on writing the first novel. Cookie’s Last Stand was a celebration of the end of an era – a trilogy of three novels that stemmed from a secret that two close sisters shared.

Cookie’s Last Stand was held at one of my favorite restaurants, The People’s Last Stand. They even crafted three special cocktails for my event, which brings me to today’s Thirsty Thursday post. The menu consisted of a drink named after each character – The Cookie, The Chelsea and The Ken.

The Cookie was a sweet, vodka based drink that packed more punch than it looked. What’s in it? Vodka, Ox orange liqueur, lemon and red berry syrup. Although the drink was slightly sweeter than my tastes prefers, it was delicious. Much like the drink, Cookie (the main character of all three novels) looks harmless but she has a sting. She’s beautiful, but not dainty. Her mentality is actually closer to a man’s when it comes to dating and she’s made her share of bad choices in men.

Want to find out more about Cookie and what her dangerous secret is? Pick up Fortune Cookie today at the link below to get started on the series. Trust me, once you get hooked on the first one, you’ll want to find out what happens next. Stay tuned for next week’s post, which will feature The Chelsea – a fiery mix of flavors for your taste buds.

Bottoms up….it’s Thirsty Thursday. Get your copy of Fortune Cookie HERE.