As I am setting my room for my nightly meditation, my headphones are set to the loudest volume and my string lights and flameless candles are all in sync. This moment is something I look forward to all day, every day. On tonight’s playlist, I plan to indulge in Solange Knowles new album, A Seat At the Table – an album I have been hearing about over and over again on social media. And what true Beyonce fan could not support her sister in her beautiful project? Once I found the album on Apple Music, I couldn’t help but notice the description: “A confessional autobiography and meditation on being black in America, this album finds Solange searching for answers within a set of achingly lovely funk tunes…The spirit of Prince hovers throughout, especially over ‘Junie,’ a glimmer of merriment in a exquisite portrait of sadness.” I needed no more conformation than the “spirit of Prince” comment to draw me in.
As I began to listen to the first song on her album, “Rise”, I was taken away by the lyrics, “Fall in your ways, so you can sleep at night. Fall in your ways, so you can wake up and rise”, she sung. These lyrics spoke to me in the most peaceful manner, telling me that I must not fault myself for my mistakes or the way I go about living my life. I must learn from each path I choose, for tomorrow I will rise. It is up to me to love what I do. That will help me sleep at night.
One of my favorite songs of the album is “Cranes in the Sky”. She sings of the emotions of black women throughout America who find several ways daily to deal with the pain of seeing black men slain and dealing with injustice. This song shows how nobody knows that her actions are covering up so much hurt and pain on the inside. I relate. Sometimes we don’t know why we do the things we do to mend our sadness and broken hearts, so we hide our problems. Solange chooses to embrace them by not being afraid to admit she tries to work the pain away. This album is rich, meditational therapy to the mind, body and soul. I personally didn’t think that soul and funk would help me find relaxation, but it took mediation to a whole new level. The background music and beats seem to take some kind of hold of you, making your mind unwind.
The songs are briefly interrupted by powerful quotes from her mother Tina Knowles and Master P. Iconic features on her album. This simply shows that greatness runs in the family. I know I can’t say that all of the songs on the album are my favorite, but it was hard to choose. My other favorite is a song I could definitely relate to, being a black woman with natural hair. Her song “Don’t Touch My Hair” describes how a woman’s hair is her pride and joy; it is a part of her soul and a way to express herself without words. Look around at how many beautiful ways black women change their hair to express how they are feeling and show the world who they are. “Don’t Touch My Hair” screams to the world that our hair is not meant to be petted or judged by anyone without permission. Womanly strength pours out through the lyrics, seeps through the melodies, and drenches each harmonizing second of the album. You feel more powerful, more beautiful, and more cultured after listening to A Seat at the Table. I would encourage everyone to listen. Solange couldn’t have picked a more perfect time to release this album. The time to promote healing and peace through America is needed now more than ever.