IS ‘FLOWERS’ A SONG CRY? – A REVIEW BY Tobi Alaaka

Hello Friends,

Hope y’all are doing great.

I recently released a new song “FLOWERS”

I wrote this song in February of 2019 with the pure intention of really just passing a message across as I felt it at the moment. I did not pay attention to structure nor standard rules of composition.  I just let go and let it flow. You can download it here

I  wrote the lyrics as I felt and as it matched the vibes of the track (produced by Lexisugar) and I gave in to the musicality as I felt it in my soul.  Ambient sounds are my sweet spot and I worked with it .   As I wrote on my social media, “not intending to make a hit, just want to hit you with a message”…… we all know it’s no point lighting a candle and putting it under a bushel, or singing a song that won’t be heard, or writing text that won’t be read or making art, if it won’t be appreciated, that is why I thank God for social media, it’s a great outlet and platform of sharing  work for indies today.  I hope you like it and I hope you share it if you do. Above all, I hope the message hits home. My prayer is that the song will reach its right audience(s) through shares and strike heart strings, beyond borders.

Well,  it struck a chord enough for a young and promising intelligent writer and music enthusiast, Tobi Alaaka, to pen a few words about it which I decided to share below.

IS ‘FLOWERS’ A SONG CRY?

Atlanta-based music performer and actress, Tosinger, has just released colorful follow up visuals to her latest single, Flowers.

Flowers, a song produced by LexiSugar, opened with jarring guitar synths, shakers, and a bouncy mid-tempo beat to accompany Tosinger’s vocals which delivered poignant lyrics, and an uplifting vibe.

‘Flowers’ is a song cry, a message from a forlorn creative, breaking out of a mold to lay bare all anxiety and agitation in beautifully stirring music.

In the song, Tosinger captured the value of offering love and support to friends and family while they are still living, and can most enjoy it.

The second verse opened with the artiste inspiring hope with the refrain:

This is not the end / cos everything’s gon’ change

In interviews and social media comments, Tosinger had frequently stated a belief in the ‘healing powers’ of music; and ‘Flowers’, seen in that light, is at once self-care and a love note extended to all her fans and music lovers who may be riding a tough terrain.

As the lead single of 2019, Flowers is a promising invitation to closely follow Tosinger’s diverse creative efforts in what is, no doubt, for the artiste and her fans, a year of tenderness and bloom.

Thanks Tobi for this blurb.

Friends Do watch the video below and like, comment and share. Thank you!

Love, Peace and Beautiful Music,

Tosinger

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New Music Video Alert – African Nostalgia

Hello Tribe and Friends,

Hope this meets you well.

Here’s presenting the latest video to one of my favorite songs from my Organically Singing Debut Album – ‘African Nostalgia‘ . I have always had an affinity for anything nostalgic, classic or vintage.. I know there are many songs out there that talk about ‘Home’ from ‘homesick’ artists and musicians based in the diaspora, this proves that it’s a general feeling that is easily  relatable for those who live abroad and not just only them, but everyone in general, within or outside the continent, with memories of throwbacks. It is our job as music healers to make this feeling manageable (or incite-able) through our art. There have always been songs on this subject and there will always be in the future. As a diasporan artist,  I particularly have a strong default passion and deep emotion towards the concept of our “roots” and inclination towards “home longing songs”  and I have a lot of memories that guide me on this creative path, this is what also led to my songwriting and storytelling of the ‘African Nostalgia’ song. Click video below —:::

The African Nostalgia music visual is basically a musical imagery and storytelling of some experiences of my childhood and activities I observed growing up in my Grandma’s house in Abeokuta city, Ogun State, Nigeria ; from the sounds I heard, to the people I saw and my environment in general. You’ll have to listen to grasp it and maybe you can recognize a thing or two if you are from a similar background. This video was shot on a hot sunny day, while hiking miles up the Kennesaw mountain in Georgia. I wanted that picturesque green scenic scene that reminded me of the lushness of the African continent, I was not glamorously dressed or anything like that, typical of a music video; it was just simple, an everyday capture and I was comfy (apart from the bugs and sweat :)) ) within my environmental element.

I love Nature. I love Africa. I love Music. I love Art. I love Nature. Oh I think I said that already :). I am definitely a nature’s girl and I believe it’s a God given therapeutic environment which we should use more of, and also conserve and treat kindly.  You should try having nature walks when you are stressed. I (and Lloyd the videographer) were sweating like Christmas goats, climbing up the mountain, huffing and puffing, I had a couple of wardrobe malfunctions but we still tried to pull it off 😀 so just like the album title, this is as raw and organic as it comes 🙂 and I hope you enjoy it.

I want to particularly thank two musical powerhouses who collaborated with me on this song, who I’ve not met but we connected across borders to bring this to life. The talented Ivorien bassist Arnaud N’Gaza  based in Morroco and Daniel N’Guessan, percussionist/drummer also from Cote D’Ivoire. My gratitude goes to Zambian Photographer and budding Filmmaker, Lloyd Mackayi, who I met at TERRA COTTA ATL, who shot the video. Despite being independent and on a shoestring budget, I’ve been blessed to attract, albeit virtually, and connect with fellow talented and beautifully spirited, understanding creatives and  individuals who come across my creative path and space. For this I am grateful. And I hope to come across more in my lifetime.

I hope you appreciate and enjoy the video, or in one way or the other, in some way, relate to it. Please feel free to like, share and comment and subscribe to my new TosingerVEVO channel where I intend to release bit by bit, concept videos of my musical body of work.

Stay purposeful, healthy and relevant.

Love, Peace and Beautiful Music,

Organically Yours, Tosinger

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Because I’m HAPPY

The funky, upbeat, very popular song ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams is not an ordinary song. The way it is still spreading like wild fire, the joy it brings, the numerous covers of it, the video remake from different parts of the globe, the effect on  its audience are all  so magical.  There is really nothing so complex and overtly musically/technically creative about the song, but the simplicity, the energy and the spirit of it is so infectious, it’s wonderful and yes very inspirational ( reminiscent of “Don’t worry, Be happy” by Bobby McFerrin ) And please it is absolutely not necessary to make a Gospel version (as I already came across some), the message is clear, any remix is just a showcase of the remixer’s talent, it doesn’t add to or remove from the effect of the original. (Am I the only who flinches at Gospel remixes of mainstream popular songs?)

“Happy” is a song performed by American singer and producer Pharrell Williams, from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack album. It also serves as the lead single from Williams’ second studio album, G I R L (2014). The song was written and produced by Williams. It was released on November 21, 2013 alongside a long-form music video presented via the website 24hoursofhappy.com. 

“Happy” has been highly successful, topping the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and charts in 19 other countries. It has sold one million copies in the United Kingdom, and has reached the summit on three separate occasions, both records in their own right. Source – Wiki

So it is no surprise when an African comedian and dancer, Clifford Owusu of Ghanian origin-  who I’ve been following for a while on his YouTube channel known for his whimsical impressions of Africans living in the diaspora – decided to collate his viewers’ videos for his own ‘Happy’ edition. See below (and there’s my son making a debut at 0.29 🙂 gotta love it)

Enjoy and be happy.

Beautifully Dreaming … Positively Doing…. Because I’m Happy 😀

xoxo

Tosinger

‘Ile’ (Home) Music Video gets National Airplay

Hello Everyone,

How is the countdown to the end of 2013 looking like? Remember to always count your blessings and always believe. Never Give Up.  Little drops of water make a mighty ocean.  Realign your mind for even greater things in 2014. I was excited to wake up to a tweet from Pulse Records with the good news that my new music video ‘Ile’ (Home) will be airing on National US media outlets #WorldMusic. How sweet. Pulse Records is dedicated to redefining the modern record label by providing top-tier music opportunities to Independent & Unsigned artists. It’s time to #BeHeard. It is time to be encouraged to make more real and fresh music with a real message #Inspiration

“How can they hear without proclamation”

Make music you LOVE, something that represents your mission and pride. Authenticity prevails for fan support – PulseRecords

If you have not seen the video, here it is: “Home is where the heart is”

Click image below to read the news

Thank you all for your support so far. Be inspired.

Beautifully Dreaming, Positively Doing…

xoxo

Tosinger