I wonder what this world would be like if we didn't have mirrors...

Clairvoyant or Crazy?

Khalil Gibran says it best...

A Lover's Call

Where are you, my beloved? Are you in that little
Paradise, watering the flowers who look upon you
As infants look upon the breast of their mothers?

Or are you in your chamber where the shrine of
Virtue has been placed in your honor, and upon
Which you offer my heart and soul as sacrifice?

Or amongst the books, seeking human knowledge,
While you are replete with heavenly wisdom?

Oh companion of my soul, where are you? Are you
Praying in the temple? Or calling Nature in the
Field, haven of your dreams?

Are you in the huts of the poor, consoling the
Broken-hearted with the sweetness of your soul, and
Filling their hands with your bounty?

You are God's spirit everywhere;
You are stronger than the ages.

Do you have memory of the day we met, when the halo of
You spirit surrounded us, and the Angels of Love
Floated about, singing the praise of the soul's deed?

Do you recollect our sitting in the shade of the
Branches, sheltering ourselves from Humanity, as the ribs
Protect the divine secret of the heart from injury?

Remember you the trails and forest we walked, with hands
Joined, and our heads leaning against each other, as if
We were hiding ourselves within ourselves?

Recall you the hour I bade you farewell,
And the Maritime kiss you placed on my lips?
That kiss taught me that joining of lips in Love
Reveals heavenly secrets which the tongue cannot utter!

That kiss was introduction to a great sigh,
Like the Almighty's breath that turned earth into man.

That sigh led my way into the spiritual world,
Announcing the glory of my soul; and there
It shall perpetuate until again we meet.

I remember when you kissed me and kissed me,
With tears coursing your cheeks, and you said,
"Earthly bodies must often separate for earthly purpose,
And must live apart impelled by worldly intent.

"But the spirit remains joined safely in the hands of
Love, until death arrives and takes joined souls to God.

"Go, my beloved; Love has chosen you her delegate;
Over her, for she is Beauty who offers to her follower
The cup of the sweetness of life.
As for my own empty arms, your love shall remain my
Comforting groom; you memory, my Eternal wedding."

Where are you now, my other self? Are you awake in
The silence of the night? Let the clean breeze convey
To you my heart's every beat and affection.

Are you fondling my face in your memory? That image
Is no longer my own, for Sorrow has dropped his
Shadow on my happy countenance of the past.

Sobs have withered my eyes which reflected your beauty
And dried my lips which you sweetened with kisses.

Where are you, my beloved? Do you hear my weeping
From beyond the ocean? Do you understand my need?
Do you know the greatness of my patience?

Is there any spirit in the air capable of conveying
To you the breath of this dying youth? Is there any
Secret communication between angels that will carry to
You my complaint?

Where are you, my beautiful star? The obscurity of life
Has cast me upon its bosom; sorrow has conquered me.

Sail your smile into the air; it will reach and enliven me!
Breathe your fragrance into the air; it will sustain me!

Where are you, me beloved?
Oh, how great is Love!
And how little am I!

-Khalil Gibran

I can only do what I can with what I have where I am. God, please grant me the serenity!!!

There's a somebody I'm longing to see...

Sitting here in my room...

So, I'm sitting here in my room, with no plan or agenda for the day... and while many would kill for such a day, I'm not so enthused. A few days ago, I had a mild meltdown because I felt like the absence of an immediate, regular task somehow meant that I'd missed an opportunity or something. Life is too short to waste time, and while r & r are critical to a healthy lifestyle, too much r & r is detrimental to progress and success. After prayer, reflection, and conversations with my friends, I am slowly but surely beginning to embrace this time. I know that in a few weeks when school starts, I will have no shortage of things to do and a break will not be an option again for at least a year. So, until then, I'm taking deep breaths and soaking in the sun. Hopefully, coming up for air is what I am supposed to be doing right now...

My philosophy on relationships

I was talking with my Dad a while ago... I think about a year ago... and we were having one of our "treasure-hunting", revelation conversations (we have these "moments" rather frequently). My Dad and I were discussing relationships and the discussion began to go to a really deep place...

We ended up developing a model for relationships that changed my entire perspective... it made so much sense. I adopted it for myself and it shapes my view of relationships. The fundamental basis of the theory is Harmony. Everything in life is ultimately purposed to move toward harmony... everything and everyone is connected. People in relationships move towards harmony with one another through fulfilling their individual destiny and pursuing oneness with God.

The key for romantic relationships is finding another person with whom you can can move towards harmony with in unison... someone whose individual purpose is congruent and complementary to your own... allowing both you and your partner to fulfill your individual purposes, and simultaneously affect positive change through your union. By facing and overcoming obstacles, perservering through the tests of the relationship, growing and becoming better people, as a team... people are inspired by the love between the two people... a love that endures... a love that grows and perserveres... a love that is truly unconditional.

This is the type of relationship that I pray for... a relationship in which I can share my life, my love, my growth, my dreams, and my blessings... a man who hears my song and sings the same one in the same key, measure for measure, note for note.I thank God for this man... my partner, my brother, my friend, my other... the love of my life. The man with whom I will move toward harmony and oneness with in life, purpose, and love... through this life and even beyond death, to the moment when we both sing together in that heavenly chorus as one with each other and God... wholly holy, for all eternity.

Coming Up for Air...

I'm so used to always being busy that I sometimes forget that coming up for for air is not only okay, but necessary. I've been inhaling and exhaling a lot this summer. Prayers have been and are continuously being answered. I almost didn't see that prayers that I rendered a little while ago were being answered because I was so busy looking down ahead, for answers to the more recent prayers... I almost missed the blessings that have been occuring in my family life, in my relationships with my friends, and with those I love... I almost missed them. Now, I recognize that and I thank God for all He is doing... all He has done... and all He is going to do!!! Selah

Blackberries are THE best!

Tennis is the best :-)

Are you on my music yet?! If not, whatcha waiting for? :-)

I'm beginning to see it the way that Raphael Saadiq does :-)

Why do these movies make love seem soooo difficult and dramatic?! It's not supposed to be this hard, people... Really! It's not!

There are few celebrities that make me go "woo woo"... And this is definitely one of them lol (Hint: JFaH)

Can you have a future if your past is still present?

INSPIRATION
Blessed is the influence of one true, loving human soul on another. - George Eliot

Can you take hard earth and make things bloom?

Random words and phrases (pt. 2):

1) "Destitute" - I don't why, it just brings me joy... not the actual state of being, but saying the word.

2) "Traumatized" - I LOVE this word. (period)

3) "You're cutting up!" - Okay, this one tends to confuse people. You use this to tell somebody that they are doing too much of something- more than what is necessary or expected- this can be either good or bad. You can use it for various situations.; here are a few scenarios:

a. you order cheesecake at a restaurant, expecting it to be the standard, pre-sliced piece, but they bring the most orgasmic slice EVER... made from scratch... then that chef cut up!
b. you're at a wedding and the people getting married start kissing like they're on the honeymoon... tongues and slob everywhere... then they are cutting up!
c. this is a real life example: my best friend and I went to see Terminator: Salvation... everybody else was shifting in their seat... but we were jumping, dodging, and shrieking like we were really in the movie... we were cutting up! real good!

My sleep debt is about the same as the national debt :-(

For my fellow insomniacs, I do not advise watching a show about parasites at 3:11 in the morning. Really... Not a good move!

I write and sing songs about love. Love is not confined by or specific to any sexual orientation- love is universal.

Nope... Maybe PYT, Bad, or Human Nature- Okay... Really, Who has just 1 favorite MJ song? REALLY?!

I think "Got to Be There" may be my favorite Michael Jackson... SOOOO Good!!! :-)

Random words and phrases I like (pt.1):

1) "I, too, ..." - this phrase always makes me smile and laugh-to-self... which leads to my second one...

2) "Laugh-to-self" - people tend to use "LOL" a lot. I, too, was a person that habitually typed LOL. Then one day, as I was typing it, I realized that I wasn't laughing out loud. I really giggled to myself, hence "LTS". (Did y'all catch the "I, too"? Haha)

3) "This (insert food) is orgasmic!" - I love using the "orgasmic" to describe unbelievably delicious food! Food that God must have personally concocted and made the recipe for- like my Uncle James' Apple-Blackberry Cobbler! {Thank Ya God!!! I mean... really, You out-did Yourself :-)}

Those are the freshest on my mind right now... Felt like sharing. After all, that's what blogging is for, right?

Tradition is an illusion

Traditional is an illusion.

The idea that a finite creature could create something eternal is inherently flawed. Choosing to engage in a "traditional" behavior/practice because you find it relevant to your life is one thing, but doing something "traditional" because of some unsubstantiated, socially-fabricated value is another.

Who made the tradition? Why? Is it really important to you? If you can't answer these questions, you have some meditating to do. I am not naive enough to think that I am exempt from this process. I have to assess my actions and thoughts periodically to see if I'm exercising my own agency in my personal decisions.

At times, answering those questions is easy, and other times they are not... Sometimes it's easy to make a decision based on your own values, sometimes it's difficult. Ultimately, it's usually worth it, if only for your own peace of mind.

Binaries destroy society

A simple truth

People are complex creatures... we have complex desires, complex behaviors, and complex feelings. The simplest thing about human beings is that we all want to give and receive love, and I believe that we all deserve to do both.

Coming to Grips

Today, I was working on a song that people would probably (and conventionally) classify as a rock-&-roll song. At the same time, I have been working on treatments for a video and I've had this really cool concept for a long time that I thought was perfect for this song. So, I'm thinking of all these things... how I would be the lead male actor in the video, what type of actress I wanted to be in it, wardrobe for the video, special effects... the whole nine. And then, I started thinking of recording this song and performing it and how this would work. I thought of the songs I'd written and how unique my portfolio is now and diverse my interests are as an artist.

Being that I'm a black male singer from Memphis with a background in soul and voice that many people compare to other R&B singers... I figured this was the category that people would try to lump me in. But I am so multi-faceted as an artist and my music has so many influences. I think R&B music is great and the genre definitely has a rich history, as it is represented by some of my favorite musicians and some of the best songs in modern history. However, I don't want to be grouped into any one category because all of them are limiting in some way. I want to transgress the boundaries of genre and blur the lines of them all.

I want to be a rock star. And not only do I want to be a rock star, but I also want to be a balladeer... and a choral singer... and even incorporate foreign languages into my music. I want to do it all! It's all feels natural to me.

When stores ask what area to put my CDs in, my gut response would be all of them! I don't want to just be put on MTV or BET or vH1... I want to be on all of them because in addition to relating to my individual fans, I want to relate them to one another. I want my black fans who haven't been exposed to rock-and-roll music to fall in love with the lead guitar... I want my white fans who haven't been exposed to soul music to be stirred by gospel-inspired, gut-wrenching vocals... I want my young fans who haven't been exposed to classical music to be captivated by dissonant SATB harmonies... I want my older fans to hear remnants of their favorite bands reincarnated... I want my music to relate and educate.

One of the hardest things to do is accept yourself... and this already difficult task is only made more difficult when you are a lot of person. I'm a lot of person. I have so many ideas, so many thoughts, so many dreams, and the craziest thing is...I am actually crazy, stubborn, and faithful enough to make them all happen.

From Versace Show during Fashion Week in Milan

I could rock this!

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAD8wvroHzqeWQRUVq6ZMtcJiFGsW7ly-WRvV3Q9v7yY51Bo2WogZUfMLvzbr9TgJGi12wOf9o68NlmX0kye2uTIegOzpkU7xPmrJCOxbj0F_ZThh8THmTuDeAVvevPqEFpTOtBGeG4Og/s1600-h/00050m.jpg

Change of Face

I decided to grow my hair long!!! It is part of my spiritual experience as a "Nazarite." Should be very exciting!!!!

3 Types of Artists

I believe that there are 3 types of artists in this industry.

The first type is the “One-Hit Wonder.” These artists release one, two, or maybe three-songs that have ephemeral success- songs that are like poorly-heated leftovers…hot for a second, and then cold. These artists may create a lot of hype and get a lot of airplay for a little while, suddenly, and then disappear just as quickly and sharply as they appeared. I would name a few examples, but you probably wouldn’t know who they were. :-)

Now, the next two types are really at the crux of my point.

The second type is a “Staple.” Staples are those artists who have released music that is congruent with the experience and voice of a whole generation and becomes associated with that time or era in a history for a people or culture. Many of the greatest musicians around are staples, so this classification is not to be taken lightly. It is truly one to be revered!!!

Artists who are staples have created music that is revered across generations, often with an endearing sense of nostalgia and affection. These artists have managed to capture the voice of a time or generation and their careers always seem to parallel some significant event or time in history. They also have enduring success because of a loyal following in a generation, although this success may not translate across multiple generations. Due to the cyclical nature of art, Staples are always relevant because, since all new things are inspired by things of the past, we eventually always look to classic artists to inspire us.

The third type of artist is the “Timeless” artist. These artists have a chain of hits that span multiple generations and a quality to their music that speaks to some universal part of the human experience. They have managed to have success that spans decades and transgresses generational boundaries. Timeless artists are those who have managed to become staples of multiple generations through their consistent presence in the music scene and the cultural relevance of their music to multiple generations.

Timeless artists tend to be associated with multiple cultural and generational landmarks. Whether it be a movement, a movie, book, or other historical work, or another historical event, the music that these artists create or the artists themselves come to represent something that is greater than their contemporary life or career. Some timeless artists are Whitney Houston, U2, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton, Prince, Alejandro Fernandez, Billie Holiday, and Michael Jackson.

These artists have released, wrote, and performed works of art that span genres and transgresses the many bounds that pervade our societies, appealing to our collective experiences- speaking to humanity. This is the type of artist that I am striving to become.

Going Hard!

Hi! So

The Birth of “Sonny Alexander”

The story behind the name Sonny Alexander is pretty straight-forward.

Sonny was my Grandfather’s name and Alexander is my actual middle name, which my father chose for me. So, the name Sonny Alexander for me represents the power, strength, courage, and character of the two most influential men in my life. These men embody all of the qualities that have made me the man I am today.

Also, this name is distinctive and consistent with my musical vision- to create music that is multigenerational, cross-cultural, and multi-faceted. To me, the name Sonny has an old-school vibe to it that reminds me of a time when full bands dominated the air waves and everyone sang songs about love and the heart. It’s a name that is endearing and unassuming like the lyrics and melodies I write and sing.

The name Alexander has been ascribed to some of the most powerful men in history, commanding respect and attention. Alexander is a name that is epic and engaging- effects that I try to emulate in my arrangements and vocals. Meaning “Leader of People” or “Protector of Men”, the name resonates with purpose and destiny which guide my life and my musical expression.

The name Sonny Alexander reminds me of the legacy from which my life extends, my commitment to creating timeless music with integrity, and my own power and right to be who I am, unapologetically…

Premiere of "Be There"

This is the link to my first song, Be There. Enjoy!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lzr6jrHGgxY

I know...a little "John Legend"esque... not intentional, I promise!!! :-)

I tried to embed the video but had a few issues :-) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!

Introduction

Hi I'm Sonny Alexander!