New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Today, Jah9 shares an important and timely message with her new video "Note To Self (Okay)" featuring Chronixx, the title track from her third studio album Note To Self released this past Friday (Mar 13) on VP Records.
The Jamaican artist and yogi's mantra "I'm going to be okay" floats gently over her signature jazz on dub melody, produced by Romario "Runkus" Bennett, Iotosh Poyser & Jah9 herself. The song's accompanying visual (directed by Samo) shares a young woman's journey of struggle and strife and the ability to overcome through the power of positive self talk and practice.
"I wanted to show that there was a consensus about this mantra 'I'm going to be okay,' across all the generations," Jah9 tells The FADER today.
"This co-production is the most collaborative track I have ever produced, and quite intentionally so. It was important to do so because of the nature of the message. The production needed to be dark and disturbing, the vocals and lyrics to comfort and support. My young brothers Iotosh and Runkus were able to build on the direction I envisioned. Chronixx was able to add further creative insight that lifted and balanced the mood of the song with his harmonies and words. This vision culminated with the track being mixed and polished by the legendary Errol Brown and his son Shane Brown. A true team effort. Humbled and grateful to have been a part of it," she adds.
The "Note To Self (Okay)" video is part of a consortium of visuals from the project including the album's documentary short Note To Self | An Introduction, "Highly (Get To Me)," "Ma'at (Each Man)," and "Heaven (Ready Fi Di Feeling)."
On the Note To Self, Jah9 presents a genre-bending 15-track collection of richly-layered musical compositions that fuse roots reggae, dub, jazz, afrobeat, funk and neo-soul. The Jamaican musician, who also is a certified yogi, blends her disciplines into a deeply meditative exploration of the self, through what she calls a "self-thesis." The album's potent messages, sonic vibrations and high frequencies energize the mind, body and soul of her listeners. Jah9 co-produced the entire LP along with Jamaica's top producers, including Clive Hunt (Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder,
Peter Tosh, Maxi Priest), Jeremy Harding (Sean Paul), Romario "Runkus" Bennett, Iotosh Poyser and Romaine "TeflonZincFence" Arnett. Her latest effort follows her critically-acclaimed albums New Name (2013) and 9 (2016).
Jah9 recently wrapped a wellness tour in Kenya. From Feb 26-Mar 8, 2020, she led and hosted a curated relaxation and cultural trip to Narobi leading up to the annual Lamu Yoga Festival. Following this experience and to celebrate the release of Note To Self, she journeyed to Ethiopia for her first concert in the country, held in Addis Ababa on March 13, 2020. The singer will continue to tour in support of the album, but her dates in the U.S. and
Europe are currently postponed due to the COVID-19 restrictions until further notice.
