Music and dance have always been a big part of who I am. My first music class at age five was a rhythm & beats called ‘music for the minis'. We sat in a circle playing percussive instruments and I absolutely loved it. I grew up as a classically trained musician and vocalist, always performing and entertaining.
Years later, I was part of a professional Tahitian dance troupe and quickly learned in rehearsals how disconnected from myself I was. The fast paced hip shaking was intense and being able to sustain the rhythm took a tremendous amount of effort.
Mama Kamai (the dance troupe mother) would go around the room and say to us, “you need to get your shake”. I spent hours practicing outside of rehearsals and I’ll always remember the moment I "got my shake". It was like heavy chains fell to the ground and I instantly felt liberated. It reconnected me with my roots and paved the way for who I am today. I’ve dreamed of making a song that honors this pivotal time in my life.
Tahitian drums have a unique texture and tone, with an infectious rhythm and pattern. Drawing inspiration from this, I recorded intentional samples and used my voice to create my own unique sound. I infused the song with high vibrational energy and I’m thrilled to share it as my Sound genesis. I hope it makes you move and shake.
When in doubt, dance it out. It’s good for the soul.