A couple of years ago at The Phenomenal Women's Summit in Birmingham, Alabama, the morning meditation leader presented a hybrid power hour of scripture, quotes and music. Different from many other meditation hours I attended in my conference career, this leader wove her own compositions into the worship, allowing attendees to walk through the journey of her pain and move through to healing. The music, a gospel neo-soul infusion, was inspiring, uplifting and encouraging a move through to a cathartic experience, where the participants were able to unpack their own, boxed and shelved emotions in the safety of the hour.
Meet D'Marie, one who has the "ability to create memorable moments through presence, word, and song—giving voice to the voiceless, bringing healing, motivating worship, and drawing people into the loving presence of God". Her album, H2O, features tunes such as "Afraid", "Misty Rain" and the theme song of The Phenomenal Women's Summit, "I'm not that Woman Anymore" covering a vast range of tunes suited for quite worship and meditation. For these reasons and more, we share this brilliant walk in the wade pool and some insight from D'Marie in this post. Enjoy!
How did you get started with your music?
Honestly, I have always "done" music; I even started arranging songs and writing my own compositions back in 1985. I did a project about 12 years ago but never felt comfortable with it or my voice on it. It took me this long to really commit to this new identity, to this as a career. I guess that is why I took on a new name/alter ego. Because of my other profession, a trusted friend thought that having a stage name would make it easier for some to accept what I was doing and what I was singing. I hesitated at first, but finally became comfortable when I came up with a name that was my name anyway. I'm glad I did it now. It has allowed me a certain freedom when my title would have been a restraint.
What was the inspiration for your album H2O?
The songs of H2O as a collection tell the story of my journey since I moved to Birmingham. This particular project began with the song “Something in the Water.” It sprang from a poem I wrote because of my frustration with my work supervisors (who remain my colleagues in other settings) because of belittling behavioral patterns that left me bewildered, disappointed, and trapped in an unhealthy situation. Up to that point, I had been in a songwriting drought, just couldn’t get a lot of inspiration. After I finally decided to put that song into recorded form, my songwriting drought ended. I began to have ideas for more and began to sit down to think about what I wanted (and needed) to express. The writing of the project itself and the recording and editing process were my form of “music therapy”—allowing me to find some clarity and emotional healing for myself. I wrote what I felt, not trying to make it pretty, not trying to make nice. I simply wrote from my life.
Regarding the title, there are three songs in this project which have water references. “Something in the Water” suggests that the water someone drank was tainted, causing that person to behave in unexpected and disappointing ways. The second, “A Life Touched by Pain,” uses the imagery of rain representing the painful, difficult seasons of life. However, even in the midst of dreary seasons, God is present and active, helping us find the beauty in the rain. “Misty Rain,” on the other hand, celebrates the replenishing, life-giving ability of water and the ways in which love replenishes and renews us, restoring what the struggles of life have taken away from us.
I decided to go with H2O to draw those images to the forefront and to offer music that can be a misty rain for others.
How does "I'm Not that Woman Anymore" serve as an anthem for you and as a single?
Thinking of “I’m Not That Woman Anymore” as my anthem makes me smile! My artistic collaborator thought that the song sounded too angry at first, and he was right! In a way, it reflects my anger, but it was that same anger that pulled me out of the pit I felt I was in and made me fight back. The fight itself was that of reclaiming my space, reclaiming some peace of mind, reclaiming my sense of self, reclaiming the strength to leave a toxic situation. In part it was anger, but it was also celebration! I had had ample opportunity to compare the damaging impact that situation was having on me to the loving and strengthening presence of people like my spouse and other close friends, which led me to gather up my courage and move on with life. This song is the unofficial “part 2” of “Something in the Water” since it became my goodbye song as I closed that chapter. It was my anthem celebrating the change in me, the growth that allowed me to let that go and reclaim my strength.
How do you hope this album will touch and inspire others?
I think this quote from my liner notes answer this question. It reads:
"I have been entrusted with a great gift of music by God, the giver of all good gifts. This project is fruit of that generous gift. It is my desire that these songs will, first of all, be reflections of the beauty, grace, and love of God. Secondly, since the words and music have helped me to heal and to celebrate love in greater fullness, I pray that they will also bless the listeners as they heal and/or as they celebrate love in greater fullness."
What is one thing you would like for everyone to take away from your album?
I want the "take away" to be a sense that love makes us whole, that love helps us bear the tragedies and disappointments that come with living, and that love surprises us with the strength we need to get back into the game.
D'Marie can be booked by contacting her via Facebook at the information above. See her perform on Friday, February 7, 2014 at the Sister City Connection in Birmingham, Alabama.
Thanks for the feature article, Amina!
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You're welcome! Your music is an absolute blessing.
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