Pen Voyage Liner Notes - Track 9

Track 9 on the album Pen Voyage Chapter 1; Singing for Change is "SOPHIA"

I love to read a well written story and getting lost in all the characters and their stories is one of the things I really love.

I was at a very low place in my life; as I had just lost my dad. I was looking for answers beyond the usual sayings of 'God has a purpose' and 'everything happens for a reason.'

I heard about the novel by Canadian author William P Young The Shack this is one of those books that grip you from the first page. It helped me come to terms with life, death and everything in between and after I finished reading the book one the characters in the novel; Sophia kept coming up and I wrote a song about her.

Sophia is a song about choices, decisions and wisdom.

Everyday we are faced with decision making some of them not so major and some can mean the difference between life and death; literally. The thread that runs through the verses in the song is mainly issues that relate to women mainly (and of course men)

Who do I marry? When will I marry? When will he ask me to marry him?

For most women when it comes to the issue of marriage we have been raised in a culture where we wait to be asked and for some that waiting takes longer than most.

For some, the waiting takes 'so long' that pressure to settle for anything and anyone starts to come from all directions. While I am not a marriage counselor and the issue of women, marriage and choice can hardly be dealt with in a couple of verses, choruses and a bridge, I tried to center all my thoughts on this character called Sophia

She is the wisdom that helps you make those decisions when the voices around you are trying to drown out your God given intuition.

The bridge goes...

"When I open my eyes at the break of dawn,
will you still be here or will you be gone?"

This is what I know for sure; the still small voice never leaves you.

Pen Voyage Chapter 1; Singing for Change is out on iTunes, Amazon and other digital stores
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/pen-voyage-chapter-1-singing/id466810768

You can buy the physical CD here

Listen to tracks from the album here
Latest tracks by Lánre

Pen Voyage Liner Notes - Track 4

Good Monday to you and thanks for those who are still reading my blogs week in week out. THANK YOU.

The fourth song on my record Pen Voyage Chapter 1; Singing for Change is "INSPIRATION" this is one of my favourite song to sing and one of the ones I am proud I wrote. I know it's also a favourite for those who hear it.



A few weeks ago I was asked by a few people what the lyrics are so here is the link to it - http://lanrefajumo.blogspot.com/2011/08/lyrics-inspiration.html

I also wrote about the idea behind the song when I first put out the Radio Edit version in July. here is that blog http://lanrefajumo.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-song-inspiration.html

I looked up the definition of Inspiration in the American Heritage Dictionary of English Language;

- Divine guidance or influence exerted directly on the mind and soul of humankind.
- An agency, such as a person or work of art, that moves the intellect or emotions or prompts action or invention.
- Stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity.

I wrote this song about our relationship with that thing called "CREATIVITY" and "INSPIRATION" some times elusive and other times you can't seem to get enough of it. I wonder why that is. I wonder what is responsible for those times when it decides to pay you a visit and why it stays away sometimes. Does it really stay away at those times or is it just hiding from us?

I am not sure I found the answer after writing this song.

Maybe it's one of those things we will never know why.

Jill Dawson in her article in the Guardian "How to write fiction" she urges new writers to dive in as there is never a perfect time to write a novel.

I see myself first as a story teller whether I am trying to write a song or a prose I just want to tell a good and engaging story. I however tend to write only when I am inspired. ie. feel that throb or pull it's the only way I can describe the feeling of being inspired.

In the month of November however I have decided to challenge myself and take part in this year's NaNoWriMo. For those who don't know, November is the National Novel Writing Month.

Thousands of people all around the world will attempt to write a novel of 50,000 words from the 1st of November to the 30th of November. As expected some will be successful and some won't. I plan to succeed

I am so nervous as already dreading what I'll do if the words and ideas aren't forth coming. I am however excited to see what I would have come up with by the end of November (wish me luck)

I think one line from Jill Dawson's article made me decide to challenge myself to write.

Talking about excuses by new writers..

"Not beginning protects you from disappointment; no shame of reading what you have written and finding it rubbish. It also prevents you from an equally disturbing possibility; discovering that you can write.... success and failure can both be avoided."



SO I WILL WRITE.. whether inspiration decides to knock on my front door to pay me a visit or hides in my back garden. hehe

Pen Voyage Chapter 1; Singing for Change is out on iTunes, Amazon and other digital stores
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/pen-voyage-chapter-1-singing/id466810768

You can buy the physical CD here

Listen to tracks from the album here
Latest tracks by Lánre

Pen Voyage Liner Notes - Track 2

Happy Monday to you, hope you've had a lovely weekend? I have.

This is my second installment of the ten Music Mondays featuring the Pen Voyage Liner Notes. The second track on the record is "BEAUTIFUL"

On the 19th of September I wrote a blog about this song READ HERE
http://lanrefajumo.blogspot.com/2011/09/new-song-beautiful.html

While I was thinking what more could I possibly add to what I had already written, a last minute opportunity came up for me to sing the song at Naturally Fabulous an event held organised by Natural Lounge at the Cape Bar in Central London.

I have to say it's the first time I've been in the same space with a lot of ladies rocking their natural hair. Three hundred gorgeous ladies rocking their God given hair in different styles and lengths it was amazing to see.

While my Song is not just about hair, the first verse touched on it.

"Once upon a time there was a little girl, she always wanted to be like everyone else. She had the brownest eyes hair so soft as wool, no one ever told her she was beautiful...."


I know for a fact that it's the story of a lot of young girls. Someone else's hair looks better and someone else's nose looks better and the list goes on. I wrote this song because that is my story, I have never felt like the most beautiful girl. A few years ago while I was having one of those moments of stressing over how to wear my hair for the new week I thought to myself.

"I don't even know what my natural hair looks like"

For those who are a bit confused as to what 'natural hair' means it simply means hair that has not been chemically altered.
Like many girls growing up in Nigeria, I could not wait to finish secondary school just because my mum insisted that it was only then that she would allow me to have my hair relaxed.

I grew up hearing things like....

"Your hair is too tough to comb through" or
"What will I do with this child's hair?"

One day I had enough and I cut off my hair and decided to stop the relaxer for a while and to learn to take care of my hair and learn to love it.



I am not a Natural hair advocate or spokesperson but I realise that even though some may argue that hair, like our nails and is just dead cells and should be less bothered about it, our relationship with it is a pointer to how we feel about ourselves and self worth.

I remember the first few weeks after I started to grow out my natural hair, a lady said to me.

"I don't think I can wear my hair LIKE THAT... it's bush hair"

My response... "No, it's not bush hair, it's MY hair!"


I have had so many responses about this song "BEAUTIFUL" and I am happy I wrote it. Like I say all the time, when I perform this song, it's a story I will tell my younger self if I could go back in time.

"You're not like every other girl in the videos.... YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL"

Pen Voyage Chapter 1; Singing for Change is out on iTunes, Amazon and other digital stores
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/pen-voyage-chapter-1-singing/id466810768

You can buy the physical CD here

Listen to tracks from the album here
Latest tracks by Lánre

New SONG | BEAUTIFUL....

Once upon a time there was a little girl, she always wanted to be like everyone else, she had the brownest eyes hair so soft as wool, no one ever told her she was beautiful..

Those are the first few lines of my song BEAUTIFUL and those where the first words that came to me before the song eventually developed into two verses chorus and a bridge.

People have told me that my songs come across like lullabies.

I tend to deal with serious issues using the simplest words possible and I think when people listen to my new project, they will get that sense in most of the songs.

With BEAUTIFUL, I now see it as a lullaby I would sing to my younger self.

We live in a world and a society where beauty or what is seen as beautiful fits into certain molds and anything outside that is considered NOT BEAUTIFUL.

So this is a story of a girl who grew up wanting to be like everyone else. Wanting someone else's hair, eyes, skin.... simply because though she was never called ugly she was never called BEAUTIFUL.

So she goes on living life looking for love in all the wrong places, looking for affirmation with other people... silently SCREAMING LOOK AT ME!! ME!!

Then one day she looks in the mirror...



Isn't it amazing how you hear or see something you've always read or looked at and something jumps out at you it all becomes crystal clear, it's like you are seeing it for the very first time.

yeah! she looked in the mirror and she said "hold on a minute, I AM BEAUTIFUL I Love my hair, I love my nose, I LOVE MY SKIN"

I have tried to put the idea of being comfortable in my skin in this one song "BEAUTIFUL" and when I feel down and feel less than beautiful, I will go back and listen to remind myself that I AM BEAUTIFUL and SO ARE YOU

Enjoy BEAUTIFUL click below
Beautiful by Lánre

PEN VOYAGE CHAPTER 1; SINGING FOR CHANGE is out 30th SEPT 2011 http://www.lanreworld.com

Singing for Change acoustic tour - Greenbelt festival

My first experience of Greenbelt Festival was a couple of years ago as tour manager for Muyiwa & Riversongz and I remember really liking the whole vibe of the festival. The music, the talks, the really lovely people.... I kept going on and on to whoever cared to listen.



Few years on, Creativity is out camping again at the Cheltenham Racecourse from Thursday to Monday and I am featured as an artist on one of those days!



I was excited when my slot was confirmed at the performance cafe. It's an intimate venue that sits 400 people.

I love playing in intimate spaces.

Apart from the fact that I believe my music and performance style is most suited to intimate spots, I love the idea of people sitting down to listen to me play or tell my stories and that's why I love playing in cafes and pubs.

I was however nervous because this was the first largest crowd I would be playing to as a solo artist. I sat though Musical Bridge Projects' set and realised that though the performance cafe is a large space it does have that intimate feel and I felt right at home.



Blessed to be sharing the stage with some of the best creative people out there (in my opinion) and I am not sure I will ever get used to people coming up to me to tell me how they love my music or how one of my songs has touched them. I can never get used to THAT!


My Singing for Change tour is coming to an end here in Toronto and I'll be heading back home to the UK in a couple of days.

My album Pen Voyage Chapter 1; Sing for Change is OUT on Friday 30th September

Singing for Change Acoustic tour - Busking 101

Even though my album title is partly inspired by buskers, I have never busked before until I got a call to do so for the Mayor of London SkyRide campaign.

The whole idea was to play for 30mins with a 30 minute break at intervals of six slots. I said yes and then thought to myself "you must be crazy"

I was pleasantly surprised though as most of the Cyclers either waved as they pedalled past my spot or shouted a greeting or two.

Music is a major part of most peoples' everyday life so to be asked to play my songs was great, I imagined my voice and music serving as a soundtrack to their cycling.



My spot was extra special too. During my 30 minute break I sat at the bench in the park overlooking the lake and watched the ducks enjoying themselves.

When my slot was over at 4 o'clock that evening, I most definitely felt like a legitimate London Busker... If only for a day.

More stories on my Singing For Change tour to come..

Follow me on twitter @iamlanre

LYRICS - Inspiration

I am here waiting for you
I've shut out everything else
To be with you
I'll do anything to see your face
Don't want to live without you another day
I know I take you for granted sometimes
Is that why you are hiding your face from me
If you say this time I promise
I'll make you proud of me

Chorus
I love it when you come around
Always waiting to be found
You are my inspiration

You show up unexpectedly
You came chasing after me
You left everything to be with me
What a beautiful surprise this is
Heaven must besmiling down on us
Angels are dancing around us
You and I lost in this moment
I promise to make it count

Chorus
I love it when you come around
Always waiting to be found
You are my inspiration

Bridge
You and I together
That's the cry if my heart
You and I together
That's the cry if my heart
You are mine, I am yours
You are mine, I am yours
You are mine....

© Lanre Njoku 2011

Singing for Change Acoustic tour with Lánre

Picture by Matilda Egere-Cooper

I have put together a mini-tour from today the 20th August till the 30th of September. I will try to blog about my experience below are some of the confirmed dates. Join me if you can ;)

Singing for Change Acoustic tour

Saturday 20th August

LIV(E) fundraiser

London

N7 0PS

Sunday 21st August

Busking at…

Mayor Of London Skyride Campaign

Mayesbrook Park RM9

Tues & Wed 23rd, 24th Aug

Edinburgh Fringe/Festival

The Peartree (Royal Mile)

Saturday 27th Aug

Greenbelt Festival (Cheltenham Racecourse)

Performance Cafe

Sunday 28th August

Spirits Bar & Grill

Toronto ON. M4Y 2G3

Monday 29th August

The Freetimes Café

320 College Street

Toronto ON.

Tuesday 30th August

The Liberty Bistro

25 Liberty Street

Toronto ON. M6K 1A6

Saturday 3rd September

Village Vapour Lounge

66 Wellesley Street

Toronto ON.

Thursday 15th September

Cameo feat. at Midé Unplugged

Arch 635

London SW4

Friday 30th September

Premier Gospel Presents..

Emmanuel Center

London SW1P 3DW

New Song - Inspiration

Today I will write 2,000 words
Today, I will write that song
Today, I will...
Do you see where I'm going here?

I had a similar experience during the writing process of my new project "Pen Voyage Chapter One; Singing for Change" and after a few hours of nothing but blank paper, I decided to take a walk.

I got to the park and took a seat and that's when the idea for the song 'inspiration' came to me.

Isn't it amazing how sometimes you are waiting on inspiration to come to you and nothing happens and other times you aren't looking for inspiration and it comes chasing after you?

I have always been fascinated by creativity. I truly believe that the 'magic' happens when we connect with something or someone beyond ourselves. I love to call that moment, divine exchange.

"I am yours, you are mine" (from the song 'inspiration')

My relationship with creativity is what I have tried to put in a couple of verses hoping it resonates with everyone that hears it, I really do.

Listen to Inspiration below

Inspiration (Radio Edit) by Lánre

Lyrics & Vocals by Lánre
Guitar by Lánre
Piano by Goz -i-am
Produced by Goz-i-am
Mixed & Mastered by Levelsrite. London, UK.

Pen Voyage Chapter One; Singing for Change is out in August 2011.

For more info visit www.lanreworld.com