BackStage Pass

1010 Tunde Olaniran
As one of the most beloved artists of the Detroit music scene, Tunde Olaniran is not only a singer and songwriter, but a producer, rapper, choreographer, author, and activist. His latest album “Transgressor” received acclaim from the New York Times and Rolling Stone, and was named by Yo-Yo Ma as one of the three most inspiring Artists of 2019. Featuring the songs “I’m Here,” “Miracle,” and more.
TRANSCRIPT
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(applauding and cheering)
(twangy country music)
(electricity popping)
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Tunde Olaniran.
(applauding and cheering)
- [Narrator] We will protect you.
We will hold you.
We will be protected.
We will be protected.
I will protect the skin you are born in.
I will protect your right to love.
I will protect your right to pray.
I will protect your right to choose.
I will protect your however body.
I will protect your total and radical liberation.
(audience applauding and cheering)
♪ My family tree been on the run ♪
♪ Chased by vampires raised on our blood ♪
♪ My boots been tossed into the wind ♪
♪ Can never go back home again
♪ In my mind, in my heart I believe that ♪
♪ Everything I am and everything that I'll be ♪
♪ Is their wildest fantasy
♪ Can we live forever
♪ Make water in the desert
♪ A love we can rekindle
♪ My body is a symbol
♪ My body is a symbol
♪ My tree built all these ships and guns ♪
♪ Nightmares teach more than dreaming does ♪
♪ I know that I won't look away ♪
♪ My soul it goes there every day ♪
♪ In my mind, in my heart
♪ I believe that everything I am ♪
♪ And everything that I'll be
♪ Is their wildest fantasy
♪ Can we live forever
♪ Make water in the desert
♪ A love we can rekindle
♪ My body is a symbol
- Put your hands up.
♪ My body is a symbol
Ready?
♪ In my mind, in my heart
♪ I believe that everything I am ♪
♪ And everything that I'll be
♪ In my mind, in my heart
♪ I believe that
♪ In my mind
♪ In my mind, in my heart
♪ Believe that everything I am
♪ And everything that I'll be
♪ In my mind, in my heart
♪ Can we live forever
♪ Everything that I'll be
♪ Everything that I'll be
♪ Make water in the desert
♪ Everything that I'll be
♪ Everything that I'll be
♪ A love we can depend on
♪ My body is a symbol
♪ My body is a symbol
♪ In my mind, in my heart
♪ I believe that
♪ Everything I am
♪ Everything that I'll be
♪ My family tree been on the run ♪
♪ Everything that I'll be
♪ Everything that I'll be
♪ Everything that I'll be
♪ Everything that I'll be
Oh, you guys are so great.
(applauding)
♪ Running through your city
♪ Headphones banging
♪ New phone banging
♪ Whole club banging
♪ Running through yo city
♪ Headphones bangin'
♪ New phone bangin'
♪ There's no explaining what I do ♪
♪ Full tank and you need a ride ♪
♪ My bank account on E tonight
♪ Disappeared for days
♪ I think I ran away
♪ But I'm here
♪ Nothing seems to change around here ♪
♪ Made the same mistakes as last year ♪
♪ Think I ran away but
♪ Whoaaaa
♪ Where do I, I belong
♪ Ain't no road long enough
♪ Long to roam, long to go
♪ Don't belong, make a road
♪ Running through your city
♪ Headphones bang bang
♪ iPhone bang bang
♪ Whole gang gang gang
♪ Running through your city
♪ Headphones banging
♪ Long hair swinging
♪ My own land and hol' up
♪ Yeah, I know you
♪ You're the one they said would do ♪
♪ Such amazing now tell me what ♪
♪ You've amount to
♪ Ooh
♪ Don't give up, there's still time ♪
♪ Yeah, we're both alive
♪ And I'm here
♪ Nothing seems to change around here ♪
♪ Made the same mistakes as last year ♪
♪ Think I ran away but I'm
♪ Whoaaa
♪ Where do I, I belong
♪ Ain't no road long enough
♪ Long to roam, long to go
♪ Don't belong, make a road
♪ I think I ran away but I'm here ♪
♪ Nothing seems to change around here ♪
♪ Made the same mistakes as last year ♪
♪ Think I ran away but I'm
♪ I'm here
♪ Where do I, I belong
♪ Ain't no road long enough
♪ Long to roam
♪ Long to go
♪ Don't belong, make a road
♪ Da da da da
♪ Da da da da
♪ Think I ran away but I'm here ♪
♪ Where do I belong
♪ Think I ran away but I
Thank you.
I think my music is weird.
I think it's interesting.
I think my music is very experimental
but I try to with all of it
having something in it
that like sticks with you
after you finish listening to it.
When people ask me about my musical background,
I don't really have one.
I really started out just mimicking a lot of stuff
and for me, it was like almost a performance
before it was musical.
I didn't really see myself
as having like a lot of innate musical talent.
I just liked being entertaining myself.
I was an only child and everything.
So my first foray into music
was being in a band in Flint
and then spiraling out of that
like I met a lot of artists.
Like we would play shows
and invite people from different cities
and it let me meet folks
and be like oh, well maybe I can
do my own thing.
I just really dove into
whatever was like weird
or took my attention.
And I didn't know it at the time,
but I was trying to figure out why
certain things appealed to me.
And learning the mechanics of
like how certain rhythms
or certain lyrics or certain
vocal performances affected me
emotionally or physically.
And I feel like that stuck with me
and it comes out when I'm writing and producing.
As time progressed, I started getting
into electronic production.
Not very great sounding,
but still enough for me to like be excited.
And then I was like I'm gonna sing over this
and I ended up recording a song
and performing it live
and that's how it kind of took off.
For me the really big kick
that I get though is like collaborating.
So working with artists
to even just write a song
or work on our performance
or maybe help another artist
figure out their project.
That's the one thing that gives
me just like a very big thrill.
I work with a bunch of dancers
that are incredible,
they're all from Michigan.
Tonight Ya-Ya and Zariah are dancing with me
and I've been dancing with them
for a few years.
They're so talented.
They've really taught me a lot
and I've learned to be a choreographer
in a way that like I didn't think
I would call myself a choreographer
like a few years ago.
So I'm really grateful for being
able to work with them
and we have so many adventures and mishaps
and like all kinds of things happen
when we travel, but it just brings
us closer together.
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
The choir was something that I've been thinking about
and feeling like ah, I just would love
to really like enhance some things
that are happening vocally
in some of the songs.
And the cool thing about the choir
is half of them are from Flint,
half of them are from Detroit,
which makes a lot of sense for me
as the artist because those are like
the two big cities in my life.
So I've just really enjoyed
getting to know them and again
they've even taught me stuff
about my voice and how to harmonize.
With the set list tonight,
Forgiveness gives me a lot of energy.
Just the way it's written,
kind of has like I have a connection
and love for folk music and it's not,
it's obviously not that,
but just some of the way of
the compositions and the harmony just
feel really, really very warm.
They fell like they're protecting me
in a weird way.
Live, I had the choir like stand around me.
I just wanted to feel like completely encircled
from all of that song.
I think that was me subconsciously like
trying to get the physical feeling
of how that song makes me feel.
♪ I don't know what to do to forget ♪
♪ I'm okay but some days emptiness ♪
♪ I got plenty trauma
♪ I know that we all got a lot of it ♪
♪ When will I find the will to forgive ♪
♪ Trying hard to forgive you
♪ A dance I'll never get
♪ Trying hard to be a new me
♪ Your text I left unread
♪ Heard you had a new family
♪ You haven't told me yet
♪ Been told that i should get to know ya ♪
♪ Trying hard to care
♪ Hold up, slow down
♪ I don't now how
♪ Right now, I'm in your town
♪ What do we do now
♪ What do we do now
♪ What do we what do we do now
♪ I dunno what to do to forget
♪ I'm okay but some days emptiness ♪
♪ I got plenty trauma
♪ I know that we all got a lot of it ♪
♪ When will I find the will to forgive ♪
♪ Make myself take your phone call ♪
♪ Want to decline instead
♪ Could all be fine if only I
♪ Could just get out my head
♪ Momma said that she hope I
♪ Don't live with no regrets
♪ So near to me but still so far ♪
♪ Apart as two can get
♪ Hold up, slow down, I don't know how ♪
♪ Right now, I'm in your town
♪ What do we do now
♪ What do we do now
♪ What do we what do we do now
♪ I dunno what to do to forget
♪ I'm okay but some days emptiness ♪
♪ I got plenty trauma
♪ I know that we all got a lot of it ♪
♪ When will I find the will to forgive ♪
♪ I got plenty trauma
♪ And I don't know how
♪ And I'm in your town
♪ We do now
♪ How
♪ I dunno what to do to forget
♪ I'm okay but some days emptiness ♪
♪ I got plenty trauma
♪ I know that we all got a lot of it ♪
♪ When will I find the will to forgive ♪
♪ I got plenty trauma
♪ I know that we all got a lot of it ♪
♪ When will I
♪ When will I find the will to forgive ♪
(audience applauding and cheering)
Thank y'all so much.
♪ Don't you know
♪ I'm the fifth element
♪ One thousand stories high
♪ I'm way up on the ledge
♪ When the lights go out
♪ I am the batteries
♪ And I can see the shooters
♪ Through the battlement
♪ Can't forget that I'm a miracle ♪
♪ Can't forget that I'm a miracle ♪
♪ It's true, don't you
♪ Forget you're a miracle too, so I ♪
♪ Won't forget that I'm a miracle ♪
♪ Miracle
♪ Miracle
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh
♪ Miracle, miracle, it's true
♪ Don't you forget you're a miracle, too ♪
♪ So I won't that I'm a miracle ♪
♪ Kitty Pryde through these impediments ♪
♪ I can be the revenant
♪ This truth I'm standing in
♪ It can be maddening
♪ And all these folks unraveling ♪
♪ Can't forget that I'm a miracle ♪
♪ Can't forget that I'm a miracle ♪
♪ It's true
♪ Don't you forget you're a miracle too, so I ♪
♪ Won't forget that I'm a miracle ♪
♪ Oh
♪ Miracle
♪ Miracle
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh
♪ Miracle
♪ Miracle
♪ It's true
♪ Don't you forget you're a miracle, too ♪
♪ So I won't forget that I'm a miracle ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh
♪ Can't forget that I'm a miracle ♪
♪ Can't forget that I'm a miracle ♪
♪ You're a miracle
♪ You're a miracle
♪ It's true
♪ Don't you forget you're a miracle, too ♪
♪ So I won't forget that I'm a miracle ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh
♪ Mm
♪ Mm
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
♪ It's true
♪ Don't you
♪ Forget you're a miracle, too
♪ So I won't forget that I'm a miracle, whoo ♪
♪ Oh
God, you're so beautiful, like really.
(audience applauding)
♪ There's a pain in my shoulders ♪
♪ There's a pain in my neck
♪ I'm jumpy and I'm shifty and
♪ I haven't slept yet
♪ Tumble into my hoopty
♪ And we rumble onto my street
♪ It's only five minutes
♪ But it feels like an eternity ♪
♪ Pull into that parking space
♪ I always seem to claim
♪ Sit another five minutes
♪ With a blank look on my face
♪ It's hard for me to move
♪ And I tend to lose my will
♪ When the things I'm asked to do ♪
♪ Don't jive with how I feel
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ So give me a chance to show it all ♪
♪ What love can I give if I can't love myself ♪
♪ Go in and go out of this world by ourselves ♪
♪ And I just wanna be vulnerable ♪
♪ While I'm still here
♪ Put you on my speakerphone
♪ And asked can I be real
♪ You sat back in your hybrid
♪ And you listened to the deal
♪ I'd reached the point of no return ♪
♪ Learned every lesson I could learn ♪
♪ Now my eyes wide and my braids done ♪
♪ And my stage lit with these lights on ♪
♪ And my vision burn like a ray gun ♪
♪ Like a ray gun
♪ Like a ray gun
♪ Like a ray gun
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ So give me a chance to show it all ♪
♪ What love can I give if I can't love myself ♪
♪ Go in and go out of this world by ourselves ♪
♪ And I just wanna be vulnerable ♪
♪ Mm-hmm
♪ Just wanna be vulnerable
♪ So give me a chance to show it all ♪
♪ What love can I love if I can't love myself ♪
♪ Go in and go out of this world by ourselves ♪
♪ And I just wanna be vulnerable ♪
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ So give me a chance to show it all ♪
♪ What love can I give
♪ What love can I give
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ Ooh
♪ Ooh
♪ Mm
♪ What love can I give
♪ What love can I give
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ So give me a chance to show it all ♪
♪ What love can I give if I can't love myself ♪
♪ Go in and go out of this world by ourselves ♪
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ So give me a chance to show it all ♪
♪ What love can I give if I can't love myself ♪
♪ Go in and go out of this world by ourselves ♪
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ While I'm still here
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ While I'm still here
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ While I'm still here
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ While I'm still here
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ While I'm still here
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ While I'm still here
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ While I'm still here
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ While I'm still here
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ While I'm still here
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ While I'm still here
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ While I'm still here
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ While I'm still here
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ While I'm still here
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ While I'm still here
♪ I just wanna be vulnerable
♪ While I'm still here
(audience applauding and cheering)
♪ Oh, miracle
For me what I'm doing isn't necessarily about
finding strength to be myself,
it's about recognizing what I have to
do as me individually
For me, the way I dress, the way I perform,
the costuming we wear, the music,
it's not necessarily trying to make an explicit statement,
but I think me being seen as pushing boundaries
is a reflection of people being
very closed off from themselves.
So I think people, what they see in me
is like the limitations of their own expression
and so it hits a chord whether it's good
or I've had very negative reactions
to what I'm doing.
You know, obviously, so it's always a reflection
on who's perceiving me.
♪ Live forever
A large part of my life or this journey
to be a musician is like I am recognizing
what's inside of me and I'm recognizing
what I want to express
and how important it is to do that
because I think if you suppress yourself,
who you are at the core, it leads to like sickness,
it leads to, you know, self hatred,
it leads to violence,
it leads to so many things like destructive things.
I just think that we all would be a lot happier
and healthier if we took a step back and thought
do I feel like I'm giving of myself
in a way that is like fully me.
And obviously there are real limitations,
but I do see a lot of folks
really afraid of going for something,
whether that's arts, whether that's a career,
whether that's leaving a relationship,
whether that's moving.
You know there's so many different things
that we just stop ourselves from doing
out of fear, but also just not examining
like how we feel about things quite deep.
♪ Where do I, I belong
♪ Ain't no road long enough
I don't have like an intentional message.
I think that some of the songs are about
being the other because I am in situations,
like in life, so I think that's just reality
and I think that in life you experience
moments where you are on the outside of a group
or you're on the margins of society
and so I experience that a ton,
whether it's in my home city,
whether it's traveling.
Literally just being in Europe
and you're the only black person
in a space and it's very obvious.
So I think I'm just trying to actively
and thoroughly reflect the world
that I'm living in.
I think that if we're used to only
getting a dominant perspective,
it seems very revolutionary,
but millions of people are experiencing
certain things that never make
it into mainstream songs.
I think that's a shame and I'm seeing
it change more, I'd to see it change
a lot more and a lot more quickly.
((audience applauding)
♪ I don't have to be
♪ I don't have to be
♪ A stranger
♪ Talk to me
♪ Release these
♪ Fantasies
♪ You don't need
♪ I
♪ I don't have to be
♪ Ah
♪ A stranger
♪ It's my party, you're invited ♪
♪ Don't be shy
♪ Just get inside it
♪ You ain't gotta be a stranger ♪
♪ To me, to me, to me,
♪ To me, to me, to me
♪ To me, to me, to me
♪ To me, to me, to me
♪ Nose on my pane
♪ Don't it look strange
♪ Outside looking in
♪ Don't it sound strange
♪ Man it looks strange, don't it look strange ♪
♪ Don't it look strange
♪ Don't it look strange.
♪ Nose on my pane.
♪ Don't it look strange
♪ Outside looking in, yup yup dank ♪
♪ Don't it look so strange
♪ Don't it look so strange
♪ Look here little boy
♪ Get that nose out of my window pane ♪
♪ Ride for me
♪ Believe me
♪ When I tell you things
♪ That I need
♪ I
♪ I don't have to be
♪ Ah
♪ A stranger
♪ It's my party
♪ You're invited
♪ Don't be shy just get inside it ♪
♪ You ain't gotta be a stranger ♪
♪ To me, to me, to me
♪ To me, to me, to me
♪ To me, to me, to me
♪ To me, to me, to me
♪ Nose on my pane
♪ Don't it look strange
♪ Outside looking in
♪ Don't it sound dank
♪ And it looks strange
♪ Don't it look strange
♪ Don't it look strange
♪ Man it looks strange
♪ Nose on my pane
♪ Don't it look strange
♪ Outside looking, yup yup dank ♪
♪ Don't it look so strange
♪ Don't it look so strange
♪ Look here little boy
♪ Get that nose out my window pane ♪
♪ Power power this free
♪ Radiating this heat
♪ Is he a savage, Korben Dallas ♪
♪ I'm afraid he might be
♪ Open hart to anything
♪ To venom or the wing
♪ So focused on my every move
♪ They miss the banshee
♪ They only wanna see floods
♪ They only want me on drugs
♪ They only wanna zoom zoom zoom in ♪
♪ And all they want is my blood ♪
♪ So now they finally like
♪ Oh my God, I think he right
♪ My gaze always valerian
♪ Don't break whatever they try ♪
♪ Nose on my pane
♪ Don't it look strange
♪ Outside looking in don't it sound dank ♪
♪ And it look strange, don't it look strange ♪
♪ Man it look strange, man it look strange ♪
♪ Nose on my pane don't it look strange ♪
♪ Outside looking in, yup yup dank ♪
♪ Don't it look so strange
♪ Don't it look so strange
♪ Look here little boy
♪ Get your nose out my window pane ♪
(audience applauding and cheering)
So as you can tell,
we're getting into our dance mode.
The rest of the set, all your chairs
better be swayed by the end of this.
All right, so this next song is called "Hungry."
And there's a little part of this,
this is such a strange song,
but it's one of my favorite songs
and it really is fun when we get some participation.
So, if I say guess what I'm wild,
that's all it is, that's it.
You just say guess what, I'm wild.
Guess what, I'm wild, let's try it.
- [Together] Guess what, I'm wild.
- Try it again.
- [Together] Guess what, I'm wild.
- So I think maybe like 40% of you did it.
Maybe, maybe.
Who is like I don't feel wild at all?
Who's like I don't really feel wild right now.
So sometimes you have to like gas yourself up
and get yourself up for the right energy
when you need to be a little bit extra
for a situation, right?
So we're gonna get ourselves into that mode, all right.
So ready?
Guess what I'm wild.
- [Audience] Guess what I'm wild.
- [Together] Guess what I'm wild.
A little louder.
- [Audience] Guess what I'm wild.
- Okay, I think we're ready,
I think we're ready.
♪ Open my mouth to start
♪ Hungry to taste your heart
♪ My eyes wide and lips apart
♪ Open my, open my, open my, open it ♪
♪ I been waking up in a hot sweat ♪
♪ Don't even shake me
♪ 'Cause I've been low enough
♪ You're quiet
♪ I'm quiet
♪ You're hiding
♪ I'm hiding
♪ You don't even know about it
♪ Open my mouth to start
♪ Hungry to taste your heart
♪ My eyes wide and lips apart
♪ So hungry to taste your heart ♪
♪ Open my mouth to start
♪ Hungry to taste your heart
♪ Open my mouth to start
♪ Open my, open my, open my, open it ♪
♪ Feeling like an animal
♪ And I'm looking hungry
♪ Right now, on the prowl
♪ With some really sharp teeth
♪ Feeling like an animal
♪ And I'm looking hungry
♪ Guess what, lights out
♪ And I'm wild without a leash
♪ Guess what, I'm wild
♪ Looking, looking hungry
♪ Guess what I'm wild
♪ Looking, looking hungry
♪ Guess what, I'm wild
♪ Looking, looking hungry
♪ Plane touched down
♪ You said come around
♪ We can talk about
♪ Everything you seen and thought ♪
♪ You're open, I'm open
♪ And it's like an ocean
♪ After the desert I been across ♪
♪ Open my mouth to start
♪ Hungry to taste your heart
♪ My eyes wide and lips apart
♪ So hungry to taste your heart ♪
♪ Open my mouth to start
♪ Hungry to taste your heart
♪ Open my mouth to start
♪ Open my, open my, open my, open it ♪
♪ Feeling like an animal and I'm looking hungry ♪
♪ Right now on the prowl
♪ With some really sharp teeth
♪ Feeling like an animal
♪ And I'm looking hungry
♪ Guess what lights out
♪ And I'm wild without a leash
♪ I'm wild looking looking hungry ♪
♪ Guess I'm wild looking looking hungry ♪
♪ Guess what I'm wild looking looking hungry ♪
♪ just hungry
♪ Feeling like an animal and I'm looking hungry ♪
♪ Right now on the prowl
♪ With some really sharp teeth
♪ Feeling like an animal
♪ And I'm looking hungry
♪ Guess what lights out
♪ And I'm wild without a leash
♪ Guess what I'm wild
♪ Lights out
♪ Guess what I'm wild
♪ Lights out
♪ Guess what
♪ Feeling like an animal
♪ And I'm looking hungry
(audience applauding and cheering)
♪ Open my mouth to start
♪ Hungry to taste your heart
♪ My eyes wide and lips apart
♪ So hungry to taste your heart ♪
♪ Open my mouth to start
♪ Hungry to taste your heart
♪ Open my mouth to start
♪ Open my, open my, open my, open it, open it ♪
♪ Open it, open it
♪ Open my mouth to start
♪ Guess what I'm wild
♪ Guess what I'm wild
♪ Guess what I'm wild
♪ Guess what I'm wild
♪ Guess, guess, guess what I'm wild ♪
♪ Lights out
♪ Guess I'm wild lights out
♪ Guess what
♪ And you looking hungry
(audience applauding and cheering)
Y'all are so great.
I rarely map out what I'm trying to say
with a song.
Usually the meaning comes to me retroactively.
♪ Feeling like an animal
♪ And I'm looking hungry
I think sometimes with songwriting,
it's really like you're just putting
a puzzle together and once it clicks,
you just, you know it's right.
For me if there's a song that I'm
just like finding it or if there's a sound
and I'm like trying to find it.
And sometimes I land on it,
sometimes I don't and the song just
never gets finished.
Most of the songs on Stranger
were completely like torn apart
on like the fourth version.
So I had them all done
and I would sit in the studio with like friends
or people would come through
like at Assemble Sound where I wrote
a lot of it.
Someone would happen to come sit in
and if they didn't have the like
sit up moment at any point,
I knew the song wasn't quite there.
So I would be like okay, the chorus needs to change
or just something needs to switch
and I would just like work until it felt right.
♪ Hold up, slow down, I don't now how ♪
I think music is energy
and you receive it and it does something to you
and you either keep it, you expel it.
You like let it go or transfer it.
Music to me means life
kind of in like a broad term.
I think music is also a tool to like
envision things that maybe don't exist yet.
When I write a song, the song is me
unless it's specifically inspired
by a specific person.
I really resist neatly encapsulating a meaning
behind a song because for me
a lot of the songwriting is like,
I just write it and whatever sticks out
I'll go with.
♪ What love can I give if I can't love myself ♪
I think the songs to me,
I don't feel exposed or vulnerable.
I feel like empowered and uplifted
when the songs are done and I'm able
to sing them and perform them.
I think that whatever I need to express
is finally configured in a way
that makes sense to me and I'm able
to say here it is.
So for me it's actually a really like
happy feeling to get to perform songs.
I know sometimes there's always like,
I think life, there's always
some bittersweet or sadness to life in general,
but being able to like express it in a way
that makes sense to me makes me
feel really happy.
♪ Can't forget that I'm a miracle ♪
I'm happy if it allows someone at a show
to be like I'm not gonna worry
about how I look,
I'm not gonna worry about, you know,
how people perceive me.
I'm gonna just be in the moment
and have fun with people around me, that's great.
When people tell me like this
is affecting me in this way,
I'm just like happy and grateful
that they're sharing it,
but I'm really happy for them
because I just think like
there's so much negativity,
there's so many bad things like
that you experience in life,
like thank you for letting me know
that this is something good in your life.
You know, and that will maybe
alleviate some pain for you.
♪ Dreaming on a Monday
♪ Fever on a Tuesday
♪ Cried all of Wednesday
♪ Broke every Thursday
♪ Hang onto Friday, hang on
♪ Man I really thought I could climb it, hang on ♪
♪ Guilt delusions I pleaded
♪ Easy solutions I needed
♪ Out of illusions so hang on
♪ The truth that I'm grip unproven ♪
♪ Under my fingers, it loosen
♪ Man I could be really delusional, hang on ♪
♪ Where you going when you stop halfway ♪
♪ Up the mountain
♪ I don't know where I got the strength from ♪
♪ But I found it
♪ Your fear can betray you
♪ Don't let go a breakthrough
♪ Don't stop when you've gone halfway ♪
♪ Up the mountain
♪ I run it, I run it, I run it
♪ Climb it, I done it
♪ Believe it, I run it
♪ I got it, I better
♪ I run it to heaven
♪ I done it, I run it, I got it, whatever ♪
♪ Believe it, I'll make it, I got it, I'm better ♪
♪ I'll get it, I got it, I done it however ♪
♪ Believe it, I done it, I run it to heaven ♪
♪ I run it, I run it to heaven
♪ Tell me don't it seem like nothing on this planet ♪
♪ Every really changes
♪ Thoughts swimming in the moonlight ♪
♪ And the streets full of strangers ♪
♪ Through the halls feeling major ♪
♪ Everybody in your corner
♪ Fall into this echo chamber
♪ What's the danger
♪ Where you going when you stop halfway ♪
♪ Up the mountain
♪ I don't know where I got the strength from ♪
♪ But I found it
♪ Your fear can betray you
♪ Don't let go a breakthrough
♪ Don't stop when you've gone halfway ♪
♪ Up the mountain
♪ Don't turn
♪ Climb it I don't it
♪ Believe it I run it
♪ I got it I better
♪ I run it to heaven
♪ I done, I run it, I got it, whatever ♪
♪ Believe, I'll make it, I got it, I better ♪
♪ I'll get it, I got it, I done it whatever ♪
♪ Believe it, I done it, I run it to heaven ♪
♪ I done it
♪ I done it, yeah
♪ I run it, I run it
♪ I done it
♪ I better
♪ I done it
♪ Done it
♪ I done it
♪ I done it
♪ Believe it I run it
♪ I better
♪ I run it, I run it, I run it
(audience applauding and cheering)
♪ Crown I put it on
♪ If you want the sun I can turn it on ♪
♪ See I don't usually flaunt
♪ But I can turn it on, aye
♪ I'm a give 'em what they want ♪
♪ I can't believe it
♪ I'm glowing
♪ The cleanest
♪ The coldest
♪ I mean it
♪ I was out in Greece
♪ I was hopping islands
♪ More waves hit the beach
♪ More ice in my drink
♪ More vibrant
♪ UVs on my skin
♪ Quad drive by temple of Poseidon ♪
♪ Me and C linked up
♪ We was sunburnt and laughing
♪ L want the serenade
♪ She was trynna gas me
♪ Want the serenade
♪ There was yelling and gawking ♪
♪ Every shot is on the house
♪ Said my aura was popping
♪ I mean it
♪ I meant it
♪ I mean it
♪ Didn't have it then I got it now ♪
♪ I can't believe I got my crown ♪
♪ I put it on
♪ If you want the sun I can turn it on ♪
♪ See I don't usually flaunt
♪ But I can turn it on
♪ And I'm a give 'em what they want ♪
♪ Celine Dion
♪ I'm a diamond in the sun
♪ Oh, no
♪ They about to make me stunt
♪ Guess I'll give them what they want ♪
♪ A blueprint you need it
♪ A blessing receive it
♪ I'm on one
♪ I mean it
♪ I was at the Tate, all cream linen ♪
♪ Like my name Gaga
♪ Like my name Swinton
♪ Of all the art I'm the baddest in the gallery ♪
♪ Looking a major on a indie artist salary ♪
♪ Tim Gunn I can make it work
♪ Spend a rack at Mood
♪ Think I went berserk
♪ Think I'm quantum leap
♪ Think I'll be the first
♪ Light years ahead
♪ Think I'm Captain Kirk
♪ I mean it
♪ I mean it
♪ I mean it
♪ Didn't have it then I got it now I can't believe ♪
♪ I got my crown
♪ I put it on
♪ If you want the sun I can turn it on ♪
♪ See I don't usually flaunt
♪ But I can turn it on
♪ I'm a give 'em what they want ♪
♪ Celine Dion
♪ I'm a diamond in the sun
♪ Oh no, they about to make me stunt ♪
♪ Guess I'll give them what they want ♪
♪ Give 'em what they want
♪ Give 'em what they want
♪ Stunt
Y'all gotta give it up for my dancers, okay.
You gotta give it.
I think it's Zariah,
I think it's Zariah's time up next, ready.
You got to give her a little bit of energy, come on.
Need to get her ready,
get her gassed up.
♪ Stunt
You ready Z?
♪ Stunt
♪ Stunt
♪ Stunt
♪ Crown
Ya-Ya?
Ya-Ya, you ready?
♪ Crown
♪ I put it on
♪ If you want the sun I can turn it on ♪
♪ See I don't usually flaunt
♪ But I can turn it on and
♪ I'm a give them what they want ♪
♪ Celine Dion
♪ I'm a diamond in the sun
♪ Oh no, you about to make me stunt ♪
♪ Guess I'll give them what they want ♪
♪ Stunt
♪ I'm a diamond in the sun
♪ My heart goes on
♪ And that's the way it is
♪ Celine Dion
♪ Pavis
♪ Coliseum
♪ You see this
♪ Vetements
♪ Stephane Rolland
♪ Shall I go on
♪ Huh
♪ Huh
(audience applauding and cheering)
Thank you for letting us do
a goofy song like that, I appreciate that
♪ See him flossing in that metal ♪
♪ The game's in a higher level
♪ Dimensions we into several
♪ You see we get them together
♪ DIY fringe be swangin
♪ Bangers-Bangers he slanging
♪ Our show on point he slaying
♪ He wasn't always this way in fact ♪
♪ Brown boy slanted eyes
♪ Bleach stained sweat suit
♪ Throwing water on me
♪ In the middle school restroom ♪
♪ Only brown head in my 9th grade play ♪
♪ 13 walking in the stress of UK ♪
♪ Now maybe there's a lesson I've been given ♪
♪ Or some wisdom from the stories that I need to tell ♪
♪ And everybody's hoping and scraping and wishing ♪
♪ They could be something outside themselves ♪
♪ If I can be me, what
♪ Then you can be yourself
♪ Might not be easy, come on roll out ♪
♪ It's like we're never satisfied ♪
♪ It's like we're never satisfied ♪
♪ Started off with a namesake
♪ Won't stay the same
♪ Change like every day
♪ Body lock
♪ With the namesake
♪ Won't stay the same
♪ Change like every day
♪ Smiling through the vicious
♪ A puzzle piece never fitting
♪ A new thread he was given
♪ To weave a singular vision
♪ Could never be avaricious
♪ So I'm not quitting they stay squintin ♪
♪ try to dictate a life they not living ♪
♪ T.O. been about the truth, spillin ♪
♪ don't buck like a deer when the shots hit him ♪
♪ don't Formula Lone this path that you're on ♪
♪ We all gotta make our own living ♪
♪ Cry out loud, don't stay, hidden ♪
♪ Fear to fail, say good riddance ♪
♪ Now maybe there's a lesson I've been given ♪
♪ Or some wisdom from the stories that I need to tell ♪
♪ And everybody's hoping and scraping and wishing ♪
♪ They could be something outside themselves ♪
♪ Now if I can be me, then you can be yourself ♪
♪ Might not be easy, it's like we're never satisfied ♪
♪ We're never satisfied
♪ Got it locked with that namesake ♪
♪ Won' stay the same
♪ Change like every day
♪ Got it locked
♪ With that namesake
♪ Won't stay the same
♪ Change like every day
♪ Nathaniel said you can't see me ♪
♪ In February he freed me
♪ Cleared my head of debris
♪ And we shattered my boundaries ♪
♪ And the lowered degree was healing ♪
♪ The winter was sorely needed
♪ Like Pakistan I seceded
♪ My leaving won't be repeated
♪ Never read for them right roles ♪
♪ My eyes locked where the sky goes ♪
♪ So rare are the albinos
♪ Poachers, we zoom right by those ♪
♪ Few in number like rhinos
♪ Reaching up for them high notes ♪
♪ Study me like yo Bible
♪ Cats fall in line like I'm lion oh ♪
♪ Now maybe there's a lesson I've been given ♪
♪ Or some wisdom from the stories that I need to tell ♪
♪ And everybody's hoping and scraping and wishing ♪
♪ They could be something outside themselves ♪
♪ Now if I can be me, say it
♪ Then you can be yourself
♪ Might not be easy,
♪ it's like we're never satisfied ♪
♪ You better do it
♪ Got it locked
♪ With that namesake
♪ Won't stay the same
♪ Change like every day
♪ Got I locked with that namesake ♪
♪ Won't stay the same
♪ Change like every day
♪ Maybe there's a lesson I've been given ♪
♪ Or some wisdom from the stories that I need to tell ♪
♪ And everybody's hoping and scraping and wishing ♪
♪ They could be something outside themselves ♪
♪ If I can be me, then you can be yourself ♪
♪ May not be easy
♪ It's like we're never satisfied ♪
Hey, oh, my gosh.
Y'all are so amazing.
(audience applauding and cheering)
Really quickly please give it up for Zariah.
(audience applauding and cheering)
Please give it up for Ya-Ya
and thank you so much to WKAR's crew and staff
for making us feel so welcome,
for really putting up with all
of the little things we want to do in the set
and making everything just look
so beautiful and sound amazing.
We really, really appreciate you.
Let's give it up for WKAR.
(audience applauding and cheering)
- [Announcer] For more about Backstage Pass
including full episodes to watch anywhere,
visit the series website at wkar.org.
Backstage Pass is made possible in part
by the MSU Federal Credit Union.
A proud supporter of the arts and culture
in our local community since 1937.
More information on MSU FCU's community involvement
is available at msufcu.org.
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(jingle)