About That Song: Kashimana
About That Song #22
In our special series, singer-songwriter Sarah Morris interviews artists about the songs that shaped them.
Hi! I’m Sarah Morris. I’m wildly in love with songs and the people who write them. There have been a few songs in my life that have been total gamechangers—songs that made me want to be a songwriter and songs I’ve written that made me feel like I am a songwriter. About That Song is a space where I can learn more about those pivotal songs in other writers’ lives.
In the 22nd installment of this series, I was excited to chat with Kashimana! This multifaceted Minnesota artist mixes blues, soul, spoken word and so much more in their music. I asked them to tell me about the musical moments and songs that had an impact on their artistic journey.
Kashimana. Photo credit: Lilian Rose Photos.
Sarah: Hi Kashimana! Oh my word, it was so very good to meet you at the recent Folk Alliance Regional Midwest conference. Congratulations on your inspired performance as part of the DJ Showcase! I was so glad to be in the audience!!! Congrats are also in order for the recent release of your excellent album, Phantom Cries. Thanks for meeting me here to talk a bit about your journey as a songwriter. I’m curious—do you remember a song you heard that made you want to be a songwriter? Tell us about that song.
Kashimana: That’s a great question … I don’t think I’ve ever had that particular moment. My parents told me I was making up songs before I knew what they were. I have a vivid memory of opening up the back of vinyl records to read the lyrics and imagining how the songs went because only adults could operate the gigantic record players. I remember the iconic Simon and Garfunkel record cover but I don’t remember if I listened to it.
There are two points I remember thinking I love music so much. The first was listening to “For Unto Us a Child is Born” and pretending to conduct the choir. The second point was when I wrote my first song at eight. I felt so passionately about communicating something important that I had to put it into a song. Now, the more I think about it (this question is unlocking so many memories) I realize that hearing my father sing a song he had written may have inspired me to write songs as well. He would sing a song in Tiv, which is a Nigerian language from Benue that I didn't quite understand but loved. Of course, there was church, and I was the kid reading the hymn lyrics when we weren’t singing.
Sarah: I love that you can recall a collection of memories that led you toward songwriting, and especially that perhaps the pivotal one would come from your father. What a gift! Once you began writing, did you feel like a writer immediately? It took me a few years of writing before I believed it—was there a song that gave you that “a-HA! I AM a songwriter!” moment? Tell us about that song…
Kashimana: At first, I didn't really feel like a writer, but I knew I wanted to continue writing. My first song tackled the controversial topic of asserting my independence as an 8-year-old.
Sarah: Ha! Having raised a few 8-year-olds, this tracks!
Kashimana: I vividly remember writing about my desire to make my parents proud and feeling sad when I was punished for disappointing them. Despite digging into my pain at that moment, the song inspired an immediate change, and I was hooked from then on. I was shy and a bit afraid of the power I had witnessed in my first song, so I kept my dream of becoming a songwriter to myself for a long time.
Kashimana’s Phantom Cries album artwork. Photo credit: Lilian Rose Photos.
Sarah: “The power I had witnessed in my first song”—that feels like the most epic kind of “a-ha.” Bravo. I have a sense that you continued to witness power within the songs you have written. For example, your song “The Blood Will Show” is a stunning example of how songwriting can tackle an incredibly important topic head-on, while offering such an ear-catching melody and groove. Can you tell us about that song?
Kashimana: “The Blood Will Show” is about being expected to snap back into shape, work, or any other expectations after labor and delivery before you’ve even started to heal. Pregnancy, labor, and delivery aren’t the neat sterile process that is shown in the movies and it’s also one of the most dangerous times for a birthing person. I was having a conversation with a mother who mentioned that the blood will show when you're pushing yourself too hard after labor, and that it was a sign to slow down and assess what is going on. I asked “What if you don’t have a choice? What if your voice isn’t being listened to?”
I was reading about the statistics around maternal mortality and complications in the U.S. and how the national numbers are the highest for everyone, and then even higher for BIPOC mothers. I had heard about how hard it was for Serena Williams to get her healthcare team to listen when she was having complications and remembered my own difficult pregnancy and labor experience. The phrase stuck in my mind and reminded me of “the bloody show,” which is a phrase used to describe when the mucus plug releases before labor begins, so I knew I had a title. Each time I listen to that song, I discover new layers and messages. I'm grateful for the talented musicians who brought it all together.
Sarah: In that song, I hear both a “pay attention” and “let’s talk about this.” Sometimes a song can pave the way. Maternal mortality, postpartum wellness, labor and delivery—these are things it’s easy enough for people to ignore unless it impacts them directly. Offering a song like this starts the conversation up, perhaps without the listener expecting it.
One last question: I’ve read that you began experimenting with looping in the pandemic. Do you remember the first song you wrote to a loop? Can you tell us about that song?
Kashimana: During the pandemic, I used the loop station to create unexpected sounds by using hums and live looping to ground myself. I was processing George Floyd’s murder during that time. The first song I wrote on the loop station was “Mama,” which is the last track on Phantom Cries. “Mama” is a meditation peeling back the lament, the anger, and the hope for the future into a song. My intention is for listeners to remember George Floyd as a human being and to keep on pushing for change to prevent similar tragedies.
Sarah: Thank you. For creating music that asks us to keep paying attention, and pushing for change; that provides pathways to deep feeling. And for this conversation. I’m grateful.
Kashimana will be doing an online show in December; check their website and follow them on Instagram for details!
Listen to “Mama”
Phantom Cries Album Credits
Written By Kashimana Ahua
Vocals: Kashimana Ahua, Aja Parham, Sarah O’Neil, Alicia Steele
Percussion: Glory Yard
Bass: Khary Jackson
Bass and Guitar on “The Blood Will Show”: Matt Patrick
Recorded, Engineered, Mixed and Mastered by Matt Patrick at The Library Studio in Minneapolis, MN excluding “Mama” and “Oh Yes Flow”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah Morris. Photo credit: Tom Smouse.
Sarah Morris is a superfan of songs and the people who write them, and a believer that certain songs can change your life. A singer-songwriter / mama / bread maker / coffee drinker who recently released her fifth album of original material, she’s been known to joyfully sing with people in her Big Green Bathroom.
