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imani uzuri’s gypsy diaries, a review/love note

so I can’t write much right now – tomorrow I do my first piece of ‘work’ since beginning my sabbatical five months ago, and need my beauty sleep. however!

today I bought imani uzuri’s gypsy diaries album and listened to it once. then about eighteen more times.

I found it first so different from anything else I hear that it intrigued me – there was no pop hit, but just a sustained poetic vulnerability, and skill. rather than a standout song, there was nothing, not one moment, i wanted to skip or miss. and the more I listened, the more I heard, of her journeys through the world, of her pain and heartaches and fierce strength and self-knowing and operatic soul and fearless exploration of her own voice.

it’s a beautiful, brilliant album that every woman I know should listen to on repeat until you really hear it, hear how she knows what she says when she sings, ‘love is patient, love is kind, it is not self-seeking, it is not self-seeking.’

everyone who feels called to travel, wander, get lost, live and learn nomadically, needs to hear her sing, ‘traveling may feel lonely sometimes, but all who wander are not lost. the journey is to look inside and find, and find, and find!’

she sounds like mantra and prayer and dream and…yes ocean, and lava. really massive and gorgeous. and the album journeys, india, russia, africa, tennessee, ny, outer space, inner space…it’s really good, and really unique, and when she says she is ready, when she says ‘you are so beautiful’, it is impossible not to believe her.

she is offering up healing through this music – get some!