The Songs of Black Folk: “Church” x BeeTaylor
BeeTaylor’s music can best be described as a wistful dream. They eloquently capture nuanced life experiences and tuck them into graceful flows and melodies. The singer, songwriter and rapper grew up in a church centered household in Atlanta. Going to church and reading the bible were regular happenings in their upbringing. She shared that “beyond religion, my church was essentially my family and community… like many other artists, being in church at a young age exposed me to the basics of music theory and how each part balances to each other.” The making of the record, “Church,” was a family affair too. Bee explains that “[e]very line of the verse is drawn directly from personal experiences to the point that listening to it is like having a flashback. I get a different feeling every time I listen. Sometimes positive, sometimes the feeling is a little more nostalgic or even regretful, but I think the dynamics and authenticity is why this is probably my favorite piece I’ve written. (Shoutout to my little brother in the background vocals with me!)”
“Church” starts off with the hook, letting us know that Bee’s “grandma hit [them] up the other day to ask why [they] don’t go to church no more.” Their voice wafts across the track before descending into a vulnerable verse. They share what it took to come into their true identity separate from the church in a masterful hip hop, R&B and gospel blend. From the organ chords in the introduction to the resounding choir in the bridge, the church influence presses through. Even parts of the song are mixed to feel like it’s playing in a high ceiling church. Bee shares that “‘Church’ took about three years to finish writing. The hook is inspired by a real phone call I received from my Haitian grandmother one day out the blue (mid smoke-sesh at my home!) She’s hysterical and in tears and expressing her disappointment in my life decisions…For the longest all I had was that hook.” Three years later, “Church” was fully composed and recorded.
We are so grateful to have “Church” as the closing feature of our Black History Month series, The Songs of Black Folk. Checkout the other highlighted songs here. You can stream, “Church,” on @_theaux’s Black Pride 🏳️🌈 Playlist.
When asked to share a bit about their music community, BeeTaylor shared that “ my community is made up of the energies that captured my heart along the way. I’m literally always surrounded by different types of artists. Everyone is on their own individual grind, but we make time to cheer for and support each other, and I feel like that’s what it’s all about.”
