Born from a "resurgence of creativity that I'm really, really grateful for,” Yolonda Lavender’s new release, Grow: Acoustic Reimaginings, revisits four longstanding original songs in a new way. In a conversation with Cara Lieurance, she says, "I've given myself the permission to create and release what feels right to me and not necessarily have all of these outside voices or thoughts about "Is it good enough? Is it right? Is it perfect?"" The intimate settings were recorded in full takes at La Luna Sound and Recording with jazz guitarist Steven Lundquist.
Lavender describes the history of each of the songs as they listen to “Sink or Swim,” “My Man,” “Love,” and “Kalamazoo" (written by DC Lavender). The album cover and additional images were photographed in New Orleans, which Lavender calls her second home. A masterful live performer, she also talks about her mindset while on stage, which she describes as a "special freedom, and therapy and … healing experience for me." Lavender performs regularly in Kalamazoo and around the country, and is particularly associated with the Institute of Public Scholarship, which runs an open mic night at Legacy.
"Grow: Acoustic Reimaginings" is available on Bandcamp, a platform Lavender intentionally chose for its commitment to supporting artists. Fans can follow her updates on Facebook and Instagram.
