The Album Release Show Was...

Great.  Awesome.  Thrilling.  Full of Friends.  Glass-Raising.  Humbling.  These are the words I would use to describe my album release show earlier this month.  There are so many things to talk about, but I'll try to condense it into one article if I may. THE SHOW:  We started around 7:15 with Jay Ward warming the audience with his medley of poetry about confidence, life, and empowerment.  He even wrote a poem about Natural Hair!  Everyone loved him even to the point of asking me when he's performing next.  (Plug Alert!) Well I will tell you when:  at the next Artists in the Round Show happening Sat May 24 at Crown Station Pub in Charlotte!

Then I followed with a medley of my own, performing songs from the "Crown & Glory" album.  We also threw in a couple songs that weren't on the album like "Hound Dog" and "Assumptions."  My favorite song from the album is "Beautiful Mane."  So we did something special during this song.  I arranged with the bar to pour glasses of champagne and give them to everyone in the bar.  One of the lines in the song is "... raise a glass to beautiful...".  So I had them raise their glasses every time that line was sung.  The catch was that I didn't tell them what to do with their glasses.  I told them that their clue was in the song and they had to listen for it.  Some people got it the first time, but by the end of the song everyone in the room was raising their glass!  It was a lot of fun and very interactive.  Here is a video of me performing the song.  It's not from the album release show, but you can still see what I mean!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj_B_hi0ZsM

THE SKIRT:  I made it myself.  It's variations of bright green tulle!  I felt like a princess wearing it!  It took me a half day to make and cost about $40 for the materials.  It was super fun to wear and I got so many compliments!  I don't know when I'll ever get to wear this skirt again, but it is hanging up in my closet just waiting for another spin!

THE VIP SECTION:  I wish I would have gotten pictures of the VIP Section.  It was amazing!  We rented cocktail tables and chairs and decorated with matching tablecloths, forks and napkins.  We served cake and had a very special VIP bag for all the VIPs.  The bag included a copy of the album, plus a special collectors edition of the album complete with a re-usable glass jar for home-made products, recipes, a t-shirt and free product samples.  We put the VIP tables right near the stage so they got a great view of all the festivities.

All in all, I'd say the show was a success.  We had about 50 friends join us to celebrate the release of the album.  They were all so very supportive.  We even had our Aunt from TX join us for the fun. I'm so glad she was able to come!

Special thanks to Robert Schultz, my more than supportive hubby for being there, for playing the drums so well, and for loving me!  Thanks to Martha for coming all the way from the big TX!  Thanks to Scratch Tracks Studio for all the hours spent tracking and engineering!  You're the bomb!  And thanks a million times to my friends and fans for coming and for supporting this journey with me.

Want to get your copy of the album!  Check it out here.

Being Natural forced me to believe in Myself

It's Hairspiration Tuesday and this week features the inspirational genius behind Kinkabands - a hair accessories brand that focuses on comfort and quality.  Beauty doesn't have to mean being uncomfortable.  I am excited to introduce you to Katrina! What made you decide to go natural? I had dry scalp really really bad. It seemed that the relaxer was causing it.

When did you do it?  How did you do it? April 2010 and I did the big chop.

In what ways has being natural impacted your life? Being natural has really forced me to believe in myself and my individual beauty.

What is the inspiration behind Kinkabands? Kinkabands was inspired from ladies in the natural hair community complaining about hair accessories that hurt their heads and rubbed their temples to hard. So I thought I would take an old idea and create my own accessory.

What is your favorite Kinkabands color and why? I love my Tan Kinkabands with the jewel.  The color really looks good with my skintone

What advice would you share with other women looking to start a business? The advice I would give a woman that is trying to start a business make sure to write down your vision and goals. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Lastly, form a group of people that support your dream and that will be able to give you advice. Make sure to check in with them for major decisions with business.

You can find Katrina's Kinkabands on her website.  She is also a sponsor for this month’s “Crown & Glory Sweepstakes.”  Each week in the month of February three lucky winners will receive a special edition hand-crafted copy of the album, free tickets to the CD Release Party, and a box full of natural hair gifts including a hair band from Kinkabands.  To enter your name into the sweepstakes, send an e-mail with your first and last name and physical mailing address to crownandglory@anitrajay.com or visit the Official Sweepstakes Page.

Crown & Glory is an EP about natural hair.  It is a musical diary about being natural.  The album is set to be released in the Spring of 2014.  To listen to demos and to find out more about the album, click here.

Go for it!

It's Tuesday and we're back at it again with another inspirational interview for the third installment of Haispiration Tuesdays!  This week features a natural beauty who turned her extensive research of growing long, healthy hair into a couture hair product line.  Read on about her journey and how it has shaped her life and the lives of so many others.  Meet Renee Dawes, owner of Naturelle Grow.

What made you decide to go natural? After years of relaxers, thinning and breakage, I stumbled into becoming a natural after keeping sew in weaves beyond the timing of my touch up appointments. As a natural, I recognized a better growth pattern, but I needed the right products to continue my growth stimulation and retention.

In what ways has going natural impacted your life? Going natural has made me accept me for me. Prior to going natural, I had a poor self-image. I did not like nor appreciate who I was. Once I went naturaI, I discovered true beauty in its purest sense. I realized that God makes no mistakes and, most importantly, I am wonderfully and beautifully made. I am perfect in the image of God.

What is the inspiration behind NaturelleGrow? Once I started learning how to take care of my hair; it started growing. It became a passion. I spent countless hours researching and testing organic and natural ingredients that promised to grow long hair. As I experimented more and more, I soon discovered which all-natural ingredients proved most beneficial for hair, and learned how to combine them for optimal hair growth. It was during this time that I started to formulate my own products and began sharing my creations with close relatives and friends. What began as a personal journey quickly turned into an in-demand side business with family, friends, and co-workers as my first customers. As I learned, created, and experimented, my initial offerings grew into a small product line of couture cleansers, conditioners, hair creams, and oils. And from this, NaturelleGrow Handmade Hair Growth Products was born.

What is your favorite NaturelleGrow product and why? To be honest, I love all of NaturelleGrow’s products but my favorite product would be our Mango & Berries Cleanser and Marshmallow Root Deep Conditioner. I love these products the most because when I use them, I can detangle my extra thick, long hair with ease.

What advice would you share with other women looking to start a business? I would say, “Go for it!” Look unto God our author and creator for inspiration and realize that with him, all things are possible.

You can find Renee's products  on her website here.  She is also a sponsor for this month’s “Crown & Glory Sweepstakes.”  Each week in the month of February three lucky winners will receive a special edition hand-crafted copy of the album, free tickets to the CD Release Party, and a box full of natural hair gifts including a set of products from Naturelle Grow.    To enter your name into the sweepstakes, send an e-mail with your first and last name and physical mailing address to crownandglory@anitrajay.com or visit the Official Sweepstakes Page.

Crown & Glory is an EP about natural hair.  It is a musical diary about being natural.  The album is set to be released in the Spring of 2014.  To listen to demos and to find out more about the album, click here.

Make Sure You Stand Out

As part of my Crown & Glory album journey, I host Hairspiration Tuesdays.  Every Tuesday in the month of February I interview an inspirational woman in business who also happens to be a naturalista.  This week it is my honored pleasure to present Danielle Bress, owner of Off Tha Cuff Designs.  Danielle is a jewelry designer and she comes up with the most elegant and unique designs I've ever seen!  My favorite item of hers are the earrings that say "Natural N Fly."  You may catch me wearing them on stage some day real soon.  Read on about how she became natural and her quest to find her niche.  It might take a while to find what works best for you.  But when you do, the world better look out. Everyone, let me introduce you to, Danielle...

What made you decide to go natural?

I just wanted to see what my real natural hair was like, I had a relaxer at the age of 6.  I was not sure I would stick with it, but here I am 3 years and some months later going strong!

When did you do it?  How did you do it? Around October 2010.  I big chopped into a short style, but I was having it straightened.  My stylist at the time did not know much about dealing with natural hair, I ended up with bad heat damage so I grew it out with braids for a while and cut the straight ends.

In what ways has being natural impacted your life? I would love to say I save money, but in reality I really don’t LOL.  There is always a new product or toy I want to buy to try out.  It does allow for more versatility, I can do so much with it and my curls are not lifeless as they were with a relaxer.  I change my hair often, being natural allows me to do a variety of things without all the chemicals.

What is the inspiration behind Off Tha Cuff Designs? I was missing an outlet at the time it started, I was all over the place trying to find my niche.  A friend of mine was very instrumental in motivating me to move forward with jewelry.  As a child I was very crafty, I make jewelry for my grandmother and aunt all the time, it came back so naturally like it was meant to be.

What is your favorite Off Tha Cuff Designs product and why? I would have to say the glitter Africa earrings.  It’s just not something you typically see, I like to be a little different.

What advice would you share with other women looking to start a business? Find your niche and perfect your craft.  There will be others that do what you do, make sure you stand out!

You can find Danielle's designs on her website at:  http://www.offthacuffdesigns.com.  She is also a sponsor for this month's "Crown & Glory Sweepstakes."  Each week in the month of February three lucky winners will receive a special edition hand-crafted copy of the album, free tickets to the CD Release Party, and a box full of natural hair gifts including a pair of earrings from Off The Cuff Designs.  To enter your name into the sweepstakes, send an e-mail with your first and last name and physical mailing address to crownandglory@anitrajay.com or visit the Official Sweepstakes Page.

Crown & Glory is an EP about natural hair.  It is a musical diary about being natural.  The album is set to be released in the Spring of 2014.  To listen to demos and to find out more about the album, click here.

Be Patient & Be Knowledgeable

I was excited to catch up with Myscha Gaines, owner of EmGe Naturals in Lynchburg, VA for this segment of Hairspiration Tuesday.  As part of this month's promotion of the upcoming album, Crown & Glory, I will be interviewing several business women who have started their own businesses based on natural hair.

Read on about how Myscha turned an important health decision into a life-changing business venture...

What made you decide to go natural? I was anemic and experiencing severe hair loss.  It was a doctor recommendation.

When did you do it?  How did you do it? Thanksgiving 2010.  I just cut all the relaxed hair off after going without an relaxer for about 8 months.

In what ways has being natural impacted your life? I save money by not purchasing as many hair products and my husband loves it.

What is the inspiration behind EmGe Naturals? As I learned more about products for natural hair I learned that there was a need for natural products for bath and body.

What is your favorite EmGe Naturals product and why? Espresso Body Sugar Scrub.  I’m not a big coffee drinker but the coffee with the sugar seems to exfoliate even better.

What advice would you share with other women looking to start a business? Be patient and be knowledgeable about the products in your industry. Do research, read, read, read and be open to a diverse market.

EmGe ( "MG") Bath & Body goods are full of emollient natural ingredients, that exfoliate, moisturize, and restore healthy, glowing, soft to the touch skin. Our scrubs and cremes are lightly scented as to not interfere with your favorite perfumes. Made with love and care, just like we would for family. Visit their website at:  http://www.emgenaturals.com.

EmGe Naturals will participate in the February Crown & Glory Sweepstakes.  EmGe Naturals' products will be featured in 12 gift boxes sent to the lucky winners.  The contest is all month long during February and three winners will be selected each week.  All that's needed to enter is your e-mail address and a picture of your crown & glory.  Click here to enter the sweepstakes.

Crown & Glory is an EP about natural hair.  It is a musical diary about being natural.  The album is set to be released in the Spring of 2014.  To listen to demos and to find out more about the album, click here.

My Natural Hair Journey

As part of the recording and production process for my upcoming album, "Crown & Glory," I thought it would be fitting to share a little about my own natural hair journey. It all started with a trip to my hair stylist.  She had just recently moved into a new studio and it was my first time visiting her since she moved.  The studio was really nice and it even had a catwalk right down the middle of the floor.  I told her how nice the place was while getting my hair relaxed.  After several hours spent in the salon it was time to pay.  She said, "Well since I moved, the prices went up.  It's going to be an extra $5 dollars now."  I sat there for a minute and thought about it.  I just then realized that I was now helping to pay for that new studio.  Me and all her other clients.  I ponied up the money and shortly after decided to make that my last time getting a relaxer.  It wasn't just the $5 extra dollars that drove me to make that decision.  It was the salon hours spent every six weeks sitting and waiting.  I was also moved by information I had just learned about how toxic relaxer creams can be to your scalp and overall wellness.  Plus I had so many inspirations walking around me with such beautiful natural hair.  I said, "Ok.  It's my turn."

So I made the decision to cut all my hair off and start fresh.

Three and a half years later, I've never felt better about my hair, about myself, and everything else.  The hair thing was a catalyst for growth in my life.  Since going natural,  I've learned to be comfortable in my own skin and that the outside only enhances the beauty contained within.

For so long I thought that I had to conform to a pattern of straight, long hair in order to be accepted in society.  I thought that curly, wavy, course hair was unacceptable.  Now I'm fully aware, that was a lie.  And this new revelation has created a paradigm shift in my thinking.  I've learned to accept myself.  So it's not just a trend for me, it's so much more.  One of the songs on the album, "It's a Way of Life," talks about that very thing.

This album is like my hair journal.  It's a collection of my thoughts and struggles and triumphs related to my hair journey set to music and rhythm.

My hope is to inspire others to be themselves no matter what.

For a sneak peak of the upcoming album, "Crown & Glory," click here.