Hello everyone, and welcome back to another blog post. Today I will be writing about singer-songwriting Adia Victoria. I first heard of Adia a couple of weeks ago on my Spotify Discover weekly playlist. She was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Her father is Trinidadian, and she was raised as a Seventh-day Adventist. Adia attended religious schools until she went to a public middle school. It was difficult for Adia because she had trouble fitting in due to her religious background and her parents` divorce. To help cope, Adia started writing poetry and short stories. Adia’s family stopped attending church during this transition. This significantly impacted Adia’s musical career because she could listen to more secular music like Kurt Cobain, Miles Davis, and Fiona Apple. After high school, Adia originally moved to New York City but ultimately lived in Atlanta. Adia received a guitar from a friend for her twenty-first birthday and wrote blues songs. In 2010, Adia moved to Nashville and began performing solo while also singing background for various bands. When Adia released her first single, “Stuck in the South,” it got positive reviews from radio stations, The Rolling Stones Magazine, and American Songwriter magazine. Adia has released three studio albums, three EP’s, and 15 singles. This summer, Adia is planning a European Tour.
Today I will be discussing Adia’s 2020 single, “South Gotta Change.” Adia has stated before that this song isn’t about hope, but rather it’s a howl for change in the south, and I believe it is evident in the lyrics. Please note that the meaning of the lyrics comes from my personal opinion. I have no way of knowing what the songwriter is saying or the struggle that Black individuals have endured.
First Verse: “You’ve been running from the ghost; you keep it hidden in the past. The veil before your face is falling, and it’s falling fast. I won’t go blindly in the night. I would drag you to the light.”
There are two possible explanations for these lines. The first one, I believe, is the proper explanation: Black people have been trying to escape many of the painful parts of their history. There is no shame in being Black, and it should be embraced and celebrated. There is no need to want to be a different race, even with adversity. The other possibility is many families have lived in the south for generations and most likely fought in the Civil War and lived during the Civil Rights Movement. The meaning of the veil in the song represents how people were blinded and thought they were being obedient and doing the right thing, but when the veil falls, they have to face the truth. And if push comes to shove, Adia will “drag you to the light,” meaning she will show you the truth.
Chorus: “Stood up to the mountain, told the mountain “Say my name”. And if you’re tired of walking, let the children lead the way. ‘Cause I love you, I won’t leave you. Won’t let you slip away. Come what may, we’re gonna find a way. South gotta change, south gotta change.”
The mountain represents all the adversity Black people had and have to overcome. Having the mountain say her name refers to the movement #sayhername, which raises awareness for Black female victims of police brutality. The line about being tired of walking comes from the peaceful protests with Martin Luther King Jr. and how today we are still trying to fix the problems brought up in 1965. Even though it’s frustrating that people face these issues, Adia loves the south and won’t give up on it. You can hear how emotional Adia sounds singing this part of the song by listening to the music.
Second verse: “You’ve told a lie for so long you’re a stranger to yourself. You’re all dressed up in make-believe to be somebody else. So listen closely when I sing that the truth would set you free.”
This verse extends the first verse of how Black people shouldn’t hide who they are by trying to fit into White culture, and once they accept who they are, the truth will make them feel happier.
Third Verse: “It ain’t no clean play to makeup, man would squarely hear this pain. We still fall in power. Let him hide from what he is ashamed. But your walls are falling down. So you gotta face me now.”
There is no avoiding the truth that Black people have been treated unjustly for centuries. But if people keep pretending it does not exist, they will have to answer to the people they have crossed.
Overall, this songwriting amazes me. Adia is insanely talented at storytelling, taking an idea, and making it into something more than a song: a political statement. I hope you have all enjoyed this week’s blog post. Let me know what your thoughts are on the piece and if you have a different perspective and interpretations on the lyrics. As always, please feel free to recommend other female artists you would like to see here.
Link to Lydia's Girls Blog Playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6ETYI6A3dsOe9fJTBQVWg8?si=bcc241ff1d9e4187
Author: Lydia MacDavid
Chief Editor: Jacob Tomeny
Editor: Carsha Bowen
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