🎵 “Flava for the Soul: My Lifelong Groove with Music”

By Lady Flava

I’ve had a love affair with music for as long as I can remember. Born into a Black community that moved with rhythm and soul, I was raised on a soundtrack of R&B, Funk, Soul, and Gospel — the heartbeat of my neighborhood and the soul of my spirit.

Thanks to my older brothers, I got an early taste of Rock and Jazz, too. That mix? It shaped my ears and flavored my world in ways I didn’t even realize at the time.

📻 Back When the Dial Mattered

Way before streaming or digital downloads, we had radios. And baby, we worked for that reception! 📡 We listened to KYAC, KFOX, and later KJR — stations that fed our souls and kept us up on the latest hits and concert buzz. If the signal wasn’t clear, we moved the dial, the antenna — even the radio itself — just to catch a clean wave.

After school, it was all about homework with the radio playing. Saturdays? That was for American Bandstand and Soul Train. That’s how we stayed tapped in — not just to music, but to style, culture, and a movement.

🎶 Vinyl, 8-Tracks & My Personal Music Shrine

My music collection was like my trophy case. Lined up by artist and genre, every 45, 33, 8-track, and cassette told a story. And trust me, I didn’t let just anybody touch my music. You had to respect it, feel it, and honor it the way I did.

🎤 First Concert Vibes

The very first concert I ever went to? Stevie Wonder at The Paramount Theater. I think tickets were like $12. Can you believe that? That night lit something in me that never burned out.

💃🏾 Flava on the Dance Floor

In my younger days, I knew where the new releases dropped, what clubs to hit, and I lived for the weekend so I could hit the dance floor and let loose. Dancing was my release — my joy — and music made it all come alive.

☕ The Birth of Flava

In 2003, I opened Flava Coffee House — a space where culture, creativity, and community could shine. I wanted it to reflect the diversity I saw and loved, and that included the indie music scene that was bubbling just under the surface. This is when underground and independent artists became part of my life’s work.

I even helped put on a Jazz Cruise on the Puget Sound in 2004 — no big profits, but it was a huge win for the people. That’s the kind of success I live for.

📻 From Coffee House to Radio Waves

When Flava closed in 2008, I didn’t stop. I moved my passion online, supporting local and national creatives. Then in 2009, an online radio host out of Baltimore pushed me to start my own show. And just like that, I became a voice for Indie Soul, R&B, NeoSoul, and Hip-Hop artists around the world.

Hosting roundtable talks about industry struggles and giving indie artists a platform? That was my jam. That was Lady Flava in her element.

🎧 Fast-Forward to Now

Today, my go-to genres are still R&B, Soul, and Jazz — smooth, sultry, soothing. But depending on my vibe, I might throw on something with a little bounce and move my body while doing my work.

Even though I resisted it for years (because artists don’t get paid nearly what they deserve), I eventually caved and started using Spotify at work. Now I let the playlist flow — sometimes not even knowing what genre I’m in. If it feeds my soul, I let it play.

💖 So… What’s My Favorite Genre?

Truth is — I can’t pick just one. Soul, R&B, and Jazz will always be my anchors, but I’m open to whatever speaks to my spirit.

Because in the end…
I don’t just listen to music — I live it, breathe it, and bless it with my Flava.

---

🎤 Closing Words from Lady Flava:

Music is my therapy. My joy. My connection.
From vinyl to digital, from dance floors to coffee houses, it’s always been the pulse that keeps me going. Music doesn’t just play in the background of my life — it’s the soundtrack of who I am.

LadyFlava of LadyFlavaNews