Lady Flava News

How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?

6 years go I was planning a move to Vegas. I saw this as an opportunity to elevate my game in support of indie creative soulz.

I came up with this concept of putting together a platform for Indie Artists to showcase their craft with performance events, book readings and art showings. I had the business plan and started to scout out venues, but I was a one person team. I held onto the concept for about a year or two before I gave up. I had people who said it was a great concept but no one committed to helping me get it off the ground.

Flava’s Lounge; a platform supporting and showcasing Original Authentic Art. Providing a place to Indie Artists to come and present their creativity in the Entertainment World Capital of The World, Las Vegas, NV.

I also changed my radio station to Flava’s Lounge Radio to provide another platform to show support which ties into my Vegas project. Branding was the goal.

I was blessed to gain a local (Seattle) following to across the United States and around The World. People expressed an interest in flying to Vegas to perform or just attend my events.

My problem is, I was unaware of the entertainment culture of Las Vegas. What is embraced here in Vegas is cover songs, music that is familiar to the masses. And there is nothing wrong with that. It’s just not my scene.

Many of the Vegas Entertainers do have original music, but they don’t necessarily have the opportunity to perform their own music , or off and on they slide it in without out it really standing out that’s an original song.

Again, from my research and understanding of Vegas now is, it is known for the B & C Level Entertainment is contracted or expected to perform Top 40 and The Classics. Possibly the casinos and venues are only licensed to have this type of music performed in their establishments. (I should research this.)

You know the old saying, “The grass is not always greener on the other side.” This is a lesson I had to learn. I wasn’t doing so bad back in Seattle. I was known across the United States and Globally. I was involved, valued and excited. I miss those days.

Maybe I thought I was in a position to open doors for Original Art from Independent Artists in Vegas, but clearly I do not have that type of influence on my own. Sometimes, I have thought if I was younger with this same concept, I may have been able to pull it off. Maybe, maybe not.

I got caught up in supporting entertainment individuals and bands which, was fun in the beginning but it became the same thing over and over. As much as I can appreciate the amazing talents, I became bored. I craved to experience something that I didn’t know. Something different, a surprise in creativity.

I’m different, I come from a different perspective within the arts and entertainment industry. I come from a different background and community. I am different. I am also an Empath and we experience life and creativity very differently than most. We see and feel things that go unnoticed by most people.

I had the wrong voices in my head, that did not embrace me as an industry professional. They were okay with me joining their team, but they never showed an interest in joining my team. That should have been the tell all for me, but it took years before I opened my eyes, my spirit to really see and accept it.

So I felt like I came to Vegas and failed. My dream, my goal died before I could even plant the seed.

So, I felt like a failure.

And I believe that because I was not able to pull off my purpose for moving to Vegas I let the wrong voices stab my soul. Depression set in.

The blessing of my life is, I believe in the power of God and the lessons of his teachings. I never stopped my prayer and meditation, I never stopped listening to Gods word through the challenges I faced in Vegas.

I believe now that God has been talking to me all along but I wasn’t hearing the correct message, I put my own twist on the truth.

October of 2022, God told me to stop. He let me know I had become an unhealthy person. I was allowing the challenges of the people in my life to become trauma bonded. The struggle and the sadness embraced each other, and darkness took over conversations and presence.

So God said to STOP it all. Stop communicating and stop helping people who made me feel less than.

God said forgive myself and others, to let go with love and prepare to go home.

Once I Stopped and let go, a weight was lifted off my shoulders. I had something to look forward to. I no longer felt responsible to help others. I stopped passing judgment and respected who they are and how the do what they do. It was no longer my business to be involved.

This is was the beginning of my win.

It has been years since I have allowed myself to dream and write out a plan for a project. My people are happy that I am returning home. Indie Creatives are reaching out to me for advice and input on their projects.

This excites me and I feel the drive and purpose being restored. This is the win, this is where success starts.

Now I’m back to being unapologetically myself. Taking my new found peace and passion that is growing within my soul. I’m going home to my family, my people, my community and my creative foundation. Seattle, here I come… Next, to establish the new direction in showing my passion for creative soulz.

My success is being birthed.

God is Good | The Power of 60+ | Doing Me

LadyFlava of LadyFlavaNews

Blog Challenge

What is one question you hate to be asked? Explain.

Ethnic identity is defined as a sense of belonging based on one’s ancestry, cultural heritage, values, traditions, rituals, and often language and religion. Ethnic identity is thus composed of more or less connected facets that can vary across immigrant groups and across situations.

My Mommy is German and Daddy is Japanese

More and more I realized with how I was raised by my parents, i clearly understood that I was of mixed race. I was also raised that you are what your father’s ethnicity. The other unique thing about my life is that my parents bought our family home on the border of the black community of Seattle. The schools I went to were predominantly black and the same with my friends.

My father was very active in minority affairs and advocacy. I tell all of this because I was raised to be proud of my mixed heritage and to embrace and respect diversity. I did not have much of a problem being accepted in the community that I knew as home.

I realize now that I took my life for granted. I could maneuver life in Seattle without having to explain who I identify as.

Then in 2017, I moved to Las Vegas and I was in for a rude awakening. From many ethnic groups I was assumed to be white and even when I explained that I was mixed, it was like I never explained my ethnicity. Then the comments about looking white and I would respond by saying, “just because I look white to you, does not mean that is who I identify.” I even had to deal with that from an employer listing me as white on my finger printing document. Or a person in my life telling me that I act like a white girl.

Racism feels huge here in Vegas or maybe I should be fair that it is something I have experienced on many levels from the people I know or have encountered. Possibly life would have been different if I was introduced to a different circle of people personally and professionally.

Here people don’t hold their tongues about what they feel about another race. At times I feel because of what they visually identify me as, they think I think the same way as them.

So, the question that I don’t like being asked, is about my ethnicity.

Living in Vegas has taught me so much about people. When you visually see someone, you may not really know what their ethnicity is. I have met Spanish speaking people who either look white or black. Asians, can be missed labeled and they are not happy with being misidentified.

We live in an era where we need to more careful in how we identify someone. It has become challenging to what is appropriate and acceptable to say.

I know that many would not be able to relate to this post, but I sharing my truth… I am thinking through should I ease up on getting upset on how others identify my ethnicity. It’s something to think about, right? 🤔

I wonder how many people can relate to this blog…care to share your thoughts?

LadyFlava of LadyFlavaNews

Blog Challenge

What is your middle name? Does it carry any special meaning/significance?

Elizabeth is clearly a family name…

My mother’s mother’s name was Elizabeth

My mother is Dorothy Elizabeth

My name is Susan Elizabeth

My oldest daughter is Mariko Cheree Elizabeth

And my granddaughter is Kimora Elizabeth

I know in the Bible Elizabeth was John The Baptist’s mother.

The Hebrew meaning is, God Is My Oath.

I think about many names nowadays are made up with different spellings and no real significance. I love being creative but I also appreciate names with meaning and purpose.

Then there are the names that artists go by, like myself as Lady Flava, but that is a topic for another blog.

LadyFlava of LadyFlavaNews

Middle Name Blog Challenge

You’re writing your autobiography. What’s your opening sentence?

As a little Japanese German Girl who was raised in the Black community of Seattle, the daughter of a Japanese Baptist Minister and community advocate/activist…it comes natural to establish my approach to supporting creative soulz.

This was a challenge to figure what I would say in an opening sentence…it now feels there could be so many different directions I could start my story.

I sentence with few words, you see I turned my 1 sentence into a paragraph 😱 😄

What would your Opening Sentence say of your Autobiography? Think about it and maybe consider writing your story for you family and possibly beyond.

LadyFlava of LadyFlavaNews

Accepting Another Blogging Challenge

What bores you?

I was sent this challenge to write on what bores me. So you know me, I have to put my twist on it to stay on topic of my brand of arts and entertainment.

In my life in Vegas I realize that I get bored with hearing the same cover songs over and over. If you have to perform cover songs, the is a humongous array to choose from. So why do the cover bands do the same songs all the time.

I realize I love energy and engagement of the audience. I like to see movement across the stage.

I like presentation and I love colors. It starts with what I find eye appealing, next the presentation and sound from the vocals, musician abilities and the sound equipment.

When it comes to all art forms…the first introduction is the promotions…I realize the the promotions are a big deal for me. Although, it may not be the most appealing promotion and marketing could be an outstanding experience.

I’m bored when it doesn’t capture my attention and keep it.

Since the challenge is What Bores You and my twist goes in the direction of Arts & Entertainment….

Tell me what bores you when it comes to arts and entertainment?

LadyFlava of LadyFlavaNews

Sharing My Thoughts