Revisiting: Fiona Apple - Tidal

I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I define the phases of my life according to the music I was listening to at that particular time. Most of my decisions, actions and thoughts can be traced back to a particular lyric or sound that captured who I was at that time in my life. When I was a scrawny 17 year old struggling with the fact that my dreams of playing in the NBA were highly unlikely, and I was probably better off finding another path to success, a pale, needle thin, blue eyed girl invaded my beloved MTV. With my teenage mind already consumed by the typical pubescent fantasies of lust and pleasure, the attraction to this edgy and extremely provocative (for its time) video was natural and inevitable. But after about the tenth time watching it my attention slowly drifted away from the seductive images of skin and alcohol and I began to listen. And by listen I mean her deep sultry sound wasn't enough for me. I wanted to hear her words. I began to form a connection with the lyrics. I began to listen to Fiona Apple. 

At this particular stage in my life -- the pivotal mid teenage years, much like my peers, I was trying to figure myself out. I had a deep love for family and basketball but what I discovered was that I was beginning to develop a passion for writing. What does this have to do with Fiona Apple? Well while I was too afraid to let my friends know that I liked anything other than Wu Tang, Mobb Deep, Nas or Jay Z, fearing to be called the dreadful "corny", I secretly began to become entrenched in all things Fiona. Enter, Tidal. 

Driven by a piano and an unexpected dose of maturity, Tidal was a daring debut from a young artist with an "old soul". As startling as a cleverly disguised wolf, Tidal was everything a teenage boy could ask for. It was sensual, rebellious and unapologetic. If you listened close enough, the introspective and at times guarded Fiona revealed her weaknesses. It was within those revelations and moments of vulnerability that I began to understand have a deeper connection with words.




For me, Tidal represents a turning point. It was that moment in my life when I realized that my aspirations

Lyrically, Fiona was as poignant as any hip hop quotable. Truth be told, at age 16, relating to Fiona's tales of failed relationships and _____, was much easier than the tales of crack sales and gun violence my cd player had grown accustomed to playing.