Welcome to the December issue of The Diamond Report. This one is special because it’s my 25th birthday! I wanted to do a little reflection, while staying true to my love for entertainment news.
There’s a lot going on in the world to talk about. But, before you dive any deeper into this release, I would like to welcome you to The Diamond Club. If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe and come back next month (or maybe sooner) for more!
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25 Years Of Life
I have been thinking a lot about my life in the past couple of weeks. As I officially enter into the second half of my twenties, I am learning the art of loving and being kind to myself.
For a large portion of my life, my goal has been to hide. I wanted to fit in, shrink down and be the same as every one of my peers. I definitely tried to avoid standing out in situations I could control. It started in middle school with physical traits that I knew I couldn’t change. As I got older, the insecurities expanded, seeping into a desire to change my entire personality.
Somewhere between 23 and today, I realized that that was the exact thing that was hurting me. Trying to fit a square into a circle is impossible, and for many years of my life, that’s exactly what I was doing. I was trying to hold back and hide.
As I enter this new year of life, I have one singular goal: live unapologetically. I have been able to do amazing things within my 25 years of life, but the best opportunities and people came to me when I was being my authentic self. So, for this year and every year after, that’s my objective. I want to love on myself, pour into myself and embrace myself in the same way I do for others.
I’ve spent enough time hiding, shrinking and trying not to be seen. I’ve attempted to stop making noise and struggled to fit the mold of what I thought I was supposed to be. It was crippling, and I refuse to bring that into this new year of my life. I’m ready to break that curse and heal my inner child.
That little girl would be proud of the marvelous things I was able to accomplish, despite all the tears, the anxiety, the self doubt and the worries. So now, I’m ready to fully embrace her and accept all that I am and all that I was. The only thing left to do is reach for it and shine bright like a Diamond.
Blast From The Past: An Interview with DaQuashia Strahan
If you have been connected with me for several years, DaQuashia Strahan should be no stranger to you. Hailing from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Strahan was the subject of the “Artist Spotlight” feature in my first release of The Diamond Magazine in Spring 2020.
For those who are unfamiliar with Strahan, allow me to introduce her. Singing has always been her dream. She’d stand front and center at family reunions to sing the most popular songs, with one of her earliest covers being Fantasia’s hit singles “When I See You” and “Free Yourself.”
Years later, Strahan and I met on the campus of Clark Atlanta University. It may have been a different environment, but her passion for music and her talent was undeniable. Instantly, I became a fan of hers and the rest is history. For this special release of my newsletter, I caught up with Strahan to discuss everything I might have missed since 2020, the evolution of her sound and her goals for her future.
KAYLA GRANT: Obviously, we met in undergrad during our time at the Illustrious Clark Atlanta University, so that’s exactly where I want to begin. Catch me up! What has been going on since I interviewed you for The Diamond Magazine?
DAQUASHIA STRAHAN: So much has happened since then.
I went home after college because we all got sent home during COVID, and I had a lot of time on my hands. I was working everyday from home, and that was it. I was like, “I need an outlet.”
During that time, I just started writing every day, and then eventually I released a song, “Unconditional Love.” I did not promote it a lot, but when I was at home, I was like, “Hey, let me just submit my music to various platforms to review.” I submitted to this platform, and I think I recorded their reactions. Then, I posted [it] on Twitter randomly, and it went viral.
After that, I was trying to keep my momentum up and keep putting out music. I dropped a project, “To All The Ones I’ve Loved Before,” and I've dropped a couple songs since then. But really, I've been writing a lot and just honing in on my craft. So, I moved back to Atlanta and been working on music [and] adulting. I haven’t dropped anything in a while, but I have been working on a lot of stuff, so I’m just ready to eventually put that out there.
Check my original feature story with DaQuashia Strahan in Spring 2020 release of The Diamond Magazine.
KG: I did notice that you posted on Instagram that you were finally getting back to music. What about this moment brought you back to your passion?
DS: It was just the timing. I think that I got into a space where I was trying to figure out adulthood and still being in love with my craft. I don't want to say I fell out of love with music, but I had so many things to focus on. It was hard to give my time to what I really wanted to do.
I think just recently, I'm probably in a place where I'm just like, “Okay, if I don't do this, [then] it's not going to get done.” And, I know that it's something that I really want. I do want to get to a place where I just pursue music 100 percent, and I think that's what I'm just working towards now. Life has really just pushed me back into my craft because I feel like I won't be 100 percent happy unless I am pursuing music.
KG: Let’s talk about the music. Obviously, there has been a lot of growth in you since we talked on campus. How has your sound evolved since 2020?
DS: My sound has evolved [through] the subject matter. I write a lot of music that has a lot of emotion behind it, and I think I've just been in a space where I'm happy [and] I'm in a relationship. So, it's hard to bring myself back to that negative head space or in that space to talk about my emotions or things that I've been through.
I've just been working on honing in on other aspects of my life and being able to bring it into the music. Not only am I writing about love, but I'm also writing about life situations that I've gone through.
KG: How do you think adding your own vulnerability and experiences into your music elevates it?
DS: I think it's just more real. Of course, we can sing about love, but there's also real life stuff going on that people go through other than relationships. I feel like [adding my life experiences make it] relatable because people are facing life as well and just trying to get through. That perspective is important for people to hear.
KG: So, when you put out a song or a project, what is your ultimate goal?
DS: I just ultimately want to make music that I want to listen to, and I feel everyone else wants to listen to. Being an undiscovered artist, you don't always get big reactions or get a lot of people who are listening to you in that time. But, I feel like as long as somebody hears it and people do enjoy it, I'm satisfied. It doesn't matter the amount.
Of course, I want to be on a bigger scale eventually, but as long as I like it and the people who are tuned in now are still listening, and they appreciate the artist behind the art, I’m satisfied.
KG: I actually recently interviewed an artist who said something similar to that. She said that vitality is fleeting and that she’s aiming for timelessness in her music.
DS: Yeah, and I feel like I also just want to make music that ages well. If people don’t receive it now, [then] I want them to be able to like it eventually. I don’t want something that’s just catchy and for the moment. I want something that people will play on any given day 20 [or] 30 years from now and still enjoy it. That timelessness is important for me.
KG: So, what does your artistic process look like?
DS: It just really varies. I get a song, I get a beat [or] I hear a melody in my head. Then, I'll write the lyrics. Or I'll have a dream, and I'll write the song in my dream. I’ll wake up, put it in my voice notes, and then, I’ll record it. It really is just that, but I feel like there's a lot that goes into it these days as well.
So [now], I am taking a little bit longer with my process, because I want to have my content. Writing and recording is one thing, [but] content is such a big thing these days. You have to have it or your music will probably go nowhere. I would love to be Frank Ocean or Beyoncé [and] just put it out there, but you have to really push yourself in a lot of different spaces as an undiscovered artists.
KG: Does that add pressure onto you?
DS: Absolutely. I would say that’s a big reason on why I have not dropped a lot of music. I’ve been working with a manager from a big label and he emphasized your music is great, but you have to have something behind it.
At first, it took away the fun for me because I just really want to make music. I’m also a person that doesn’t like being in front of the camera, but I know that comes with it. So, I just really had to really break out of my shell. I feel like I’m out of my shell now, and that’s a big part of my creative process.
KG: Can you tell me anything about what we can expect from you?
DS: I went to homecoming [in October], and a lot of people were stopping me, like “where’s the music?” I feel like that was a really big push for me as well, so I’m working on getting everything mixed and mastered. I definitely want to try dropping at least by February. I don’t want to put out all the good stuff yet. I’m just going to ease everybody back into it, but I feel like next year is going to be a great year. I finally feel like I’m re-emerging.
KG: What advice would you give to a younger person who wants to pursue a career in the music industry?
DS: I would say that’s such a great question. It’s a complex question, because I'm still on the way there. From what I've learned so far is advice is great, but follow your gut and your heart.
Keep pushing forward and try not to slow down. Take breaks because it's healthy for you, but try not to slow down too much. Make sure that you put your all into it now, because it can be really rewarding later.
I would say keep doing what is true to you, because your fanbase and those people will gravitate towards you or [those] who are meant to hear your music and really want to support you will find you.
This conversation with DaQuashia Strahan has been edited and condensed for brevity and clarity.
December Releases: New, Interesting and Must-See
“The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On” (Season 3) - Netflix, Dec. 4
“A Very Merry Beauty Salon” - Lifetime, Dec. 7
“Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was…” - Netflix, Dec. 10
“Carry-On” - Netflix, Dec. 13
“The Six Triple Eight” - Netflix, Dec. 20 *TPW
“The Fire Inside” - Theaters, Dec. 25
"Squid Game” (Season 2) - Netflix, Dec. 26
*TPW: Tyler Perry Warning ~ Watch At Your Own Risk
On My Soap Box: The World Needs New Sitcoms — And Finally They May Be Here
I have always been a person that loved a good sitcom. For 30 minutes every week, these shows take viewers on a short journey filled with a conflict, a resolution and tons of laughs.
Unfortunately for me, I was born at the tail end of the 90s, just missing the major boom of Black sitcoms. It was a golden moment for Black television. There was “Moesha,” “The Jamie Foxx Show,” “Family Matters,” “The Parkers,” “A Different World” and countless other iconic series that surely went and continue to go triple platinum in Black households. One of the benefits of streaming platforms (and the seemingly never-ending reboot era) is that it allows many of these shows to resurface and almost revive. Whenever a new sitcom gets on a streamer, old fans rewatch their favorite moments, while a new, younger audience falls in love with the content decades after its initial release.
With all that’s going on in the world, sitcoms offer the perfect escape for the entire family to enjoy. It’s exactly what the doctor ordered, and thanks to visionary masterminds, like Quinta Brunson and the Waynes family, the return of quality Black sitcoms is upon us all.
Shows, like “Abbott Elementary” and “Poppa’s House,” are filling a void in television. These series are creative and new, with aspects that pay homage to the historic television shows of the past. Every week, these shows provide comfort, excitement and laughs. Sitcoms are like warm hugs and fresh sheets, and I’m so excited to witness this latest rebirth of Black content.
And The Award Goes To 🏆…
Top Movies of the Year: Ava DuVernay’s “Origin,” Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II,” Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked”
Early Submissions: Rachael Morrison’s “The Fire Inside” and Malcolm Washington’s “The Piano Lesson”
Top Shows of the Year: Quinta Brunson’s “Abbott Elementary,” Damon Wayne’s “Poppa’s House,” Amazon Prime’s “Cross,” Hulu’s “Only Murders In The Building,” Netflix’s “Nobody Wants This,” Netflix’s “Supacell,” Netflix’s “The Gentlemen,” and Amazon Prime’s “The Boys”
Top Books of the Year: “His & Hers” by Alice Feeney, “When I Think Of You” by Myah Ariel, “Ties That Tether” by Jane Igharo and “When He Was Wicked” by Julia Quinn
Top Albums of the Year: “Cowboy Carter” by Beyoncé, “Hit Me Hard And Soft” by Billie Eilish, “Glorious” by GloRilla, “Mutt” by Leon Thomas, and “eternal sunshine” by Ariana Grande
I thoroughly enjoyed this issue! I love that you’re in your unapologetically YOU stage. Also, the new sitcoms are like big hugs and fresh sheets. I love it! 🥰
I thoroughly enjoyed this issue! I love that you’re in your unapologetically YOU stage. Also, the new sitcoms are like big hugs and fresh sheets. I love it! 🥰