Canadian R&B legend, Jully Black, talks new music and new love at Anndore House in Toronto for Behind the Mic with Jully Black.
We were recently invited to House Sessions, a supper soirée hosted by Anndore House where a prolific guest has an intimate conversation with dinner guests over a FIVE course meal. The incomparable Jully Black gave candid insight into her love, life and legacy over a delicious meal. Before dinner, I sat down and asked her a few questions as a precursor to what I know would be a heartfelt, intimate and hilarious dinner.
Jully tells us that she’s able to manage her hectic work-life balance with a strict routine.
“It starts with spirituality, a practice called Wake and Worship. It started in 2018, as a part of 100 Strong and Sexy, on Zoom.” Jully adds that Wake and Worship, running from 6am to 7am, is for those who choose to subscribe, and while there is some Scripture, it is mainly about relationship, being grounded and sharing mantras.
“I’m up to five memorized [mantras] now and I say them all. This round, we have a new one that starts off, ‘I’m here by design. I know own my light. I own my brilliance. I woke up enough. I am courageous. I am perfect in my imperfection’.”
After grounding herself, Jully starts getting active on the Peloton or stepping, before finally checking emails. She does all of this before 10am and also finds time to connect via text or verbally with her new finacé.
“Words of affirmation are a big part of my love language, and before, I thought it was being needy. But I crave conversation and connection which comes through words of affirmation.”
Beyond connecting with her 100 Strong and Sexy community, as well has her partner, general connection is pivotal to the ethos of Jully Black.
“Connection is so important. Realizing that we have but a certain amount of time on this planet, and asking how do you want to leave it? Being an artist can be perceived as very narcissistic and very self serving. A lot of people cater to you, pamper you, or ask ‘are you okay?’. For me, I now have this privilege. I have this bank full of joy and opportunity.How do I share that? How could I leverage that? How could I be a bridge for others? Being 46 years old, what I can appreciate is that I’ve taken 46 trips around the sun. There are things that come back around again. It’s a carousel. You’re gonna get on it, you’re gonna see that thing again, but are you noticing? And what are you taking the time to notice? Connection is very important for me. It feeds my soul and it feeds others.”
Jully was kind enough to share that she had greenlit that day going into mixing and mastering a new album which has been impacted by her much deserved love.
“It is love and it’s reggae. It’s a lover’s rock energy.” Jully adds that her Jamaican roots are a huge part of her new EP. “I’m about to become a Jamaican citizen. I’m born in Canada but My parents are Jamaican and it’s my birthright. I want all the privilege to be able to build business, build homes. Figuring out what I want to do with my future and being Jamaican is a big part of that.Also, knowing like the lineage, the history of the Maroon tribe which my dad told me we are from. What did I look like? Why am I the way I am? That’s that’s a big part that’s going to be in the music as well.”
For those at Anndore house, Jully shared she would be not just ‘Behind the Mic’ but stepping in front as well.
“It’s truth telling—total, complete honesty. It’s timely that I’m in a space of asking, ‘how are we qualifying trust?’ There’s going to be content creators here and people who are in the space of storytelling and sharing their life. How much do you want to share and who gets that access and knowing that it’s a privilege. I have a quarter of a million people on my social media, Instagram, for example. But how many of them deserve to see my fiancé’s face? This is the type of thing where we have to still take agency and know that we have that power.”
Jully shared that she is unabashedly Truly Jully, and often Unruly, which is exactly what the audience at Anndore House heard as she spoke of her life’s triumphs, failures, loss, and love.
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