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Abstract
The purpose of this reflection is to outline my incorporation of sound healing elements into the R&B genre. My overall goal is to reinforce my identity as an artist who creates healing music, developing a foundation on creating sound healing influenced music within future collaborations, and aiding in the healing of my global community through music. To achieve this, I conducted a survey of an audience sample to understand healing from their perspective, interviewed a sound healer from my hometown, hosted a panel of musicians from around the world, and studied the history and science of Ayurvedic sound healing through singing bowls. What I found was that the experience of healing through music is entirely subjective and based on one’s personal experiences. Additionally, I found that to be a healing artist I must heal myself, and the healing that shows through my music can serve as healing for others. Congruent to this, I applied various engineering and mixing techniques to assist in incorporating sound healing into the R&B genre, ultimately producing an EP that outlines the western chakra system. These elements include singing bowl tuned to D, sample sounds (thunder, rain, ocean, etc.) to create space for healing, ethereal background vocals to create atmosphere within the mix, mantra-like lyrics to promote intention within each chakra, and varying musical and vocal techniques to portray specific emotions. In pairing this project with a redeveloped artist identity, I analyze my brand, brand kit, and audience to appropriately sync the music with my overall artist presentation and identity. The reflection concludes with a professional development plan, outlining my release, means of employment within the music industry, and future plans of developing a curriculum in healing music aimed to encourage the next generation of artists to heal the world through music.
Publication Date
7-1-2024
Campus
Valencia (Spain) Campus
Recommended Citation
Brown, Jaylin. “Soul Sounds: Fusing Sound Healing and R&B.” Master's thesis, Berklee College of Music, 2024. https://remix.berklee.edu/graduate-studies-contemporary-performance/312.