By Natasha T. Brown
Her voice is beautiful, creating moments through music, aiming to inspire her audience to love themselves, dream and find love in the process. But few people know her story. Just three years ago, Green Tea was still on a journey to find happiness, and become happy with her self, her outer appearance, her career and her personal life.
Below Green Tea talks about her journey to self-love and how she found herself—specifically, her journey with weight loss and the meaning behind some of her lyrics. Being an independent artist can be challenging and costly. One thing that the singer doesn’t mention is her fearless approach to live her dream and the company she created to help her do so, G.I.G. Baked Goods, which stands for God is just that Good. Green Tea is one of the very talented artists that I work with and I am excited to share her voice and journey with you for this week’s Sophisticated Sunday.
For the people who have yet to hear you or meet you in person, share - who is Green Tea and how long have you been making music?
Green Tea is a down-to-earth around the way girl who is learning from life and putting it in music. I've been recording professionally since 2003, but I have been making music all my life.
Below are two songs from your most recent project, Dosage: III: The Time to B.E. released last May, "Beautiful Dreamer" and "After the Laugher." Explain these songs and what you were aiming for.
Well, after the laughter compares the start of the beginning of the journey of pursuing a dream and being green in a sense and having people be unsupportive. Verse two is a self-realization of one’s purpose and the process. It's a song about maturity and taking a negative and turning it into fuel to reach your dreams.
How have you changed from three years ago to today, and explain your journey with health and fitness?
I've definitely changed from three years ago. From working for someone full time to working for myself and music ... From being a size 10-12 to a 0-2 ... From being single to married with kids.... (laughs) a lot of changes in three years. It all started with just chasing after being happy with a vengeance. And my journey to health loving started with just wanting to commit to something ... All a part of my journey to be and be happy.
You recently started a movement named after your album called, The Time to B.E(mpowered). Explain what you are doing with this?
I believe a part of my mission is to encourage and to encourage people to be their dream and love life being happy and enjoying what they do. A lot of people are miserable doing jobs and things that they don't like and people lose their Happiness and joy... I want people to get that back as the world is depending upon us to be.
You have many talents, but music remains your passion, as described in your mission. Explain your mission, and what you feel your music does for its audience.
Well my mission is to encourage people to grow love and heal. I like to take stories and encourage people and empower people to make the choices that are best for them. My joy is being a musical therapist (laughs out loud) and the relationship isn't one way.
You can download Green Tea’s latest album Dosage III: The Time to B.E. from iTunes. Also watch her latest video “Never Be The Blame” featuring Gods’Illa, below. Never Be the Blame encourages viewers to chase after their dreams now, so that they can be the blame for their own success.
Follow @GreenTeaSoul on Twitter and visit www.greenteasoul.com.
Natasha Brown is a writer and founding communications strategist of Think Brown INK, a creative think tank and communications agency, focused on social responsibility branding for artists, entertainers and entrepreneurs. Follow her on Twitter @NBrownINK or @TBINatasha or her company @ThinkBrownINK.