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BONES

by OK Naledi

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1.
GO SLOW 03:12
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It’s been a minute since I thought about the time that I was going kinda crazy with you running through my mind And the only thing that mattered was just counting down the hours until I get you in my vision once again We didn’t even need to think about the ways that the actions that we took were kind of blurry and a haze And I didn’t even know that the way that we would go would lead us down this road Go Slow Take it down real low Move softly Cuz we don’t have much time anyway Late at night when we were talking on the phone we’d be using all the words but somehow missing every tone And messaging is worse when you can read through every verse, pick apart the notes and start again It kind of crept up that the messed up way we started was a letter from the future saying - dearly departed I didn’t even know that the way that we would go would lead us down this road Go Slow Take it down real low Move softly Cuz we don’t have much time anyway Go Slow Take it down real low Move softly Cuz we don’t have much time anyway So go slow. Move softly. Go slow. Move softly. Go. Go. Go. Go
2.
YOU 03:15
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Yo wo way-yo, yo wo way-yo Yo wo way-yo, yo wo way-yo There's gonna be hard days ahead Convincing myself that it's better again You don't even know where I'm at Breaking my heart seems so simple at best You just do you You take good care of yourself You just do you I'll work on being compelled to myself Yo wo way-yo, yo wo way-yo Yo wo way-yo, yo wo way-yo It's harder when it comes from the place Where you took down all the walls and you put them away Thinking that I knew all the games I didn't even know there's a new way to play You just do you You take good care of yourself You just do you I'll work on being compelled to myself To myself Now it's coming down to the part Looking down the road I can't see it laid out Should I try to walk through the dark Hands stretched out and I'm blinking a lot You just do you You take good care of yourself You just do you I'll work on being compelled to my I never thought that I was gonna have to work this thing out once again Building up the strength to keep turning and burning the flame Out on my own in this world Because of all the things I've observed To myself Yo wo way-yo, yo wo way-yo Yo wo way-yo, yo wo way-yo To myself Yo wo way-yo, yo wo way-yo Yo wo way-yo, yo wo way-yo To myself To myself
3.
DON'T feat FrankyG 03:07
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Yelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelele Yelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelele Yelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelele Yelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelele Everyone says we’re a perfect fit No one ever seems to ever question it I’m so done with thinning out like this Why don’t we just go ahead and call it quits Don’t try to change me I like who I’ve grown up to be Don’t try to change me I’m cool with the way I can be Don’t try to change me I like who I’ve turned out to be Don’t try to change me I don’t know what you’ve been going through Things just seem so heavy up with you You said you’ve been talking through some shit Who’s the one that you’re communicating with Don’t try to change me I like who I’ve grown up to be Don’t try to change me I’m cool with the way I can be Don’t try to change me I like who I’ve turned out to be Don’t try to change me Seems so easy to talk it all out like this Make plans and all of the lists so that we don’t miss One step one move got my foot out the door Like that in a snap I am feeling much more I beg No change me , leave my matter I like the way I be, this one better You want me to fulfill your dreams But I’m just building your self esteem Don’t you don’t you try to, don’t you try to change me Please just let me be myself, If you want change start with yourself Don’t try to change me I like who I’ve grown up to be (If you want change start with yourself) Don’t try to change me I’m cool with the way I can be (Don’t you try to change me) Don’t try to change me I like who I’ve turned out to be Don’t try to change me Don’t try to change me (If you want change start with yourself) I like who I’ve turned out to be (Don’t you try to change me) Don’t try to change me (try me, change me) I like who I’ve grown up to be Yelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelele
4.
do you feel 03:14
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Do you feel the way I wanna feel Do you think we're gonna be for real It broke down Into a million pieces It came off And fell to the floor I gave up On trying to fix it Fix it all you want It's still just broken It's still broken Yeah Do you feel the way I wanna Do you feel the way I wanna She just sits Waiting for it She's at home But still feeling no where She forgot To keep on going Going no where Seems so much more important Right now Do you feel the way I wanna feel Do you think we're gonna be for real Do you feel the way I wanna I don't mean to be so rude But pick up the goddamn pieces Just this once Because I'm done I'm done I'm done I'm done I'm done I'm done I'm done I'm done I'm done Do you feel the way I wanna Hey yeah
5.
KEEP GOING 03:26
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Could we get a little leg up Could we get a little start it from the top Are they giving out the answers Or maybe we just missed a crucial part Is it going to be an open book Can I call a friend to help me out Is it going to be an A B C Or leave me with a head that's full of doubt And they're never going to break us down No they're never going to break us down, no And they're never going to take us out No they're never going to take us out, hey I don't really wanna wake up I don't have a lot of space for this right now Even though I'm feeling broken down There isn't any room to scream and shout I don't want another broken fist I'm tired of talking at the wall Are you going to be a helping hand Or are you gonna make me take another fall And they're never going to break us down No they're never going to break us down, no And they're never going to take us out No they're never going to take us out, hey Hey, no, no I don't even know I don't even care I don't even thinking about the things that you're gonna say I've been on my own I've been all alone All I know for sure Is the only thing to do is Keep going on and on Keep going on I don't even know I don't even care I don't even thinking about the things that you're gonna say I've been on my own I've been all alone All I know for sure Is the only thing to do is Keep going on and on Keep going on I don't even know I don't even care I don't even thinking about the things that you're gonna say I've been on my own I've been all alone All I know for sure Is the only thing to do is Keep going on and on Keep going on I don't even know I don't even care I don't even thinking about the things that you're gonna say I've been on my own I've been all alone All I know for sure Is the only thing to do is Keep going on and on Keep going on
6.
INtrlD 03:28
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I'm at an old school party And I'm looking for a friend She doesn't know my story I'm too scared to say a thing We dance too close But never say a word I hear her voice But can't make out all the words I can't make out all the words It's getting kinda late I love this song it can wait Are they turning up the lights now I just watched it all get shut down I'll have to wait until the next round Oooh It's Friday night again And I'm drinking with my friends Laughing at their jokes Keeping my eye on the door It's just a mess Working through all the suspense Another week I guess This is getting too intense This is getting too intense Two years on and I'm looking so dumb I've been holding on to things for way too long Passing through the week that turns into a month Getting tongue tied again Going on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on I'll have to wait until the next round On and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on [rep.] I'll have to wait until the next round
7.
BONES 03:40
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Out in the desert's where I lay my heart And I know that I'm holding on to something that's part of my soul Simple directions never felt so easy When left and right keep meeting in the middle of the road You keep coming late at night Slipping the oil into my mind [again, and again] I don't have a strong defence When it comes to the feeling well it never ends [again, and again] Sticks and stones may break my bones But ladders and snakes are running into my home right now I don't know where you've been going Running around telling lies that are coming from your mouth Nobody likes a little sweet toothed Sammy Coming around with their offers a plenty it's so cold Everyone knows that it comes at a price That sweet soft gummys got a real sharp bite don't you know You keep coming late at night Slipping the oil into my mind [again, and again] I don't have a strong defence When it comes to the feeling well it never ends [again, and again] Sticks and stones may break my bones But ladders and snakes are running into my home right now I don't know where you've been going Running around telling lies that are coming from your mouth I don't mean to be facetious Just something about the patterns in my life It's kind of funny when you finally see it Makes me laugh until I cry Out in the desert's where I lay my heart And I know that I'm holding on to something that's part of my soul Sticks and stones may break my bones But ladders and snakes are running into my home right now I don't know where you've been going Running around telling lies that are coming from your mouth Sticks and stones may break my bones But ladders and snakes are running into my home right now I don't know where you've been going Running around telling lies that are coming from your mouth
8.
The Train 03:56
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She grew up tall in a small town backyard Never thought there was so much happening around With open eyes she let the world seep in Just like that the trickle turned into a douse Then all around and in between The walls are caving in and I'm starting to sink A simple life just seems too thin When the bullets and the gas start rolling in Sometimes I dream when it's all so quiet A sleepy mind made for a quick bedtime Restless nights are leaving me too tired A wall of thoughts are materializing Raise a glass or raise a fist We're sick and tired of it is what it is, right now You're louder now than you've ever been But next week's coming are you gonna fit in to the crowd Then all around and in between The walls are caving in and I'm starting to sink A simple life just seems too thin When the bullets and the gas start rolling in Sometimes I dream when it's all so quiet A sleepy mind made for a quick bedtime Restless nights are leaving me too tired A wall of thoughts are materializing Materializing The train is coming and it's coming in hot, woo woo [x4] The train is coming and it's coming in hot It ain't gonna slow and it ain't gonna stop Tie your laces up on your marks, set, go It's time to run so you better know Then all around and in between The walls are caving in and I'm starting to sink A simple life just seems too thin When the bullets and the gas start rolling in Sometimes I dream when it's all so quiet A sleepy mind made for a quick bedtime Restless nights are leaving me too tired A wall of thoughts are materializing Woo woo
9.
Confessions 03:38
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I must confess to you Like a young man should I knew the day we met That my heart would be good Enough to win your heart He never stood a chance So I wrapped up all my love Waited for you to come back When you come back to me back to me oh I must confess to you About a little child She came along one day And made us so proud We never planned on it But our love was true So I made a pact that day To make our one love two When you come back to me back to me oh And another confession is coming out of me Just like the last one Another girl makes three We both agreed to make our family grow Like that our house Went from 3 to four When you come back to me back to me oh So I’ll hold you close Kiss your cheeks at night Keep you warm Squeeze you oh so tight Lock the cold outside the door Hold you up and be the man you like The man you like When you come back to me back to me oh I don't know when I'll see you once again But I know I gotta get down on my knees until then I'm not sure if there's a party after this But I'm shinning up my shoes if there's a chance for just one kiss And I'm sure that I'll work real hard To bring in all that bacon and that real big yard I don't know when I'll see you once again But I know I gotta get down on my knees until then
10.
Wondering 04:01
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I’ve been wondering How many times We can go Around and around and around Can you come closer babe I think I have something I wanna share with you Because you Fit right With me And we Could do anything I’ve been thinking Long and hard About the countless ways to get you to come with me And now, I don’t know Why you’d want to pass this up I know that I would measure up Because you Fit right With me And we Could do anything Now you’ve gone away I don’t know what is left to say You’ve been weighing on my mind I hope it’s not too long Just a moment that you’re gone By the time that you return I’ll still be waiting Because you Fit right With me And we Could do anything I’ve been wondering How many times We can go 'round and around and around

about

This is a little long winded, so if you want the cliffs notes feel free to scroll down to the one liner at the bottom. I'm a talker - just check my report cards for the receipts on that!

I've been creating music for almost 10 years now but OK Naledi is a new career path for me. I started working on this project and releasing music as OK Naledi in February 2022. I am a Queer, Black, Motswana Canadian, full time musician and it would be an understatement to say that the pandemic didn't wholeheartedly impact the trajectory of my career. When I moved to Canada, I went by my English name and started making music that I heard most frequently - acoustic folk. Constantly being compared to Tracy Chapman or Joan Armatrading felt like a win but also confusing (I don't feel like I sound like them). As the pandemic really started to rear it's ugly head I started to really reflect on who I was as an artist and the music that I was making and I realized that a huge part of my identity was missing from my music - my Motswana heritage. After a few racially fuelled, gross experiences during the pandemic I realized I needed to either quit music altogether (and let the hateful ones win) or dig deep and express my whole self in my music (take the power out of awful words). So I started creating music that sounded like what I grew up listening to - Afro House, Kwaito, Kwasa Kwasa. This is how OK Naledi came about.

It felt like a faucet had been opened - I couldn't stop writing songs. I wrote about growing up in the desert of Botswana (BONES), falling in love with a woman at a time when homosexuality was illegal in Botswana (Interlude), the necessary uprising of the Black Lives Matter movement after the murder of George Floyd (The Train), my parents meeting and falling in love in Botswana during apartheid (Confessions). I wanted to share my experiences and do so in a way that elevated my multidimensional communities. And more so, I wanted to bring a Queer, gender diverse presence to the Afro House genre - something that is still lacking in this genre.

BONES is the first chapter of a Queer, Black, Afro House music creators story telling journey that I believe a lot of people can relate to and have shared experiences with.

credits

released March 3, 2023

Written, Composed, Produced by Naledi Sunstrum

Mixed and Mastered at All Buttons In Recording Studio

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OK Naledi

OK Naledi is an Afro House music project created by Queer, Motswana Canadian musician Kimberly Naledi Sunstrum.
Traditional sub-Saharan clean guitar lines, classic deep bass, movement-inspiring beats and that iconic, driving Afro House tempo - these are the pieces that define OK Naledi. ... more

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