Out Friday, May 22nd, the fourth and final music video from Jah9’s Note To Self album, “Could It Be”, anchors the narrative that ties the body of work together.
The release of the single is marked with the Jah9 – Note To Self Unplugged performance at Wanene TV, an online television platform based in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, this Saturday, May 23rd, which is also her Birthday/Earth Strong. The hour long broadcast will air at 12pm EST/ 5pm GMT/ 8pm local time Tanzania on Wanene TV, Jah9 and VPRecords YouTube page as well as streamed on Jah9’s Instagram page.
Wanene TV merges multiple social media platforms together and creates a space where fans and viewers can feel connected to the creation of the content they are viewing by asking questions to artists/celebrities and enjoying a personalized show from the comfort of their own houses or mobile devices.
In “Could It Be”, Jah9 skillfully paints different images of herself, daring to ask as she does “Could It Be”, as if trying to find the core or essence of these different aspects. It wrestles, in many ways, with the overarching theme of self study by questioning the very fabric of what we come to understand as identity.
Shot and directed in Jamaica, by Samo Kush I and Fernando Hevia, the video ties into the visual aesthetic of Note To Self as it follows her in various communal settings, contrasted by solitary moments where she is seen trying to consolidate her external experiences. The song is a soulful contemplation on the self, and the music video does well to mirror the contemplation with unique angles, intimate shots and smooth transitions. The visuals can be used in this time to meditate on identity, to study ourselves, and to prepare for the changes in paradigm that are taking place before our very eyes.
“I delve into the nature of self; the way we are perceived by others, in contrast to how we perceive ourselves,” Jah9 states. “With ‘Could It Be’, I was able to raise the age old debate; what is the true essence of the self? How much of who we are is a result of the environment/social atmosphere, and how much of it is who we truly are on a deeper level? These are just a few of the layers woven into this song,” she concludes.