In a concert organized by Colgate University’s Native American Indigenous Student Alliance (NAISA), Afro-Indigenous artist Journi performed original songs about love, self-reflection and dating at the ALANA Cultural Center on Wednesday, April 1. Journi Maricia Gallwey is a Lumbee Afro-Indigenous artist born and raised in New York and a member of the Lumbee Tribe. Her songs center around self-expression and love.
Journi’s hour-long concert featured a 10-song setlist of covers and original songs, including “How to Love,” a personal meditation on her past relationships and the epiphany she had to take a step back from dating to focus on self-reflection. In between each track, Journi shared her thought process and the headspace she was in while writing and composing each original piece.
“Maybe I shouldn’t date for a little while, learn how to love and give healthy love,” Journi said.
On the other hand, “Mr. Mystery” is a lighthearted song about unserious relationships and dating that she describes as “a little cheeky.” It’s a fun song that doesn’t take itself too seriously and offers a different perspective on relationships than “How to Love.”
Besides her original songs, Journi showed off her incredible vocal range and energy through covers like “Japanese Denim” by Daniel Caesar, which stood out for its complete vocal presence. The song’s soulful falsetto, especially in its chorus, lent itself perfectly to Journi’s higher voice.
The concert was the realization of weeks’ worth of hard work on the part of NAISA’s student directors, who organized the concert. When selecting which musician to invite to Colgate, they prioritized finding an Indigenous artist who spoke with a modern melody.
Junior Jai Adams, a member of NAISA, spoke about the process of selecting which musician to invite to Colgate University.
“In the preamble of the event, we were talking a lot about thinking of contemporary artistry, especially Indigenous contemporary artistry,” Adams said.
At the end of the night’s performance, Journi gave background on her musical journey and plans for the future. Her final song of the night was a stripped-down acoustic version of “My Reflection,” her newest track set to release April 10. The song marks a departure from her R&B sound into a more rock-pop style.
“I went into the R&B lane originally, and then realized that the full part of me wasn’t being expressed with just that one box that I had put myself in,” Journi said.
While Wednesday’s concert was some attendees’ first experience listening to Journi’s music, it was also some people’s first introduction to R&B music more broadly. One such individual was first-year Nilton Coelho, who enjoyed being exposed to music he doesn’t typically listen to.
“This is my first time listening to R&B, and I liked it — it was good,” Coelho said. “I usually listen to rock and rap [but] I find her new songs interesting. It’s more unique than the others, with a little bit more passion.”
Sophomore Thomas Prisco, whose favorite song of the night was Journi’s cover of “Stay” by Rihanna, shared his thoughts on Journi’s music.
“I had a great time, and she is an amazing singer,” Prisco said. “It is really impressive, and I can’t believe they were able to put on an event like this. It was amazing.”
