WEBVTT - EP 38 - Diamond Langi 0:00:00.440 --> 0:00:02.320 The Flavor podcast. 0:00:01.840 --> 0:00:05.119 Network Island Roots Auckland Ways. 0:00:05.559 --> 0:00:08.160 This one's for the Brown brothers and sisters who want 0:00:08.160 --> 0:00:12.800 to be one with themselves, their culture, their identity, their roots. 0:00:13.240 --> 0:00:15.480 This is Island Roots Auckland Ways. 0:00:19.480 --> 0:00:21.920 Hey everyone, and welcome back to Island Roots Auckland Ways. 0:00:21.960 --> 0:00:22.800 What's up a lisser? 0:00:23.720 --> 0:00:25.439 Literally not that much? 0:00:25.520 --> 0:00:28.159 What's up with you? Mass? Yeah, same saying. But you 0:00:28.200 --> 0:00:29.840 know who's busy? Diamond Lungey. 0:00:29.960 --> 0:00:31.840 Diamond Luney is so busy girl. 0:00:32.240 --> 0:00:34.599 She is that girl the way that she is that 0:00:34.680 --> 0:00:37.480 level of busy, but comes into the studio looking as 0:00:37.479 --> 0:00:38.560 flawless as she did. 0:00:38.800 --> 0:00:41.400 No, she looked amazing. Can't wait for you guys see 0:00:41.440 --> 0:00:43.720 the social clips because she looks timming. 0:00:43.960 --> 0:00:46.960 Yeah, laid face, beat dress, body giving. 0:00:46.760 --> 0:00:48.600 Oh body is tea girl. 0:00:48.840 --> 0:00:51.240 And she has her debut single, keep You Here Out Now. 0:00:51.280 --> 0:00:54.200 It's such a meaningful track. It talks about the relationship 0:00:54.400 --> 0:00:58.000 with her and her late father, who she actually learns 0:00:58.080 --> 0:01:00.200 a lot of what she knows about music from. 0:01:00.520 --> 0:01:02.520 Yeah, such a special chat. It was awesome to see 0:01:02.560 --> 0:01:05.399 her talk about her dad and talk about her creativity 0:01:05.440 --> 0:01:07.520 as well. So we won't hold you back any longer. 0:01:07.600 --> 0:01:11.959 Here's our chet with Diamond Lungny. Welcome back to another 0:01:12.000 --> 0:01:15.319 episode of Island Roots Awkland Ways Today it also hapens 0:01:15.360 --> 0:01:17.080 your Tongue and Language Week. This won't be released during 0:01:17.120 --> 0:01:19.920 Tongue and Language Week, but feels apt that this queen 0:01:20.080 --> 0:01:21.920 is here today. Let's hear it for the one, the only, 0:01:21.959 --> 0:01:23.039 the multi hyphen it. 0:01:23.240 --> 0:01:28.840 Diamond Lungy Dylond Welcome to Island Roots Talkland Way Guys. 0:01:28.880 --> 0:01:30.200 I'm so happy to be here. 0:01:30.319 --> 0:01:32.920 Yeah, oh girl, as of time of recording, you were 0:01:33.040 --> 0:01:36.800 just here. It sounds like you never left. Did you 0:01:36.800 --> 0:01:37.640 sleep downstairs? 0:01:37.680 --> 0:01:39.160 It just around the corner. 0:01:42.080 --> 0:01:45.440 Diamond, thank you so much for coming in back into 0:01:45.480 --> 0:01:48.680 the studio. As always, we like to share what we 0:01:48.720 --> 0:01:50.920 love about home. So whatever home is to you, whether 0:01:51.000 --> 0:01:54.680 you live, where you live or where you were raised, 0:01:54.760 --> 0:01:56.600 where you were born, or where you go off to 0:01:56.600 --> 0:01:59.360 to feel like home, what is it and what do 0:01:59.400 --> 0:02:01.600 you love about it? We'll start off first. What I 0:02:01.600 --> 0:02:07.480 love about home this week is the food. Girl. I 0:02:07.480 --> 0:02:10.640 I just like eating, so that pantry at home is 0:02:10.760 --> 0:02:13.760 always stocked with my snacks and trust I will be there. 0:02:14.240 --> 0:02:15.760 I still believe I will be there. 0:02:15.960 --> 0:02:16.240 Love that. 0:02:16.560 --> 0:02:18.880 Yeah, we love the kitchen at mine. We love the 0:02:18.960 --> 0:02:22.760 kitchen at yours. Actually, actually, anywhere I go, I be eating. 0:02:22.919 --> 0:02:23.560 Yeah. Period. 0:02:24.080 --> 0:02:25.560 I was at Alissa's house. We were eating. 0:02:25.880 --> 0:02:29.280 We were actually, yes, we were period. 0:02:29.480 --> 0:02:30.480 And I don't do the cooking. 0:02:31.760 --> 0:02:32.280 Yeah you did it. 0:02:32.320 --> 0:02:35.440 We made our mom cook. From my mom sorry to like, 0:02:35.520 --> 0:02:36.360 she's your mountain. 0:02:36.480 --> 0:02:36.720 Yeah. 0:02:37.000 --> 0:02:41.480 She basically is what I love about home this week. 0:02:43.560 --> 0:02:45.640 I don't know how to explain it, but I'm so 0:02:46.040 --> 0:02:48.560 I come from a lineage of like such cool people, 0:02:48.840 --> 0:02:51.880 Like my mum is so epic. So I feel like 0:02:51.880 --> 0:02:53.799 what I love about home this week is my mom, 0:02:53.840 --> 0:02:56.079 but then also all the people who've come before her, 0:02:56.360 --> 0:02:58.000 all the people who have come before my dad. Just 0:02:58.000 --> 0:03:00.079 thinking this week, I've been reflecting a lot on my 0:03:00.120 --> 0:03:04.200 ancestors and how epoch the people are in my family, 0:03:04.919 --> 0:03:08.280 and so what I love about home is family connections. Yeah, 0:03:08.360 --> 0:03:09.919 it was really. I got to hang out with my 0:03:10.000 --> 0:03:12.920 mom and my godmother the other day. We had like 0:03:12.919 --> 0:03:15.280 a little girl's night out together, and I was just 0:03:15.280 --> 0:03:17.720 looking at them both and just thinking, I hope, I'm 0:03:17.760 --> 0:03:20.120 like that's cool when I'm old. I hope that I'm 0:03:20.120 --> 0:03:21.760 still hanging out with my friends. I hope that we're 0:03:21.760 --> 0:03:24.200 still talking about those times like twenty years ago, we 0:03:24.200 --> 0:03:26.760 were back out in South Aukland and la la lah. 0:03:26.800 --> 0:03:28.400 But yeah, I think that's what I love about home 0:03:28.440 --> 0:03:29.480 this week. What about you, girl? 0:03:29.520 --> 0:03:33.280 That's beautiful. What I love about home is the opportunity 0:03:33.480 --> 0:03:36.600 to just come back into your safe space and rest. 0:03:37.480 --> 0:03:39.520 I'm a sleepy girl, like I love sleeping. 0:03:41.440 --> 0:03:42.520 We love to sleep. 0:03:45.560 --> 0:03:48.000 Oh you know, like on my days off, Like it's 0:03:48.000 --> 0:03:51.520 so funny, I go into this little shell, like I 0:03:51.560 --> 0:03:54.960 call myself a little snail, and I just like take 0:03:55.040 --> 0:03:58.560 that time and opportunity to rest up, take care of 0:03:58.600 --> 0:04:01.080 my well being. And so when I come out of 0:04:01.120 --> 0:04:03.000 that show, I'm like, hello, birl. 0:04:05.640 --> 0:04:08.160 Is so important. I love sleeping. I love a good nap. 0:04:08.960 --> 0:04:09.880 Yeah, who doesn't. 0:04:10.320 --> 0:04:13.040 Speaking of naps, how long are your guys nips? Because 0:04:13.040 --> 0:04:16.360 I feel like, oh I'm on the elder when. 0:04:16.240 --> 0:04:19.520 It comes to naps I have. I feel like I 0:04:19.560 --> 0:04:21.880 can't nap for longer than an hour? 0:04:22.120 --> 0:04:24.599 No you can't, Yeah, I can't. 0:04:24.720 --> 0:04:26.920 I also find it very hard to nap, like I'll 0:04:27.320 --> 0:04:31.719 rot and beard. But I'm billy sleeping. Oh yeah, but 0:04:32.000 --> 0:04:33.960 the most recent nap I had was about an hour. 0:04:34.320 --> 0:04:36.599 How about you, Diamond, how long are your naps. 0:04:37.560 --> 0:04:40.520 I just like, I feel like I remember taking a 0:04:40.600 --> 0:04:46.000 nap and it was like six hours sleep. When I 0:04:46.040 --> 0:04:49.680 say I'm I'm a sleepy girl, Like, sometimes my family 0:04:49.680 --> 0:04:53.160 get worried. I still. 0:04:54.680 --> 0:04:56.760 That's kind of a dream though. I would love to 0:04:56.800 --> 0:04:59.120 be under net for that long. Can you just like 0:04:59.160 --> 0:05:00.000 close your eyes and sleep? 0:05:00.160 --> 0:05:04.040 I can literally sleep anywhere, like as long as I'm warm. 0:05:04.160 --> 0:05:05.719 I'm just like, I just make myself. 0:05:07.600 --> 0:05:08.120 Wow. 0:05:08.480 --> 0:05:10.600 I was going to say, like a cute three hours. 0:05:11.480 --> 0:05:13.960 Oh okay, three hours is too long for you though, 0:05:14.000 --> 0:05:16.040 way yeah, see, yeah, that's right. 0:05:16.760 --> 0:05:18.640 And I was going to say, now, I'm gonna say 0:05:18.640 --> 0:05:20.800 it anyway, you don't really like talking to people and 0:05:20.800 --> 0:05:22.440 they're like, yeah, I'm just going to go for a nap, 0:05:22.520 --> 0:05:25.400 And then you're like, are you like ghosting me right now? 0:05:28.920 --> 0:05:29.240 Do you know? 0:05:30.640 --> 0:05:33.320 Yeah? Yeah, are you using the as an excuse yeah 0:05:33.600 --> 0:05:34.240 to talk to me? 0:05:35.360 --> 0:05:40.240 But then usually they actually are nepping. Yeah, anyway, what's 0:05:40.279 --> 0:05:40.640 going on? 0:05:40.680 --> 0:05:42.520 How long are your naps? 0:05:42.560 --> 0:05:46.000 Like three hours max? Three to four hours? And also 0:05:46.160 --> 0:05:48.760 I can nap anytime of the day. I love napping 0:05:48.880 --> 0:05:51.240 near nighttime, which is so bad because that's like a 0:05:51.320 --> 0:05:55.159 sleep page. Yeah, but I just can't have like a 0:05:55.279 --> 0:05:58.640 midday nap like it has to be after lunch. After 0:05:58.720 --> 0:06:02.920 lunch is to be a kid. After you have a 0:06:02.960 --> 0:06:06.560 full belly, get yourself into bed, you're feeling warm, and 0:06:06.600 --> 0:06:08.080 then you got to sleep for a cute three or 0:06:08.080 --> 0:06:10.120 four hours. Mind, you had did that yesterday and it 0:06:10.160 --> 0:06:13.039 was very hard for me to actually sleep at night. 0:06:13.160 --> 0:06:17.120 But I did that to myself. That sucks hours. You go, girls, 0:06:17.240 --> 0:06:22.960 we've got sleeping beauty in Oh well, that is what 0:06:23.000 --> 0:06:23.559 we love about. 0:06:25.760 --> 0:06:28.320 Okay, girl, let's talk about living in Auckland. So your 0:06:28.520 --> 0:06:31.360 tongue in born in New Zealand but raised in the US. 0:06:31.920 --> 0:06:32.720 How do they compare? 0:06:32.800 --> 0:06:33.160 Hmmm? 0:06:35.320 --> 0:06:39.520 I would say it's hard to compare the two, yeah, 0:06:39.560 --> 0:06:43.520 because you know they're both different in their beautiful ways. 0:06:44.400 --> 0:06:47.680 But what I loved about coming back to New Zealand 0:06:47.920 --> 0:06:51.280 was you can just go to South Side and then 0:06:51.320 --> 0:06:54.200 you feel connected. You see all our people around. You 0:06:54.240 --> 0:06:56.760 know where I was living at Salt Laic City, Utah. 0:06:56.839 --> 0:07:00.080 You still see our people, but it's with special events 0:07:00.120 --> 0:07:02.240 like if there's like a Pacific a festival or a 0:07:02.240 --> 0:07:05.880 reggae concert, that's when you see everyone come together. So 0:07:06.520 --> 0:07:09.159 coming to New Zealand and just we can just take 0:07:09.160 --> 0:07:11.640 a drive and be connected. I love that, like and 0:07:11.680 --> 0:07:13.600 I got so excited. I got tiri when I went 0:07:13.800 --> 0:07:15.400 when I first came back and I went out South, 0:07:15.440 --> 0:07:18.680 I was like, I love this. It came like a 0:07:18.720 --> 0:07:22.160 long time ago. So yeah, it's so beautiful. And of course, 0:07:22.360 --> 0:07:26.640 like the food is different, you know, like the people 0:07:26.760 --> 0:07:29.160 is different as well too, in terms of like the 0:07:29.400 --> 0:07:33.520 African American community, the Hispanics, it's you know, coming here, 0:07:33.560 --> 0:07:36.240 you'll see a few, but it's not as much as 0:07:36.480 --> 0:07:40.440 in America. Yeah, and of course comparing like the Pacific 0:07:40.480 --> 0:07:44.320 Islanders in America, we have so many, you know, and 0:07:44.360 --> 0:07:47.120 where there it's it's like quite rare to find like 0:07:47.520 --> 0:07:51.119 certain different groups. So yeah, they have their own different 0:07:51.200 --> 0:07:53.240 beauties and their own unique ways. Yeah. 0:07:53.440 --> 0:07:55.640 What prompt did that move back to New Zealand Because 0:07:55.680 --> 0:07:57.480 you see it off Mike, you moved back when you 0:07:57.480 --> 0:07:58.280 were like s even team. 0:07:58.520 --> 0:08:03.240 Yes, Yeah, so back because my grandfather got sick and 0:08:03.400 --> 0:08:05.560 my mom wanted to be close to her dad and 0:08:05.720 --> 0:08:09.000 was like, yeah, why not. I mean they said why not? 0:08:09.320 --> 0:08:11.920 But you know at that time, like I. 0:08:11.920 --> 0:08:14.960 Know, because you would have been a teenager, then you're 0:08:15.040 --> 0:08:17.480 leaving your life behind. Did that freak? You out. 0:08:18.000 --> 0:08:22.720 Yeah, I was so sad because, like, your senior year 0:08:22.920 --> 0:08:24.400 in high school is. 0:08:24.480 --> 0:08:26.120 Huge usually America. 0:08:26.320 --> 0:08:29.840 Yeah, my reference to that is like high school, which 0:08:29.920 --> 0:08:35.080 is like huge, such a beautiful movie, but it's like 0:08:35.200 --> 0:08:37.120 such a big event, like it's not important. 0:08:37.679 --> 0:08:41.120 Absolutely, like you know, we're planning like the graduations, like 0:08:41.280 --> 0:08:43.920 dances and everything. And then when my mom broke the 0:08:43.960 --> 0:08:47.720 news to me, I was sad, But then, you know, 0:08:47.760 --> 0:08:49.800 I wanted to be there from my mom, you know, 0:08:50.120 --> 0:08:53.040 like having a father that's sick or in any like 0:08:53.160 --> 0:08:55.440 parent that's sick, that would have been really hard for her. 0:08:56.040 --> 0:08:59.400 So coming back the transition and moving like I started 0:08:59.440 --> 0:09:02.079 high school was so difficult. 0:09:02.160 --> 0:09:02.319 Man. 0:09:02.520 --> 0:09:07.280 Yeah, but then I'm so thankful we did make that move. Yeah, 0:09:07.320 --> 0:09:08.440 a blessing in disguise. 0:09:08.800 --> 0:09:12.080 Tell us about those early stages in New Zealand. Was 0:09:12.120 --> 0:09:15.120 it an adjustment to the culture and the society here 0:09:15.240 --> 0:09:18.000 as opposed to you know, living most of your life 0:09:18.080 --> 0:09:19.080 in Salt Lake City. 0:09:19.559 --> 0:09:23.800 Absolutely, Like enrolling back into high school here, like I 0:09:23.840 --> 0:09:26.880 was not used to wearing a uniform, you know, we 0:09:26.920 --> 0:09:29.160 couldn't wear certain things I was not used to, like 0:09:29.200 --> 0:09:31.400 not wearing nail polish and ear rings, and we just 0:09:31.480 --> 0:09:34.160 had to wear what we were told to wear and 0:09:34.200 --> 0:09:37.400 follow the lines. So I went from like being a 0:09:37.440 --> 0:09:40.000 good girl in high school in America to coming back 0:09:40.000 --> 0:09:42.440 and like into New Zealand. I was like always in 0:09:42.480 --> 0:09:49.439 the detention I was wearing something wrong. They're like, you're 0:09:49.440 --> 0:09:51.600 wearing their polish, your hair is wrong, or like. 0:09:51.559 --> 0:09:54.440 You know, so strict about that stuff here, so strict, 0:09:54.600 --> 0:09:55.600 especially on the girls. 0:09:55.800 --> 0:09:58.120 Yeah. I mean I went to an old girls Catholic 0:09:58.200 --> 0:10:01.200 school and it was like it needs to be this length, 0:10:01.440 --> 0:10:04.200 no jewelry, you can only wear this kind of Nicholas. 0:10:04.240 --> 0:10:05.599 If you are going to wear a Nicholas, like you 0:10:05.640 --> 0:10:08.120 have to put your hair up this way. So strict. 0:10:08.360 --> 0:10:10.800 Yeah. I remember at primary school they were so strict 0:10:10.800 --> 0:10:14.120 about the color of the hair tis Oh wow, yeah, 0:10:14.160 --> 0:10:17.320 so black or maroon or navy, Like how does that 0:10:17.480 --> 0:10:21.040 even relate to that you're doing in that classroom? Oh 0:10:21.120 --> 0:10:24.880 my gosh, oh wow. But now you've been here for 0:10:25.000 --> 0:10:30.600 so many years, do you see yourself going back to America. 0:10:31.160 --> 0:10:33.160 I don't want to say no, because I don't know 0:10:33.200 --> 0:10:36.560 what the future holds. But I love New Zealand so much, 0:10:37.160 --> 0:10:40.880 and you know, when the time comes and I become 0:10:41.320 --> 0:10:44.720 a mother, I'll love to raise my children here because 0:10:44.760 --> 0:10:46.680 I feel like there's just so much culture and I 0:10:46.720 --> 0:10:49.160 want them to be surrounded by our people and learn, 0:10:49.520 --> 0:10:51.880 you know, like we're so thankful to have people like 0:10:51.960 --> 0:10:54.120 you and listen and Maz who know, like my kids 0:10:54.200 --> 0:10:56.199 might want to come up and they want to do radio. 0:10:56.480 --> 0:10:58.440 They have people like you guys to look up to, 0:10:58.880 --> 0:11:02.720 and I want them to see representatives. So yeah, I 0:11:02.760 --> 0:11:05.200 don't know yet, so but at the time being, I 0:11:05.280 --> 0:11:07.480 just I want to be based here in New Zealand. 0:11:07.520 --> 0:11:09.600 It's lovely, beautiful love. 0:11:10.360 --> 0:11:14.160 Yeah, you have your beautiful new at your new song, 0:11:14.559 --> 0:11:19.160 keep You Here. Tell us about the writing of the song. 0:11:19.200 --> 0:11:20.520 How did keep You Here come to be? 0:11:21.720 --> 0:11:26.000 Keep You Here came about when my father was in 0:11:26.040 --> 0:11:29.360 and out of hospital and me visiting him in the 0:11:29.360 --> 0:11:34.280 hospital and not really being able to talk to him 0:11:34.559 --> 0:11:38.640 and express my feelings at the time, and you know, 0:11:39.240 --> 0:11:43.120 having so much on your shoulders and in your heart, 0:11:43.440 --> 0:11:46.920 you don't want to be too emotional because it takes 0:11:46.960 --> 0:11:51.480 that little shift to happen in the room and everyone's crying, 0:11:51.880 --> 0:11:55.280 you know, everyone's really in that space where they're trying 0:11:55.280 --> 0:11:57.040 to come out of that sadness. But it was just 0:11:57.160 --> 0:12:01.920 trying to really have that uplifting attitude to celebrate my 0:12:02.000 --> 0:12:05.400 dad's life instead of just going into the hospital being 0:12:05.480 --> 0:12:10.120 sad constantly. So my outlet was music. I would be 0:12:10.280 --> 0:12:13.240 in the hospital write and then come back and then write. 0:12:13.320 --> 0:12:17.560 It was my place of letting how I feel out, 0:12:17.920 --> 0:12:21.520 and my outlet was music. So that's how it came about. 0:12:21.640 --> 0:12:24.120 Where did your relationship with music start. 0:12:25.440 --> 0:12:32.120 I believe it started when I was six? Oh wow, yeah, yeah, 0:12:32.200 --> 0:12:35.400 quite young. My father was a musician, and I grew 0:12:35.480 --> 0:12:37.160 up in a very creative family. My mom is a 0:12:37.200 --> 0:12:39.600 creative as well too, and I would see my father 0:12:39.679 --> 0:12:41.960 write a lot and play the instruments, and so that 0:12:42.120 --> 0:12:45.160 inspired me. But it's quite hilarious because I got six, 0:12:45.600 --> 0:12:50.040 you're writing about like fairies, yeah, you know, you know, 0:12:50.280 --> 0:12:53.760 all those cute things, but not realizing at the time, 0:12:54.360 --> 0:12:58.720 that was me being a creative and it really inspired 0:12:58.840 --> 0:13:02.000 my pen game. So when I hear a bet, what 0:13:02.280 --> 0:13:04.520 comes to me is like a word like I'll hear 0:13:04.559 --> 0:13:07.720 the rhythm and then like flowers, and then I'll write 0:13:07.720 --> 0:13:08.600 around flowers. 0:13:12.160 --> 0:13:14.880 Wow. What a talent that you developed at quite an 0:13:14.880 --> 0:13:17.920 early age. Is it something that carried on through your childhood? 0:13:18.000 --> 0:13:21.600 Teenagehood into adulthood or is that something you've only recently 0:13:21.640 --> 0:13:22.280 picked back up. 0:13:23.040 --> 0:13:25.960 Yeah, it continued throughout even when I was in different 0:13:26.000 --> 0:13:29.360 spaces of creativity. I was still writing, and I believe 0:13:29.400 --> 0:13:33.959 I have like more than like three four hundred songs. Wow, right, 0:13:34.040 --> 0:13:39.440 And sometimes I can't sleep, like like I have to 0:13:39.480 --> 0:13:43.319 write sometimes, Like that's why I probably take long. 0:13:43.200 --> 0:13:51.120 Naps because I'm. 0:13:47.600 --> 0:13:48.480 Like a bad product. 0:13:51.120 --> 0:13:53.800 Do you even have those moments? Because we're both writers, 0:13:53.800 --> 0:13:57.360 not songwriters, just writing like pros and stuff like that, 0:13:57.880 --> 0:14:00.240 do you I always had moments around like okay, please 0:14:00.280 --> 0:14:02.600 be quiet, I've just a sentence has come to mind. 0:14:02.640 --> 0:14:04.160 Do you ever have those moments where you're like, everyone 0:14:04.240 --> 0:14:05.840 shut up, I've got a song work. 0:14:05.960 --> 0:14:07.240 I have to write it down. 0:14:07.240 --> 0:14:09.920 Absolutely, because I feel like those are the moments like 0:14:10.040 --> 0:14:14.280 I am a believer, your guardian angels are sending you messages, 0:14:14.800 --> 0:14:17.080 so you quickly write it down before like it goes 0:14:17.120 --> 0:14:20.880 back to Yeah. So I'm like sorry, guys, and I'm like. 0:14:22.120 --> 0:14:27.760 You to excuse myself for a second. Why was now 0:14:27.840 --> 0:14:29.640 the right time to release the single? 0:14:31.480 --> 0:14:35.080 I feel I have the confidence, yeah, where back in 0:14:35.120 --> 0:14:39.000 the days, I'm confident in other spaces but with music, 0:14:39.120 --> 0:14:42.600 I always had that fear, and I was like, because 0:14:42.640 --> 0:14:46.440 I feel like music is where a lot of people 0:14:46.640 --> 0:14:51.240 would see me and see sides they haven't really seen. Yes, 0:14:51.400 --> 0:14:54.320 they'll see that in acting, but that's if I get 0:14:54.360 --> 0:14:59.400 given that character. Where music you tell so many stories 0:14:59.400 --> 0:15:01.920 and you have that creative freedom, and it's not just 0:15:02.200 --> 0:15:06.760 bubbly stories. There's some dark and gloomy moments, and when 0:15:06.800 --> 0:15:10.480 you tell those stories, you're putting out your vulnerability. And 0:15:10.600 --> 0:15:12.760 I had that fear because I was so used to, 0:15:13.120 --> 0:15:16.320 like being in a space of modeling and pageantry. I 0:15:16.440 --> 0:15:18.960 was so used to putting a facade. I knew what 0:15:19.200 --> 0:15:22.040 had to wear in certain spaces. But with music you 0:15:22.080 --> 0:15:24.920 can't do that, and acting as well. You have to 0:15:25.000 --> 0:15:27.560 really tell the story and you have to tell it truthfully, 0:15:27.920 --> 0:15:29.920 and it can be hard, and you might put it 0:15:29.920 --> 0:15:33.240 out and people are like what in the world, But 0:15:33.360 --> 0:15:37.800 that's our responsibility as artists to put it out and 0:15:37.880 --> 0:15:40.720 you might save someone's life with sharing your story. 0:15:40.920 --> 0:15:43.240 One hundred percent. 0:15:43.440 --> 0:15:46.520 It's an incredibly personal story, this one keep you here? 0:15:47.240 --> 0:15:50.960 Were they nerves and the lead up to the release 0:15:51.080 --> 0:15:55.280 of the song, because this is about you and your 0:15:55.360 --> 0:15:58.320 late father and his health, which is a story that 0:15:58.440 --> 0:16:02.120 I would like to think because quite guided to your heart. 0:16:02.280 --> 0:16:06.840 So were you nervous? Were they feelings of like, oh, 0:16:07.000 --> 0:16:10.160 I don't know if I want to put this out now, 0:16:10.560 --> 0:16:11.840 Like what was going through your head? 0:16:13.480 --> 0:16:15.800 I feel like the process leading up to it, I 0:16:15.800 --> 0:16:19.720 felt so ready okay, and I felt this calmness. But 0:16:19.760 --> 0:16:22.240 I felt like that was my dad guiding me, like 0:16:22.320 --> 0:16:24.720 he's like, I got you, because he could see like 0:16:25.080 --> 0:16:28.000 I was kind of moving back into the space of like, no, 0:16:28.160 --> 0:16:30.480 let's just wait, let's just wait, let's go back into 0:16:30.480 --> 0:16:34.040 that comfortability. But my I don't know what it was. 0:16:34.400 --> 0:16:36.680 My dad said to me before he left, He's like, 0:16:36.760 --> 0:16:40.280 you'll never ever feel alone. And I've never felt alone, 0:16:40.320 --> 0:16:44.600 Like even moments I felt fear or I felt like, oh, 0:16:44.680 --> 0:16:47.200 maybe I'm not good enough for this role or maybe 0:16:47.320 --> 0:16:50.080 for this opportunity, I felt like my dad was right 0:16:50.120 --> 0:16:53.400 there beside me and that confidence. I was like, no, actually, no, 0:16:53.640 --> 0:16:58.720 this is the right time. So in terms of that, no, 0:16:58.840 --> 0:17:01.840 I wasn't nervous to tell my story. But it just 0:17:01.920 --> 0:17:03.800 hit me a couple of days ago where the song 0:17:03.880 --> 0:17:06.639 was about to drop. Yeah, and it was I believe 0:17:06.680 --> 0:17:09.800 it was after coming here, and I was doing an 0:17:09.840 --> 0:17:11.840 interview with you and I was like yeah, yeah, yeah, 0:17:11.880 --> 0:17:14.800 And then I was like, oh my gosh, the song 0:17:14.960 --> 0:17:19.199 is coming and I was like wow, like it hit me. 0:17:19.400 --> 0:17:19.600 Yeah. 0:17:19.720 --> 0:17:22.199 I think it didn't hit me before because I was 0:17:22.240 --> 0:17:25.120 so into the writing and telling the story. And now 0:17:25.160 --> 0:17:27.159 I was like, oh my gosh, I'm getting ready to 0:17:27.240 --> 0:17:29.919 release the song, don't. 0:17:33.080 --> 0:17:35.320 And now it's out. The song keep Me Here is 0:17:35.359 --> 0:17:38.400 available on all streaming platforms. How do you feel, Diamond? 0:17:39.000 --> 0:17:42.320 I feel free, so like a weight lifted off your chest. 0:17:42.480 --> 0:17:42.960 Yeah. 0:17:43.000 --> 0:17:44.760 How long is it a song being like sitting in 0:17:44.800 --> 0:17:45.600 your vote for. 0:17:46.640 --> 0:17:49.520 A year and a half? Wow? Yeah. And I have 0:17:49.600 --> 0:17:53.520 songs that's been like sitting for like eighteen years years. 0:17:54.000 --> 0:17:56.359 But I feel free. I'm like, oh my gosh, I 0:17:56.359 --> 0:18:00.840 can breathe. But then it's like, oh I got more stories? 0:18:02.560 --> 0:18:05.679 Yes, girl. Are we already onto the next lot of music? 0:18:06.119 --> 0:18:09.280 Absolutely? Yeah. I'm in the space of like getting ready 0:18:09.320 --> 0:18:13.479 to film the next music video. Excited. But it's just 0:18:13.520 --> 0:18:16.239 fun and just you know, I'm not worried about if 0:18:16.240 --> 0:18:18.640 it's going to be a popular song or like if 0:18:18.680 --> 0:18:21.760 it's trending. I feel for me as an artist, it's 0:18:21.800 --> 0:18:25.000 just about telling the story. You know what I mean. 0:18:25.280 --> 0:18:29.639 I'm interested in that artistry. So yeah, it's so exciting. 0:18:30.160 --> 0:18:32.920 How have your family received the release of the song? 0:18:33.119 --> 0:18:37.720 From your family here and in America and then Dona. 0:18:37.040 --> 0:18:41.240 They got so emotional because they know me as being 0:18:41.240 --> 0:18:43.760 a musician. Yes, and they've seen me grow up singing 0:18:43.800 --> 0:18:47.840 my whole entire life. And for them, it's kind of like, man, 0:18:48.560 --> 0:18:52.000 finally that she's had that courage to step out and 0:18:52.160 --> 0:18:55.159 just be seen. So they're happy. They cried when the 0:18:55.240 --> 0:18:57.640 song came out, and then they were also like, since 0:18:57.680 --> 0:18:59.440 where your family, what's the next song? 0:19:01.080 --> 0:19:02.680 Can you give us a previous. 0:19:03.960 --> 0:19:11.959 That's what I'm trying to do right now, Diamond, Thinking 0:19:12.000 --> 0:19:16.480 about your father, how is grieving that loss been like 0:19:16.520 --> 0:19:16.920 for you? 0:19:18.800 --> 0:19:24.159 I fell into deep depression. Yeah, and it was a 0:19:24.240 --> 0:19:29.240 difficult time for me because I was trying to act 0:19:29.320 --> 0:19:32.560 like I was okay, but I wasn't. And I'm just 0:19:32.600 --> 0:19:37.560 thankful I had creativity to really save me because I 0:19:37.600 --> 0:19:40.679 didn't realize it until I lost my father that he 0:19:40.920 --> 0:19:43.000 was one And of course my mom as well to 0:19:43.880 --> 0:19:46.800 that really understands me and being a creative and I 0:19:46.840 --> 0:19:50.879 feel like you both can understand were not really understood 0:19:50.880 --> 0:19:56.080 by many people, and my father really got me. So 0:19:56.240 --> 0:19:59.359 when I lost him, I felt like I lost a 0:19:59.359 --> 0:20:03.359 lot of my creativity because every time I had like 0:20:03.400 --> 0:20:06.960 an idea, I could bounce back ideas with him. And 0:20:07.080 --> 0:20:09.919 it was the first time I really felt alone. Like 0:20:09.960 --> 0:20:13.399 my mom was there, yeah, and she would support me 0:20:13.440 --> 0:20:16.240 in her own creative way, but my father was there 0:20:16.280 --> 0:20:19.600 for me in terms of music and bouncing off ideas 0:20:19.640 --> 0:20:23.840 and really just understanding the niche of that. So but 0:20:24.359 --> 0:20:27.320 I'm thankful that I really hit that rock bottom and 0:20:27.400 --> 0:20:31.479 really being alone, because really being alone with yourself really 0:20:32.800 --> 0:20:36.800 you have to confront certain dark parts of you that 0:20:36.960 --> 0:20:40.200 before you would hide. And then now it's like I've 0:20:40.240 --> 0:20:42.280 made friends with my dark side. 0:20:47.840 --> 0:20:55.880 My friend, You're in a bitter space now. 0:20:55.960 --> 0:20:59.639 That absolutely yeah, And I felt like my dad wanted 0:20:59.720 --> 0:21:05.119 me to feel that because you know, eventually, you know, 0:21:05.160 --> 0:21:08.680 with creativity and when you get given different roles and 0:21:08.800 --> 0:21:12.000 I'm gonna be telling different stories, You're going to be reliving, 0:21:12.160 --> 0:21:16.160