#makeva

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This week in “Villain songs are hard as f*ck but so satisfying to get right!”

It's been a minute since I felt so good about my writing skills. Also, I think I truly understand what Stephen Schwartz means when he says “tell the truth and make it rhyme,” it isn't easy but somehow it makes things easier.

Can't wait to finish this one! Lyrics below the cut.

And yes the “years go by” segment was inspired by “Once On The Island”.

TAIS SONG BY SIERRA NELSON

EVERY HOUR

EVERY DAY

EVERY WEEK

EVERY MONTH

EVERY YEAR OF MY LIFE

YOU’VE INTRUDED

AND NOW

YOU PLAY DUMB

YOU PRETEND

YOU DEFLECT

YOU CONTEND

THAT YOU DIDN'T DO IT

I DON'T KNOW WHAT GAME YOU'RE PLAYING

YOU TALK TOO MUCH AND SAY SO LITTLE

YOU TALK OF PEACE AND RECONCILIATION

AND TO YOU IT'S ALL SO SIMPLE

LET IT GO YOU JUST MIGHT TELL ME

IT'S IN THE PAST AND NOW WE’LL FIX IT

DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE HERE?

WHY DON'T YOU MAKE A LITTLE VISIT

NOTHING EVER GROWS

AND NOTHING EVER WILL

THE WATER USED TO FLOW

AND NOW ITS STANDING STILL

THE PEOPLE NEVER LIVE

AND CAN'T AFFORD TO LEAVE

THE ONLY THEY LEARN IS HOW TO GRIEVE

THE PEOPLE LIVE IN FEAR OF WHEN YOU'RE COMING BACK

ANOTHER BLOODY WAR OR COWARDLY ATTACK

BUT NOBODY PREPARED YOU FOR WHEN WE’D PAY YOU BACK

AND DADDY DIDN'T RAISE YOU TO FACE FACTS

LISTEN CLOSE AND YOU’LL HEAR THEIR CRIES

TUONDOE PEKE YAKE (LEAVE US ALONE)

LISTEN CLOSE AND YOU'LL HEAR WHAT'S BROKEN

ROHO ZETU NI KUVUNJWA (OUR SPIRITS ARE BROKEN)

LOOK FOR TRUTH AND YOU'LL SEE THE LIES

UMESEMA UONGO (YOU LIED TO US)

AND THE PATH THAT YOUR FATHERS CHOSEN

NYUMBA YETU IMEKWENDA (OUR HOME IS GONE)

EVERY HOUR

EVERY DAY

EVE RY WEEK

EVERY MONTH

EVERY YEAR OF MY LIFE

HAS BEEN STOLEN

THOUGH ITS HARD TO BELIEVE

THAT THERE ONCE WAS A TIME

WHEN I THOUGHT THAT WE ALL COULD MOVE ON

REGROW AND RESTORE

HOPE FOR NO MORE THAN A LIFE OF BEING IGNORED

BUT SOMETHING STILL GREW

MY HATRED FOR YOU WHEN I COULDNT FIX WHAT HAS BEEN TORN

1 YEAR GOES BY

THEN 2 YEARS GO BY

THE SOIL IS WATER BY TEARS

AND EVEN THOSE ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY

3 YEARS GO BY

4 YEARS GO BY

MAGIC CANT FEED A VILLAGE

AND THEY START DROPPING LIKE FLYS

5 YEARS GO BY

10 YEARS GO BY

EVERYONE HAS LOST HOPE

BUT MY SISTER AND I

20 YEARS GONE

SHE DECIDES TO MOVE ON

LEAVING ME ALONE

THE SHIP HAS SAILED FOR MOVING ON

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A while back I mentioned that I was completely starting over with Makevas signature song. I was listening to a lot of Disneys classics (A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes, Once Upon a Dream Part of Your World) and some of their new hits (When Will My Life Begin?, Just The Spare (Outtake), For the First Time in Forever, Let It Go, How Far I’ll Go)

That helped me realized that a lot of these songs... are pretty simple. This whole time I was trying to be a smart songwriter instead of just writing songs and seeing what works.

So far I think this song works.

It takes place at Kuvuya festival where Makeva has to sing for her supper. At first, she's very excited, until she steps on stage and sees how removed from the community she is. She goes down to ground level, is honest about who she is and where she comes from before singing...and the crowd loves her!

Read along after the cut.

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By now you guys know that I am completely rewriting the Ninki Nanka encounter. I want it to be less of a brute force boss fight and more of an entertaining obstacle that provides insight into both Makeva and Safi's desires and insecurities.

Not to mention providing an opportunity to include (the illusion of) Mami Wata, “a water deity venerated in West, Central, and Southern Africa, and in the African diaspora in the Americas. Mami Wata spirits are usually female but are sometimes male. Traditions on both sides of the Atlantic tell of the spirit abducting her followers or random people whilst they are swimming or boating. She brings them to her paradisiacal realm, which may be underwater, in the spirit world, or both.[3] Should she allow them to leave, the travelers usually return in dry clothing and with a new spiritual understanding reflected in their gaze. These returnees often grow wealthier, more attractive, and more easygoing after the encounter.“ - Wikipedia.

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You remember Sebara? Read about her here: http://sierranelsonsmusicalblog.tumblr.com/post/180316078621/sebara

You remember the scene where Makeva has to wear a dress just to enter Lungile?

Read it here: http://sierranelsonsmusicalblog.tumblr.com/post/179831153987/annabel-ankara-skater-dress

This is a portion of the song that happens afterward.

KUVUYA BY SIERRA NELSON

ENSEMBLE

RING THE ALARM!

SEBARA

BIG AND TALL

PETITE AND SMALL

STRONGER THAN AN OX

OR FASTER THAN FOX

DARK AS THE NIGHT

OR BRIGHT AS THE SKIES

SIMPLE MINDED

OR SIMPLY UNORTHODOX

SHE IS UNIQUE

SHE IS A STAR

SHE NEEDS REMINDING OF HOW GREAT WE ALL ARE

THANK GOODNESS FOR MAGIC

HOW HELPFUL IT'S BEEN

IN SHOWING EACH LADY

THE BEAUTY WITHIN

I SAY

KUVUYA

YOU SAY

KUVUYA

HAPPINESS FROM INSIDE

I SAY

KUVUYA

YOU SAY

KUVUYA

A DEEPER SENSE OF PRIDE

YOU'VE GOT NOTHING TO HIDE

I SAY

KUVUYA

YOU SAY

KUVUYA

COME SHOW US WHAT'S INSIDE

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I added another verse to Makevas song. I'm particularly proud of the lines “fires in her mind.“

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JUST LISTEN! Part 2

I created a basic chord progression, bass line and drum beat for the idea I had yesterday.

Now tell me whether it sucks or not.

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Queen Imani (Makis Mom) when she finds out her husband has been an accessory to the destabilization of a smaller Kingdom.

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Safiatou

You know that girl who would rather be alone, puts way too much pressure on herself but instead of outwardly expressing her feelings, beats herself up on the inside? That's Safi.

In her own right, she is an extremely skilled magician who would probably make a fantastic Doctor in real life. She has a passion for helping others not to mention a natural talent for the bedside manner.

However, she has made mistakes in her past that she rarely ever speaks of mostly due to internal shame.

This results in her face naturally looking hard. She's the girl that you assume is popular, mean and always conspiring against you. In reality, she just has a resting bitch face, and whenever anyone approaches her, she is the epitome of kindness and consideration.

The is a limit however to the amount of incompetence she can stand. She is a utilitarian by way of her nomadic lifestyle; she accepts no frills.

Her early interactions with Maki are filled with sarcasm and barbs because of their fundamentally contrasted childhoods, but their mutual respect for each other grows the more they concede to each other's strengths and understand each other's weaknesses.

I have to stress that Safi's methods of dealing with guilt & shame (ignoring it, hoping it goes away, shutting down when it doesn’t) is NOT HEALTHY. But then again, none of my characters have proper methods of dealing with their issues yet because that is their character arc.