- Hello everybody, I'm Satori Shakoor.

Welcome to Detroit Performs - Live from Marygrove, where Detroit's talented artists take the stage and share insights into their performances.

This episode is curated by our partner organization, Notes for Notes, who brought youth performer Eli Dyon, and producer, singer-songwriter, Lolly Mariah.

Their voices and lyrics will blow you away.

It's all coming up on Detroit Performs- Live from Marygrove.

- [Announcer] Funding for Detroit Performs is provided by the Fred A.

And Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, the A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Foundation, Gregory Haynes and Richard Sonenklar, The Kresge Foundation, the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, The DeRoy Testamentary Foundation and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(upbeat music) - It's my pleasure to welcome Lolly Mariah, producer for Notes for Notes.

Hi Lolly.

- Hi.

- How are you?

- I'm great, how are you?

- I'm very good, very good.

All right.

Well, what do you do over there at Notes for Notes, and what is Notes for Notes?

- Yes.

So Notes for Notes is a nonprofit that you actually can find nationwide.

It's within cities with a lot of urban youth who are really interested in music and wanna grow in their careers.

And we have all of the access for them to play instruments and record and create for free.

- Ah, what are the ages of the youth?

- Well, in the Detroit studio our youth range from 8 to 18.

- What is the need for Notes for Notes?

- Yeah, so definitely because Notes for Notes was brought up and inspired from the Boys and Girls Club and being able to work with youth musically.

Um, this is something that I think is amazing for youth in the community, just to be able to express themselves and having this all throughout the nation.

And especially in Detroit, it's just a beautiful thing for youth to be able to find new ways to share how they feel and what's going on in society.

- [Satori] Why do you think music and the access to music a value and an asset to the community?

- I think music is of such value to the community especially in regards to mental health because there are so many things happening in our communities, especially in our urban communities.

There's so many things we're seeing on TV, on the news, and youth do feel that.

Youth feel everything and don't always have a way to express how they feel, how they wanna grow, and a place that they actually wanna live in, they don't have access to that.

So, I think Notes for Notes allows for them to be able to healthily express themselves and kind of avoid some of the negative things that may be around them.

- And you can actually see the transformation once they get that out of their body, into the world?

- Yes, for sure.

The youth are so excited when they have a finished mixed and mastered piece of music to share.

And they've been able to allow everyone to hear what it is that they've been trying to say for so long.

- And how would we find Notes for Notes?

- Yes.

So you can find Notes for Notes at NotesforNotes.org or you can just look up Notes for Notes on Instagram, or just look in your local community.

If you're in Detroit, you can go to say Detroit youth center and connect with me at Notes for Notes there.

- And what performance are we going to see today?

- Today I am performing and I performed a couple of my favorite, most inspiring, pieces.

Peace Motive and Ankhle (Memories).

And then, we also have Eli Dyon, which is one of our star youth in the Notes for Notes Detroit program, performing an acapella piece.

As well as his song Woke, which everyone loves.

- [Satori] Thank you Lolly Mariah.

It has been a pleasure.

So, let's go to the stage now and see Eli Dyon perform.

(Rhythmic snapping) ♪ I will fade away, ♪ Like the others left the stage.

♪ ♪ I won't fade away ♪ Like the others left the stage.

♪ ♪ I got stabbed in the back so many times ♪ ♪ and I'm still back in mine.

♪ I be chilling, making lines ♪ So that one day, that meal is mine.

♪ ♪ Don't worry about me.

♪ I won't fade away, ♪ Like the others left the stage.

♪ ♪ I dunno why you try to hinder me ♪ ♪ but I'm going to stay on my feet.

♪ ♪ 'Cause I don't wanna fade away.

♪ ♪ I'm not letting no one get in my way.

♪ Let me tell you somethin'.

(Rhythmic beating) ♪ I'm gonna try to do the most I can do.

♪ ♪ And the best I can do.

♪ Yeah.

Cause it's a big world.

♪ ♪ I'm a small person, ♪ got a light up on my side of the world.

♪ ♪ Gotta shine bright, put the other side, get it.

♪ ♪ I won't fade away ♪ Like the others left the stage.

♪ ♪ I won't fade away.

♪ Like the others left the stage.

♪ ♪ I won't fade away ♪ Like the others left the stage.

♪ ♪ I won't fade away ♪ Like the others left the stage.

♪ (electronic music) Y'all ready to wake up.

♪ Y'all didn't woke me up again.

♪ ♪ Wake up.

♪ Yeah.

♪ Stay strong.

♪ Yeah.

♪ A zone.

♪ Yeah.

♪ I'm back in the race, yeah.

♪ I do what they say, yeah.

♪ Yeah.

I do what they say, yeah.

♪ ♪ Yeah, look, I'm on fight right now.

♪ ♪ Going to a school in flame.

♪ Oh my God.

♪ Look so fly right now, I should be drunk right now.

♪ ♪ Yes, sir.

♪ But I gotta stay on time.

(indistinct) ♪ Okay.

♪ Keepin' up my grades up now ♪ Keepin' up my grades up now.

♪ Hey!

♪ Yeah, ya'll they woke me up again.

♪ ♪ Ya'll they woke me up again.

♪ Ya'll they woke me up again.

♪ Yeah, yeah, okay.

♪ Used to get bullied a lot, now I shoot to the top.

♪ ♪ Watch me shoot my shot.

Ya'll sit back and watch.

♪ ♪ Okay!

♪ I ain't got top for no distractions ♪ ♪ My success gives me satisfaction.

♪ ♪ I'm a be my inspiration cause you know I be sayin' ♪ ♪ Yeah, ya'll they woke me up again.

♪ ♪ Ya'll they woke me up again.

♪ Ya'll they woke me up again.

♪ Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay.

♪ Wake up, yeah.

I be me.

Yeah.

♪ ♪ Better person.

Yeah.

I wanna be somebody.

♪ ♪ - [Voice-over] Yes you are.

♪ - I say what I say.

♪ - [Voice-over] Okay.

♪ I be me okay.

♪ - [Voice-over] Yes, you do.

♪ - I do what I do, I do what I say.

Life is amazing, okay.

♪ ♪ Yeah.

♪ Oh yeah.

♪ Someday, yeah.

♪ But not now, yeah.

♪ Oh.

♪ -[Voice-over] Oh.

- I'm so happy to be able to be here today.

I'm so happy to be on this stage.

Um, Thank you to Detroit Performs for inviting me here.

Both of these songs are really important to me because I wrote them both myself.

And I feel like I, I am still here.

So, for the fact I said I would never fade away because nobody will never be able to push me off the stage.

And I really did wake up.

So, I want to give a huge thanks to Detroit Performs again, and, yeah, hope ya'll woke up after that.

- We are welcoming Eli Dyon back from his performance, from the stage.

Eli welcome.

- Hi.

- (Satori) Hi.

Which songs did you perform today for us?

- Um, the songs I performed, I performed two.

I performed my acapella piece, Fade Away.

And then I also performed my original song, Woke.

- And what is woke about?

- Well, woke is about just me being awakened.

Like, there is a lot of things that was going on.

Like, you know, I went through a lot of trials and tribulations to get to the point where I am today.

- And so woke was a way of expressing that?

Did you heal from it?

- Yes.

- (Satori) Okay.

- And I was awakened.

- Tell me a couple of the lyrics.

Remind us.

- One of them are used to get bullied a lot and now I shoot to the top.

- And the other song, Fade Away?

- Fade Away.

So, in the entertainment world, it's just like sometimes people get pushed off the stage just because of all of the the feeling and the, the people.

And I, I promised myself that this is what I'm supposed to do.

This is my dream.

So, I'm not going to fade away.

And one of the lyrics were I won't fade away like the others left the stage.

- And how long have you been working with Notes for Notes?

- I would say about a year now.

- And do you like working with Lolly?

- Yes.

- Tell me about that, that collaboration.

- We, uh, you know play.

But we, at the end of the day, we get stuff done.

We have, like, monthly studio sessions a lot, just me and her.

And we would just brainstorm, you know, talk about the times.

It is definitely like depression is big um, from ,you know, the pandemic and stuff.

And the funner, you know, like the more things that actually am excited to write about is like clothes and how, you know, stuff is going up like that.

- So you're kind of like a current events.

- Yes.

- And you just take those and put 'em in songs.

- That's what Woke was, you know, based off of, because it was a current event.

I felt awakened in that time.

So I wrote about it.

- [Satori] What do you think about your music for the future?

What is your vision?

- Um, I feel like for me, I wanna have more upbeat songs, I would say.

Like more, you know, really groove group.

You know, like that Woke was a little upbeat.

But I would try to have more of the drums, you know because now that I'm awakened, I wanna be really awakened.

You have to be passionate about it.

Nothing's going to come to you.

You know, you have to really work your way.

That's why I like Notes for Notes.

Because it came to me, but I still, I still have to work to get where I am.

- Mhm.

So we're gonna be listening to Lolly Mariah next.

So what would you say about her?

- You know, you guys definitely have something coming.

I can say that we often joke and laugh about how good her singing is and stuff.

I just wanna wish her good luck and yeah.

- Well, you heard it from Eli.

You're definitely in for a treat.

Something is coming and her name is Lolly Mariah.

(smooth piano playing) ♪ - Oh.

La da dee da dee yeah.

♪ Yeah ♪ Memories ♪ Of the loved ones who once passed by me.

♪ ♪ On the way to another lifetime.

I mustn't think ♪ ♪ That they left me lonely.

Because they're in my heart, ♪ ♪ my mind, my soul, my style, my rhymes.

Oh.

♪ ♪ Shout out to the elders who told me the truth about you.

♪ ♪ What I should do, and I do all the dumb mistakes ♪ ♪ they wish they never made.

♪ The obstacles they had to face, but it got better in time.

♪ ♪ The light at the end of the tunnel was crystal clear.

♪ ♪ Young ones don't want to look because they fear ♪ ♪ the end is near, but the end is the beginning.

♪ ♪ When you're enlightened you are winning.

♪ ♪ So the OG's whisper, ♪ Open your eyes it's brighter on the outside.

♪ ♪ Memories.

♪ Of the loved ones who once passed by me ♪ ♪ On the way to another lifetime ♪ ♪ I mustn't think they left me lonely ♪ ♪ Because they're in my heart, ♪ My mind, my soul, my style my rhymes.

♪ ♪ Oh.

♪ I cannot pretend that life's a fairytale, ♪ ♪ Or Like I did this by myself.

No.

♪ ♪ Searching for the light from within, ♪ ♪ I traveled on a past with them, and this is how it went.

♪ ♪ -[Voice-Over] This is how the story goes.

♪ ♪ - Story shared with musical rhythm spoke to my soul ♪ ♪ on a spiritual mission.

They said ♪ ♪ Listen now and leave tomorrow.

Once you've heard ♪ ♪ And learn to follow.

♪ Find the beat that keeps you going.

♪ ♪ Positivity that's overflowing.

♪ ♪ And the memories will guide.

♪ The memories will guide you on.

♪ ♪ Memories.

♪ Memories.

♪ Of the loved ones who once passed by me ♪ ♪ On the way to another lifetime.

I mustn't think ♪ ♪ That they left me lonely.

Because they're in my heart, ♪ ♪ my mind, my soul, my style, my rhymes.

Whoa.

♪ ♪ Sweet memories.

Memories.

Memories, yeah.

♪ ♪ Ah, yeah.

- Sweet memories.

Sweet memories are the people like my uncle who used to play the jazz keyboard.

And I used to listen when I was a kid.

And now I know that as I'm an adult, I still live with those memories that guide me every day in my musical journey.

Sweet memories.

Don't forget those sweet memories, and those ancestors that we say I share for because those are those sweet memories that you will never forget that make you who you are.

They're in your soul, your style, your rhymes.

They're who you are.

And so, as they play a large role in your life.

In everything that you're gonna be, remember that as you take over the world and you take on this responsibility of sharing this light that they showed you.

That you have a piece in your mind, and your motive is always peaceful.

So what we're gonna do is we are gonna sing a tune called Peace Motive.

Let's try it.

(smooth electronic music) ♪ I just bought some sage today.

♪ ♪ Came home and lit it right away.

♪ ♪ Dropped to my knees and prayed to take over the world.

♪ ♪ Gotta lose the stank attitude.

♪ ♪ Learn to lead that this life's not just for you.

♪ ♪ Can't afford to be mindless, impressions timeless ♪ ♪ when I take over the world.

♪ I've gotta achieve the mission.

♪ ♪ Gotta be mindful and set my intentions.

♪ ♪ Make sure my motive is peaceful ♪ ♪ before I takeover the world.

♪ Careful what I say today.

♪ I know my words can lead some astray.

♪ ♪ Clear my throat shackle with my herbal tea.

♪ ♪ When over the world speaks.

♪ Chanting abundance and blessings, ♪ ♪ Gratitude for ancestral protection ♪ ♪ Stay reflective and learn from my lessions, ♪ ♪ So I can take over the world.

♪ ♪ I've gotta achieve the mission ♪ ♪ Gotta be mindful and set my intentions, ♪ ♪ Make sure my motive is peaceful ♪ ♪ Before I take over the world.

♪ ♪ I've gotta achieve the mission ♪ ♪ Gotta be mindful and set my intentions ♪ ♪ Make sure my motive is peaceful ♪ ♪ Before I take over the world.

♪ - We're back from the stage with Lolly Mariah and that wonderful performance that she gave.

And can you tell us the message of the of the songs that you performed?

- Yeah.

So the first song that I sang which is called Ankhle, or Memories, that was really about appreciating your ancestors and the people who have passed on.

And especially during this pandemic when you think about all those people who we've, we've lost during the time.

And it's really remembering that they're not gone, they still have a piece of them inside of you.

And if it's your style, if it's the way you sing, the way you walk, your soul, they're all, they're still within you.

And they're still here with you.

So that's what the first song was about.

And that second song, Peace Mode, was really about before you step out and, and take care of your day and handle and take over the world, you have to really make sure that you have a peaceful mindset.

That you really know that I am intentionally doing this to better myself in the world.

So, that's what those songs were about.

- What is your message through your music And through those songs?

- My message to those songs is really to allow people to just think about their every day and really be appreciative of everything that made them who they are, and appreciative of everything that they can bring to this world.

And appreciative of all the goodness that is still here in the world.

- [Satori] How would you describe your sound?

- [Lolly] So, I would describe my sound as Neo Soul, Eclectic Neo Soul, I would say that.

Um, I like to throw some jazz vibes in there, and I like to bring some modern feels to it.

So the songs we sing today definitely give more of the Neo Soul jazzy vibe.

But I have more songs that are more upbeat and are inspired by electronic and even hip hop.

- What styles and what performers may have inspired or influenced you in your sound?

- Some of the artists that have inspired me most Erykah Badu, Lauren Hill, Jazmine Sullivan, Jhené Aiko, the list goes on.

There's so many.

SZA, I love SZA as well.

She's more modern.

I love so many different artists.

Um, Billie Holiday.

Had to throw Billie Holiday in there.

So, definitely inspired by quite a few amazing artists.

- And your vision moving forward in the future?

- My vision moving forward is to keep expressing myself.

Expressing the positives, the negatives everything in between, and also still inspiring people to change and really think about what's in their life that they could make better.

- [Satori] And do the youth inspire you too?

- [Lolly] Oh, yes.

So many things about my youth inspire me.

Whether it's, if it's their tenacity and their ability to just be like, Know what, I'm gonna go perform, even though I'm going through craziness in my life, or I'm gonna write this, I need to get in the studio.

That drive that they have oftentimes really inspires me to just keep going.

And also, it allows me to just feel really fulfilled in life because I'm hoping someone else express themselves in a way that I didn't have before.

And so, if I could have had that I think I could have been further.

So knowing that I can help them was just everything to me.

- Anything else that you wanna say about yourself and your sound and?

- So you can find my music on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, SoundCloud and even an app called the FENIX360 app.

Um, you can listen to all of my most inspirational pieces.

- Well, we're so happy to have you in Detroit.

Happy to have you here on Detroit performs live from Marygrove and I thank you.

- Thank you.

- Thank you for joining us today on Detroit performs - Live from Marygrove.

And thank you to Notes for Notes for sharing the performances.

Make sure to join us next time on Detroit Performs live from Marygrove where we'll have more exciting performances right here.

See you then.

- [Announcer] Funding for Detroit Performs is provided by the Fred A.

And Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, the A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Foundation, Gregory Haynes and Richard Sonenklar, The Kresge Foundation, the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, The DeRoy Testamentary Foundation and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(upbeat music) (bouncy piano music)