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„Toxic Beauty“

Release Date: 1. September 2011
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„Toxic Beauty“ ist mein Debutalbum aus dem Jahr 2011. Es stellt einen autobiografischen Streifzug meines bisherigen Lebens dar und ist geprägt von Emotionen, Momente des Glücks und des Schmerzens, und von viel Hoffnung. Der Hoffnung eines friedlichen Miteinanders unabhängig von Hautfarbe, Status und Geschlecht in meiner Heimat Südafrika.

Lyrics

Happy

So happy, lah
I want you to be happy too

vs1

Feeling so over-joyed
feeling so free
knowing that life’s worth living
I’m happy with me.

Pre chorus:
The sun is shining down on me
I can feel this joy , feel it everywhere
Want you to know what im feeling
many faces that I see smiling back at me

want to be , i have got to be
want to be
happy
want to be, i’ve got to be free
happy, ( i want to be happy now) feels so good to be free

it doesn’t matter where I’ve been
regardless of the choices that  I made
I’m gonna be happy
It doesn’t matter where you’ve been
forget about the bad mistakes you made
just try to be happy

interlude

VS2

i see the sun is shining
the sky is so clear
i gotta keep on climbing
my future is here

No-one ever said that it ‚d be easy
You
We all have situations that we face

pre chorus:

Double Chorus:

Bridge:

Outro/Intro
Ad-lib

Chorus

Happy Author/s: Philadelphia & Marlon Green

Victorious

iye iye iyehe
iye iye iyehe
isizwe sakhala kau suli nyembezi bo

how i wait upon the moment
when i’ll open up my eyes & i’ll be
standin in front of you again
where the mountains touch the heavens
and 2 oceans become 1
and people learn to love someone
they don’t really know

where a man became a prisoner
for what he believes is right
then rose to lead his nation victorious

chorus
you are beautiful
even though we’re broken
give us hands , that console, that bring peace & make whole
you’re beautiful
and we won’t stop trying
to make right where there’s wrong
to let go and move on
to a brighter day

when i sat upon the cliff beyond
the window God looks through
my eyes could see the great things
that together we can do
when we combine the difference
we find in our hearts & in our minds
the difference that the eye can see
no longer will important be

then we won’t be the captives
of a past that hurt us all
we’ll rise a stronger nation
victorious

CHORUS

BRIDGE:
rise up together
raise a fist up bold
we’re moving forward
we’re letting go of the old
this is a new beginning
this is our cry of hope
cause we are, we are
victorious

khombanani, hlanganani sibe munye
oh south africa

morena boloka sechaba sa heso
nkosi sikeleli afrika
ons sal lewe ons sal sterbe ons vir jou suid afrika.

Victorious Author/s: Francois Klark

Toxic Beauty

long time ago i used to hurt myself
tryna be who i’m not
using things that could change my look
but it did not work no no no

tshwerelo ngwaneso hle
kopa ontshwarele ngwaneso hle
if you do that you could lose yourself
tshwarele ngwaneso hle
kopa onsthwarele ngwaneso hle
if you lose yourself, you could lose your soul

CHORUS
If you change it, you could lose it
if you change it, it’s toxic beauty

and then i realised i was falling apart
i tried to rescue myself ohohohoh
you say you don’t appreciate who you are
you better take a look in the mirror
see yourself for who you are

tshwarelo ngwaneso hle
kopa ontshwarele ngwaneso hle
if you do that, you will find yourself
tshwarele ngwaneso hle
kopa onsthwarele ngwaneso hle
if you find  yourself, then you’ve found your life

CHORUS

love the skin you’re in
appreciate the beauty that’s within
love the skin you’re in
appreciate the beauty that you see

Toxic beauty Author/s: Philadelphia & Wilson Joel

Take Me Away

big heart big love fear
big heart big fear
need somebody
to take me away from here
need somebody
to take me away from here                    X2

CHORUS
take me away , take me away take me away from here
take me away, take me away ,far away from here

so many years i sat alone
back of the bus child
waiting for love to arrive
waiting for time to dry my eyes
i never stopped dreaming of
the day you’d arrive

summer days, brighten skies, awaken my love, silence cries

CHORUS

adlib till end

Take Me Away Author/s:Antonio David Lyons

Toxic Beauty Reloaded

I sit & watch you everyday
beautiful skin & flowing hair
the price you pay to keep
the smile on our face

every trip to the beauty bar
a little you, dies
i cant save you, from yourself
toxic beauty -looking good at any cost
african asian caucasian, the pain is the same

your silent tears your  daily fears
that you can’t be loved just for you
your mirror image self
Relax n curls , coloured contact eyes
skirt too short
boobs too high, brazilian weave

watch her skin bleed
doctors cuts under rio’s
palm trees trying to perfect
nature’s perfection
your  natural tan mirrored again & again & gain  in european
salons
dedicated to a darker you at cancer’s price, at cancer’s price

CHORUS

a long time ago, i remember a
young girl’s glittering eyes
wonder at the beauty by her mother’s side
those moments together
they warmed my soul from the inside
she had the cutest little ap between her teeth
school-yard taunts & grown-up lies
made her beauty scary
only daddy’s love brightened the way
we love you as you are-save the day
but along the way doubt showed its‘ face
and her smile began to fade
she turned to make-up mass & creams
to transfer the kinks of her hair
to something long & straight, long & straight

CHORUS

we don’t know the pain the fear
what u see is not- who you really are
we hate you we love you
your beauty is only eye deep
cos the pain wounds my soul

CHORUS
make it go away X4
keep the pain away

make it straighter, longer
make her thinner & taller
make it clear & flawless

love the skin you’re in
appreciate the beauty that“s within
love the skin you’re  in
appreciate the beauty that you see

make me beautiful

Toxic beauty Reloaded Author/s Philadelphia & spoken word by Antonio Lyons

Self-Obsessed

let’s talk about appreciation
your self-obsessing , is aggravation
don’t talk to me about your silly liberties mmm
for all your game
imma smash those mirrors
call out your name & make you realise
don’t talk to me about your silly liberties mmm

chorus:
is it really worth talking about
the way that you feel is it really worth talking about
the way that you deal
with life, with love, with us       X2

so, am i makin you mad
the way i love myself
ain’t nothing wrong with being real about who you are
so stop your walking, talking smashing mirrors
i don’t care

chorus

how do you feel , how do you deal

adlib till end

Self-obsessed Author/s : Anthony Oseyemi

I'm Still Here

VS1
I didn’t know what you did to me
i’m standing there in dis-belief
little girl you shouldn’t speak
i held my tears-i held my tears
many nights i couldn’t sleep
cos u were in my memory
but you wont take the best of me
i’ve faced my fears-i’ve faced my fears

chorus:
& I made it over now
& the pain is over now
and I’m so much stronger now
I am still here
& youll never get me down
cos i’m coming back around
movin on to higher ground
i’m still here

VS2
when i look in the mirror and
sometimes i don’t understand
why they would call me ugly and
what they don’t know-what they don’t know
s’that i’ve reached my destiny
when i give the best of me
n if they’d only let me breathe
somehow i’ll grow

& I made it over now
& the pain is over now
and I’m so much stronger now
I am still here
& youll never get me down
cos i’m coming back around
movin on to higher ground
i’m still here

(spoken)
the pain is gone, the storm is over
i’ll carry on, though this world is colder
the strength inside, will make it clear
no need to hide, no need to fear

(bridge)
i was just a little girl
and you tried to shake my world
tried to take away my innocence
but you can’t take my confidence
i’ll let everybody see
that they have the right to be
be exactly who you want to be
fulfill your destiny
you can be all you wanna be, if you just believe

I’m still here Author/s: Philadephia & Marlon Green

Stand As One

So what do we do?
what do we say?
not even making daily news
people dying everyday
so what do you do as a people
shake your head and sip cappuccino
what do we say as a nation
sing along with the song
and hope we’ve played our part?

lets stand for life
fight for humanity
generations dying
hope is fading everyday
let’s stand for life
unite for humanity
generations dying
there must be a better way
let’s stand as one

two eyes looking up at me
un-aware of the fate ahead
ever looked in the eyes of a dying child?
mo-tionless & all  alone
awaiting the hour un-known
death looming at his side
but he’s standing alone
many by his side

chorus

bridge:
we have a responsibility
to one another –
we cannot change what we do not see
how much more do we need to see?
how much longer will we be deceived?
open your eyes
what’s happening to me’s  happening to you

chorus till fade

Stand as one Author: Philadelphia

Africa

the land is green, & oh so beautiful
cradle of humanity
our people strong, dey not the dollo
that’s why we are royalty
oooh a song of unity
oooh that’s what we all need

CHORUS
oohhhh oohhh

mama used to tell me
we no need to fight-o happy-happyo
she said black is beautiful
& so original , remember you’re an african

ooh song of unity
oooh that’s what we all need yeah, yeah
we need love & peace & happiness, in africa,
it’s time for africa

oooh africa

oooh song of unity
oooh that’s what we all need

CHORUS

i need you,, you need me, oh africa
we need to love each other yeah

Africa Author/s Philadelphia, Eric Arubayi & Wilson Joel

Album Review

"This album reveals the artist's vulnerabilities, hopes, joys and personal horrors. No slogan, no anger - just powerful lyrics. In this age of hype, it is easy to miss out on the powerful music the likes of Philadelphia delivers."
Rating 5/5

- Lerato Mogoatlhe - True Love Magazin (South Africa)


Philadelphia vereint Soul, Jazz und afrikanische Rhythmen; herauszuhören ist ein wunderbar runder Klang aus Lebensfreude und sanfter Nachdenklichkeit. Ihre Musik ist pure Emotionalität, welche sich in den Kompositionen ebenso widerspiegelt wie in den Texten, die autobiographisch und voller Leidenschaft sind. Philadelphia singt von Identität, Selbstreflexion, Verzweiflung und Wiederentdeckung. Mit graziöser Sinnlichkeit und swingender Leichtigkeit präsentiert die gebürtige Südafrikanerin Lieder, die unter die Haut gehen. Die dezenten, teilweise minimalistischen Arrangements bieten die perfekte Basis für ihren Gesang.

-Manuela Klaas für Südkurier