Today - Q

One of the most rewarding parts of discovering new music is finding those songs that make me sit with myself at the end of them and go “wow.” That speak to my soul and fill me with an indescribable emotion.  I get that feeling with a lot of the jazz music that I listen to where the piano and horns have this special language going on that feels intimate and personal, but also welcoming the listener/audience to join the conversation. Because of their reliance on instrumentation to explain a story, jazz players can usually stretch the time of a song, adding movements in between so that it doesn’t feel like you’re listening to the same thing, but variations of the opening motif.

In most music where the artist sings or raps, they typically don’t have that much time to get their point across. In my personal opinion, singers are at more of a disadvantage because they have to compress thoughts into lyrics that fit around melodies and tempo, whereas a rapper can literally go on an essay-like rant. So I am always impressed to find those songs where the singer can let us into their minds and gently push us out at the end without making us feel like we’re missing something.

I found Floridian singer Q when I was stuck inside during the beginning of the pandemic. I discovered a lot of artists during that time and if I shared with you my Spotify playlist you would see what I mean, but Q was one of the most impressive ones. Most of his music had this heartwarming electric R&B color to it that felt sweet and new like a ripe Florida orange. His tales of young, tender love bereft of any toxicity or pain made me feel like I was in another time where the world didn’t seem as dark and bleak as it did in the middle of 2020. 

So, a few months ago when Q performed his newest single “Today” at the Soul Train Awards, I was pleased to see him shifting from being an under the radar talent to gracing a stage that millions around America could see. With closed eyes and a contemplative demeanor, he sang, “Some days, the pain still stays, makes you feel helplessness…” Q has been very open about his bouts with anxiety and how crippling it has become; it’s a centerpiece of his music. “You're always in a state of trying to make sure everything is good and it's not—that's not the way life works. I have learned to let go and surrender to that every morning,” he said in an interview with Vice. That’s the entire theme of “Today.”  Q goes from saying someday happiness and joy will to finally declaring at the end that that someday is today. 

For a black man in America to say that he hurts, and that there are times when that pain becomes unbearable, he has to have faith that your response will be understanding and not critical. Many men have been told for generations that crying, venting, or any form of emotional relief, is for the weak. Black men are told to bottle up their tears in private and get rid of them before anyone can see. This dehumanizes them, which in turn hardens them. What I appreciate about Q and this song is that he owns what he feels. He admits his approach in handling his emotions could be detrimental, that occasionally he screws up, but ultimately the resolution is simple. 

It’s going to be ok.

Stream “Today by Q

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