Confronting History, Reclaiming Identity: Black Myself

Amythyst Kiah self reflects as an old soul in a modern time

In my 60s, I’ve lost the resolve of discovering new music.

Back in the days of albums, it was easy to keep up with the output. And radio alerted us to all the good stuff being released. You just had to move the dial back and forth from rock ‘n’ roll to country to jazz to find new gems.

Today the same task is daunting.

There are too many platforms and artists to choose from. It’s a blessing for music, but it feels impossible to keep up-to-date within any genre.

Maybe it’s a generational tendency. Music rises from youthful rebellion and settles down into old comforts at retirement age.

Enter Spotify.

I miss playing albums on loud speakers, but we are living in a streaming world now.

So I click on Spotify and select songs for my main playlist. The algorithm offers a variety of other choices, so I give them a quick listen and decide to add a few to the playlist.

At least this way I get some fresh songs from unknown artists. That’s a digital win.

This is the new method of music discovery.

And I found a song that blew me away.

When Background Noise Shines

Music doesn't just reflect our world—it remembers it and reshapes it.

My Spotify playlist blasts in the background when I write. It jazzes up my senses and keeps my pace in rhythm. I know who sings all the old tunes, but the new ones I have to check.

After several run-throughs, I stopped cold on “Black Myself."

I never realized who sang it or what it was saying. The groove on its own was good enough.

Our Native Daughters, featuring Amythyst Kiah, with Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell.

Here was my full discovery of this intriguing track:

• First, the Austin City Limits YouTube performance blew me away.

• Then, the powerful voice of Amythyst Kiah blew me away.

• And then the amazing lyrics blew me away.

It’s been forever since a single song has hit my soul square on.

It’s raw, defiant and a celebration all coming at you in a rock and blues infused juggernaut. Your eyes spread wide open, while your ears try to decipher it all.

And most importantly, it represents creative courage. A much needed commodity.

First, give a listen to the Americana 18th Annual Honors version with Our Native Daughters.

Amythyst Kiah's Amazing Grace

Released in 2019, “Black Myself” is a history lesson wrapped in a search for identity.

The song manages to compress hundreds of years of history, pain, and resilience into a declaration that feels both deeply personal and universally relevant.

Kiah stands out with her commanding voice and unflinching lyrics.

A native of Tennessee, there’s a lot of tradition and soul in the young women’s spirit. And “Black Myself” captures the essence of everything from the slave trade to stereotypes to Black Power.

For me, the chorus is one of the most knock-down lyrics I’ve ever heard:

Is you washed in the blood of your chattel?
'Cause the lamb's rotted away
When they stopped shipping work horses
They bred their own anyway, ooh

She calls out the hypocrisy of religious institutions and moral authorities to justify oppression and maintain power structures. Even when the slave ships stopped, the believers bred Blacks like livestock.

Kiah alludes to the beauty standards test, whereby skin color lighter than a paper bag made one more acceptable in society. This is colorism that is still prevalent today.

I don't pass the test of the paper bag
'Cause I'm black myself

Everyone knows that blues music traditions derive from slaves and their struggle. However, Kiah reclaims her roots by picking up the banjo, a native African instrument mainly played by White bluegrass musicians.

I pick the banjo up and they sneer at me
'Cause I'm black myself

As a songwriter, I find it incredible to extract so much history and meaning in just two lyric lines.

Empowerment is a self-inflicted attribute. And Kiah reminds us that even when you wash away the atrocities of slavery to be yourself, there still remains work to overcome the residues lingering in society.

I washed away my blood and tears
I've been born brand new
There's no more work horses
But still some work to do, yeah

In an act of artistic defiance, Kiah not only defines her own path, she smiles in your face while doing it. She faces opposition head on declares her freedom.

I don't creep around, I stand proud and free
'Cause I'm black myself
And I'll stand my ground and smile in your face
'Cause I'm black myself

This is courage. This is art. This is celebrating your ancestors and yourself.

Listen to the official music video that highlights the songwriter.

Coda

If true empowerment comes from acknowledging both victories and ongoing struggles.

Then Amythyst Kiah is an empowered artist.

“Black Myself” is a transcendent experience for both the singer and the listener. It is an awakening of spirit, soul and sacrifice.

She transforms pain into power, challenges religious hypocrisy, reclaims cultural spaces, and shows us all what it means to stand proud in your truth—no matter who tries to diminish it.

That’s a lot to unload in just one song.

The most powerful art doesn't just reflect the world as it is—it helps us imagine what it could be.

[Lyrics courtesy of the publisher: Rounder Records]
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