Born in Los Angeles, California, China Moses is the daughter of jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater and director Gilbert Moses. She released her first single "Time" (1996) at the age of 18, along with her first video directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino. This was followed by three albums: China (1997), On tourne en rond ("We Turn Around") (2000), and Good Lovin (2004). She worked on her albums with Swedish hip hop label Breaking Bread as well as artists such as DJ Mehdi, Diam's, Karriem Riggins, Guru, Anthony Marshall, and sound engineer Bob Power.
She has appeared on music channels such as MCM (1999–2001) and MTV France (2004–2011). In 2011 she joined the team for the 8th season of French TV show Le Grand Journal on Canal+, which she left in July 2012. From October 2011 to December 2012 she presented Jazz Radio’s Made in China, a daily program which aired from 7pm to 8pm. In a bid to manage her activities as an entertainer, China launched her own production company, MadeInChina Productions, in 2008.
Moses and French pianist Raphaël Lemonnier created a show called Gardenias for Dinah, a tribute to their mutual idol Dinah Washington, who was also the inspiration for the album This One’s for Dinah which was released in 2009 by Blue Note.
After their worldwide tour which included Europe, India, Lebanon, Canada, and Japan, Moses and Lemonnier's next work was a tribute to the great blues and jazz female singers who have inspired Moses or have influenced her. They include Dinah Washington ("Resolution Blues", "You’re Crying") and some of her precursors and peers: Mamie Smith ("Crazy Blues"), Lil Green ("Why Don't You Do Right?"), as well as stars like Esther Phillips ("Cherry Wine (Little Esther song)"), Nina Simone ("Just Say I Love Him", "Work Song"), Etta James ("I Just Wanna Make Love to You"), Janis Joplin ("Move Over"), and Donna Summer ("Hot Stuff"). Other songs have been adapted specifically for stage performances such as: "Kitchen Man" by Bessie Smith, "Today I Sing the Blues" by Helen Humes and Aretha Franklin, and "Love Me or Leave Me" sung by Billie Holiday. Moses has said: "Our stage performances are organized like a show. I love to tell stories, I see myself as a jazz storyteller and I like to make sure that people smile in between songs."Ref? The album Crazy Blues was released in 2012.
In 2013, she became a music expert consultant to the French electricity supplier ERDF. She hosted the TV documentary Soul Power as part of the summer series Summer of Soul on Arte.
In addition to her participation on André Manoukian's album So in Love (2010, Blue Note France/EMI), Moses presented a new show in the fall of 2013 featuring torch songs such as "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", "Lullaby of Birdland" and "I've Got You Under My Skin". Additionally, she performs in Cafe Society Swing, a show written and produced by Alex Webb that revives the good times of the legendary 1940s New York nightclub, Cafe Society, which promoted racial equality and progressive causes, and where "Strange Fruit" was performed for the first time by Billie Holiday.
She co-presented and sang at the first UNESCO International Jazz Day in Paris in 2012 and performed numerous times for US UNESCO. She initiated a documentary on the first and second International Jazz Day in Paris. In 2013, she was invited to participate in the Young Leaders Program of the French-American Foundation.
On several occasions Moses has shared the stage with her mother, Dee Dee Bridgewater, accompanied by orchestras such as the Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg and the WDR Big Band.
Disconnected
China Moses Lyrics
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In the song "Disconnected" by China Moses, the lyrics speak to the modern day obsession with technology and social media that has created a society that is more connected yet disconnected at the same time. The flashing lights represent the constant notifications that accompany our phones, encouraging us to check them every time they light up. The desire to be constantly connected to our virtual world has resulted in a lack of communication in reality. There is an obsession with knowing what is happening around us, yet we are unwilling to engage in personal interactions.
The lyrics remind us that despite our so-called connections, we have lost the art of communication. It has turned into a world of comments and likes with no real substance. We have become so busy with our digital lives that we are forgetting to connect with the people around us. This disconnect is not only sad but also dangerous because we have become so reliant on technology that we are losing our ability to communicate and interact face to face.
The lyrics also suggest that the perfect picture that is presented on social media is not the real truth. There are too many filters and editing to create the perfect image. The solution proposed by the song is to step away from the screens and meet up in person. It's a call to disconnect from the digital world and connect with people personally.
Line by Line Meaning
Flashing lights.
The world is full of distractions and stimuli.
Grab my phone. Better check what's going on.
Our immediate response to stimuli is to check our phones.
Wanna know what they're saying. what's the outfit of the day.
We care more about superficial things than meaningful conversation and connections.
I heart you and you like me.
Our validation often comes from social media and technology, not in-person connections.
What a world so busy but we don't talk in reality.
Despite living in a busy world, we struggle to communicate effectively with one another face-to-face.
It's out of control. I wanna be disconnected.
The overwhelming nature of technology and social media makes us crave disconnection from it all.
We all look down. Don't look up. No eye contact, no, "what's up!"
We are so consumed by our phones that we ignore the world around us and miss out on meaningful interactions with others.
Quick to comment. Got high speed access.
We are quick to express our opinions online but lack the same urgency to communicate in real life.
Slow to communicate, this is madness.
We have become so accustomed to communicating through technology that face-to-face conversations feel difficult or unnatural.
Oh what a picture, a perfect picture.
The filtered and curated version of ourselves we present online is not reflective of our true selves.
So many truths under that filter.
Our online personas do not necessarily reflect the truth about ourselves or our lives.
Let's just meet up and talk about it.
In-person interactions are necessary for true connection and understanding.
I don't wanna be disconnected.
Despite the chaos of the digital world, we still crave genuine connections and relationships with others.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANTHONY LLOYD JOHN MARSHALL, CHINA NICOLE MOSES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind