Jessica Reedy first came to our attention on the national TV competition BET’s Sunday Best. She attended the Season 2 Sunday Best audition in Washington DC on a whim to support a friend. She quickly found herself in the Top 20 onto the show’s main stage performing for judges Mary Mary and Bebe Winans. Reedy made it all the way to finals eventually being named runner up. Throughout that process and the subsequent loss, self-doubt crept in. While Reedy never thought she had the talent to make it, God used the totality of the experience to bring her into her call as both an artist and minister of music.
“My insecurities, my fears, my guilt and pain were all brought before me – the things I thought I had let go. I learned so much about myself during and after Sunday Best. I learned how little my faith was in God and His abilities … in spite of my shortcomings God still proved HIMSELF to me,” said Reedy. “I started discovering how much HE Loved me, cared for me, and how HE thought of me as HIS beloved. I learned how much I didn’t know about myself.”
“The Sunday Best experience changed me tremendously,” she continued. “Being on the Show allowed me to see God like never before … He used the Show to teach me what it really meant when He said ‘I’ll never leave you nor forsake you.’ It marked the beginning of my in depth search to know Christ and why He loves me so much.”
Since the 2009 finale, Reedy has seen God bring her into His promise. She was able to extricate herself from contractual agreements that would allow her to sign a record deal with Light Records and is now poised to release her debut CD in August 2011. It was the time after the finale that has become most transformative for Reedy.
Said Reedy, “I used my time and efforts spent between the Sunday Best Finale and my record deal with Light Records toward my search for answers. I sought God for my true purpose, the vision He had for me to fulfill … ‘why I was selected, what He wanted me to say and do. It was a time full of questions, waiting and of course HIS answers. He brought new people into my life … helped me form a great team … there was a lot of praying, crying, singing, and most importantly learning and listening.”
The end result – a clear direction for her music ministry and artistry. “As a minister of music, HE used that experience to show me how necessary it is to know HIS word … that it is the Word of God that would draw, heal, deliver, protect and save HIS people,” said Reedy. “He’s teaching me about the importance of faith and simply believing and trusting everything HE says.”
There is an impressive quality to Reedy’s artistry that belies her young age. Anchoring it all together is her one-of-a-kind voice and incomparable range. And the minute you hear that low register you know you’re witnessing something pretty special. The command of her gift is amazing as heard on her first radio single, “God Has Smiled On Me.” The unique and absolute beauty of the vocal arrangements makes the track to stand out from anything on Gospel radio today.
The yet untitled debut will feature Reedy’s talents paired with a bevy of producers. Including some of today’s hottest like Shep Crawford (Whitney Houston, Yolanda Adams, Tamia) who produced the single; Warryn Campbell (Mary Mary, Brandy, Kelly Price) will contribute a few songs as well as Jim Wright & Daniel Moore, Aaron Sledge, Mali Music and Claude Kelly.
Jessica Reedy is clearly an original, with a vocal style and personal charisma that is all about love, honesty, praising God and embracing her purpose. “I would have to describe my music as ‘heart songs’ said Reedy. “It’s music from my heart about the One I love the MOST. I don’t really know the style or category it fits in … it’s just me.”
I Wanna Be Free
Jessica Reedy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A heart with no beat.
A singer with no song to sing.
So I know the feeling
The silence is deafening
But in your pain lies a blessing
A sweeter song of victory
So keep walking n' walking n' walkingThough it seems so far.
No matter who you are
See, there is one thing that I know
Life it can leave,
You so bitter bitter, bitter, bitter
But you must believe
That it gets better, better, better, better
It's alright, dry your eyes, send a prayer
To the skies. I know it's hard to fight
But you must believe
That it gets better.
Listen to me, I know you're scared
Your heart's bleeding.
But what are you gonna do now?
I think it's time you break free!
And keep walking n' walking n' walking
Though it seems so far.
No it doesn't really matter who you are
See, there is one thing that I know ohhhhh!
Life it can leave,
You so bitter bitter, bitter, bitter
But you must believe
That it gets better, better, better, better
To the sky. I know it's hard to fight
But you must believe
That it gets better, better
Almost out of here
See, I was almost took,
I wanted to die
From how I was done wrong
I cried out every night
Looking for a helping hand
That's when it happened
Jesus took me in
He held me close
Gave me love
Refilled my heart
Helped me grow
Better because, His love, it made me whole
He's available anytime.
Try Him out
He will change your life
See 'cause I know Yeah
Life it can leave,
You so bitter, bitter, bitter, bitter
But you must believe
That it gets better, better, better, better
Life it can leave,
You so bitter bitter, bitter, bitter
But you must believe
That it gets better, better, better, better
The lyrics of Jessica Reedy's song "I Wanna Be Free" depict a journey from brokenness and emptiness to finding hope through faith. Reedy sings about her own experiences of feeling lost and without purpose, yet discovering a sense of victory through persevering through her pain. She encourages the listener to keep walking, even when the journey feels overwhelming or too far to reach. In the chorus, Reedy repeats the phrase "life it can leave you so bitter bitter bitter bitter, but you must believe that it gets better better better better." This message is a powerful reminder to listeners that although life may be difficult at times, there is always hope for a brighter future.
The second half of the song shifts focus to the transformative power of faith. Reedy sings about feeling almost taken and wanting to die from the pain she experienced. But she found hope and healing through Jesus, who "held me close, gave me love, refilled my heart, helped me grow." Reedy testifies to the availability of Jesus, inviting listeners to "try him out" and allow him to change their lives.
Overall, "I Wanna Be Free" is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the possibility of finding hope in seemingly hopeless situations.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to be so broken, lost, empty.
In the past, I felt shattered, without direction or purpose.
A heart with no beat.
I was emotionally dead, with no passion or love.
A singer with no song to sing.
I had nothing to express or share with the world.
So I know the feeling
I can empathize with those who feel the same way I used to.
The silence is deafening
The lack of sound or noise is overwhelming.
But in your pain lies a blessing
Through your suffering, you can find strength and growth.
A sweeter song of victory
The triumph over hardship will be even more beautiful and meaningful.
So keep walking n' walking n' walking
You have to stay persistent and keep moving forward.
Though it seems so far.
Even though it may seem like a distant goal.
No matter who you are
This message is for everyone, regardless of their identity or background.
See, there is one thing that I know
I am confident of one thing.
Life it can leave,
Life has the power to make you feel.
You so bitter bitter, bitter, bitter
You may feel a deep sense of anger or resentment.
But you must believe
You need to have faith and trust in the future.
That it gets better, better, better, better
Things will improve and become more positive.
It's alright, dry your eyes, send a prayer
You can find comfort and solace by offering your spiritual thoughts and emotions.
To the skies. I know it's hard to fight
You are struggling and facing difficult challenges.
But you must believe
Once again, you must have faith and hope.
That it gets better.
Things will improve and become more positive over time.
Listen to me, I know you're scared
I understand your feeling of fear and worry.
Your heart's bleeding.
You feel emotionally damaged and hurt.
But what are you gonna do now?
The question is how will you respond to this adversity?
I think it's time you break free!
It's time to free yourself from the negative thoughts and feelings.
Almost out of here
Things are getting better and the end of the hardship is near.
See, I was almost took,
I nearly succumbed to the negative emotions and thoughts.
I wanted to die
The pain and suffering made me feel like dying.
From how I was done wrong
The hurt and injury came from how I was mistreated or harmed.
I cried out every night
I expressed my sorrow and pain every day.
Looking for a helping hand
I needed someone to assist me, to provide support and care.
That's when it happened
Something significant occurred at that moment.
Jesus took me in
I received comfort and strength from my faith in Jesus.
He held me close
Jesus showed me care and empathy.
Gave me love
I felt loved and valued.
Refilled my heart
My heart was replenished and filled with positive emotions.
Helped me grow
I was able to develop a greater sense of maturity and understanding.
Better because, His love, it made me whole
I became a better person because of the love and care I received from Jesus.
He's available anytime.
Jesus is always there, ready to support and encourage us.
Try Him out
Give Him a chance and see how He can impact your life.
He will change your life
Jesus has the power to transform lives and make positive changes.
See 'cause I know Yeah
I am sure of this because of my own experiences and faith.
Contributed by Eli B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.