Sonya has appeared on numerous late night TV shows including Late Night with David Letterman, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, CNN, CBS and garnered rave reviews from the LA Times, Boston Globe, NY Times & NPR; gracing venues such as Carnegie Hall & The Hollywood Bowl amongst numerous notable stages around the world. In 2007 she joined forces with Herbie Hancock singing on his Grammy winning Joni Mitchell record titled, “River: The Joni Letters”. Herbie Hancock invited Sonya to join him on tour to sing in his band, in support of the record for the following year. During this time she worked alongside such greats as Wayne Shorter, Joni Mitchell, Milton Nascimento, Chaka Khan, Quincy Jones, and many more.
Shortly after her year spent touring with Herbie Hancock, Sonya released her second album, "This Storm" on Decca Records produced by Malcolm Burn (Daniel Lanois, Peter Gabriel, Emmylou Harris, 2008) in collaboration with renowned rock band, The Slip, to much critical acclaim.
In 2009, Sonya joined forces with long-time friend and collaborator Garth Stevenson and together they created a collection of string-quartet based music, releasing “Convict of Conviction” in 2010 with producer Stewart Lerman (Antony and the Johnsons, David Byrne). Sonya Kitchell & The Brooklyn Strings were born and Sonya spent the next year performing with a string quartet ensemble exploring a more dramatic, cinematic side to her music.
Her songs have appeared on numerous TV shows and films including Perfect Stranger (Bruce Willis, Halle Berry), Private Practice and The Unit.
She currently lives in Brooklyn, NY and is working on her fourth album.
Running
Sonya Kitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And cover all that lies beneath
If that disappoints you I'm sorry to say
I will be no accomplice to a thief.
Just like this river that flows in between
Or the wrecks and the brambles in the waves
You can build a dam, you can force it upstream
[Chorus]
I been runnin' from, I'm runnin' from
The fear I'll lose myself in what I've become
And I don't wanna be under the gun
Please give me the strength to find I don't have to run.
My mama told me, child, she said
You're beautiful you're beautiful to me
I said mama, wish I was in your head
'cause despite your words I really do not see.
[Chorus: x2]
I been runnin' from, I'm runnin' from
The fear I'll lose myself in what I've become
And I don't wanna be under the gun
Please give me the strength to find I'm not the only one
Please give me the strength to fine I don't have to run.
In Sonya Kitchell's song "Running", she talks about her fear of losing herself in the person she's become. The first verse sets the tone for the whole song - Kitchell is not ready to paint her face and cover up what's underneath. She's not going to be an accomplice to a thief - she won't hide her true self to please others. Kitchell likens herself to a river that flows in between, saying that just like a river, she can't be stopped from being who she is. Even if you build a dam, the water will always find a way to flow - and similarly, Kitchell will always be true to herself.
In the chorus, Kitchell repeats the phrase "I been runnin' from, I'm runnin' from, the fear I'll lose myself in what I've become." This fear is what drives Kitchell to keep running from who she thinks she might become. She pleads for strength to find that she doesn't have to run anymore.
In the second verse, Kitchell recalls a conversation she had with her mother. Her mother tells her she's beautiful, but Kitchell doesn't see it. She wishes she were in her mother's head, so she could see herself the way her mother sees her. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes that Kitchell is still running from her fear, but she hopes to find the strength to stop.
Overall, Kitchell's song is about staying true to yourself, even if others don't like what they see. She uses powerful imagery to convey her message - the river that can't be stopped, the wrecks and brambles in the waves, and the fear of losing oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not ready to paint my face
I am not willing to cover up my true self with any false appearances.
And cover all that lies beneath
I do not want to hide any part of myself that may not fit the societal norms.
If that disappoints you I'm sorry to say
If my decision to be myself disappoints or upsets you, I am sorry, but I will not change who I am.
I will be no accomplice to a thief.
I will not be a part of any act that involves stealing or taking away someone's identity or individuality.
Just like this river that flows in between
Similar to how a river flows naturally and freely, I too want to live free from any constraints.
Or the wrecks and the brambles in the waves
Just like how there may be chaos and obstacles in the waves, there may be struggles that come with living authentically.
You can build a dam, you can force it upstream
There may be people or things that try to force me to change, but I will resist and continue to be true to myself.
But the water, always gets away.
Despite the obstacles, the flow of the river is inevitable and unstoppable, and so my true self will always come out and be visible.
I been runnin' from, I'm runnin' from
I have been trying to avoid the fear that comes with being myself and facing the reactions of others.
The fear I'll lose myself in what I've become
I am afraid of losing my true self and becoming what society wants me to be instead of who I am.
And I don't wanna be under the gun
I do not want to feel pressured or forced into changing myself.
Please give me the strength to find I don't have to run.
I am hoping to find the strength and courage to be myself without running away or hiding from others.
My momma told me, child, she said
My mother has told me before.
You're beautiful you're beautiful to me
She believes I am beautiful just the way I am.
I said mama, wish I was in your head
I told her that I wish I could see myself as she sees me.
'cause despite your words I really do not see.
Despite my mother's words, I struggle to see my own beauty and worth.
Please give me the strength to find I'm not the only one
I am hoping to find others who may be struggling with similar fears and challenges as I am, so I can feel less alone.
Please give me the strength to fine I don't have to run.
I want to find the strength to be myself without feeling like I have to run away or hide from others.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MALCOLM BURN, SONYA KITCHELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind