Born and raised in Washington, DC, YahZarah started singing at the age of 7 in her church choir. Her love for performance began after winning a youth talent search at the Kennedy Center at age 10. After years of honing her talent in churches, talent shows and local concerts, she entered high school at DC’s prestigious Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Upon graduation in 1997, she was accepted to North Carolina Central University in Durham on a full scholarship to the school’s jazz program.
In 1998, she left NC Central and began touring as a background singer for Erykah Badu. While touring, YahZarah contributed background vocals and vocal arrangements to Badu’s platinum-selling “Mama’s Gun” LP, and was featured in the video for the album’s lead single, ‘Bag Lady.’ In 2001, she left the Mama’s Gun tour and released her debut album “Hear Me” on the KEO Music label. A follow up LP, 2003’s “Blackstar,” was issued on the Three Keys label and reached #44 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.
2004 found YahZarah reuniting with longtime collaborator and fellow NC Central classmate Phonte Coleman (Little Brother, The Foreign Exchange) for a series of crucial guest appearances. With the release of The Foreign Exchange’s debut album “Connected,” YahZarah was featured on the lead single “Sincere.” The following year she appeared on Little Brother’s “Minstrel Show” LP (Atlantic Records), and was featured on the debut single “Lovin It.” She later contributed two vocal performances to The Foreign Exchange’s GRAMMY-nominated “Leave It All Behind” LP in 2008. That same year, she released an EP of new material entitled “The Prelude.” To support the EP, she toured nationally and internationally with artists such as Chaka Khan, Musiq Soulchild, The Roots, Rahsaan Patterson, and R. Kelly.
YahZarah’s latest album “The Ballad Of Purple Saint James,” is scheduled for release in May 2010 on the Foreign Exchange Music label.
Starship
Yahzarah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll be your hostess for today's flight
Please fasten your seatbelts
We should be arriving promptly
700 light years in outer space
I finally found the place
Where I don't feel mistreated
I'm gonna go somewhere
Far beyond the sky and the trees
Gonna go somewhere where nobody knows my name
I'm gonna go somewhere
Where nobody knows my shame
Gonna lay down the past
So I'm gonna change my name, oh, oh
In 5... 4... 3... 2... 1
See, I'm gone in my starship
I'm headed straight to the moon
I'm gone away in my starship
I'm headed in my starship
I'm going straight to the moon
I'm gone away in my starship
I finally found the ground
Where all the seagulls wanna fly high
Finally found the place where there's more to life
Than stealing and getting and eating and fighting, yeah, yeah
Finally found the place
Where I can spead my arms as far as I can
And fly high ee-ee-eee-eee
Far from the sky and the trees
I'm gonna go somewhere, yeah
Where nobody knows my name
I'm gonna lay down the past
So I'm gonna change my name
And lay down my heavy burdens
In 5... (5...) 4... (4...) 3... (3...) 2... (2...) 1
See, I'm gone in my starship
I'm headed straight to the moon
I'm gone away in my starship
I'm headed in my starship
I'm going straight to the moon
I'm gone away in my starship
See, I'm gone in my starship
I'm headed straight to the moon
I'm gone away in my starship
I'm headed in my starship
I'm going straight to the moon
I'm gone away in my starship
My starship
I'm headed straight to the moon
See, I'm gone in my starship (I'm going there)
I'm headed straight to the moon
I'm gone away in my starship
Ohh, yeah, hey, hey, yeah
I'm headed in my starship (I'm going there)
I'm going straight to the moon
I'm gone away in my starship
Yahzarah's "Starship" is a song about escape, both physical and emotional. She starts by introducing herself as the hostess for the listener's journey on her starship to 700 light years away in outer space. Yahzarah proceeds to describe the liberation she feels in her new space where she can finally be herself and not be mistreated, a place where she's free from her past and the shame associated with it. She's going to change her name and leave behind all of her heavy burdens.
In the chorus, Yahzarah repeats that she's gone in her starship, headed straight for the moon, away from the ground where the seagulls want to fly high. Her journey is symbolic of her inner transformation, where she's found a new place where there's more to life than stealing, getting, eating, and fighting. She can now spread her arms as far as she can and fly high, far from the sky and the trees. Ultimately, she wants to go to a place where nobody knows her name and start a new life.
The song speaks to anyone who has ever felt trapped, oppressed, or misunderstood. Sometimes, the only way to find inner peace is to take a journey, physical or otherwise, to a place where we feel free to be ourselves without fear of judgment or mistreatment.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello, ladies and gentlemen
Yahzarah greets her listeners and prepares to take them on a journey.
I'll be your hostess for today's flight
Yahzarah will be the guide and leader for the listeners throughout her song.
Please fasten your seatbelts
The listeners are encouraged to prepare for a transformative experience and to hold on tight.
We should be arriving promptly
Yahzarah intends to waste no time in revealing her message and taking the listeners on a journey.
700 light years in outer space
The distance Yahzarah is prepared to go to find a sense of belonging, to leave her problems behind, and to connect with the universe.
I finally found the place
Yahzarah has discovered a fulfilling and content place where she has found peace.
Where I don't feel mistreated
Yahzarah has found a place with acceptance and belonging, where she doesn't feel unfairly treated due to her past.
Finally found the space where I feel safe
Yahzarah has found a sanctuary where she feels secure and protected.
I'm gonna go somewhere
Yahzarah is ready to leave her problems behind and find a new sense of self.
Far beyond the sky and the trees
Yahzarah is traveling far beyond the physical limits of Earth to find her place in the universe.
Where nobody knows my name
Yahzarah seeks to detach herself from her past and start anew without any prior prejudices or judgments being made based on her name.
Where nobody knows my shame
Yahzarah wants to escape humiliation and embarrassment she feels from her past experiences.
Gonna lay down the past
Yahzarah plans to forget her past and start fresh.
So I'm gonna change my name, oh, oh
Yahzarah understands by changing her name, she can leave the parts of her past she wishes to leave behind.
In 5... 4... 3... 2... 1
Yahzarah is leaving her past behind, and will soon begin her journey of transformation.
See, I'm gone in my starship
Through her music, Yahzarah is taking her listeners on a transformative journey to escape from their problems and pursue their passions.
I'm headed straight to the moon
Yahzarah is determined to reach her goal of discovering a new, peaceful, and content place far beyond Earth, and beyond the stars.
I finally found the ground
Yahzarah has found a grounding force that keeps her aligned with her path.
Where all the seagulls wanna fly high
Yahzarah has found a place where she can achieve great things, just like any other ambitious bird.
Finally found the place where there's more to life
Yahzarah has discovered there's more to life than the same old routine she's used to. There is an entire universe waiting to be explored.
Than stealing and getting and eating and fighting, yeah, yeah
Yahzarah has found her purpose and spread her wings beyond the mundane and negative parts of her past life.
Where I can spead my arms as far as I can
Yahzarah is ready to take off and fly high in her vulnerability and authenticity.
And fly high ee-ee-eee-eee
Yahzarah has come a long way and is ready to achieve great heights.
Gonna lay down the past
Yahzarah reiterates her determination of putting her past behind her.
And lay down my heavy burdens
Yahzarah believes it is time to free herself of the burdens that have weighed her down for so long.
See, I'm gone in my starship (I'm going there)
Yahzarah urges her listeners to join her on her journey of self-reinvention.
Ohh, yeah, hey, hey, yeah
Yahzarah encourages her listeners to be brave and find their own paths in life and to stay positive and motivated in the face of difficulties.
My starship
The transformative journey that Yahzarah has embarked on- which aims to encourage listeners to be their own pilots and navigate through life's obstacles with positivity and strength.
Contributed by Elizabeth Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Aaron Michael
This song got me through my high school years. Im still discovering who I am...on my starship. Thank you St.James
ArtVandelay1983
Recordings do this sista no justice. Her voice is incredible live. Keep at it babes. 7K views? Glad to be in the exclusive company.
NeferuBastMaat
This song gives me chills every time I hear it! I have seen her live a few times and she never fails to put on a SHOW!!!
Kennedy Thal
This song is doing things to me. Been jammin' it all day.
Aleah Pinder
Her voice is incredible i been hooked on her since i seen her a few years back at Times Lounge in Virginia she is an amazing performer really underrated i wish i could hear more from her
blackchang1981
This song never gets old. Yahzarah is sooooo underrated.
Jonathan Gibson
A great song, and another great example of the Afro-futurism theme as expressed by Sun Ra!
Lashae99
Just browsing itunes, came acros this song. Love It!!
EyeJayJackson
beautifully done. one of my favorite songs on the album.
SexyBkSag
She went INNNNNNNNNn..this track gives me a Prince feel....has a 'Beautiful Ones' tempo to it...