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Run Deep

by Deva Mahal

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1.
I’m feeling you like an old school instrumental I’m getting in the mood, and feeling sentimental The way you look at me, no, it ain’t accidental Though I ain’t clear if it’s real, or if you’ve hit me central Cause I’m not the type to automatically get complicated Though your time and affection show nuff appreciated I understand, real love is underestimated For such a blessing, gotta know that I really waited Really waited Just can’t call it love, no baby no, no baby no Just can’t call it love, no baby no, no baby no Chemistry is dynamite, like Vogel bread and Marmite But what if we collide like Superman and kryptonite? Opposite ends, baby of the periodic table Molecules, when joined, becoming unstable But I’m not the type to straight jump into the deep end Though I am feeling you, I cannot pretend Oh no, I cannot pretend Just can’t call it love, no baby no, no baby no Just can’t call it love, no baby no, no baby no You got that rhythm, my song is sweet My hips rock steady, when you touch me, I feel the heat When it comes to my heart, gotta be clear from the start Can’t let it get torn apart, no, no Say just can’t call it love, no baby no, no baby no... Before we have love, L-O-V-E You need to show me, R-E-S-P-E-C-T
2.
Snakes 03:20 video
Slither sinner like a snake in the grass Wolf in sheep's clothing with words made of glass Crept up upon me like a shadow on the wall Couldn’t prepare me for how heavy I would fall And I say ooh girl, step on the scene, don’t you know the world is so mean? Ooh girl, caught in between, don’t you know the grass ain’t green? Ooh girl, step on the scene, don’t you know the world is so mean? Ooh girl, caught in between, don’t you know the grass ain’t green? Smoke and mirror, what a spell you have cast Cruel predictions have all come to pass The earth is shaking and the sky is tumbling down Shaking my tree ‘til my leaves fall to the ground And I said fall to the ground, fall to the ground Fall to the, fall to the, fall to the ground And I said ooh girl, step on the scene, don’t you know the world is so mean? Ooh girl, caught in between, don’t you know the grass ain’t green? Ooh girl, step on the scene, don’t you know the world is so mean? Ooh girl, caught in between, don’t you know the grass ain’t green? Don’t you know the world is so mean? I’ma look to the mountains, look to the mountains, look to the mountains And I’ma take you to the sea Look to the mountains, look to the mountains, look to the mountains And I’m’a take you to the sea
3.
Fire 04:42
Long, it’s been a long time coming Though I sent a strong, a real strong warning That you tried to fight, but it’s a losing battle Faded lights, so put your feet to the gravel I tried, Lord knows I’ve tried I can’t go any further, if you only knew the darkness inside I can’t go any further, if you only knew the darkness inside of me True, you truly make me feel good And I know you’d, do anything that you could To make me happy, happier than i deserve But I was set on fire, and you can’t heal these burns The tears I’ve cried, could fill a river wide Oh, I can’t go any further If you only knew, the darkness inside of me I can’t go any further, if you only knew The darkness inside of me Said I can’t go any further If you only knew, the darkness inside Said I can’t go any further if you only knew, the darkness inside of me
4.
Dream 03:41
I don’t dream about him anymore You don’t hold me like you did before Think it’s finally time to close the door to my heart Two feet tall, brown eyes, little hands, seemed so wise Skinny legs I knew he was you plus me, from his head down to his feet But we never met, with the power of blood, combined We could have breathed him into life But you were busy finding yourself, and then you found someone else Someone else I don’t dream about him anymore You don’t hold me like you did before Think it’s finally time to close the door To my heart Took the wind, it took the rain, lightnin’ to strike me once again To let go, of the love, the laughs and the grief To tell the truth from the make believe Flesh and bone, misery clung tight Had to hold onto the light, to finally take me from the darkness It was so hard to leave, but it was killing me I don’t dream about him anymore You don’t hold me like you did before Think it’s finally time to close the door To my heart See my heart forgot to skip a beat, when I mentioned you the other week I no longer feel I’m incomplete, without you
5.
Shards 04:23
Bullets flew, you shot my heart It was love from the start, from the start The journeys made on airplanes, we couldn’t be apart Couldn’t be apart, no What did I do, I’m talking to you You won’t even look me in my face Answer your phone, I’m all alone Tell me, baby, have I been replaced Oh when the pain subsides, there will remain a shard That will remind me of, who you really are I see you all around, how do I let go I can’t escape you even in my dreams The tears we shared, kissing in the snow Whoa-oh-oh in the snow, guess we were never meant to be Oh when the pain subsides, there will remain a shard That will remind me of, who you really are Who you are (x8) Oh when the pain subsides, there will remain a shard That will remind me of, who you really are Oh when the pain subsides, there will remain a shard That will remind me of, who you really are Woo hoo (x3)
6.
My eyes are wide this morning, but my heart is heavy still There’s a sea inside me, storming ‘cause I’m battling with my will Though I may grow tired and weary, and there’s ache within my bones I will fight for what I believe in, even if I fight alone I know that I’m gon’, keep on moving on ‘Cause nobody can stop me yeah ‘Cause I gathered my armour, and I’m ready for battle I’ve got my weapons drawn, takin’ the road less traveled And I’m ready to do this, and nobody can stop me ‘Cause I’m thoroughly convinced, this is my love and it runs deep In my life, there have been many Who have tried to break me down But I know in my soul, oh, that I am upward bound Doesn’t matter what they think of me, cause I know what I was born to be I don’t do it ‘cause it’s trendy, I hold onto my integrity Manifest my own reality, and soon all them haters will see That nobody can stop me yeah Cause I gathered my armour, and I’m ready for battle I’ve got my weapons drawn, takin’ the road less traveled And I’m ready to do this, and nobody can stop me ‘Cause I’m thoroughly convinced, this is my love and it runs deep [Rap: Coco Peila] Little nappy headed skinny ass black girl, back of the class Didn’t try, I didn’t think I could pass Didn’t fight ‘cause I had already lost more than my share of battles Before I hit double digits many tried to break me, make me give in Listen, not playing stupid so they don’t feel intimidated Give up on my goals and dreams for theirs to be accommodated Let them use my mind and body, making their shit look bossy Not speak up and use my gifts cause they might call me “bitch” and “bossy” Know in my soul what I’m down here for Exactly what I love, what ma crowned me for What I hold, they can’t touch, what I have, they can’t buy Went toe to toe with doubt a couple of times, abandoned that lie Yea I lost some battles but I’ll win the war Haters stay underestimating; I’ll settle the score Run deep like the blood in my veins, it gives me fever Won’t stop 'til I’m running the game, now sang it Deva [Hook: Deva Mahal] And I I gathered my armour And I'm ready for battle, I've got my weapons drawn Taken the road less traveled, and I'm ready to do this And nobody can stop me, cause I'm thoroughly convinced This is my love and it runs deep
7.
If you move forward, there’s no turning back So let’s take it slow, no need to move fast Don’t tell me your secrets, don’t care about your past There’s only this moment, so let’s make it last And get turnt up, with the lights down low Love you tonight, tomorrow who knows? So drink here, with your whiskey lean Tonight boy, you’re lookin’ so clean Turnt up, with the lights down low Love you tonight, that’s how the game goes So drink here, with your whiskey lean Tonight boy, it’s just you and me And I see you checkin’, I can see it in your eyes And you know I liked it, there’s no need to disguise Spare me your problems, I don’t care about your lies Tonight let’s get restless, and give into the night And get turnt up with the lights down low I love you tonight, tomorrow who knows? So drink here, with your whiskey lean Tonight boy, you’re lookin’ so clean Turnt up, with the lights down low Love you tonight, that’s how the game goes So drink here, with your whiskey lean Tonight by, it’s just you and me Though you don’t even know me, I like what I see So I want you to show me, temptation between the sheets So finish what you’re sippin’, don’t need another drink If you’re ready, I’m willing, didn’t come here to think Turnt up, with the lights down low Love you tonight, tomorrow who knows? So drink here, with you whiskey lean Tonight boy, you’re lookin’ so clean Turnt up, with the lights down low Love you tonight, that’s how the game goes So drink here, with your whiskey lean Tonight boy, it’s just you and me You and me, you and me You and me yeah, you and me...
8.
Superman 00:39
I need me a superman to, flyin’ round as fast as he can I need me a big old daddy, knows just what to do with his two hands ‘Cause I am superwoman, I need me a man of steel So you better come for real, I need me a superman.
9.
Optimist 04:21
When my sea is burnin’, when the bow breaks When my heart is hurtin’, and my soul can’t take it And I feel the need to surrender, cause I can’t hold on Gotta remember, you gotta be strong Oh, I won’t give up, to all the heartaches that life brings ‘Cause I believe in love, believe it’s everlasting Oh-whoa … oh-whoa Now we all fall down, and we all feel pain And the hurt are drownin’, in the pouring rain Lord, they don’t make it easy, ain’t given nothin for free But you gotta get on up, and get back on your feet Oh, I won’t give up, to all the heartaches that life brings ‘Cause I believe in love, believe it’s everlasting Oh… whoa oh ...whoa It’s hard times, in this hard life There’s so many demands, but you can make it There’s no mistaking, if together we stand Oh I won’t give up, to all the heartaches that life brings Cause I believe in love, believe it’s everlasting Oh- whoa whoa, Oh - whoaI believe, I believe in love I believe, I believe I believe Yeah!!!!!
10.
Wicked 04:35
Limbs, breaking off the pieces of me Wind, blowing me away to a distant land Come on and catch me if you can Rain, trickling down my face but it don’t wash No, it doesn’t wash away the pain, I’m still wrapped in chains I’m goin’ off, no, I won’t go down in the night We goin’ off, got the kingdom in our sights We are wicked now, we are wicked now Gunning for the crown, you can’t hold us down We are wicked now, we are wicked now Coming for you now, we are wicked now Oh, leaves Withering and a falling at your feet, your trees are sullied at the root Bearing such a bitter fruit, oh you You tried to bury me, but you forgot that we are seeds And we’ll grow, and you’re gonna lose control I’m goin’ off, no I won’t go down in the night We goin’ off, got the kingdom in our sights We are wicked now, we are wicked now Gunning for the crown, you can’t hold us down We are wicked now, we are wicked now Coming for you now, we are wicked now You may try to intimidate us, and turn our hearts But the more you try to break us, the stronger we are We are wicked now, we are wicked now Gunning for the crown, you can’t hold us down We are wicked now, we are wicked now Coming for you now, we are wicked now We are wicked now, We are wicked now Gunning for the crown, you can’t hold us down We are wicked now, we are wicked now Coming for you now, we are wicked now
11.
I won’t be the only one, to travel over land and sea And I won’t be the only one, cause that’s a lonely life for me You tell me ‘bout your love but I’ve never seen it It’s not enough to make it, you’ve gotta mean it And it’s down to you, I’ve tried everything to please you What else can I do? Darlin’ I can’t wait And I won’t be the only one Who’d lay my life, lay my life on the line The lights are up and the curtains down Listen boy, you’re running out of time You tell me ‘bout your love, but you never show it It’s not enough to say it, I gotta know it And it’s down to you, I’ve tried everything to please you What else can I do, darlin’ I can’t wait I know if I stay here, I’ll never make it So I’m running with my heart, before you break it And it’s down to you, I’ve tried everything To please you, And what else can I do? Baby, I can’t wait And it’s down to you, I’ve tried everything, everything (oh) to please you What else can I do? Baby, I can’t wait Say, Lord, I’ve tried everything
12.
Though you failed at love and lost And sorrow's turned your heart to frost I will mend your heart again Remember the feeling as a child When you woke up and morning smiled It's time it’s time you felt that way again There is just no percentage of remembering the past It's time you learned to live again and love at last Come with me leave your yesterday, yesterday behind And take a giant step outside your mind You stare at me with disbelief You say for you there's no relief But girl I swear you won’t come to no harm Don't sit there in your lonely room Just looking back on your lonely gloom Mama that's just not where you belong Come with me I'll take you where the taste of life is green And everyday hold on woman we’ll be seen Come with me leave your yesterday, yesterday behind Take a giant step outside your mind Ooh come with me I'll take you where the taste of life is green And everyday hold on woman we’ll be seen Oh yeah, come with me leave your yesterday, yesterday behind Take a giant step outside your mind Come with me leave your yesterday, yesterday behind Take a giant step outside your mind Come with me leave your yesterday behind And take a giant step outside your mind Though you failed at love and lost And sorrow's turned your heart to frost I will mend your broken heart

about

The sultry grit of “Can’t Call It Love” kicks off the album, followed by the bold R&B stomp of “Snakes,” a warning sent to Deva’s younger self (and girls like her) to watch out for people with less than your best intentions in mind. The late-night groove of “Turnt Up”, (a duet with Allen Stone), sways under the trance of Deva’s whiskey-soaked seductiveness, and Stone’s equally sly counterpoint, while the elegiac spirituality of “Fire” traces a path through trial and demons. The album’s title track is a celebration of the power of music itself, featuring Deva’s sister Coco Peila; despite its title, “Dream” is a clear-eyed, wide-awake reflection on a love gone wrong.

An organ-driven rock beat propels “Optimist,” which could serve as Deva’s one-word mission statement. “It’s Down To You” shows off Deva’s soulful balladry, “Shards” her ability to reveal her very core in a stark, confessional anthem. “Wicked” is an electro-soul call to action in the vein of Stevie Wonder’s politically charged classics. The album comes full circle with a cover of the Carole King/Gerry Goffin song “Take a Giant Step” – originally recorded by The Monkees and famously covered by Taj Mahal in 1969, but rendered profoundly current and personal in Deva’s own rendition.

Her songs draw on a deep well of personal experience, serving as revelations, cautionary tales, and empowerment anthems. “When you are bullied and treated like you don’t belong, or faced with great adversity at a young age,” she says, “you learn ways to cope. Music gave me an outlet to express the pain of those experiences and the strength to challenge racial, physical and gender stereotypes.”

She is defiant in voice as well as in person, bravely putting herself forward as an exemplar of positive body image and overcoming the travails of bullying and discrimination. She’s also lent her support and talents to organizations like “Voices of a People’s History of the United States” which are working to cast the light of truth on racial inequality, gender stereotypes, and bias as well as issues surrounding poverty.

“It’s incredibly important to me to not succumb to pressure to conform to any standard of beauty or body type,” Deva asserts. “I believe that beauty has no size or skin color and I want to smash down those preconceptions.”

Raised in Kauai, Hawaii, Deva discovered her passion for music at a very young age. Despite her parental role models, her talent and drive arose naturally, long before she became aware that she was following in their footsteps. Even before her earliest memories, Deva’s family recall her seizing any opportunity to sing in front of a crowd, gradually improving and always feeding off the positive energy of an audience, however small. She had her first real gig at the age of 5 and made her professional debut at 12 – and has rarely stayed away from a stage for long since.

Initially aspiring to a career on Broadway, Deva moved to the mainland to study theater at Southern Oregon University, but those plans were derailed by the unexpected death of her sister. To regroup, she moved to the Bay Area with two of her other sisters, until the events of 9/11 prompted her to join her mother in New Zealand. While there she decided to study jazz and vocal performance and slowly began to make a name for herself on the Wellington music scene.

A successful tour of Europe with “hi-tek soul” band Fat Freddy’s Drop opened the wider world to Deva, and in 2007 she determined to try her luck in New York City, a long-abandoned dream finally coming to belated fruition. Once there she became a fixture at Brooklyn jam sessions, tirelessly set her experiences to music, and earned a significant buzz as half of the duo Fredericks Brown, with fellow New Zealand ex-pat Steph Brown.

The wider world started to realize Deva’s songwriting talents in 2008, when “Never Let You Go,” a co-write with her father, gained acclaim on the Grammy-nominated album Maestro. She’s also collaborated with a wide-ranging array of artists, including members of TV on the Radio, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, and Fat Freddy’s Drop. She’s performed at such renowned venues and festivals as Sonar, Womad, Carnegie Hall, The Apollo the Atlanta Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival and Montreux Jazz Festival. “Every experience in life leaves a mark,” Deva sums up. “Evidence of its existence. Some experiences leave scars, deep grooves inside your very soul that never truly leave you. That is where Run Deep comes from. I never want to wade in the shallow places in life because it’s easier, safer or more comfortable. My music speaks a lot about pain and heartache, but I dive into those feelings, submerge myself in them so I can work through them and get to the other side.”

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released March 23, 2018

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Deva Mahal Wellington, New Zealand

Genre-defying artist, powerhouse vocalist and astute songwriter.

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