Date Written: May 29th 2022

Our throat chakra playlist is curated to help you honor your inner voice and speak. Each song is strategically placed to allow you to authentically feel your feels and express yourself in ways you may have felt shamed or fearful of in your past. Umi’s soulful voice pierces the heart in ways that makes it almost impossible to hide how you feel, hence why her music is featured on nearly all of our chakra playlist (Stream it on Tidal). When Forest in the City debuted this past week, we purposely waited until the following day to listen so that we could prepare ourselves for the feelings that were about to come. The moment “Moonlit Room,” came on our, vibrations immediately responded.

Umi talks about what seems to be a passionate twin flame connection between she and a lover. She describes it in the second verse as, “Sometimes it seems like… everyday… you and I got the same things that we’re working on… going through…” making it harder to separate from even though, “sometimes it hurts.” She actually goes on to say that maybe she likes the way it hurts.

We chose this song for the throat chakra because of how Umi was able to express the depths of her heart authentically with the chorus:

“Sometimes it hurts,

& I don’t fight first…

I don’t want everything that ever mattered to be caught up in your shadows, baby,

Tears on my shirt,

Cus I loved you at your worst.

Look into my eyes and let me know you listened,

Cus you’re never listening….”

Umi so beautifully expresses the fight with not wanting to let go of what is, but knowing there’s disappointment at the end of this same story. She even goes on to express how she “doesn’t fight first.” Whether a boundary or maybe a flaw, she knows exactly where she stands within herself. It’s feels like she’s saying she knows she has to depart and therefore she’s, “dancing across her moonlit room, thinking about (insert your Lover) way too soon…” The pull between allowing change to take the wheel, or to continue in comfortability. She’s been here before and the last bit of what can hold on just needs the acknowledgement that it was heard, even though the gut knows, (the Lover) is never listening.

If you’re someone who struggles with advocating for yourself due to the pull of needing connection, I encourage you to listen to not just Moonlit Room, but the entire Forest in the City album. It is extremely important not to skip the steps of letting go and departing and Umi does a wonderful job of telling the story authentically, and in the end choosing herself.

The throat chakra is located at the center of your neck and can be opened by chanting daily affirmations, staying connected to nature, and journaling often. Want to hear how things ended? Stream the entire album on Tidal. Speak up about what you want without fear of rejection or misunderstanding, and be empowered to walk away from anything that no longer serves you.