July 28, 2013

Chaquis Maliq…Soulful Musician and Woman

 

Wf1: At Women For One we strive for authenticity while also encouraging our community to do the same. What is your personal definition of authenticity?

Chaquis: Authenticity is all about reflecting the realness in ourselves in a meaningful way. When authenticity is in your daily life practices, it is a beautiful thing. I’m not saying to just let anyone into the windows of your soul, but allow the inner beauty to shine, so no one has to search for who you really are. In order for this to work, one must know herself, by spending time alone and figuring out what makes her tick.

 

Wf1: What tools do you think women need to empower themselves?

Chaquis:

1. Women need to own up to their insecurities/subconscious fears and not be afraid of who they really are.
2. Surrounding oneself with like minded individuals that will build you up to keep you there, and not to build you up just to knock you down.
3. Discover your attributes and feed them.
4. Explore your weaknesses, own up to them, improve them.

But I want women to understand that empowerment does not mean independence. We all need someone. That someone could very well be a man for some women. However, substituting empowerment for independence can lead you to misery. For some women it may be a woman that is needed. By all means, relationships exist between two people, whether its a companion, brother, sister, friend, spouse, etc.

The key is discovering and accepting.

 

Wf1: Can you tell us about your music and what inspires you creatively?

Chaquis: My music can get very eclectic, but that’s the best part of it. One day I want to do a jazz influenced song, and tomorrow I want do a rock driven song. I’m inspired by many sounds and scenarios. I mostly just write what my heart tells me to write, when it comes to lyrics. I make sure that I do not write from an angry place, because my listeners often times depend on me to help them through life’s changes. I’m a visionist and executor. So, I am constantly creating musical projects as well making a statement in an artistic way.

 

Wf1: Do you have any new music coming out or upcoming shows that our community can check out online or in person?

Chaquis: My newest project is “Harmonies of Me”, released on June 26th. This project is my first musical adventure with my Guitar aka Mr. Maliq. My goal was to create something that would reflect my transition from producer to musician and singer-songwriter, while keeping my supporters intrigued lyrically and melodically.

Mr. Maliq and I are currently on Tour. The next stop is my hometown, San Francisco’s – The Lost Church – July 26th (I’ll most likely make some impromptu appearances as well in the area). August 17th, I will be making me debut performance at ArtsQuest in Bethlehem, PA. Harmonies of Me tour will then visit Atlanta for a 3 day mini tour – August 29th-31st.

 

Wf1: What is your future vision for women throughout the world? How do you see women evolving in the next 20­50 years?

Chaquis: Well, if Wf1 keeps growing and we develop and courageous girls to be India.Aries’, Queen Latifah’s; and well rounded women; this will be a world dedicated to healing. Afterall we outnumber the men. (*Laughs*)

 

Wf1: What few words or piece of advice do you have for the Women For One Community?

Chaquis: Keep the faith. Whether it’s in yourself, God/Universe, or just believing that you are here for a reason and complete your mission. When you fall just get back up and finish. Faith and Failure are not soulmates. (Something I say to my supporters all the time)

 

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With Great Respect and Love,
Kelly McNelis Senegor
Founder, Women For One

 

 

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About the Author | Chaquis Maliq

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3 comments to "Chaquis Maliq…Soulful Musician and Woman"

  • Reply
    Stephanie McClain
    August 5, 2013 AT 12:29PM

    Love it, we met and she pours her heart out! Great artist! She supports the poor!

  • Reply
    Blue Folktronica
    August 6, 2013 AT 5:49PM

    As someone who has used art to release anger, I can appreciate this article. I don’t know where happiness is hiding at times, but I still don’t want to spread the anger around. I’m interested in how you’re able to continue creating even while experiencing the depths of despair. Any thoughts or insights?

    Sincerely yours,
    Blue

    • Reply
      Chaquis Maliq
      August 7, 2013 AT 7:52AM

      I have found that art without a mission is often the same as ” A Rebel without a cause.” I too suffer from a lot of things that should depress me and keep me unhappy. But I hate the feeling of sadness and anger. I often right down the things that make me feel this way or vent them, instead of creating angry music that will create even more angry people. The key is to share your story once you have already released the outrage. Feeding angry music to angry listeners is fighting fire with fire. Instead I may have a story that reflects an everyday situation, but I provide a solution by the end of the song.

      A lot of listeners tune into music to get away from things tearing them down. So, I make sure I provide healing and uplifting in some sort of way via my music. This is what’s in my heart. Indeed my heart could be as cold as ice, with what I’ve gone through in life, but I found purpose through my trials and tribulations.

      Yes, I believe in God/Higher Power/The Creator. But I do not force any religion on my listeners. Instead I promote having Faith, while encouraging all at once. With this being said, you have the power to control your destiny. I say this because, “you get what you give”. If you practice positivism, you will produce positive products. If you seek to bitter and miserable, instead of searching for a cure, you will stay the same and bring others down with you.

      I did not have a great childhood and experienced things that a lot of children are still going through today, and for some it’s far worse. I was always told to smile and was sort of a “mute”. But no one knew my pain. Some even say that as a teenager in high school, no one could tell all of what I went through. Not to say that I wore a mask, I just found ways to deal with it, so that I could live my life. So, having goals and ambition and using life’s hurdles as motivation to reach the end of this race, kept me going. Yes, we miss hurdles, we fall, get weak, get tired; etc. But does not mean that we have to quit. Even the tortoise finished the race at his/her pace and beat/defeated the hare.

      I hope this helped you. Thank you for reading and supporting.

      With appreciation,

      Chaquis Maliq

      P.S. I hope there aren’t any typos :-)

PERFECTION IS OVERRATED

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