Fragile II: a book... and a Spoken Word Album?

Yup.

The Fragile II spoken word album is now available on streaming platforms!

So, of course we have to talk about the creation of this album and what it means to me. Keep reading for some background on the motivation behind my desire to create a spoken word album, how it happened, what I learned, and whether or not I would ever do something like this ever again!

You can also read more on the inspiration behind the Fragile II book HERE.

I played the piano as a kid. Which led to me writing songs. Which led to me writing songs to my favorite instrumentals. And I tried my best to sing, but baby, that just wasn’t working out. 

As I’ve toggled between writing songs and poetry, I always wanted to record my words. I just wanted to hear them over a cute beat. And with singing admittedly not being for me, nor being in a space where I was ready to hit an open-mic and vibe with a dope band (too shy lol), I considered a spoken word album. 

After releasing the first Fragile back in 2017, the consideration became more prominent. But it still wasn’t a priority. Fast forward a couple years, I started entertaining the thought more by learning how to make beats. Then fast forward a few more years (after I fell off on the beat-making lol), I was finally ready to make the spoken word album happen. 

So in 2022, upon gathering all the poems I had written since 2018 and determining which ones I would like to share in the next Fragile collection, I decided to do the thing. 

I chose 7 pieces, all going with the theme of the Fragile II book, some from In Motion I, In Love, In Pain, and In Motion II. I scoured youtube for beats and found a producer whose style resonated with the sound I was going for. And I set deadlines. Deadlines seem to light a fire under me that nothing else can. With dates set for milestones in this project to be reached, it was time to truly figure out how to go about this, stop making excuses, and make sure it’s released around the same time as the Fragile II book in May 2023. 

Thank goodness for having close friends in the music industry, because without them I would have given up, seriously. 

This was a project where I had to depend on outside factors and people to make it how I wanted it. It wasn't an independent venture the way writing books has been for me. I needed to find likeminded artists that could help bring my vision of this project to life. And that was not easy.

It furthered an ongoing lesson in my life about relinquishing control and trusting the process. Being open to the possibility of the right people and opportunities being placed in my path. And after some trial and error, that is what happened. 

I tried recording in studio with an engineer at first, but ultimately didn’t enjoy the experience. A friend posed the idea of recording all the pieces on my MacBook and finding another engineer later to just mix and master the recordings. Best idea ever. 

So, for about a week or so, every night anywhere between midnight and 1 AM, I would set up in my closet with my MacBook and some earphones and record a poem or two over the beats I carefully picked and purchased for each piece. I turned my closet into a makeshift studio and did this at night to ensure there would be little to no background noise and zero distractions. 

After all the poems had rough recordings, my cousin told me about a studio her amazing singer friend goes to. I reached out to the studio and they paired me with an engineer that was able to bring my vision to life in the mixing and mastering of the recordings. Resulting in an album that is authentic in its simplicity, but still far from basic. 

I didn’t give up on trying something although it wasn’t easy. I was open to the right people and opportunities being placed in my path. I trusted the process. 

And here we are. 

Ready to share something new and different. Hoping the people that need to hear it come across it, and hoping this strengthens the connection I desire to create between my art and the people meant to receive something special from it. 

Would I ever record a spoken word album again?

I’d be open to doing another spoken word album. I learned so much after this first go-round, I know I wouldn't run into the same hurdles next time. But, I'm also quite content in the fact that I can say to myself I did it this one time, and if another one never happened I wouldn't be upset.

It kind of reminds me of the time I recorded an audiobook. Which you can read about HERE. 

Thank you to anyone that decides to give the Fragile II album a listen. Again, you can find it on all streaming platforms under A. ERIN WALKER. And thank you to anyone that decides to check out the Fragile II book, which you can search online and many different retailers will come up or find links to purchase on Barnes and Noble and Amazon HERE. 

If you enjoy any of my work, I strongly encourage and would greatly appreciate a public review on any of the platforms from which you consumed my work. Private messages are sweet, but public reviews on those platforms are top tier. They make me happy and also help others that may enjoy my work find them, which also makes me happy. It’s double the love and means so so so much. 

Thanks again, my loves. Talk soon. 

-aew