Brown:Thoughts

Brown:Concept

Twin sisters Natasha & Loretta front Brown:Music. Brown:Music is not just a name, it’s a concept: Natasha and Loretta are mixed-race, their father is from St. Lucia (West Indies) and their mother is from London (England). They grew up experiencing and listening to the music of both 'White' and 'Black' cultures, and naturally the music they now create is a reflection of both worlds. When you listen to their songs your ears will taste a unique fusion of flavours, from soul, to folk, to rock.  However, the Brown:Music concept goes further than the music.  The girls feel strongly that they don’t want their sound to be forced into one distinct genre or another.  They’re eager to cross boundaries, free to dip in and out of other musical styles.  Similarly, growing up as mixed-race girls they grew tired of people expecting them to have to decide to be either 'Black' or 'White' when they were very comfortable with being both!  They reject the notion that they are half anything – they see themselves as both fully 'Black' and fully 'White' – i.e 'Brown'.  Tash and Loretta have carried this positive and inclusive attitude into every area of their lives and thinking. They feel strongly that freedom comes in knowing and being comfortable with your identity as set by God and by you, and not by anyone else. This belief is at the core of Brown:Music and they have even written a song about it called 'Define Yourself'.

"Define yourself be anything you want to be, define yourself and be who you are. Define yourself be everything you want to be, define yourself and be who you are – and that’s a star!" – (Extract from ‘Define Yourself’ by Brown:Music)

'Brown' represents Tash and Loretta's own non-category they came up with to encompass the fusion of everything they are. The great news is you don't have to be Brown-skinned to be 'Brown', you just need to be free to define yourself and be who you are. Being 'Brown' is about not conforming to labels and categories or being frightened of 'difference'. To be 'Brown' is to accept yourself and love yourself and to accept others and love them for who they are too. 'Brown' is not a colour but a concept, therefore you can be 'Brown' too!

'Brown' is a positive force, a liberating and uniting way to live. It's both real and personal and can be expressed in many ways through many people. So come on, join the 'Brown' revolution - everyone's invited!

---