A Rising Star Empowers Others Through Her Lyrics
Rising star, Stephanie “Medikk” Williams, found her niche in music, while seeking personal salvation in her life. Now, this 24-year old woman, aspires to have a dynamic career that involves philanthropy in conjunction with her music. Medikk’s greatest desire is to help others and in this in-depth interview, she shares her motivation for a new song, entitled “Overcome” featuring Shane O. Interview After The Jump…
Interview:
Angel: Greetings Medikk, how are you?
Medikk: Greetings, I am well, Angel.
Angel: Very powerful new tune with Shane O, please share your inspiration for the song
Medikk: You know Shane O and I were set to collaborate on a very different song, like the regular dancehall topics, I heard the “Second City” riddim by Run Road production and it really touched me. It has like a sad, melancholy sound and I used it to express myself about a personal tragedy I went through. I told Shane O about my change in the direction of the song content and he did not question it. He was so supportive.
Angel: I really appreciate Shane O’s music and he perhaps understood as a prolific song writer and artist. These lyrics are so deeply personal.
Medikk: Yes, my inspiration comes from having gone through that situation myself and years of battling with how to express it and deal with it. I didn’t feel comfortable telling others out of fear that they would treat me differently. Felt like they might judge me or be like overly sympathetic towards me. It was also a challenge in terms of how graphic in detail should I be about this. Mentally it just plays on you and you feel pressured to be silent because you don’t want to break up the family and in Jamaican culture, like we don’t want to bring a bad name or reputation to the family.
Angel: I understand that this is difficult, are you comfortable telling what happened Meddik
Medikk: Yes, my Dad, it happened when my Mom was at work, my dad would come into my room and force me to sleep with him. If I refused he would threaten to also molest my younger siblings and I was the older one and I wanted to protect them. This happened to me from the age of 12 turning 13 to the age of 17. It only stopped because I left home after being accepted to University. My younger siblings were spared from the sexual abuse because my parents divorced around that same time.
Angel: I commend you on your strength, being brave enough to share what happened to you. How did you survive this abuse?
Medikk: I just kept to myself and went on to study for a Bachelors in Nursing for 2 years and then switched my major to Business, which I study for 2 years and I just ended up deferring my degree and gravitating towards music, because writing songs just helped me to mentally deal with everything. I still study and read a lot but music is my sanctuary. I listened to a lot of positive music. I also had to find peace, and part of that came from forgiving but I have forgotten. I acknowledge it, but I had to forgive to go forward and not be stuck. For a while, I could not love, I didn’t know how to love. I would suppress my feelings so not to be vulnerable, if I felt like my feelings towards someone was growing. I realized that all of this was effecting me. Then I heard the “So Cold” riddim two years ago on YouTube and it spoke to everything I was internalizing for all these years. My first set of lyrics were written from the view point of a victim. However, I changed that sad voice to one that is more empowering. I’m saying like you can’t do this to me again and titled the song “Overcome.”
Angel: This is a global issue for children all over the world, so I admire that you are strengthening others through your music.
Medikk: I want to empower children, female or male, that they can overcome this and also encourage them to tell and not hold it in and suffer.
I want to empower children, female or male, that they can overcome this and also encourage them to tell and not hold it in and suffer.
Angel: Did you tell your mother, Medikk?
Medikk: You know; I haven’t told my mom yet. I don’t want to break her heart or for her to blame herself. I told someone else and they told my mom and when my mom asked me about it I still was not ready to say anything. But tell an adult you trust. I was angry for many years and suffering mentally from this, I felt a lot of anxiety so I don’t want others to suffer in this way.
But tell an adult you trust. I was angry for many years and suffering mentally from this, I felt a lot of anxiety so I don’t want others to suffer in this way.
Angel: I admire your compassion for others, you are going to feel really great when you tell your mom, I know you will. You are going to help many children and adults grappling with this issue. You are also creating awareness around the issue with this song. Many survive but others are abusing substances, or continue to suffer abuse or don’t even live to tell as the Bella Edwards case of the 3-year-old who recently succumbed to injuries incurred from physical and sexual abuse.
Medikk: I wish I could do more. I really want to advocate for other children who are molested and raped. I actually said if I won the lottery, I would create a foundation to help others. I try not to use if and maybe so I will, I must, I have to. I remember back when I was in University, I went to a church and the Pastor did not know me but he said this and I will never forget it: “You are going to University, but that’s not what you are going to become. You are going to lead.”
I really want to advocate for other children who are molested and raped
Angel: I believe that. We never know why we go through personal tragedies in life. But we know that through the Most High God, we will overcome. I believe it was not a coincidence, what the Pastor said.
Medikk: Thank you Angel, I believe it too. I do
Angel: I want to thank you for sharing your survival story with Boomshots Magazine. I want to thank you for empowering others with your lyrics.
Medikk: Thank you, the response to this song has been so enormous. So many people sharing their personal experiences with me women and men about rape, molestation. I did not know it would make an impact in this way. I was expressing my personal suffering and so many are relating to this. Thank you Angel, Thank you Boomshots Magazine.
I was expressing my personal suffering and so many are relating to this.
More Songs By Medikk
Written By: Angel Love @LoveDeepAngel
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