2010/11, Paolo Tossio runs a music production workshop for the Crystal Palace Kicks Foundation at a Salvation Army venue in Sutton, London, for young people from the Benhill housing estate.

TJ, age 12, only showed up a couple of times, didn't seem that interested. The third time he dropped by was the final day, the recording session. He turned up right at the end, said he was ready, went into the booth (a janitor's cubby hole with a microphone rigged up), and in ONE TAKE delivered this poetic expression of life as he knew it. One take - boom!

Paolo then works his magic with the music. He needs a chorus - he chooses to use my words and voice, we'd recorded this around 2003 one morning when he thrust a mic in my hand  and said "I need some lyrics to go with this piece of music" - I lay in bed, heard the music through the bedroom wall, tuned into my heart space, and wrote:

"Not a lot makes sense right now, 
the why the where the when and how, 
the world goes by under a cloud of fearful misdirection. 
To cope I know I must stay strong, 
to my heart I must belong, 
let the Light shine
Love's not wrong" 

Written at a time when mere mortals were plotting the destruction of Iraq with their lies about weapons of mass destruction - or as I would say - weapons of mass distraction.

Paolo put TJ's words and mine to music and this is the result. 

We regret to this day that we have no way of connecting with TJ, to let him have a copy of the final track, and to make sure he gets royalties. 

It is such a powerful song, it is relevant today, and will be relevant all the while that some humans continue to lead with fear, lies and profit before people. TJ's skill and poetiscism is just amazing. If you know TJ, ask him to get in touch with us please 🙏

PS - on a very personal note, in 1994, in a hospital in Hong Kong, I switched my 3-day old baby girl's life support machine off as it was clear that she would not have a life without a machine to keep her breathing. This was in my life before meeting, in 1996, my lovely husband Paolo who considers my baby girl, my experience and memories of her, as his step-daughter (as do her step-brothers). Her real father chose the name Tahlia & I chose the name Jasmine. 

Tahlia Jasmine was cremated and we buried her ashes in with two jasmine plants. Once our paths separated, and once he also finally left Hong Kong, those small potted jasmine plants were given to a friend who planted them in her garden. The last I heard, they were rather large flowering, sweet scented bushes - how beautiful. I cherish all the memories and dreams I have with her, my sweet heavenly scented, TJ - (RIP)

Read more here: www.samiart.co.uk/post/hey-mamma 

Love's Not Wrong - TJ Feat. Samia

Playful Creative - Presenter - doing things with a spirit of playfulness, love, and imagination - inspire and share through creative communication! #LoveLifeLifeLovesYou

Love's Not Wrong - TJ Feat. Samia

Samia Tossio