Jessica Delacruz

>>You want to stop me now, its too late.

You can't take what's not yours.

So I'll wear my crown.

>>From the second floor of the Orlando Public Library, welcome to Melrose In The Mix, our series of live recording sessions from the audio studio here in the Melrose Center.

Hi, everyone.

I'm Jim Myers.

Today's session features Orlando based singer songwriter Jessica Delacruz.

A fixture in the central Florida music community, Jessica has a compelling and memorable voice that envelops listeners, delivering songs of lyrical depth enhanced by her guitar and piano accompaniment.

Before the session, we had a chance to talk to Jessica about her start in music, her opera training, her influences as a songwriter, her Alice in Wonderland themed project and more.

>>Locked away in this house Squirming ‘round like a mouse For the golden cheese That theyve promised me I know I must find Wonderland, Wonderland, Wonderland My heart yearns to explore The wonders of the outside world Vibrating such colors Resonating from nature I know I must find wonderland, wonderland, wonderland Sweet fruits hanging in trees Wild animals running free These walls and frames Painted in gray, blends within the darkness Darkness, darkness, [VOCALIZING] My heart keeps crying for more Than these black locked doors Am I more than a creation, That lives to only exist?

♪♪ What am I seeing?

Whats behind that last door?

Oh, I feel Im quickly falling down the rabbit hole My life is quickly changing Ive lost complete control And it feels so amazing to abandon all the rules Im never going back again to the doll I once knew No, Im never going back again to the doll I knew My heart is beating again To its own drumming rhythm Blood flowing inside Was I ever alive?

Cant believe my own eyes How happiness truly strives Here in Wonderland In Wonderland Because of my dad, of course, because music has always been around the house.

He played guitar and piano and sang and so.

So did I.

And I started writing music since I was eight years old, writing some song lyrics.

They weren't good, but my dad was definitely the one who encouraged me to write.

So ever since then I've been writing and then middle school, high school.

I was in choir and I've also spent one year in band playing the French horn.

And then when I was in college, that's when I kind of took a little different direction where I did opera and studying, singing in different languages, which was a lot of fun.

♪♪ Insecurities Are taking over me Their shouts of disapprovals Are growing powerful Im losing my own nerve To jump in head first But gotta keeping going Its just the beginning Just stand on your own You must take control If youre too scared to move You will only lose A garden of chaos Always has something to say But who do I trust?

If my pain brings in the rain [VOCALIZING] Trying to find my path They say I should go back But I know there is more Than what Ive been settling for So how is this the end?

I see theres more ahead A garden of chaos Always has something to say But who do I trust?

If my pain brings A garden of chaos Always wants to play mind games To make me give up Cause my pain brings in the rain So watch me fall, ooh aah They want to see me fall, ooh aah get lost in the crowd, ooh aah But I wont stay down, no no no So watch me fall, ooh aah They want to see me fall, ooh aah Get lost in the crowd, ooh aah But I wont stay down A garden of chaos Only has something to say But who do I trust?

If my pain brings A garden of chaos Always wants to play mind games To make me give up Cause my pain brings in the rain [VOCALIZING] ♪♪ Make sure my sides greener Than my next door neighbors, built my tall white fences To keep anyone from getting in Pretentious we may seem To prove to you were happy.

Yet this void keeps growing What am I missing?

All I own is black money.

I crave much more than I will ever need.

Grand houses out of cards Built to bring the awes But they always fall fall fall Eye catching materials So sad to see them tumble But a house made to lie Collapse once the winds go by [VOCALIZES] People are meant to be loved But in this world who can we trust?

Cause we hurt, steal, lie We feel more loved the more we buy All I own is black money.

I crave much more than I will ever need.

Grand houses out of cards Built to bring the awes But they always fall fall fall Eye catching materials So sad to see them tumble But a house made to lie Collapse once the winds pass by [VOCALIZING] Once we die What we buy turns into dust Whats left behind Is who we loved Grand houses out of cards Built to bring the awes But they always fall fall fall Eye catching materials So sad to see them tumble But a house made to lie collapse once a storm pass by [VOCALIZES] For me with Alice in Wonderland which for it fits perfectly because it will be about my journey doing music and meeting people and then going through the process of my past bad relationship and then meeting certain people who inspire me, but also people who have hurt me in the way.

So I would use like for example, Humpty Dumpty.

There is that song where, you know, with Humpty Dumpty stuck on a wall and it's basically about not knowing what to do, what road to take.

So you're just stuck on a fence of what decision to make because you know that if you and also thinking about how when you take that leap of faith, you know, is whether you fly or you fall, Ooh.

Ooh.

Im a little child Who have lost her way home Ive been pushed around Lost the ability to say no Seems like everyone Have their own opinion On what I should do But Im done listening Im closer to the edge Am I losing my head?

Afraid Ill end up dead For following whats been said Stuck on a wall Like humpty dumpty But once I fall No one can save me My skins so delicate That it can easily crack Tired being the victim Who cant learn to talk back And say no more, no more, no more, no more of this no more, no more, no more, no more of this [VOCALIZES] They all look at me As this hopeless dreamer With such pity Believe they have the answers Then steer me wrong time time again I keep listening Im someone I cant respect Im closer to the edge Am I losing my head?

Afraid Ill end up dead for following whats been said Stuck on a wall Like humpty dumpty But once I fall No one can save me My skins so delicate that it can easily crack tired being the victim Who cant learn to talk back And say no more, no more, no more, more of this no more of this [VOCALIZING] I had no strength to let my heart do the talking In the silence it never stopped trying to sing Stuck on a wall Like humpty dumpty But once I fall No one can save me My skins so delicate That it can easily crack Tired being the victim who cant learn to talk back And say no more, no more, no more, no more, no more, no more of this [VOCALIZING] ♪♪ Im all in Theres no turning back Once my heart falls in My mind cant fight back Im all in Theres no second chance This is the moment I want in my hands Fear is such a poison that Paralyzes your brain Your heart gets clogged up.

Then you lose your way.

Im all in Theres no turning back Once my heart falls in, my mind cant fight back Im all in, theres no second chance This is the moment I want in my hands Ive questioned myself Too many times before Where do I find the light, Out of this hole?

Im all in Theres no turning back Once my heart falls in My mind cant fight back Im all in Theres no second chance This is the moment I want in my hands Oh, Im falling down, down, down Is this the dream becoming real right now?

Im all in Theres no turning back Once my heart falls in My mind cant fight back.

Im all in Theres no second chance This is the moment I want in my hands [VOCALIZING] I really love the Melrose Center Its - I think it's definitely kind of a blessing, really, because there's a lot of musicians who don't really have much resources where they can record their music or do some video, anything.

And it's really great to have something for them so they can have a start like a great foundation.

I also really love how they have different programs where musicians will come here and play.

So you get exposed, get exposed to other musicians.

♪♪ Sometimes it takes a song to make it okay.

Sometimes it takes a song To make it okay Sometimes it takes a song To drown the pain away And its hard to believe in what you do When everyone sees you as a fool So Ill wear my crown And claim my throne You want to stop me now Its too late, you cant take whats not yours The throne is not yours The throne is not yours Sometimes it feels like The world will win this war And sometimes it feels like I am the only fighter But I gotta hold on a little longer What doesnt kill you will only make you stronger So Ill wear my crown And claim my throne You want to stop me now Its too late, you cant take whats not yours The throne is not yours The throne is not yours Im walking up the stairs Toward that golden chair You want to hurt me But Im far from your reach So Ill wear my crown And claim my throne You want to stop me now Its too late, you cant take whats not yours So Ill wear my crown And claim my throne You want to stop me now Its too late, you cant take whats not yours The throne is not yours The throne is not yours The throne is not yours The throne is not yours Besides having my music finally being released and some content for Alice in Wonderland, there is this new thing that I have.

It's women's musicians of Orlando.

It's going to be a monthly meet where we all play music together, connect, vibe and it's just a great way where we could not only meet with women who are in this area, who are doing it, who are quite successful in what they're doing, but also upcoming with musicians.

So they could come together just to close that gap really, and say if there is any advice that the younger generation will want, we have the older crowd that could help with that.

>>Thanks for joining us for this episode of Melrose In The Mix featuring Jessica Delacruz.

We'll see you again soon for another live recording session here in the Melrose Center at the Orlando Public Library.