We told dynasticqueen we’d put it up; so here it is.

Hailing from Texas with a Korean mother and African-American father, Yoon Mirae (American name: Natasha Shanta Reid) experienced a lot of hate for her mixed-race background in the homogenous South Korea.  Even as she displayed talent and got signed to a label, she was told to deny her father’s heritage and to wear light make-up to hide her darker skin.

That’s why it took so much courage for her to do the song Black Happiness which not only had her embracing her father but showing that she was not ashamed to be passing on her genes to the next generation (she was pregnant with her son Jordan at the time, hence the baby shoes at the end).  The message from her father in the middle of the track shows where she got that strength and why she continues to be herself to this day.

Thanks to J.NY.C Blog for the translation.

Lyrics:
My skin was dark from my past
People used to point at me
Even at my mom Even at my dad who was black, and in the army
People whisper behind my back
Said this and said that
I always had tears in my eyes
Although I was young
I saw my mother’s sadness

Everything
seemed like it was my fault
Because of my guilt
I washed my face everytime during the day
With my tears I melt the white soap
I always hated my dark skin
why O why
Does the world judge me
When I hate the world
I close my eyes

I put my soul into the music my father gave me
I feel the volume
And fly higher and higher
Far away
la musique

(When I hate the world)
(Music soothes me)
(you gotta hold on)
(and love yourself)
(When I hate the world)
(Music raises me up)
(so you gotta be strong)
(you gotta hold on)
(and love yourself)

Time passed and I was thirteen
My skin was dark brown
Music doesn’t judge color
They give me light
I lead my music
We lean on eachother
I don’t feel lonely
Then one day
I was given a chance
I held on to my microphone

And suddenly I was on stage
I say goodbye to music and ask it to come back
Then I became nineteen
I have to lie
I put white makeup over my face
They told me to wear a mask
They said my mom’s race was okay
But not my dad’s
Every year my age was nineteen
During times when time stopped

I felt like I was in jail
And I leaned on myself
I spent endless, painful days
I ignored their warnings
And because I missed music
I tried to escape
But no, I got caught
I prayed all night
And now I’m free