Christie Dashiell first caught our attention as a featured soloist with Howard University's Afro Blue on The Sing-Off. Since then she has earned multiple GRAMMY nominations and an NAACP Image Award. Alex and Christie talk about growing up in her father's big band rehearsals, being the only Black woman in her graduate jazz voice program, why the ear training we learn in church gets dismissed, what improvisers actually plan, sitting through a GRAMMY loss, and the new song that came out of a conversation about shame.

Follow Christie Dashiell: @christiedashiell

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What does it mean to see yourself clearly, recognize your worth, and keep dreaming without losing sight of who you are?

On this episode of This Might Get Personal, Alexander Lloyd Blake sits down with GRAMMY Award-winning soprano Angel Blue for an honest conversation about faith, self-worth, and becoming.

Angel talks about growing up in California and the family and faith that carried her to the world's major opera stages. She and Alexander get into what it means to be visible as Black artists in classical music, how body image shapes the way we see ourselves, and what it takes to define your worth on your own terms.

Angel also shares how gratitude and a strong sense of purpose have carried her through personal change and professional success. The two talk about Running From, Running To, Alexander's musical tribute to Ahmaud Arbery, which Angel sings on, and the responsibility that comes with using music to honor a real life and keep his story alive.

This is a conversation about learning to see ourselves fully and offering that same recognition to others.

Follow Angel Blue: @angeljoyblue

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Grammy-winning composer Carla Patullo joins me for a vulnerable conversation about grief, healing, and the power of music to hold the stories we can’t always speak aloud.

We talk about her early inspirations, her cancer journey, and the surreal moment she won her first Grammy. At the heart of this episode is her Grammy-nominated album Nomadica — a deeply personal work rooted in the loss of her mother and the echoes of memory that continue to shape her artistry.

Carla opens up about queerness, resilience, collaboration, and creating music that becomes a place for healing.

A tender, honest exploration of love, loss, and the art that helps us find our way through both.

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