Cecily, the acclaimed Washington, DC-born vocalist and songwriter, returns with Awakening Pt. II—a deeply soulful and spiritual album that continues the powerful journey she began on 2019’s Awakening Pt. I. Known for her soothing soprano voice and tender, poetic songwriting, Cecily invites listeners to explore the transformative nature of love—beyond romance and into the realms of self, family, community, nature, and the divine.
Rooted in a timeless blend of mid-century soul, jazz, 90s R&B, and reimagined folk, Awakening Pt. II is not just an album—it’s a philosophy in sound. Inspired by bell hooks’ seminal work All About Love, Cecily builds upon the idea that “all awakening to love is spiritual awakening.” Through this lens, she unpacks the different forms of love that sustain and heal us. Her lyrics, rich in honesty and introspection, are elevated by sophisticated arrangements and collaborations with artists such as Jenna Camille, Muhsinah, Allyn Johnson, Zachary Cutler, and Jacob Ungerleider.
A Love Letter to Home
The album’s focus track, “Come Home,” is a nostalgic and moving reflection on childhood and the comforts of home. With vivid imagery—“baked apples in the morning,” “Nintendo in the attic,” and “dancing to Jackson 5 tunes”—Cecily paints a picture of joy and safety that lingers in memory. Her delicate vocals float gently above warm instrumentation, echoing the tender yearning in the repeated refrain: “Please come home.” The song captures both the innocence of youth and the adult longing for a return to a simpler, more connected time.
Dedication and Intention
Awakening Pt. II is dedicated to three profound influences in Cecily’s life: bell hooks, Thich Nhat Hanh, and George Alexander Bumbray Jr. Each of these figures helped shape Cecily’s understanding of love as a spiritual, ethical, and transformative force. As she shares in her notes: “bell hooks said, ‘All awakening to love is spiritual awakening’ and that’s how I felt when I wrote these songs and more broadly in my journey to awakening to love.”
Supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council, Montgomery County Government, and the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County, the album was created with thoughtful purpose and intention. Each track on the LP possesses its own identity, traveling across musical styles and emotional tones while staying grounded in the central theme of love as awakening.
A Journey Born of Passion and Purpose
Though Cecily studied Political Science and Black Studies with plans for a career in public service, she soon found herself disillusioned by traditional politics. At 21, she left her international relations classroom to follow a deeper calling. After 10 years of singing as a hobby, Cecily committed herself fully to music, determined to use her voice and songwriting to uplift and inspire.
With a sound shaped by her parents’ record collection—Miles Davis from her father, Smokey Robinson from her mother—and a deep connection to poetry, Cecily’s artistry is both refined and emotionally raw. Her music celebrates vulnerability as a strength, unconditional love as a foundation, and joy as a basic human right.
A Celebrated Career
Cecily’s debut album Songs of Love and Freedom won a Wammie Award for Best Soul Album and was named Best New Soul on Bandcamp. Awakening Pt. I continued her rise, earning a SoulTracks Readers’ Choice Award nomination for Female Vocalist of the Year, an Indie Soul Music Award for Best Female Artist of the Year, and another Wammie for Best Soul Song with “Clumsy.”
Now, with Awakening Pt. II, Cecily returns with her most personal and profound work yet—a musical meditation on love that feels both timely and timeless.