Carita Cole: The Dreamy Depths of Duality
Written by Trista Havner
Photographed by Cari Griffith & Trunetta Atwater
I shifted the cooler bag straps from one damp shoulder to the other and dug out a moderately cool Miller Lite from the rapidly thawing contents. The July heat was doing its best to melt every ice cube and individual standing on Division Street that afternoon. (Let me be clear — though Jackson seems to save its hottest twenty-four hours for the last day of July every year, I look forward to Porchfest with childlike anticipation.) We meandered, as one does in triple-digit heat, toward the fourth performance of the night and attempted to share the little pockets of shade where we could find them, collectively fanning in one methodical motion. But then the music began. A strong beat,the drummer collecting attention — the kind of music that compels you to bob your head and move your feet. And outcame Carita Cole, donned head-to-toe in orange, with energy and passion and lyrics that had the whole crowd smiling and dancing and twirling hoops and participating in no time. By the end other set, Carita had us all — strangers and neighbors, young and old — experiencing a collective moment.
That version of Carita Cole is what I knew of her until only very recently. Her journal feature was assigned to me and I was so excited to sit down and talk about music and the industry and inspiration for her lyrics, but the woman I interviewed was that artist I had seen two years ago and so much more.
Carita Cole was born in Jackson, TN, the only child of her parents. Due to her father’s career in the Air Force, Carita and her parents moved to Glendale, Arizona, and then Texas, Nebraska, and even Izmir, Turkey, in the first decade of her life. She found that moving so often made it hard for her to make real connections with people and places. When Carita was ten years old, her family moved back to Jackson, and the adjustment to life in her hometown was initially uncomfortable. Moving so often made establishing roots anywhere nearly impossible, and now she was in a place that felt more permanent. That adjustment was not easy.
“The term ‘duality’ is typically used to describe two opposing sides of the same subject, but I have found that duality is just a beautiful manifestation of the complexity and creativity and depth of a person. Carita proves my analysis. ”
Shortly after moving back to Jackson, Carita enrolled in Tigrett Middle School. She was looking for belonging and was drawn to the band. She had desperately wanted to play the drums— with Carita being small in stature, the thought of her carrying drums on her body made her parents leery, so she settled on the trumpet. Music enamored Carita early on, and she was playing the keyboard by ear at seven, listening to her parents sing at church, even sneaking away to her bedroom to watch music videos on BET. Music both excited her and put her at ease. She excelled playing the trumpet and was first chair all three years at Tigrett. Band afforded her opportunities to play in places outside of Jackson and deepened her love of music.
Despite her musical success in middle school, Carita left band behind when she got to high school. She joined the track team and ran for both Jackson Central-Merry and North Side High School, with the goal of running her way onto an Olympic team. She attended Western Kentucky University on a full track scholarship and majored in psychology with a minor in journalism broadcasting. While in college, Carita worked on her music in her spare time,writing and producing. Upon graduation, she moved back to Jackson with hopes of finding a job and settling into her career (music included). Jobs were hard to come by, however, and while she continued working toward her dream of running professionally, real life and real bills forced her into odd jobs that were not fulfilling
In search of work that felt more in her wheelhouse, Carita took a position at West Tennessee Legal Services. She had always had a propensity for helping others however she could, and this new position offered a convergence of her skillset and educational background as she would be directing disabled clients to critical resources. Asher role evolved, she moved even more into client advocacy and found her passion- educating the public about fair housing. Currently, Carita works more on the legal side of fair and equitable housing access, and she educates the public about their rights and benefits.
People tend to be multifaceted, and Carita is no exception. Before her interview, the only iteration I knew of her was rapper and performer. As she laid out her personal timeline, I began to see the duality of Carita, and this is the part of the interview process that always draws me in and keeps me writing about strangers. The term “duality” is typically used to describe two opposing sides of the same subject, but I have found that duality is just a beautiful manifestation of the complexity and creativity and depth of a person. Carita proves my analysis.
Carita’s first experiences perform-ing were in church. She grew up with strict, religious values but felt most comfortable rapping instead of singing.She found inspiration in Kirk Franklin and Missy Elliott (See? Duality!) but found that rapping was not accepted by the older churchgoers. Still, she continued writing rap lyrics throughout college and after graduation joined a gospel rap group called Radical for Christ that traveled all over the region. She made it her mission to win over both young and old with her positive lyrics, fearless delivery, and stage presence, and she reveled in the affirmations after her sets. But it was not easywork. She advocated all week for West Tennessee Legal Services and wrote and mixed and recorded her own music at night. She would eventually leave the rap group in pursuit of her own music career and drop the title “gospel rapper” in favor of a more fitting title,“inspirational artist.” If you have heard Carita’s music, you have been inspired.
Having two passions can be exhilarating and exhausting, but Carita has found the energy to excel and enjoy her day job (a full-time job that requires much from her) while growing her music career at night. Over the last few years, she has recorded an album,released singles, and has been featured on multiple artists’ tracks. She has taken every influence and experience and created music that uplifts and entertains and beckons her listeners to feel good. Her hope has always been that the music she creates is a vehicle for positivity and hope.
Carita Cole’s duality exists in the spaces where her passions overlap. And really, isn’t that true of all of us? Our most authentic yet protected selves,our most public yet sacred offerings, our most wearied yet tended-to senti-ments are often the places where our value lies, both to ourselves and our neighbors. Communities and individuals alike exist on many different planes, and we are better for it. Carita Cole’s duality is a microcosm of what we can all be if we put time and teeth into what makes us feel alive. An advocate by day and a performer by night,Carita is proof positive that when you lean into the work of doing something worthwhile and you love doing it, people notice.
Carita’s music can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music, and you can find her music videos on YouTube. Her new self-titled album, “Carita,” was released on July 1st.