Terrence Howard, Shine Through It | Music Lifts 🎶 🏋

In the 31^st edition of Music Lifts (2023), we’re uplifted by Terrence Howard performing, “Shine Through It.”

Welcome to Music Lifts 🎶 🏋, a column that seeks to highlight songs that encourage, inspire, and uplift the spirit; songs that exude fortitude, positivity, and resolve, even in the face of adversity.  Featured songs aren’t genre-specific; songs may or may not be faith-based. The goal is for these songs to make you feel better – be LIFTED to new heights!  So, for the 31^st edition of Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 (2023), we highlight 🎵 “Shine Through It” as performed by 🎙 Terrence Howard.

via GIPHY

“Shine through it, shine through it / Shine through it, shine through it.” Singers want to be actors, and actors want to be singers.  This has been happening for a long time.  Sometimes, the crossover works superbly. At other times, it’s a singular experiment.  For 🏆 Academy Award nominated actor 🎙 Terrence Howard, his foray into music as a musician encompassed one album, 💿 Shine Through It, released in 2008.  Notably, he has been affiliated with music multiple times in his career, including the role that earned him an Academy Award nomination, Hustle & Flow (2005) and his stint as Lucious Lyon on Empire (2015 – 2020).  Shine Through It was not a commercial success, yielding mixed reviews at best.  Still, Shine Through It had its share of intriguing moments, including the thoughtful 🎵 “Shine Through It”.

Conceptually, “Shine Through It” is a sweet track.  Terrence Howard sings about being true to self, imploring others to be a light as opposed to putting on a façade or being, well, bad people.  “Sentimental phone calls / People hide behind how you doing,” he asserts, adding, “Then the talk starts / How come ya never follow through it.” Howard’s second verse is interesting, too: “But you’re bound to fall / My beauty is in the scars / Tried and true.”  Prior to this, he mentions about doing the right thing, responding about an imminent fall, but also seemingly suggesting there is beauty in flaws – making mistakes.  Perhaps, to some extent, the way “Shine Through It” is penned is flawed, but, in bits and pieces, it is quite thoughtful.  Instrumentally, “Shine Through It” is incredibly classy – it was not your standard contemporary R&B cut from the late aughts.  Reading commentary regarding the album, one of the criticisms, particularly this single, is Howard’s voice.  His voice is distinct, with a coarse quality at times on “Shine Through It.” Even so, while no one will dub Terrence Howard as a powerhouse, I ❤️ his approach on 🎵 “Shine Through It”.  Of a short-lived music career, it is a highlight. Let this beautiful music lift your spirits high!

via GIPHY

🎙 Terrence Howard • 💿 Shine Through It • 🏷 Sony BMG Music Entertainment • 📅 2008

Terrence Howard, “Shine Through It”: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 No. 31 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Sony BMG Music Entertainment; cottonbro studio, Itzel  Sandoval, Neeraj Nagdeve via Pexels]