Good News with Twanda Black ft Roshawn Nicole

Good News with Twanda Black welcomes singer, songwriter and mental health advocate, Nicole Roshawn to the show

Episode Transcript

(00:03):
Thank you for joining me today onGood News with Twinda Black. We're we
are discovering some of the most inspiringtrials to triumph stories and empowerment moments.
Call up a friend and let themknow it's time for some good news.

(00:30):
Hello, and welcome to Good Newswith Twanda Black. I am your host,
and we talk with folks from allwalks of life about their good news,
because ultimately, if your brothers andsisters are having some great things happening
in their life, it's good newsfor you as well. Right, all
right, now, sit back,relax and enjoy. My next guest joining

(00:52):
us today is Rashaan Nicole. She'sa singer, songwriter, actress, educator,
mental health and wellness speaker, andshe's also the Praise Factor Awards New
Artist of the Year. Congratulation.How are you today? I'm doing well.

(01:12):
How are you? Wonderful? Wonderful? First of all, you brought
to Atlanta and to the Praise FactorAwards your full self. Every performance,
you gave a testimony, you talkedabout your life, and then you you
know, you gave us what yougave us on the stage and performing.

(01:33):
But we loved your energy, yourlightness, and you know when you're talking
about such a you know, heavytestimony, but you brought that lightness to
it. And I want to say, we appreciate you New Artists of the
Year. You are so deserving.Talk about your experience here. Yes,

(01:55):
well, thank you so much forhaving me on and Miss Twanda so such
an honor. My experience at thePhrase Factor was it was such an amazing
experience just to be able to havethat space as an indie artist and to
you know, to perform or ministerand to be able to share my testimony,
and it was just great to meetother like minded individuals and artists who

(02:21):
are talented, so many amazing people. I love the opportunity to just get
to network and get feedback and youknow talk about you know, us collaborating
together, and so I just I'mso grateful for that opportunity, and I
hope to be a part you know, next year as well. So yes,
yeah, were you surprised that youwant New Artists of the Year.

(02:44):
I was, you know, Iwas just grateful to be there and just
to be nominated. You know.When I found out that I was nominated
earlier this year, I was justlike, oh my gosh, thank you
Jesus. I'm like, people dolove me, you know, and so
right, I was like people dookay, okay, let me keep doing
what I'm doing. And so justI was just grateful just to be nominated.
And then when they called my name, not only once, but twice,
I was like, oh my gosh, yes, somebody said they were

(03:07):
like, Rashaan, you were justsitting there for a second because when I
when they called my name, Iwas just like they called me, very
surprised and grateful you know, forjust you know, winning and you know,
like I said, just being therewas just truly a blessing. And
what was the second award? I'mUrban Artist of the Year, so New
Artists of the Year and Urban Artists. Yes, yeah, they called two

(03:30):
of night. So I was justlike sitting there, like it was so
funny. I was on the sideof the stage and I saw you and
I was like, did she realizethey called her name? I just gota
sat there like, oh they calledme. Then I was like, oh
they called me. You you talkedabout while you were here, and I'm

(03:51):
sure you probably shared this all overthe world because it's so what you're supposed
to do, but talk about yourtestimony for a moment. Yeah. Yeah,
So my testimony, I'm gonna goall the way back to twenty twelve
where I was very I was verysick, very ill. I went into
the er. They you know,scanned my stomach because I was having stomach

(04:12):
issues, and so come to findout that my appendix was enlarged. It's
supposed to be a pink. Itwas a whole size of a hand.
And part of my colon was alsoinflaned and enlarged. So they had to
go in and cut me and takeout the appendix and my part of my
colon. And so a surgery,you know, typically someone's in the hospital

(04:33):
for about a week. Well,come to find out I was in ICU
for thirty days. Each time theydid they had to perform two more surgeries
within that thirty day span. Andso each time they did my surgeries,
they told my family, you know, prepare for Rashawn. She may not
make it. For what happened waswhere they took out the infected colon.

(04:56):
When they reconnected me, I hadleaks, and so my body was becoming
poison or toxic and it's called septicand so typically there is a small percentage
of people who you know who survivedthat, yeah, m hm. And
so I had, you know,when I was in the hospital, they
gave me a temporary iliostomy or abag. I don't know if you're familiar

(05:18):
with that, and so very familiarwith that, well I had. They
told me, they said, youknow, Rashawn's you may have to have
this the rest of your life orit may be temporary. And so I'm
sitting there, I'm just like,what you know, I'm just like,
what's going on? And so whenI left out of the hospital, I
still wasn't in the clear, justvery sick, and it took me some
time to heal. And so Iwas dealing with flashbacks of my surgery and

(05:42):
my near death experience because I justI remember everything. I remember being so
sick. I felt like I wasI was dying, and so they prescribed
me sleepy medication to sleep at nightfor the PTSD. I suffered from anxiety
and depression because I didn't know ifI had to live with the iliosomy for
the rest of my life, youknow, just not knowing that. And
so you know, in hindsight,the prescription should have been go and seek

(06:06):
counseling for what I They didn't prescribethat, and so as at night,
I couldn't sleep, So I'm takingmy sippy medication and then you know,
weeks would go by and it wasn'treally working, and so you know,
I'm drinking at night, so onecup turned into two to three, to
four to a whole bottle, youknow, and more. And so I'm

(06:28):
just trying to knock myself out soI'm not dealing with flashbacks and my anxiety
and everything. And so thank god, after six months, they were able
to you know, take the bagand reconnect my my call. But I'm
still suffering. I'm still seeing thoseflashbacks. So year after year, this
is you know, Twanna, Isuffered in silence for nine years. You

(06:49):
know, I put on a faceand I'm subject actius, but I'm not
drinking during the day, but atnight, I just need to knock myself
out, knock myself out. Andso the end of twenty twenty, I
remember, it was New Year's Eveand so I was at my sister's house.
She's my she's my angel, andI just told my sister. I

(07:10):
was like, I can't do thisanymore. You know, my family knew
that I was going through, theyjust didn't really know the extent, you
know, yeah, they know theextent. So I just I said,
I can't do this, and soI told her everything, and so she's
a nurse and she found a facilityfor me, and so I went into
treatment at the beginning of twenty twentyone, from January to March. And

(07:31):
the program is it's just this amazingfacility in Edmonds, Washington. People fly
all over the world to go tothis facility, and so the program is
four weeks, but I told him, I said, no, I need
I need two months, you know, just to and just be delivered and
set free. It's the faith basedfacility as well, so you know,
prayer and Christian counselors and and everything. And so when I was in the

(07:56):
facility is when I started writing.And so I wrote Wounded and Free.
And when I wrote those songs,I didn't think they were gonna be songs,
and so I was just writing whatI was feeling in the moment.
And so I remember I was inthis inn room and so it was like
I was It's day three and I'mjust writing. You know, the silence
is loud. I don't know whatto do with myself. Depression is real,

(08:18):
like a cloud hanging over me.Been medicating myself to none of the
feelings. It's not working anymore.So I just kept writing. The next
day, I'm reading it and Iget this melody and I was like,
oh wow, this is this isa song, you know. So it
came to me like that. ButI was talking to God and I was
like, God, this is great, but what do you want me to
do with this? You know,I didn't want to release it. I

(08:39):
didn't want people to know what Iwas going through. Hardly anyone knew that
I was even there at the facility, and so I said, thank you
God, you know. But Godwas speaking to me while I was there,
and he was like, with Shan, this healing is just not it's
not for you, It's for otherpeople. There's so many people suffering and
silence, especially in the Christian community. They need to hear testimony or music.
And so when I left out thefacility after two months, is when

(09:01):
a week later I went to thestudio and I said, okay, God,
okay, I trust you Lord.And so as I released my music,
healing was just coming. Healing wasjust coming and then you know,
speaking to different organizations and churches andnow schools and just talking about just overcoming
obstacles and trials, and I justI love it because I just see God
working, you know, through thesepeople and working through me to be able

(09:22):
to share not only my music butmy testimony for healing and deliverance. So
yeah, what a testimony. Now, have you always been an artist?
Have you always been singing? Ihave, you know, and looking back,
you know, I've been recording inthe studio for about twenty years,
and you know, I was ateen and in my early twenties and everything,

(09:43):
but I didn't take it seriously.It was just something that I love
to do. It was more ofjust like a you know, kind of
a hobby. I'll release something hereand there. But when I released this
music is when I found my purposeand it's when I my ministry. This
is what I'm supposed to be doing. And so it was just this total
swim from my hobby to ministry.Wow. Well, well, because it's

(10:03):
wrapped up in your testimony and there'ssomething that you've lived your experience. Absolutely,
that's amazing. Yeah, we loveboth of the songs. I think
you gave both of the songs.They are amazing. So what's your writing
process like now after you know,being out of the facility, because that's

(10:24):
when you wrote your hits. Butyeah, I'm a process now for writing.
You know what, I actually don'tbecause songs will come to me either
way. So sometimes I'll just sitand write and I'll have I'll have lyrics
and then a melody will come tome. Or sometimes like I'll work with
my producer and he'll have, youknow, a track and I'll just write

(10:46):
to it. So honestly, it'sjust God just gives to me either way.
Or I'm dreaming and I'll have amelody or some lyrics and I'll wake
up and I'm like, okay,i'letna write this down and let me record
this. So I don't have aspecific just the way that God gives it
to me. Yeah. How youyour school teacher, you work in the
educational industry. How has your experiencehelped you be able to deal with teachers

(11:13):
that you're mentoring or even students thatyou've had to be a part of their
lives because you're not just a teacher. Today, I was just at a
panel and the teachers were talking about. These were superintendents, you know,
top level, and the questions wereasked, how do you protect the teachers

(11:33):
in this environment, because it's it'sthey've made it so that the kids can
act out on you, but youcan't do anything to them, so the
teachers don't feel safe. And thenhow do you just teach without having to
be mam and daddy, counselor nursebecause y'all all of that. Oh,

(11:54):
for sure, you got all ofthat. So how did your experience help
you in your educational walk? Yeah, you know when I was in the
classroom, you know, being aneducator, as you like you said it,
you know, you're everything. You'rethe mom, you're the dad,
you're the counselor, you know,and so it can be very taxing.
It really can, especially if youhave a family at home and then going

(12:16):
home and you know, taking careof your family. And so I would
just say, like my experience hashas definitely helped me because now that I'm
mentoring teachers, I'm able to reallyrelate to them. You know, I
share my I do. I sharemy stories out there, it's in the
public, and I tell them,you know, I had struggles and you
might be struggling now with your youknow, your class or whatever you you're

(12:37):
struggling struggling with in life. ButI just kind of let them know about
my story and I'm I'm always supportingthem and saying, you know, how
are you feeling today? Let's let'stalk about even talk about the classroom.
How are you feeling? How whatare you doing? You know to take
care of yourself? And so that'salways like the first thing on the top
of my list. And so andsometimes when we not get to the classroom

(12:58):
conversations, because that might be what'son their mind and they may share,
you know, because in order forthem to be successful, we do have
to deal with how can I helpyou? How how are you doing?
And so I will talk about differentsteps like are you taking care of yourself
or you are you know, areyou getting enough sleep? Are you eating
healthy? Or you're drinking water?You know, And so I would just

(13:18):
say, like I'm able to reallysupport them just by just asking those questions,
letting them know that I care,because being a year one teacher is
what I support in year two andyear three as well. You know,
can be a lonely feeling not reallyknowing how to advocate for yourself as an
educator who to go to, sowell, I'll provide those resources as far

(13:39):
as like resources in the district andeven sometimes some resources to support them outside
of the district as well. Ieven have a list of counselors that they
can speak to, yeah, therapist. So I'm just I'm there for them
in all capacity. I get phonecalls sometimes at night and for Sean,
I can't do this, and I'mlike, you can do this, Yes

(14:00):
you can't. You know, whywhy are you feeling this way right now?
And just really supporting them and justhaving a conversation and just being you
know, you know, relatable toYeah, you gotta think that that's a
whole person. So sometimes you don'tseparate what you do in your family life
or yeah, there's no separation forsure. How do you juggle all of

(14:24):
that? And first year teachers theattrition rate is crazy because they're like,
I'm out of here, I'm notdoing this. So it's good that you're
able to support them in that waybecause everybody needs it, certainty. Everybody.
Yeah, everybody knows it. Rashwan, what's new on the horizon?

(14:45):
Are you writing new music. Areyou getting ready to do a new project
or are we in the new projectright now? Yeah, So I am
back in the studio. So I'mdoing some writing and next week I'll be
speaking to different elementary schools and encouragingstudent elementary students about overcoming obstacles and trials.
And so they want me to actuallycome in my Praise Factor outfit.

(15:07):
They told me. They said,yeah, they said, come in your
dress and bring your your awards andtrophies. And because some principles found out
about it, of course I said, okay, I'll do that. So
I'll get three different pools next week, share my experience and my story.
And another thing is also I amgoing I am in a certification program to

(15:28):
become an FDNP and that's a functionaldiagnostic Nutrition practitioner. And when you know,
I share my story with the public, I always found out that you
know, share my story of mymusic, that something was missing. And
so last year I enrolled to bea practitioner or a certified health coach,

(15:48):
so then I can take on clientsindividually or in group settings to really hone
in on their health because I don'twant to just tackle the spiritual side.
But also the natural side and lookinto I'll be able to you know,
run labs on individuals and give thema specific protocol. My niche would be
like the mental health aspect or thedigestive issues. I can help people of

(16:10):
all you know, different you know, elements that they may have. But
I really want to you know,help people, so singing share my story
but also giving providing that service aswell, and so hopefully I'll be that's
phenomenal. I went to someone likethat, Okay, yeah, she changed
my life. It was awesome.Yeah, absolutely awesome. Yes, yeah,

(16:32):
because a lot of times people don'trecognize sometimes the things that you eat
may have some kind of chemical reaction, you know, in your brain,
you're body, and you're not surewhere is this coming from, you know,
but you're you're eating that food oreating that that one object. It
could be weed, it could begrain, it could be diyes, it

(16:55):
could be anything, you know.Yeah, yeah, that's amazing. That's
amazing. That's gonna be great forSean to add to to and that's a
holistic approach to that. Yeah,yes, looking at the whole body and
we'll all have functional labs. Soyeah, I'm really excited because I'm actually
taking myself through this process as I'mgoing through the program, so then I

(17:17):
can do my own testimony as well. Absolutely absolutely tell folks how they can
learn more about you, where theycan go and see where you're gonna be,
and music and all of that.Yeah. Yeah, So I'm available
not only just to sing and minister, but also to talk about mental health
awareness and wellness, giving talks abouthealthy lifestyles. You can contact me.

(17:42):
My website is gro seawan Nicole dotcom and that r O s h A
W N N I C O lE dot com. My email to contact
me is also gro seaw Nicole atgmail dot com. You can contact me.
I'm on Facebook as Roshan Johnson.That's my last name. My fan

(18:04):
page is also Rochean Nicole. Soeither one my fan page or my personal
I use them interchangeably and Instagram RocheanNicole, YouTube Rochean Nicole. You can
find me basically at rashannicle everywhere.Make it easy. You are so delightful.
Thank you so much for joining ustoday and just sharing your life,

(18:26):
being transparent and really you know,letting folks know, Hey, I went
through that, but you know,look at me now, I'm okay.
I mean not saying you're perfect,but you're not where you used to be,
sir. Absolutely yeah. Thank youso much for joining us for Sean.
Thank you. I appreciate it.God bless and God bless you in
your ministry as well. Thank youseeing you soon, all right, see,

(18:51):
I love her. Look. Thankyou so much for joining us here
on Good News with Twanta Black.You want to be a guest on the
show, you can email me atTwinda Black at the PG network dot org
or good News at thepgnetwork dot org. Watch the show via pg n TV
on all your digital streaming apps,or visit us at pg ntv dot org.

(19:15):
We'll see you next time for somegood news. God bless you.