joyandsorrows is a Nigerian poet and spoken word artist based in Calgary, Alberta. While pursuing her Chemistry degree at the University of Calgary, she pursued a music minor, which inspired her to self-publish her first poetry book, ‘The Trails of a Wild Sunflower’. 

Intrigued by the concept of duality, her work explores the co-existence of ‘light’ and ‘dark,’ ‘joy’ and ‘sorrow,’ along with the grey areas in between, trying to make sense of her psychology and the world around her. She has performed as a featured spoken word artist at the BIA’s Blackfest, Alcove’s open mic night, and for the Single Onion poetry reading #199. Often accompanied by music or other sounds, her performances embark on a journey of self-love, heartbreak, and a longing for stillness.

My Story

Growing up, I always imagined I’d be a teacher, or at least I played around with the idea. I remember pretending to teach my pillows and toys. I had a lot of interests: music, science, acting, and mainly singing. I was in choirs, took ballet and music classes, etc. I was also strong academically. I was interested in both the arts and science, and explored both sides, especially in high school and university. 

My academic journey was not always clear, and it still isn’t. At first, I thought I had a plan for my life. However, I quickly realized that I didn’t want that plan anymore. I struggled to figure out what I wanted to study, so I pursued a B.Sc. in chemistry at the University of Calgary. I wasn’t sure where that would take me, but I knew I liked chemistry. I also knew that I didn’t want to give up my artistic side and get drowned out by the intensity of a STEM degree, so I also got a minor in music, opening more doors for me and giving me some more connections. Having the opportunity to research chemistry while being involved in activities like choir or even taking music composition classes allowed me to explore my interests, mainly my fascination with dichotomies: Understanding that things aren’t always black and white, they can be different shades of grey. 

During my undergraduate degree, I was also able to write creatively. This is something I never thought I’d do because I was convinced that I was no good at it and didn’t like it. I was wrong. Writing became my form of self-expression when I was stressed or feeling down. 

Pursuing a music minor allowed me to interact with other musicians and artists. Seeing how seriously they took their craft inspired me to do the same. I was tired of sitting on my good ideas, “wishing” that I could be like my friends. The year 2023 was a turning point for me. In February of that year, feeling inspired after my friend’s recital, I decided to self-publish my first poetry book, ‘The Trails of a Wild Sunflower’. This decision led to other opportunities, such as finding my poetry community, along with some spoken word gigs. 

I am currently pursuing a graduate degree in chemistry, and I am still in Calgary. Alongside that, I am also taking more voice lessons. I took a little break from writing to get myself settled. I plan on releasing another book soon. I’m exploring different types of creative writing. I write some spoken word pieces here and there, but lately, I have focused more on shorter excerpts. I am also planning on getting credentials to be a certified voice teacher because I still like teaching; however, I realized that I like personal one-on-one teaching environments more. 

My career journey has taught me that I cannot choose between my interests. I’m not saying I can have it all, but I don’t have to leave one behind. I can cultivate my interests, but just in different ways. Arts and science really can go hand in hand. It’s not one or the other. That is my main takeaway. 

My advice to someone just starting, or even to my younger self, is to explore as much as you can. You don’t want to overdo it and burn yourself out, but be open to trying new things. Life is not set in stone. As scary as that sounds, it’s also exciting, in a way.

Instagram: joyandsorrowspoetry

Book links: 

• Indigo website: https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/the-trails-of-a-wild-sunflower/9781739021108.html

• Amazon: https://a.co/d/3rTOR2p