‘We live in Texas and it’s family’: Killeen band travels to Uvalde to provide hope through music

KILLEEN, Texas (KWTX) - Killeen-based band Divine Connection is traveling hours away to perform for the students of Uvalde before they head back to school.

The band is composed of husband and wife duo Tonetta and Azeez Jinandu who sing gospel, rap, rhythm and praise.

Divine Connection practiced for weeks to prepare for the Uvalde’s Day Back to School event on Sunday. The event comes just months after the school shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers. The band sang a message of hope for a community still mourning.

“We are connected to the Uvalde community because we live in Texas and it’s family,” singer Tonetta Jinandu said.

The band joined forces with Jovan and Rosalyn Johnson for the trip where they performed a new single called “Little Boy, Little Girl” dedicated to all the lives lost.

“When we first did this song and we decided that this was the song we were going to do, there was tears,” Tonetta Jinandu said.

After the performance at the back-to-school event, members filmed a music video at Robb Elementary so everyone around the world could see their message of hope and healing.

“To all the communities in America be strong,” Tonetta Jinandu said. “We are a people that are resilient, filled with perseverance.”

Sunday was the first trip to Uvalde for the music group, but they plan on developing relationships with the community there to provide hope through future trips.

“It’s more than just the gas spending to go there, it’s more than just the hotel going there,” rapper Azeez Jinandu said. “It’s about the kids. It’s about our hearts.”

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