The internet is thankfully awash in the endless voyeuristic content of celebrities in their jaw dropping homes. But of all these peeks into privilege, none has proven more fascinating than music icon Erykah Badu’s recent studio reveal—a case study in pure Piscesdom, particularly ahead of the Pisces New Moon on 20 February, 2o23.

We learn many things on this magical mystery tour: that a vintage Rhodes keyboard of hers is haunted; that she always wears ankle bells to make music whenever she walks; and that the frequency of the universe is in the key of F (this information is divulged as Badu plunks various tuning forks that emit “delta, zeta, and beta waves”).

Pisces is a water sign and Erykah appropriately insists on having an infrared sauna near her bed, so she can sweat a lot, while she meditates. After discussing another instrument she received as a gift while doing Ayahuasca, the nu-soul queen then ends the clip by trying on her favourite hat and going outside to look at the stars.

I mean. This clip is very magical, strange, and whimsical. And, for our purposes, instructive.

Erykah is actually a double Pisces (meaning her Moon and Sun are both in her sign). We see this in her sensitivity to cosmic vibrations, in the otherworldliness of her intuition, in the dreamlike atmosphere of her studio space where art and reality are quite indistinguishable.

These are all Pisces themes that this upcoming New Moon on 20 February will be activating – to a certain extent, but only to a certain extent. Why so?

We have the New Moon and Neptune (co-ruler of the Fishes) both in said sign, which is a super dreamy combination. Neptune is the lord of the Unconscious, of the unseen, of fantasy, of illusion. Meanwhile, the Moon is our emotional pulse. When you bring these two planets together we get very free flowing Erykah vibes.

If these were the only pertinent transits around the lunation we could expect to hear a lot of ankle bells chiming in infrared saunas on the 20th. That is to say, we’d really be pulled to this pure, mystical Pisces New Moon energy. But things are rarely so pure in the cosmos.

To wit: this Moon is also impacted by the other ruler of Pisces, namely Jupiter, which is currently in fire sign Aries. On the 20th, Venus likewise moves out of Pisces and into the Ram. Venus loves the Fishes, but does not like being in Aries at all. It’s too hot and scratchy there, like a men’s locker room after a match.

So, where does that leave us? We have all that watery Pisces/Moon/Neptune energy in conflict with fiery Aries/Venus/Jupiter. The result could be a lot of emotional steaminess. Where Pisces is usually very intuitive, you could find yourself being disoriented or unsure about the words, deeds, or intentions of a friend, partner, or family member.

Of course, all this fire could also betoken emotional flare-ups, with the Moon in such proximity to expansive Jupiter in a fire sign. Keep in mind that Venus will also be in Aries, too. Lovers, in particular, could feel at loggerheads this lunation. That being said, after all the Saturnal energy of the past few months, this heat might feel welcomed. Think: emotional flare-ups followed by steamy rapprochements.

Finally, let’s not put too much of a negative slant on things. This fire coming from Jupiter could also be a boon for putting into action big ideas. We know that New Moons are perfect dates for inaugurating projects. As we’ve seen, a Pisces New Moon, in particular, will have a visionary element to it. With Jupiter aflame in initiatory Aries, this lunation, therefore, could doubly augur a strong day to expand past the planning stages in your heart and to start taking action on some creative vision. To harmonise with the cosmos on such a project, just remember that the universe, according to Erykah, is in the key of F.

Photo by Alexander Andrews on Unsplash