Imani Perry

A musical genius and also a person who put politics in their music and also a person who struggled with her mental and emotional health after so many tragedies. And so I wanted to look at the beginning. I wanted to attend to early Nina Simone, a person who had already experienced extraordinary disappointment. She was a trained classical pianist.

A musical genius and also a person who put politics in their music and also a person who struggled with her mental and emotional health after so many tragedies. And so I wanted to look at the beginning. I wanted to attend to early Nina Simone, a person who had already experienced extraordinary disappointment. She was a trained classical pianist.

A musical genius and also a person who put politics in their music and also a person who struggled with her mental and emotional health after so many tragedies. And so I wanted to look at the beginning. I wanted to attend to early Nina Simone, a person who had already experienced extraordinary disappointment. She was a trained classical pianist.

She'd been denied admission to the Curtis Institute. She was certain that that denial was because of her race. And so she became this musician who was blending, you know, torch songs, show tunes, jazz as a performer, and then elements of the classical music. But she also was really struggling with, emotionally, with the desire to have been a

She'd been denied admission to the Curtis Institute. She was certain that that denial was because of her race. And so she became this musician who was blending, you know, torch songs, show tunes, jazz as a performer, and then elements of the classical music. But she also was really struggling with, emotionally, with the desire to have been a

She'd been denied admission to the Curtis Institute. She was certain that that denial was because of her race. And so she became this musician who was blending, you know, torch songs, show tunes, jazz as a performer, and then elements of the classical music. But she also was really struggling with, emotionally, with the desire to have been a

classical musician and the ways in which she was excluded from that and so there's something about in thinking and talking about this first album I wanted to gesture to the complex emotions associated with her putting this work together and also its incredible beauty it's yet again one of these sites where you see you know, the process of creating beauty at the site of wound.

classical musician and the ways in which she was excluded from that and so there's something about in thinking and talking about this first album I wanted to gesture to the complex emotions associated with her putting this work together and also its incredible beauty it's yet again one of these sites where you see you know, the process of creating beauty at the site of wound.

classical musician and the ways in which she was excluded from that and so there's something about in thinking and talking about this first album I wanted to gesture to the complex emotions associated with her putting this work together and also its incredible beauty it's yet again one of these sites where you see you know, the process of creating beauty at the site of wound.

It happens over and over and over again in Black culture and life. And I was able to do it through the story of a really cherished musician for me personally, but I think for the world.

It happens over and over and over again in Black culture and life. And I was able to do it through the story of a really cherished musician for me personally, but I think for the world.

It happens over and over and over again in Black culture and life. And I was able to do it through the story of a really cherished musician for me personally, but I think for the world.

An admission. I am very much an American, and that is an uneasy title for me. I have a culture and an identity tied to this land. I am without apology who and what I am. The unease is about the relationship between my citizenship and the rest of the world. My blackness is a conduit, but my American-ness is so often a betrayal of that connection with others.

An admission. I am very much an American, and that is an uneasy title for me. I have a culture and an identity tied to this land. I am without apology who and what I am. The unease is about the relationship between my citizenship and the rest of the world. My blackness is a conduit, but my American-ness is so often a betrayal of that connection with others.

An admission. I am very much an American, and that is an uneasy title for me. I have a culture and an identity tied to this land. I am without apology who and what I am. The unease is about the relationship between my citizenship and the rest of the world. My blackness is a conduit, but my American-ness is so often a betrayal of that connection with others.

I know the classic response is coming from some. People want to come here from all over the world. The American dream is universal. I think that dream is of a castle of security that exists inside the palace gates. I come from inside the territory, but outside the gates, so I know better. But I have one take. There are many others. We are no monolith. This is my blues.

I know the classic response is coming from some. People want to come here from all over the world. The American dream is universal. I think that dream is of a castle of security that exists inside the palace gates. I come from inside the territory, but outside the gates, so I know better. But I have one take. There are many others. We are no monolith. This is my blues.

I know the classic response is coming from some. People want to come here from all over the world. The American dream is universal. I think that dream is of a castle of security that exists inside the palace gates. I come from inside the territory, but outside the gates, so I know better. But I have one take. There are many others. We are no monolith. This is my blues.

Thank you.

Thank you.