Terri Lyne Carrington and Social Science share “Identity Song,” featuring vocalist Michael Mayo, rapper Nappy Nina, and harpist Brandee Younger. The single serves as a mantra for living on one’s own terms. Together they create a carefree sonic space that supports varied gender expression and sexuality. The groove is a bubbling heartbeat stacked with Mayo and Nina’s words as Younger adds sweet string plucks.
Carrington’s inspiration for the track stems directly from her work in academia as a mentor to the next generation of creative minds.
“As a teacher, I encounter a lot of young people who are choosing not to stay within the binary when it comes to gender identity,” shares Carrington, who balances her career as a multi-GRAMMY Award-winning drummer with her role as the founder and artistic director of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice.
“We are living in a new time where this topic is part of the cultural, social, and political conversations of the day, and while there are many people who are rejecting this, it is real and people’s struggles are real. People are being discriminated against, and people are dying for being themselves, due to others’ discomfort.”
“There’s something playful about the track,” Younger notes, reflecting on the song’s layered production. “The production is layered and quirky, with a very serious sense of groove, making you want to dance while also making you listen very closely. The lyrics create a space for people to exist fully as themselves without judgment. It celebrates whoever you are, whoever you love, and however you identify.”
Younger points to this balance as a testament to Carrington’s unique vision: “She has this incredible ability to create music that is sophisticated and thought-provoking while still feeling very human and honest. The music and the lyrics are both achieving the same thing. The song reminds us that individuality and connection can exist simultaneously and that embracing our differences is where the magic happens.”
“Identity Song” arrives on time for Pride Month and is included on Carrington’s next album, Trip the Night Fantastic, due for release on July 31st via Candid Records.
