“I was tired of waiting for permission to exist,” Monique DeBose told American Songwriter. “I wanted to let any other black people who were also feeling that way know that we do not have to ask for permission to thrive.” On August 27, DeBose released “Rally Call,” a celebration of the freedom from feeling like she needed permission to exist.
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A Los Angeles-based vocalist, songwriter and social activist, DeBose has been grappling with how her identity fits into the world for her entire life. With an African-American father and an Irish-American mother, DeBose is well acquainted with the nuances of America’s cultural intersections.
“So much of my life had been hoping I would be included, waiting for someone to ‘let me into the club’ and erasing myself to make other people comfortable,” she said. “This song was a rally call to myself and anyone else who has felt oppressed to wake up. Our country was founded on some beautiful ideals and some horrific ones. White people from Europe were looking to better their lot in life. Black people were forced into enslavement to build this country that Europeans envisioned and Native/Indigenous people were murdered because they had home-court advantage and weren’t down with the European plan. Just saying that is a way to not ask for permission. Our history is hard and we’ve all been told to look past it.”
Musically, “Rally Call” captures DeBose’s sentiment, prominently featuring her powerful vocal prowess. Trained in jazz and skilled at vocal improvisation, DeBose hits high notes and executes runs with percussion and palpable passion.
“I want people to know their voice matters and that they do not have to be silent,” she said. “I want people to viscerally feel medicine in this music. I want people to be brave enough to own all the parts of themselves- everyone, so that we can all move forward integrating our history, our present and creating the world that works for the masses.”
Listen to “Rally Call” by Monique DeBose below:
