MA Singers Write and Professionally Record Song with Grammy-Winning Billy Steele
Above: Billy Steele works with the MA Singers at the Terrariam, a professional recording studio in Minneapolis.
"Rise" by the MA Singers
Opening poem by Jaeda Hutchinson '25. Vocals begin at 55 seconds.
Mr. Steele announced his desire to work with the students on a song early in the spring of 2023. He then charged the students to write a song that would embody what they valued about their experience at MA.
Students collaborated to develop lyrics and went over them with Mr. Steele.
Next the students workshopped possible melodies.
Students explored the possible combinations of melody and beats with lyrics with Mr. Steele and drum programmer and producer Larry “Big L” Robinson.
A small group of students met with Steele at his church, Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in MInneapolis, to develop the first round of sound recordings.
Eventually all of the students came together at the Terrarium recording studio to work on the final project.
Jaeda recorded the opening poem, which she also wrote.
Hannah and others laid down some ad-lib sections.
Students had a chance to watch the process of mixing sound.
The whole group!
Rise
By the Minnehaha Singers
The dust of life lingers sometimes,
thriving in
resolute loneliness and effectively cutting us off.
We’re no different from the cavernous,
abandoned houses on suburban curbs,
anxious and untouched and haunted.
In those isolated moments,
our hearts become thick with cobwebs
and ghosts of our past.
We have swollen wounds, fresh and bruised purple,
like spring lilacs from the disconnection.
However, just like a body has many parts,
We too find strength in each other.
The loneliness doesn’t seem so hollowing
when we connect.
The dust and cobwebs get cleared away,
leaving only a healing wound behind.
Together we rise from the ashes like a phoenix.
In the end, we’re a community,
no matter how much we fight
or how alone we feel,
we’re a family.
Community
Where I know you and you know me
Community
Where we connect in harmony
Community
Where joy shines through our darkest days
Community
Upholding love in all our ways
We will…… rise
Flames on flames forging ash like sand
Out of ashes walkin’ hand in hand
Despair may act and get in our way
But we rising and we’re here to stay
Take it all from me
One big family, i promise
Anything you need
We will rise up
Chaos all around us but we prosper still
Enemies against us we holdin’ god’s will
So strike me with your words and bruise me with your hate
My god is a healer and he will remake
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