Lenelle Moïse's poems render the abstract - policy, disaster, history, diaspora - specific. Her words make the political not just personal, but corporeal: the beautiful system of the human body as canvas and subject, perfect in all its attendant complications and complexity, and still ruled, undeniably, by a warm, beating heart.

Mostly, the people in "the room" are paid lobbyists representing interests that could afford to pay them. No wonder policy isn't being made that helps smaller, independent musicians or those unaffiliated with a larger entity.

Really, everything for me comes from "Manifestra." It was an incredible gift of a song; it really describes an important moment in my life.

I wanted to touch on the piece where often politicians use "god" to excuse their actions.

I think I have come across as "unafraid" because I really cannot control what comes through me in my writing.

As I've gotten older, I have gotten a lot better at finding the pleasures of making music despite the business of it.

I am really pleased to hear each of my songs described as a total surprise. This is what I want!