Rising Voices: Dawn Richard
You’ve lived in Baltimore, Los Angeles, and returned to New Orleans. How has place shaped your artistry across those moves?
"Every city taught me a different language".
"Baltimore gave me discipline and resilience. It taught me that art can emerge from limitation and still be expansive".
"Los Angeles challenged me to think bigger. It exposed me to film, technology, design, animation, and collaborators from around the world. It pushed me toward becoming a multidisciplinary artist instead of only a musician".
"But New Orleans gave me my identity.
Returning home reminded me that my greatest innovation comes from knowing exactly where I come from. My newest work isn’t about leaving home to find myself. It’s about realizing that everything I’ve been searching for was already embedded in my culture, my family, and my city’s history".
When you’re traveling for performances or residencies, what’s a ritual or object you always carry to stay grounded? Is there a person you lean on the most for emotional support?
"I usually carry something that reminds me of home, whether it’s a journal, family photos, or music that reconnects me to New Orleans before I step onto a stage. Writing is one of my biggest grounding rituals. Even if no one ever reads it, putting my thoughts on paper helps me stay centered".
"I also pray before I perform. It’s a quiet moment to express gratitude, remember why I’m creating, and reconnect with something bigger than myself".
"Emotionally, I lean on my family and a very small circle of friends who have known me long before any public version of me existed. They’re the people who remind me that my value isn’t tied to applause or achievement. They know the person behind the work, and that’s a gift I never take for granted".
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