The news coming out of New York lately has been bleak, as the state and the city, in particular, struggle with an overwhelming number of cases of COVID-19. But even in the lowest moments during the pandemic, there are people who want to help, providing silver linings to grey days.
The four-time Tony-nominated actor and CalArts alum Condola Rashad (Theater BFA 08), who lives in New York, released a new single “Blue” on Friday, April 3 through Vogue magazine. With the song came the pledge that the citizen-arist will donate 100% of her personal profits from the release to the Food Bank for New York City—indefinitely.
“I wanted to share my artwork at this time and also use it as a vehicle to facilitate funds back into the community, and I was looking for an organization that was going to be supporting those who would be hit first and hardest,” said Rashad.
Created under the nom de plume Dola, Rashad’s nickname, the ambient single, and accompanying ethereal video, is the first song and “chapter” from her Space Daughter EP, which will be released later this year.
The project has been nearly a year-long effort, spearheaded by the multihyphenate artist, and produced in association with CalArts Center for New Performance. The EP’s videos, including “Blue,” were filmed last summer on the CalArts campus.