The revolution always needs theme music, and it’s “Chocolate” singer Kiana Ledé for the win with a thoughtful remake.
Ledé dropped a cover of P!nk’s 2006 “Dear Mr. President,” which was released while George W. Bush was in office, and now, has a deeper meaning given the social climate.
The lyrics—“How do you sleep while the rest of us cry? How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye? How do you walk with your head held high?”—hit different with Trump in the Oval Office.
“Through all the crying and pleading, all the protesting and donating, I wanted to do something that is therapeutic for me–singing. I came across the song ‘Dear Mr. President’ by P!nk and realized so many of the lyrics are still relevant today,” said Ledé via press release.
Ledé, whose debut album Kiki racked up 30 million streams, hopes it encourages people to flex their fighting power at the polls. “Trump is a symbol of racism and we’re facing the impending doom of his re-election,” the Phoenix-born artist said. “He needs to be replaced.”
And while releasing a song that speaks to the country’s pain is a form resistance, supporting organizations that are in this struggle for racial justice work too. That’s why all net proceeds from “Dear Mr. President” will be donated to NAACP Empowerment Programs, which are dedicated to education, voter participation and social justice.
Ledé debut album, Kiki, became a streaming favorite in April when it dropped, hitting the Top 5 of the Apple Music and iTunes R&B/Soul Albums.
The Scream series alum told People that “Kiki the album is an ode to a Black/Brown Aries in her early 20s using R&B as a cathartic release.”
Listen to Ledé’s remake below.