Welcome to Moments with Marianne.This is your host, Marianne Pestana.We're here today with special guests, Jay Stu, Vincent, and the Wolfman, and they're here to share with us their top hot song, Make America Love Again.
So is there a song that can heal America's soul?Well, today's guests are going to share with us just that. So Jay Stu is an African-American international artist born in New Jersey and currently based in New York City.
Since the age of three, he's been singing in gospel music, and this vehicle of expression has led him around the world to sing in various genres of music as a tool for healing and change.Jay Stu believes we're in a critical time in American culture,
and that the power of music can truly shift the mindset of our people to a better and more hopeful place.
We're also joined by Vincent, an American grassroots project organizer, and The Wolfman, who left South Africa at 16 in disgust at the inequities of the apartheid system. Since then, he's been a vocal opponent of racism and all forms of injustice.
This has been a constant theme in his writing.Make America Love Again is the latest manifestation of his belief that the things that divide us are much less than our common interests.
and that the artistic community has always had an essential role in making this happen.So welcome to the show, Jay Stu, Vincent, and the Wolfman.
I wanna make America love again.Oh, I'll make America love again.
Well, how beautiful is that?That's just remarkable.You have such an amazing voice.
Thank you so much, Marian.
So why don't you share with us the first spark of the song, Make America Love Again.Where did that come from?
Well, I'll start on that one because in my own mad way, I was sitting watching TV in the UK and Spike Lee was being interviewed.It wasn't that long.It wasn't that long before the 20, 20, 20 election.And we were pretty worried.
And Spike Lee turned to the interview and he said, we don't need to make America great again.He said, we need to make it love again. And that hit my heart, right in the very center.
And I went to bed, and I woke up at about three o'clock in the morning.And I walked exactly as I was, which wasn't very well dressed, to my piano.And the whole song came to me as if from heaven.
Just came, and I instinctively knew it was a gospel song, that's all I knew. And there's something magical in creating a song sometimes.You don't think about it.It just appears as if it was always there in the universe.
And the writer just becomes the conduit for some magic.And that's exactly what happens.And as soon as I'd written it, I thought, this is really something.This is really important.This is really important.
And now is the time for this song, a song that can make the difference.And it came from Spike Lee.Stevie Wonder's heard it, and he liked it a lot.And we just need to get it in front of those people who can say, this is the message for this election.
Make America love again, a message that will bring in all the people who aren't quite sure and bring America together again.
Well, we definitely can use a message like that. And for you, Jay-Stew, I mean, how has this message connected with you?
Yes, for sure.I think as a Black man, I identify very differently in this country.And I also identify towards my spirituality.It tells us that love is patient, love is kind, love is not envious, it's not boastful.At the end, it says love never fails.
And I believe that this message will help us come together to truly love thy neighbor as ourself.And this is the anthem.This is the movement.
And I believe just as many other movements, music was always a conduit to help people fight on, to keep on, to keep pushing on.And I just think we're in a unique space in our country right now where we need hope.We need love.
And maybe this song will teach people how to.
And for you, Vincent, how is this message connected with you?
Well, when I first heard it, when Dave called me up and said, you've got to listen to this song, I had no idea that he had this deep feeling and understanding of what was going on in the United States.And I thought, what an amazing thing, you know?
And it made me cry at the end, because we need to make love the most important thing, not politics or power. But if we only did what this song tells us to do, I think we wouldn't be in the position that we're in now.
Isn't that the truth?I think many people feel that way, but also feel like, you know, what can we do?How can we turn the tide here?And many people probably don't know what to do.
That's right.And I cannot tell you how important Vincent has been to this.He's contacted probably everyone at the grassroots in the Democrat Party to tell him about this song, and it's got some very exciting reactions.
And we're just hoping to build that up from the grassroots to get it one day to Kamala, because this is her message to win this election.We're sure of that.
Yeah, I'll just tell you a little bit about this, you know, this job that I was sitting on a train coming back from upstate New York and he said, Vincent, I need you to do something.And he told me what it was.And I just said, sure, absolutely.
And since then, My job has been a pleasure.I mean, honestly, we all feel like we're sort of saving the world in a way with this song, you know, to galvanize the Democratic Party from the grassroots up.
I see this song as an anthem, a message that'll help heal American wounds, that will bring about, bring Americans of every stripe together. at this really crucial time in our history.
So we've been getting fantastic responses from Democratic officials, state and county Democratic party headquarters leaders, party operatives.It's really been amazing and heartening.
We'd like to give a special thank, I would like to give a special thanks to David Boyle, chair of the Walker County Democrats in Georgia. recognize the value of this song in our message, and he got the ball rolling.
He promoted the song at his rallies.It was one of the first.We know how important the state of Georgia is in this time.It's a kind of do or die election.
And just to say, you know, I've had the pleasure of talking with so many dedicated volunteers of Democratic Party leaders, administrators, you know, basically from around the country.
I think because it's such a simple, clear wish that we're asking, you know, to make the country love. that music can amplify emotionally, takes the idea of politics out of the picture, and replaces it with hope.
We're gratified and honored also, you know, Stevie Wonder and Spike Lee are behind the song.I mean, it doesn't get any better than that.
Well, you've got to love that.That says a lot about the work that you're doing in the song itself.
So Wolfman, since you've been such a vocal opponent of injustice since leaving South Africa, how do the themes of the song reflect your lifelong fight against division and inequality?
You know, I'm really scared about the world at the moment.I don't know the way it's going.And I don't like the way it's going.And I'm not an American.I have fought against injustice.But for me, The world without America would not be a better place.
Not everything it's done has been good.It would be easy to list all the things we don't like from slavery to Vietnam.But ultimately, the USA is a force for good in the world.
From World War I, World War II, where they saved the world by intervening, the Cold War, and through culture as well from fred is there to nine inch nails to stevie wonder to.
Andy warhol to james pauldron charlie chaplin and from a musicians point of view blues hip hop jazz and salsa.
Show america has been a voice for freedom independence and safety and peace in the world even now with everything that's going on and we support america talks truth to the powerful.
That stands up for the weak and encourages enterprise, that holds the line against intolerance and dictatorship, and that leads in the technology that will help save us from climate change and the plastic in the oceans.
So I support America all the way in the struggle for justice, starting with the star-spangled banner, and ending with we shall overcome, and then hopefully make America love again.
Well, on that note, we're going to pause here for a quick break.We've been speaking with Jay Stu, Vincent, and the Wolfman in regards to their hot new song, Make America Love Again.You've been listening to Moments with Marianne.
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Join his newsletter, be part of his community, and download his music. Welcome back to Moments with Marianne.We're here today with special guests Jay Stu, Vincent, and the Wolfman in regards to their hot new song, Make America Love Again.
So we have special permission to play a little bit of Make America Love Again.Definitely a song you'll want to check out at makeamericalove.com.
Before it's too late. Before it's too late Love, love, love again Before it's too late I wanna make America love again Make America love again Make America go nowhere before it's too late.Oh, make America love again.
What a stunning performance.Jay Stu, I mean, you have such a remarkable background and as a pastor, how has your background influenced the emotional and spiritual delivery of this song?
Yes, for certain.I think because it has such a deep connection to gospel music, I often think about the narrative that has been sung around me as a child growing up in the church.
And a lot of the narratives that are written in our gospel songs are for healing purposes.They are therapeutic.They are healing.And I feel like this particular song It connects deeply to that, because we are going literally through America's history.
And you're able to take snapshots and pictures and really step back for a second and say, where are we?Where do we want to go?And who do we want to be?Very similar to many songs, like David suggested, of We Shall Overcome.It's the empowerment.
It's the movement.It's the force that's going to drive us forward.And I do believe that God is on our side.I do believe that God can bless America again.And this particular way, we can do it through love.
Vincent, I know we talked about grassroots activism.So what role does that have in spreading the song's message of love and how can the communities help with that?
Well, I think the song sort of bridges the gap between all the different ideas that are driving this campaign.
And I think this song fits right in the middle between people who are leaning sort of one way or the other and don't really know where to go.This song sort of crystallizes that.
The idea of going forward can't get any better than just be more loving, be more kind, Which was, I think in a way what the founders in some way wanted to get together.
A mechanism that would allow people from all over the world to come here and enjoy each other and work with each other.It's an ongoing process. Anything that has to do with love, with actual caring, will pretty much heal anything.
It doesn't matter what it is.If you care and you strive to do better, to be a better person, to be a better country, which we need to do, I think this song sort of encapsulates those messages.
Let me add one thing there.What's important about this song is it's not against anyone.It's open and it's available for everyone.It's not fighting against any set of people.Anyone can join and make America love again.
That's the way forward and the way of hope.Vehemently and strongly believe for all our futures.
How do you hope that your just remarkable song, Make America Love Again, will resonate with listeners, especially during this polarized time?How do you feel like they're going to take this message forward?
Well, I think that the song sort of speaks for itself, you know?It's not complicated. It's very basic.
It's entrenched in pretty much every religious and every religion, you know, all of them, no matter where they are or where they came from, it's all about love, you know?
And so I think it's kind of an anthem to love and on a scale right now that we're seeing, because we're sort of standing on the precipice
So Wolfman, have you already noticed that the song's fostering dialogue and unity among people?
I think without question, because there's nothing in the song that's particularly controversial.As I say, it's not against anyone.
And everybody from every background, no matter what their political beliefs, experiences love in their families and in their communities.Sometimes that manifests in ways that we may not agree with.
But at the bottom, if you go and sit with a family who have different political views to you, and you talk to them about love, and their children, and their parents, and their aunties, and their uncles, and their community, they're all looking for the same thing, which is love.
And make America love again is also a metaphor.It's a metaphor for tolerance, kindness, belief that America is a force for good in the world, respect to all human beings, no matter their gender, race, or beliefs.
It's a message to people who believe we all have a right to live in safety from violence, to have food on our table, to feel safe and secure. to educate our children, and to be the best person and best citizens that we can be.
And that message reaches out to everybody.There's no one who cannot buy into that message.And that's what we're hoping, both for this election and for the future.
You know, Dave, can I add?The song, it's a simple, clear wish. that only music can sort of amplify emotionally.
It takes the idea of politics out of the picture and replaces it with hope and with the dreams that we've all had and that every country has to do the best you can for your people and to move progressively forward.
And this song does a great job of that.
And it's worth saying that you, Jayce, to you as someone who's actually preached this message from a pulpit in the most powerful and moving and emotional way, I know that about you.I give you huge respect for that.
Yeah, I think in particular, if I want to pinpoint people to our video, it was actually recorded on Howard University's campus where Kamala Harris and myself have graduated from.
And I think when we made that video, she wasn't even in the election at the time. But we are proud.We're proud to represent her as I want to speak for our Black population in this country, to see someone really striving for that excellence.
It is empowering.I am an educator, and I believe that how can we become what we don't see?And so the more we see positive leaders, the more we see people actually advocating for others and speaking to humanity and the human.
I believe our children are ready for someone like her.I believe our community is ready for someone like her.And this anthem will help push it forward.
Now, I know you have a gospel version.Do you have a remix as well?
There are a number of mixes.They're all available on makeamericalove.com.There's a dance version, there's the gospel version, and there's the USA version featuring Jordan.And this song stands up to all the different treatments.
That's the thing about a song, simple song with a message.You can treat it in many different ways. and it has won, I think we may have mentioned, it's won more than a dozen international awards for the video and the song over the last few years.
So we've had a lot of recognition worldwide as well.
Well, congratulations.What a huge accomplishment that is.
Yeah, it's very satisfying to get that feedback.
Well, Jay, Stu, Vincent, and Wolfman, it has been such an honor to have you all on the show today.
Thank you so much.Thank you.And to speak to you, Marian.
Well, thank you, Jay Stu, Vincent, and the Wolfman.It's been such an honor to spend this time with you and to talk about your hot new song, Make America Love Again.
Visit makeamericalove.com for more information on their work and how you can download this song. Well, we're at the end of our time today.I'd like to thank everyone for tuning in.
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