As we observe Transgender Awareness Week across the US (and internationally) we’re inviting Executive Director of the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles (TCLA), Kathryn Davis, and the chorus’ artistic director Abdullah "Abby" Rahsheen Hall for an MBE Guest DJ set. The Trans Chorus of Los Angeles also has the distinction of being America’s first trans chorus.
“The chorus started in October 2015, so we just celebrated our eighth anniversary,” Davis tells us. “It was a collaboration of the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, wanting to have more trans representation. … Initially we were a trans group of people trying to sing, but now we're a group of singers who happen to be trans.”
“What we wanted to do with the chorus is change the trans narrative from victim to victorious through song,” says Hall. “We are victorious from the moment we wake up, and we have a place and a space here in these great United States being trans and non-binary people. So we do that through singing.”
Theater and show choir kids, this one’s especially for you as the conversation goes deep on vocal dynamics, but the overall messages of love, resilience, and participation are for absolutely everyone. Read and listen on for their song selections, and the life-affirming words that surround them. “A voice as a voice,” Hall reminds us. “We all have this muscle that we can stretch. Aretha Franklin put it best. She said, ‘I can sing every note on that piano because I practice every note on that piano.’” Amen.
Catch the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles performing this Friday, Nov. 17 at LA City Hall for Transgender Day of Remembrance and check out their debut holiday show, Holiday Harmonies, on Saturday, Dec. 16 at The Village at Ed Gould Plaza - Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center.
The following has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Wrabel – “The Village”
Abby Hall: When I came out as a black gay man with a lot of sugar in the tank — before I knew what non-binary was — I remember coming out to my mother. I grew up in a Muslim family, and then she converted to born-again Christian.
I was really amazed because she said, “Your walk is your walk. That's not my walk. That's your walk. Don't let somebody else tell you what your walk is.” And so that helps me to this very day. [For this song], I'm just gonna say I want everybody to just listen to these lyrics, listen to the message that comes out.
Maggie Szabo – “Rebuild”
Kathryn Davis: A friend of our chorus, a very big ally, Maggie Szabo, came to me and said, “Hey, I have this great song. It's called ‘Rebuild.’”
… This song is about rebuilding your life when you've had certain things happen, and you have to move ahead.
When I heard the song, I thought “that's beautiful.” It really does talk about how, you can get knocked down, but you can stand up again and say I'm who I am. We just want to live our authenticity and show the world that [we’re] no different than you. I'm just another human being and let's enjoy diversity. And when you do get knocked down, come back up stronger, more engaged, and wanting to be more authentic about yourself.
Trans Chorus of Los Angeles – “Victorious”
This song was co-written by myself, Kathryn, and another chorister named Donna Miller. It was taken from words that we always say: Changing the trans narrative from victim to victorious, using your voice because every voice is a voice. Love is victorious and that's what we all need right now in this country. That's what we all need each and every day, a little bit more love. A little more love and a little more victory can help us out.