NYC boundary-pushing glam/rock pop drag artist Tripping Jupiter recently released the album Lipstick of the Brave, produced by Billboard charting producer and mentor Barb Morrison (they/them) who has worked with Blondie, Rufus Wainwright, Franz Ferdinand, LP, and many more.
Five tracks on the album also feature bass performed by David Bowie collaborator and legendary session musician Gail Ann Dorsey.
“Torn America” is the third single from the album. Watch the music video for “Torn America” below
The song’s compelling message and music video edit together footage from the past 2 years of protests across the country, channeling the rage and frustration of that moment of upheaval into an uplifting celebration of love and solidarity across different political movements. From Black Lives Matter to LGBTQ+ rights, to the growing climate crisis. But unlike other “protest songs” – which often can come with a ham-fisted sense of self-importance or condescension – “Torn America” was created with a goal to “not be preachy or tell anyone what to think or to believe”; instead using the song and video to describe what so many of us are experiencing and rally that collective frustration into purposeful action.
The last line of “Torn America” was inspired by a poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley – The Masque of Anarchy – where he challenges common people to “Rise Like Lions After Slumber, in an unvanquishable number”. “That always stuck with me,” Madstone says, “that change we create when we all move together. I hope I was able to communicate that in the words I sang”.
More on Tripping Jupiter:
The face of Tripping Jupiter is that of Madstone Rowan (he/they/them), a vocalist, keyboardist, and songwriter based in New York City who is seamlessly two parts groove, one part empowerment, plus just a spritz of glitter. With a style that blends classic glam rock and pop with modern production, the music of Tripping Jupiter is both timely and timeless. Madstone embraces the identity and expression behind the look, the sound, and the social voice of the band – a transcendent view of art and of music created and presented without societal restrictions or self-imposed limits. The result is barrier-free freedom presented within the sonics and visuals of modern rock and retro-pop sensibilities. Mastone, who describes personal identity as “beyond the binary,” explains: “for us, music and life should have no limits.” To live that truth, Tripping Jupiter demonstrates bravery to empower others by example, shining a spotlight on their own personal vulnerability: “So shake your head and take your bets cuz this ain’t over yet. I don’t care if I burn in my desire. It’s only fire.”
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