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WINDY CITY TIMES
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Sami Grisafe Releases 'All-Un-American' Today
Groundbreaking Former Pro-Athlete Pens Protest Song Inspired By Donald Trump's Campaign Strategy
2016-07-20
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This article shared 706 times since Wed Jul 20, 2016
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July 13th, 2016, Los Angeles, CA: California Songstress Sami Grisafe will release her forthcoming single 'All-Un-American' to iTunes, Amazon and streaming sites on July 13.
In the vein of classic protest songs, the anthemic track was written as a direct answer to Donald Trump's 'Make America Great' slogan as well as other increasingly worrying headline news events in the U.S.A. including the tragic shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. Sami talks about the inspiration behind the song: "When I reflect on the recent tragic events of the killing of the people in Orlando, the shootings of Alton Sterling, Philander Castile and the police officers in Dallas, I feel that what we need most in America is unity. And, to me Trump represents division, not unity. I wrote the song to beg the question about who we want to be as Americans." The song is produced by Colin Wolfe, who has worked as a musician and/or producer with a diverse range of artists from Dr. Dre to Michael Jackson. "Football taught me the only way to overcome an obstacle is to work hard and work together. Music taught me to listen. America taught me we are all created equal. These lessons are the reason I must do my best to make sure Donald Trump and the rhetoric he spews is shut down."
VIDEO LINK: www.youtube.com/watch .
MUSIC LINKS
Amazon - www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I6PX3XG .
iTunes - itunes.apple.com/us/album/all-un-american-single/id1132392446 .
Google Play - play.google.com/store/music/album/Sami_Grisafe_All_Un_American .
Sami Grisafe's backstory reads like the All-American dream. "I'm a flag-waving, sport-loving, American woman who tears up when I hear the National Anthem. I also happen to be a lesbian who fell in love with sports that are traditionally played by men. I am not the traditional version of an All-American girl, but I am All-American girl, none-the-less." In sports, she chartered new territory as the first female in California to play quarterback in a varsity, Division I football game; was the quarterback for the Chicago Force Football Team and Team USA, winning the World MVP award at the World Championship in 2013. Sami was of the first and only female athletes to be inducted into a high school hall of fame for football for her High School Hall of Fame in 2014. After her retirement from sports she decided to pursue another dream: music.
Inspired by musicians like Janis Joplin, Dave Grohl, and the Counting Crows, Grisafe's music has a folk-rock feel and often incorporates additional styles such as funk, blues and reggae. Sami is a lyricist inspired by the world around her, her songs unfolding as stories. She earned six Grammy pre-nominations for her 2012 album Atlantic, and in 2013 received the Chicago Music Award for "Best Rock Entertainer." As a proud member of the LGBTQ community, Grisafe supports numerous LGBTQ organizations through her performances. She was named of the '10 Chicago Lesbians To Look Out For' in 2012 by the L Stop and her football retirement was ranked #1 in the Windy City Times Top 10 Chicago LGBT Sports Moments of 2014. In 2014, she wrote and performed a song, "Brand New Fairy Tale," in support of marriage equality for the March on Springfield at the state capitol in Illinois. She went on to produce a studio version of the song and a music video, releasing it on the day of the historical Supreme Court ruling. Blending her two passions, music and sports, Grisafe also gained national attention for her performance of the National Anthem prior to taking the field at the 2013 IFAF Women's World Championship gold medal game. The Huffington Post called her performance "…one of the most inspiring versions of the Star-Spangled Banner we've ever heard." The unforgettable rendition is featured in two documentaries and was performed at the request of Illinois Governor, Pat Quinn, for the marriage equality bill signing.
Now Los Angeles based, Grisafe is in pre-production for her next full length album expected in early 2017. |
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This article shared 706 times since Wed Jul 20, 2016
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