Why I Make Music

Why I make music.

I make music because words mean more when they are connected to a melody.

I make music because there's nothing more subversive than instigating a moment of human connection and celebration.

I make music because music has the power to stir hearts, engage minds, and save lives.

I make music because it provides boundless opportunities to learn and grow and create.

I make music because it keeps me humble. It reminds me that I am connected to a vast and complicated past full of courageous, resilient people who responded to hardship with grace and integrity.

I make music for the youth in my life, so that they know it's ok to move through the world as their authentic selves.

I make music for the mentors in my life, to respect their legacy and carry it forward.

I make music because it brings complex ideas into stark focus, while still leaving space for nuance.

I make music because it lives deep in my gut, because it is a fundamental part of who I am.

I make music because I care deeply about this world, and the people in it. Because I want to leave this place more beautiful, just, and kind than I found it.

I make music because my voice is a raised fist, a loving embrace, a pointed stare and an extended hand all at once.

-McKain Lakey
Oct. 6, 2020