California-bred singer Mae Powell makes music that’s to the point without veering into the territory of preachy; inspired by Frankie Cosmos, Powell’s noodling indie rock is observational and transparent. Her latest song, “Fuck I.C.E,” is exactly what the title suggests, promoting equality by condemning racist border patrol and the tearing apart of families. Her voice melts into the grooves of vowels when she sings “No one is free until we’re all free,” turning a protest chant into a no-brainer post-chorus.
She offers examples, both at a personal and governmental level, of how to combat I.C.E. Although her vocals have a smooth, jazzy quality, Powell’s delivery has the rise and fall of a persistent debate. For what she calls her “edgiest track,” she explains that she “definitely tried to sing to my/our anger, because I knew that pretty soft vocals wouldn’t make much sense. Mayya [Feygina]’s bass definitely adds a lot of tension too. It feels like a rock and roll song which I never thought I would make but here it is. Any money I make from this track will be redirected to those affected by I.C.E.”
Despite the change in presidency, there’s yet to be any proactive change with immigration polices; there are still 15,000 children held in the U.S. in horrid conditions. Powell continues on the song’s origins: “I wrote this song two years ago when Trump was being very vocal about essentially militarizing I.C.E. and cracking down on deportations, family separation, and detention centers. I realize now that I.C.E. has been a huge problem since it existed, under any president, but it was the first time that this issue came to my attention. I decided to write this song for two reasons: one, out of anger for what was happening, and two, to bring attention to an issue that was and is still largely ignored. I wrote it as a starting place for people (especially white people) who were either unaware or didn’t care before to start paying attention and calling for change.”
Listen to “Fuck I.C.E.” below. Also, fuck I.C.E.! Here’s a link with resources on how to turn your anger into action.
