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LEGACY OF BILLIE HOLIDAY’S ‘STRANGE FRUIT’ ENDURES WITH IMPASSIONED COVER BY ANDRA DAY

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LEGACY OF BILLIE HOLIDAY’S ‘STRANGE FRUIT’ ENDURES WITH IMPASSIONED COVER BY ANDRA DAY IN SUPPORT OF THE EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE
Two-time Grammy nominee Andra Day covers iconic song to join Google in support of the Equal Justice Initiative’s “Lynching in America” initiative.
NEW YORK, September 15, 2017 – Andra Day, the award-winning singer, songwriter, and philanthropist, released today a recording and music video for Strange Fruit, the historic song originally recorded by Billie Holiday in 1939. The recording is available on the Lynching in America site (lynchinginamerica.eji.org/strange-fruit) and Andra Day’s YouTube channel. Andra will also be performing Strange Fruit as part of her set at the Global Citizens Festival in NYC on September 23rd.
The goal of Lynching in America, which brings EJI’s multi-year investigation into more than 4,000 reported racial terror lynchings that took place in the United States during the period between Reconstruction and World War II to life, is to spark a national conversation about the connection between America’s painful history of racial violence and the forms of injustice that exist today, including racially-biased capital punishment, excessive sentencing, disproportionate sentencing of racial minorities, and police abuse of people of color.
As part of Google’s focus on Inclusion, the company has given more than $2MM in grants to the Equal Justice Initiative. In addition, Google volunteers have been working with the organization to digitize the Lynching in America research and ensure that as many people as possible have access to the information and content. The Equal Justice Initiative firmly believes that until we face the truth of our past, we cannot heal the deep wounds of our present.
Bryan Stevenson, the Founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative says, “In this collaboration between Andra Day, EJI, and Google, we use music to express a painful and difficult truth about our nation’s history of racial inequality. Inspired music has the power to expose and confront injustice differently than research, data and words alone.  It can heal and uplift us, it’s critical for human rights. Justice work needs a soundtrack that inspires the struggle, it’s energizing that talented artists like Andra rise to the challenge.”
Andra Day says, “Billie Holiday is one of the greatest inspirations for what I do now. She used her music as her platform and her voice to speak for people who were not able to speak for themselves. I am equally inspired by the work of Bryan Stevenson and EJI and I hope this song ignites new conversations about the connection between our past and present.” In the same spirit of music as activism, Andra also performed Stand Up For Something, the title track off of the upcoming film, Marshall, about Thurgood Marshall, the first African American United States Supreme Court Justice.
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The Rockstar Psychic: Ray Ray Star Lives Between Two Worlds

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There are rock stars, and there are psychics — but there is only one Ray Ray Star.

A guitarist, record producer, executive producer, and entertainer who has built a career both on stage and behind the scenes — from touring internationally to co-producing the NBC-aired show Real Music Live — Ray Ray Star defies easy categorization.  He’s the rare artist who can shred a guitar solo and then turn around and read the room in ways that go far beyond showmanship.



Known as the Rockstar Psychic — not for ego, but for the undeniable energy that surrounds him — Ray Ray Star is emerging as one of the most intriguing spiritual figures in today’s cultural landscape. He doesn’t announce his abilities. He doesn’t need to. 

His work exists in a rare space where spirituality meets artistry. While others may approach psychic work with rigid structure, Ray Ray Star allows the moment to guide him. Those who encounter him often describe the experience not as being “read,” but as being seen — fully, clearly, without pretense. 
The rock credentials are unimpeachable. Rock Today Magazine has called his guitar skills “nothing short of mesmerizing — a true rockstar in every sense of the word,” while The Musician’s Tribune described his performances as electric, noting that “his music transcends boundaries and leaves you wanting more.” 



But what sets Ray Ray Star apart from the pack is the full dimension of who he is. Sixteen years clean and sober, he blends his recovery journey with his music and psychic work to inspire, entertain, and connect with audiences in a way few can — bridging rock and roll swagger, real-life transformation, and a deep understanding of both the creative and business sides of the entertainment industry. 

In a culture that often rewards the loudest voice, Ray Ray Star is proof that impact doesn’t require volume. His influence is building not through proclamation, but through connection — one moment, one reading, one person at a time. The energy speaks for itself. And increasingly, people are listening. 

The official website for Ray Ray Star may be found at https://www.rayraystar.com

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