New Orleans-based singer, songwriter, producer and multidisciplinary artist Dawn Richard todaypresents “chuuuuurch” (feat. jelly joseph), the third single from her new album, Creole Culture, out October 9th via Merge Records. Following the “lush and euphoric R&B reverie,” (Stereogum) of “enough,” “chuuuurch” finds Richard reflecting on self worth and her time in the entertainment industry.
Richard comments: “‘chuuuurch’ is really a conversation with myself—addressing my journey through this industry and the many times I’ve had to remind myself of who I am. Culturally, saying ‘church’ is its own kind of affirmation. It’s ‘amen.’ It’s ‘you right.’ And sometimes, when no one else is there to affirm you, you have to amen yourself. The song mirrors that journey musically. It moves through gospel, bounce and dance music, with nods to the energy of Crystal Waters and La Bouche. It keeps building, almost like a service, until all of those influences exist in the same space. It’s playful, honest and deeply musical, a reminder that sometimes you have to be your own congregation.”
Accompanying the track is a video directed by Zebretta Johnson with animation by Richard. The video leans into a Robert Rodriguez-inspired cinematic world, with Dawn testifying before a congregation about her personal journey—the highs, the setbacks, the judgment, and the constant process of having to build herself back up.
At the centre of the visual is a younger version of Dawn, representing her younger self. Throughout the piece, Dawn is essentially trying to reach her, support her, and lift her up—becoming the voice and reassurance she may not have always had during those earlier chapters of her life.
She comments, “The congregation becomes both witness and reflection. The idea of ‘chuuurch’ is bigger than the physical church—it’s about testimony, affirmation, and learning to say amen to yourself when you’ve had to keep going without everyone understanding or supporting your journey.
“Visually, we wanted it to feel bold, theatrical, slightly surreal, and cinematic while still carrying the humor, grit, and spirit of the record.”
Creole Culture is triumphant and tragic, sexy and mournful, braggadocious and contemplative. The album presents Richard’s New Orleans as a utopian soundscape — an intoxicating blend of R&B, soul, hip-hop, pop, and jazz — that’s survived and thrived despite the dystopian circumstances visited upon it.
Across Creole Culture, Richard worked with co-executive producer Katalyst, the Inglewood-based collective founded by drummer and producer Greg Paul. Comprised of world-class composers, producers, and instrumentalists who have collaborated with artists including Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Solange, Jay-Z, Lizzo, Usher, and Anderson .Paak, Katalyst brings an unmistakable musical depth expanding Creole Culture’s vision beyond genre.
With a crew of guest stars including Joseph, Big Freedia, Tarriona “Tank” Ball, and Durand Bernarr, Creole Culture offers a softer take on the brass-soaked swagger of Richard’s previous efforts, an evolution brought about upon realizing a crucial viewpoint was left out of her exploration of New Orleans: her own.
“New Breed was the story of New Orleans through my father’s eyes,” Richard explains. “I used his samples, his music, his cultures, his work with Chocolate Milk, his side of the family. Second Line was my mom — her interludes riddled the album with her depiction of what is meant to be a Creole woman in New Orleans. The masculine and feminine sides of King Creole had expressed themselves through them, but the story felt unfinished, like my version of the story was untold.”
Creole Culture creates a space where Richard can breathe, can be at peace with herself, and let loose with others—it’s a tremendous, freeing breath of fresh air. It captures the resolve of a woman and a place who’ve survived the unimaginable and sees the future not as something to be endured, but as something to be created.
Photo credit: Justin Williams