You Can't Erase Us by D'vorah Maya

September 9, 2022: You Can’t Erase Us, D’vorah Maya’s (she/her) powerful and haunting debut album, manages to be both richly varied in sound and utterly accessible in approach. Fusing electronica, post punk, indie pop, folk and lo-fi rock, each song brings a unique and often astonishing blend of synths and electro-acoustic instruments, rich vocal harmonies and lyrics that cover wide swaths of tonal and emotional ground. Through singing and shouting, whispering and pure instrumentation, D’vorah conjures up soundscapes that stick with the listener long after the music’s over.

Arriving at a time of renewed attacks on queer and trans folk everywhere, You Can’t Erase Us is both a battle cry against those who attempt to negate our existence and a portrait of the toll such negation can take on those forced to endure it. Imbued with a sense of urgency and defiant hopefulness, You Can’t Erase Us is a document of loss, survival and resilience in the face of personal and collective trauma, a powerful affirmation of humanity at a turning point in the artist’s history and the movement for trans rights.

Born in central Illinois, raised in the Chicago area and currently based in Portland Oregon, D’vorah Maya developed an obsession with the Beatles around age 8, when she received her first... more

credits

released September 9, 2022

Mastered by Caley Monahon-Ward.

Art Direction by Cole Catherine and D’vorah Maya

Photography and Cover Art by Cole Catherine.

Graphic Design by Skoob (j-card, CD and lyric booklet)

Immense gratitude to all my friends and family who listened to this album across its many stages of development and provided invaluable feedback. Your insights made these songs so much better than they would have been.

Special thanks to Jordanna, Iara, Nick, Mom, Dee Dee, Cole, Dandy, Jenna, Keith, Lielah, Sammy and Tara.

This album is dedicated to the memory of Matt Brockman, 6/20/1986 – 8/9/2020. Knucks to Jesus <3

Much love to Liam Doyle and Various Small Flames for this lovely premiere and review: varioussmallflames.co.uk/2022/09/09/dvorah-maya-you-cant-erase-us/

Thanks to Seattle Gay Scene for including this album in their best of 2022: seattlegayscene.com/2022/12/the-best-queer-music-of-2022/