Arsène DeLay

A military child who returned to her New Orleans home; the spirituality of music; how music and spirituality intertwine with African-American history in Louisiana to bring about something unique; the artistic and spiritual journey that led her home; and the obstacles her community faces to save New Orleans.

 

Arsène DeLay (New Orleans-based singer/songwriter/musician with multiple award-winning albums and music featured on NCIS: New Orleans, MFA graduate of California Institute of the Arts) hops on the phone with Nick, and the old college theatre buddies (Marquette University) share a beautiful catch-up after having not seen each other since Nick and his wife visited her in New Orleans six years ago.  Arsène grew up the daughter of an active-duty military father, and she has the travel history to prove it.  But her family lineage is quintessentially New Orleanian, and the story of her spiritual journey to this point centers on the return to her familial and musical community there.  Arsène shares openly and deeply about the trials and joys of living in her beloved city, the richness of the culture she relies on there, and the particularly painful challenges New Orleans is dealing with today.  It's an intimate story which reveals as much about Arsène as it does New Orleans itself, and it was an honor to listen to her tell it. 

       

Here's a short video that gives insight into something Arsène speaks about in the episode: The New Orleans "Second Line"

 

And here's Arsène performing a song with The Charlie Wooton Project that is damn-near guaranteed to get you shakin' something: Boogie On Reggae Woman  

 

Arsène Delay Official Website: arsenedelay.com

Arsène Facebook: Arsène DeLay Music

Arsène Instagram: @arsenedelaymusic

Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow 

Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow

Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com

Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano