Twin Cities artist writes songs in honor of George Floyd

For Minneapolis artist Joe Davis, music is one of the most powerful methods of healing that "hits us straight in the heart."

Davis, who is known for his spoken word poetry and music, has written three songs honoring George Floyd. Community members can hear them Tuesday as part of a town hall event held by Westminster Presbyterian Church and featuring Floyd's aunt Angela Harrelson and his cousin Paris Stevens.

Davis started to write his most recent song "Love Like Fire" last summer as a tribute to Floyd and finished during the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

"Last summer was filled with a lot of fire," Davis said, referring to the riots that left parts of the Twin Cities in flames. "I think that fire can oftentimes be seen as something that's dangerous and harmful, but I also think that fire can be healing and it can be cleansing."

Inspiration for the song came partly from the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. about the transformative power of love and Davis' views that people should not become complacent but continue to push for peace and healing. Davis, who lives in north Minneapolis and has participated in rallies and protests, said artists play a crucial role in the movement for change.

"I feel like artists are uniquely positioned to show people what's possible," he said. "I think a lot of times we don't have a lot of practice imagining what's possible because we see the reality of the status quo. … Artists can say, 'Hey look over here. This is what our ancestors did or this is what we dreamed the world can be. Let's try to create that and make that art a reality.' "

"Love Like Fire" was composed in collaboration with musician Ryan Bynum and performed with singers Imani Waters, Traiveon Dunlap and Courtland Pickens with the youth choir Known.

Nicole Norfleet • 612-673-4495

Twitter: @nicolenorfleet