2020 was poised to be a big year for Dessa, with a concert tour planned and the launch of her podcast, Deeply Human, on the horizon. COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd changed everything. Suddenly the multi-talented rapper, singer and writer was dealing with isolation from the pandemic and anxiety about the fear and unrest gripping her community.

As she forged a new path, Dessa returned to the power of words and music. She launched her podcast, which examines human nature and why we think and behave the way we do. She also put music into the world with a project called Ides, releasing one song a month as an outlet for her creativity (and a lifeline for music lovers).  

In this episode, Brian Lucas interviews Dessa about how she coped, adapted, and hopefully emerged even stronger through the challenges of a trying year.