Jessye DeSilva isn't defined by your perceptions. In their new song "Dysphoria," premiering exclusively at The Boot today (May 31), the burgeoning singer-songwriter comes to a breaking point, exhausted from maneuvering through others' perceptions and pre-conceived notions of their own identity and experience.

"Sometimes it can be hard enough to see myself as a trans person without having to navigate the opinions of others," DeSilva tells The Boot. "Even well-intentioned comments about 'bravery' and other (perhaps unintentional) tokenizing can feel harmful." 

Driven by rich piano and intricately layered banjo accompaniment from fellow songsmith and multi-talented musician Jake Blount, "Dysphoria" is a defiant and critical story-song that describes the disconnect from a person's self-identity and the assumptions, labels, and stereotypes put onto them by others. 

"Sometimes I think gender dysphoria, feeling as though my body/physical presentation and gender identity are at odds, is actually more of a 'you' problem than a 'me' problem," DeSilva continues. "I wasn't born in the wrong body, I was born in the wrong world."

"I'm not interested much in being brave / I've got enough good intentions here to tide me over / So let's leave this road to hell unpaved," they proclaim, pulling the listener in with every impassioned lyric. 

Get an exclusive first listen to Jessye DeSilva's "Dysphoria" below:

"Dysphoria" is the lead track from DeSilva's upcoming third studio album Renovations, set for release on July 14. The crowdfunded project features musical contributions from friends and fellow powerhouse musicians in the LGBTQIA+ community, including Blount, Aaron Lee Tasjan, and Ellen Angelico.

Mixing elements of Americana, bright and engaging pop with classic folk, the classically-trained vocalist takes listeners through a journey of personal growth through expertly crafted slice-of-life tracks. DeSilva wisely and thoughtfully takes a magnifying glass to their own experiences and the journeys through trauma, love, uncertainty, identity and self-acceptance that we all face along our own paths through life.

 

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You can catch DeSilva out on the road throughout 2023, including a newly announced stop at this year's AmericanaFest in Nashville. A complete list of upcoming tour dates is available via Jessye DeSilva's official website.

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