No Boundaries: A song to remember for Memorial Day Weekend

May 27, 2022 James Young 4 min read

James Young shares his timely new musical concept and song “No Boundaries” to address some of the larger issues of our age.

It has been a challenging time. With words and wars that fill the global consciousness, the constant senseless violence seems unending.

Doomscrolling on our handheld devices fill our screens, and our minds, with images of the war in Ukraine, the ongoing struggle with gun violence, and the political battles where LGBTQIA+ rights are still under attack.

For many citizens of the United States, the weekend upon us (Memorial Day Weekend) serves as a reminder to mourn for military personnel who died in service. Yet, capitalism has dubbed this weekend as the start of summer. Ads upon ads will pop up on screens claiming the best deals and sale for this weekend only. And this kind of distraction from reality can be helpful when the reality can seem so bleak.

This strange balance between reality is how I.Den.t.T, a Westchester-based (NY) queer Asian-American singer songwriter, was created. I.Den.t.T goes by they/them pronouns and was inspired into existence by exploring the boundaries between various types of realities. They discovered from one moment, people can love so powerfully and the next they can be fuming with such animosity, warring with others and within themselves. They ask, “…but, how do we know where to draw the lines, and who to bury in the sands?” in their song “No Boundaries.” This upbeat song, co-written by Geoff Peckman, dives deep in the lyrics to expose the many peaks and valleys of love while living in a world that feels so divided. Although they provide no answers, “No Boundaries” speaks to all of us who struggle with the “us versus them” mentality.

“No Boundaries” is set to be released on Sunday, May 29 on all major streaming platforms. In addition to that, I.Den.t.T offers “Take a Breath,” a song about finding center amid chaos. This song was inspired by the many tragic events that unfolded in 2020. As part of a meditation group, I.Den.t.T struggled with the conflict outside their home and wanted to give voice and reprieve to the frustration and fatigue that plagued so many people in 2002.

And although June is technically next month, it really is just around the corner. So I.Den.t.T wanted to kickoff Pride Month with their third song, “Queerphoria Pt. 1. Queerphoria speaks to finding our most authentic self and celebrating that joy. Queerphoria is a portmanteau, which is a single word made up from two words. Queer and Euphoria blended together in this club-feel dance song will hope to bring you some joy as well.

So, is Memorial Day the start of summer or a day to mourn U.S. military personnel? For many of us this is a trick question. Can’t it be both and neither depending on the individual? Don’t we get to choose how to perceive it? I.Den.t.T explains that their name comes from a saying that many activists have chanted for a long time: “It’s identity, not YOUdentity!” So we get to decide who we are and how we see things regardless of the constant realities thrown at us by capitalism.

Balancing various realities, feeling joy even while struggling and distracting ourselves during times of external or internal warfare is valid and normal. At the heart of it all, we all want to be safe, seen, and heard. Find, give, and be love is what I.Den.t.T hopes to offer you this Memorial Day weekend regardless of how you remember it.

I.Den.t.T can be found on Instagram, Facebook and on their website.