At the peak of her musical career, Dawn Richard lost her city. On this episode of Identified with Nabil Ayers, the New Orleans-born artist traces where she comes from: born and raised in the Ninth Ward, daughter of a Creole mother from New Iberia and a father who fronted the Allen Toussaint-produced funk band Chocolate Milk, parents who met at 14 and 15 and have been together ever since.

Dawn opens up about being her dad's after-school roadie while he played every wedding and funeral in New Orleans; the blue-haired punk kid raised by strict Catholic schoolteachers; turning down a softball scholarship and marine biology to stay and sing; hustling her way onto an NBA dance team just to sing the national anthem; the $200 gamble that got her from a roach motel in Orlando to Making the Band; and Katrina, the storm that took the family's home, her father's baby grand, and every Thanksgiving since, but not the thing underneath. 

Guest: Dawn Richard
Host: Nabil Ayers
Executive Producer: Kieron Banerji
Creative Studio: Palm Tree Island 

00:00 "I lost my city"
01:09 Ninth Ward born and raised
02:26 The golden child & the punk kid
03:39 Her father, Allen Toussaint & Chocolate Milk
05:11 Her dad's roadie
08:09 A standing ovation & the fork in the road
09:22 The NBA anthem hustle
10:57 Idol, Making the Band & leaving home
19:33 Katrina: losing everything
21:30 "We fight": what family means

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Identified is a podcast series that explores identity, race, culture, and family through personal conversations. Hosted by author and music executive Nabil Ayers, each episode dives into lived experiences that reveal how our backgrounds shape who we are—and how we find belonging.

Nabil is the author of My Life in the Sunshine (Viking, 2022), and has written for The New York Times, The Guardian, and GQ on themes of race, music, and personal history. He’s also the President of Beggars Group US, co-founder of Sonic Boom Records, and founder of the record label The Control Group / Valley of Search.

Identified brings together notable voices for reflective, vulnerable conversations about where we come from—and where we’re going.

At the peak of her musical career, Dawn Richard lost her city. On this episode of Identified with Nabil Ayers, the New Orleans-born artist traces where she comes from: born and raised in the Ninth Ward, daughter of a Creole mother from New Iberia and a father who fronted the Allen Toussaint-produced funk band Chocolate Milk, parents who met at 14 and 15 and have been together ever since.
Dawn opens up about being her dad's after-school roadie while he played every wedding and funeral in New Orleans; the blue-haired punk kid raised by strict Catholic schoolteachers; turning down a softball scholarship and marine biology to stay and sing; hustling her way onto an NBA dance team just to sing the national anthem; the $200 gamble that got her from a roach motel in Orlando to Making the Band; and Katrina, the storm that took the family's home, her father's baby grand, and every Thanksgiving since, but not the thing underneath.&nbsp;
Guest: Dawn Richard Host: Nabil Ayers Executive Producer: Kieron Banerji Creative Studio: Palm Tree Island&nbsp;
00:00 "I lost my city" 01:09 Ninth Ward born and raised 02:26 The golden child &amp; the punk kid 03:39 Her father, Allen Toussaint &amp; Chocolate Milk 05:11 Her dad's roadie 08:09 A standing ovation &amp; the fork in the road 09:22 The NBA anthem hustle 10:57 Idol, Making the Band &amp; leaving home 19:33 Katrina: losing everything 21:30 "We fight": what family means
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Identified is a podcast series that explores identity, race, culture, and family through personal conversations. Hosted by author and music executive Nabil Ayers, each episode dives into lived experiences that reveal how our backgrounds shape who we are&mdash;and how we find belonging.
Nabil is the author of My Life in the Sunshine (Viking, 2022), and has written for The New York Times, The Guardian, and GQ on themes of race, music, and personal history. He&rsquo;s also the President of Beggars Group US, co-founder of Sonic Boom Records, and founder of the record label The Control Group / Valley of Search.
Identified brings together notable voices for reflective, vulnerable conversations about where we come from&mdash;and where we&rsquo;re going.

Welcome to 'Identified', a podcast hosted by Nabil Ayers, music executive and author of 'My Life in the Sunshine'. This show explores the intricate and often complicated world of family and identity.

In his memoir, Nabil shared his journey of understanding his mixed-race identity, navigating a distant relationship with his father, renowned jazz musician Roy Ayers, and discovering new family connections. 'Identified' continues this exploration, broadening the scope to encompass universal themes of family dynamics.

Join Nabil as he engages in heartfelt conversations that traverse cultural histories, the impact of non-traditional childhoods, and the ways our relationships shape our identities. Through personal stories, the show confronts the challenges of loss and grief, while celebrating the unique bonds that define us. Each episode seeks to answer the profound question: What is family?

Discover remarkable stories from individuals of diverse backgrounds as 'Identified' unravels the complexities that make family so unique.

The executive producer for 'Identified' is Kieron Banerji, and is produced by Palm Tree Island.

Welcome to 'Identified', a podcast hosted by Nabil Ayers, music executive and author of 'My Life in the Sunshine'. This show explores the intricate and often complicated world of family and identity.
In his memoir, Nabil shared his journey of understanding his mixed-race identity, navigating a distant relationship with his father, renowned jazz musician Roy Ayers, and discovering new family connections. 'Identified' continues this exploration, broadening the scope to encompass universal themes of family dynamics.
Join Nabil as he engages in heartfelt conversations that traverse cultural histories, the impact of non-traditional childhoods, and the ways our relationships shape our identities. Through personal stories, the show confronts the challenges of loss and grief, while celebrating the unique bonds that define us. Each episode seeks to answer the profound question: What is family?
Discover remarkable stories from individuals of diverse backgrounds as 'Identified' unravels the complexities that make family so unique.
The executive producer for 'Identified' is Kieron Banerji, and is produced by Palm Tree Island.

Identified with Nabil Ayers

Welcome to 'Identified', a podcast hosted by Nabil Ayers, music executive and author of 'My Life in the Sunshine'. This show explores the intricate and often complicated world of family and identity.
In his memoir, Nabil shared his journey of understanding his mixed-race identity, navigating a distant relationship with his father, renowned jazz musician Roy Ayers, and discovering new family connections. 'Identified' continues this exploration, broadening the scope to encompass universal themes of family dynamics.
Join Nabil as he engages in heartfelt conversations that traverse cultural histories, the impact of non-traditional childhoods, and the ways our relationships shape our identities. Through personal stories, the show confronts the challenges of loss and grief, while celebrating the unique bonds that define us. Each episode seeks to answer the profound question: What is family?
Discover remarkable stories from individuals of diverse backgrounds as 'Identified' unravels the complexities that make family so unique.
The executive producer for 'Identified' is Kieron Banerji, and is produced by Palm Tree Island.