Navasha Daya and her husband Fanon Hill are partners in life, love, business and music. The Baltimore-based creative couple are accomplished artists, lead the community arts organization Youth Resiliency Institute (YRI) and are co-directors of the 8th Annual Cherry Hill Arts and Music Waterfront Festival, which has become a July 4th tradition since 2017. Their latest endeavor is a Charm City collaboration with producer and Baltimore Club Music DJ Mighty Mark entitled “Patapsco River Love.”
Daya and Hill wrote “Patapsco River Love” before the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge in March, and its welcoming message is a timely one. Navasha’s soulful vocals flow over an up-tempo Baltimore house groove. “Patapsco River love is sweet, soothing, cooling / Your love is more than a place, it’s a refuge and moving,” she sings, riding the beat and beckoning you both to the water and the dance floor. She even incorporates a shout-out to the great abolitionist Harriet Tubman, a Maryland native, in the track.
The song is taken from the soundtrack to the forthcoming documentary Cherry Hill Charm. Produced by YRI, the film details the history of the Cherry Hill Arts & Music Waterfront Festival and “its role in bolstering heritage tourism in a region that has historically been overlooked” per a press release. In addition to “Patapsco River Love,” the Cherry Hill Charm soundtrack will showcase original musical compositions and historical narratives from elders in Baltimore’s Cherry Hill community.
According to Navasha, “The song ‘Patapsco River Love’ is a love letter to the Patapsco River and those who have and continue to address racist histories that curtailed access to waterfront parks and other natural spaces. The consistent flow of the Patapsco River is a reminder of the importance of continuous conservation and education initiatives to safeguard the river’s well-being and pay homage to the residents of south Baltimore neighborhoods with profound ties to its past.”
The past meets the present and the future on “Patapsco River Love,” a song rooted in Baltimore’s rich musical history. Give the track a spin below.
If you’re in the Baltimore area today, spend your July 4th at the 8th Annual Cherry Hill Arts and Music Waterfront Festival. Enjoy a free day of family-friendly fun, activities, live performances from N’Dea Davenport, Sister Carol featuring Nakeeba Amaniyea, Navasha Daya, Mighty Mark & Friends and many more local artists and fireworks at Middle Branch Park on the Patapsco River. Visit the Cherry Hill Arts and Music Waterfront Festival website for more information.
