“Book banning ultimately backfires” CHARLIE NIELAND speaks out on masterful new single

NEW YORK songwriter/producer CHARLIE NIELAND teams up with Staten Island-based activist and rapper spiritchild on the masterful new single ‘Win (feat. spiritchild)’ – taken from upcoming ‘Stories From The Borderlines’ album.

 “The material for ‘Stories From The Borderlines’ got its start in the NYC performance series The Bushwick Book Club,” said Nieland. “The lead single ‘Win’ is actually a song about surrender – “I just want you to win” – written as part of Bushwick Book Club’s residency for Banned Book Week.

“I was struck by the fearful response to the coming-of-age YA novel ‘All Boys Aren’t Blue’ by the young, gay, African American author George M. Johnson, which was the second most banned book in 2023. Book banning ultimately backfires. The act of hiding something from ourselves forces discovery. It begs us to honour what we don’t yet understand. Our fragile self-created identities – especially those formed in opposition to our adversaries – dissolve in the bright light of our interdependence. In a flash, the chorus woke me up in the middle of the night. ‘Go ahead and take my place. Take a look at my face. This is how it begins.”

Nieland’s backstory is impressive having written for and produced Debbie Harry, Rufus Wainwright, Blondie and Scissor Sisters, as well as being awarded a Gold Record (UK) for his production work on Blondie’s ‘Greatest Hits Sight & Sound.’ 

‘Win (feat. spiritchild)’ was recorded at Saturation Point Studios (Brooklyn, NY), and produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Nieland.

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