Rita De Los Angeles delivers the sunny, pop country “Home is Where the Heart Is” with bounce and careless ease. But when you look below the surface, the song is in fact a protest against homophobia and repressive state policies.
“The song is inspired by the magic one feels when falling in love while facing the challenges that faced same-sex immigration couples before same-sex marriage became legal in the U.S. in 2015,” de Los Angeles explains. “In fact, this is exactly what happened to my wife and I when we had to flee the USA in 2007. Our immigration story was featured on the front page of the Los Angeles Times on Monday, July 16, 2007.”
As de Los Angeles explained in our interview a few months ago, she now lives in Europe and splits her time between there, where she lives with her wife, and her eponymous hometown.
“The song is inspired by both the opportunities and struggles of having my heart in two places,” she continued.
100% of the first-year streaming royalties will be donated to Immigration Equality, a 30-year-old non-profit organization that promotes justice and equality for LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive immigrants.
“Home is Where the Heart Is” will be available on all streaming platforms tomorrow, June 28. You can pre-save it here.
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