New York’s Nikkiesha McLeod has been running parts of the city the last few years between drumming in bands; formerly hosting and co-producing the BIPOC, queer musician-centered podcast When We See Each Other; and being a published author. Their story, however, goes back to Trinidad & Tobago, to a ten-year-old child joining their local steelpan orchestra.

The steelpan remains McLeod’s instrument of choice, and their ability to collaborate with a wide breadth of musicians and create unique music surrounding the steelpan is on full display on their new song “Rush,” out today to celebrate Non-Binary People’s Day. Taking us on a jazz-fused Caribbean journey, the instrumentation, aside from the horns, was all recorded live in a single room. Coming in at just a minute and 58 seconds, “Rush” is a brilliant microdose of McLeod’s affinity for flair and flourish.

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