It’s great when you think you know an artist and, all of a sudden, he or she surprises you. This recently happened with an LA-based multi-talented artist named Rachel Mason. Otherwise known as FutureClown (her alter stage persona), she has just unveiled her new Donald Trump dance anthem “Time to Resign”.

Already the new video has got a significant boost from RuPaul by being featured on his site World of Wonder Productions. This incredibly topical, irrepressible, and catchy new single is accompanied by a video via Sublunar Society, which involves a hilarious mash-up of the notorious imagery to come out of the Trump Administration.

Images such as Kathy Griffin’s beheaded Trump photo, Trump’s signing bills memes, and the silly “thumbs-up” group portrait are intercut with FutureClown dancing on top of the symbols of American power. FutureClown’s new song offers a much needed respite in this moment of exhaustion in extreme American policies instituted by Trump and his adminstration.

FutureClown depicts a changed future. As political critique, the clown takes over the role of Trump as a figure representing the worst stereotype of American grandiosity, allowing the whole structure of pop music to predict the hopeful end to this disaster in politics.

Mason does this by splicing together Trump’s words to produce a resignation speech. It’s the speech we all need and want to hear.

“Time to Resign” is an anti-Trump anthem meant to keep up the spirits of all those who are hurt (which is everyone except his own inner circle who are getting richer) by the totally destructive ridiculousness in our government. It’s easy to get depressed with all that’s gone on, so “Time To Resign” is meant to motivate as we fight. Joyful Resistance!”, explains Rachel Mason.

This is political. This is performance art. This is just one facet of the artist that is is Rachel Mason. Touted as “one of the most creative forces in the world” by Impose Magazine, she is best known in music circles for delivering fantastical narratives that interweave musical, theatrical and narrative elements into unexpected operatic journeys. Through her wide-ranging portfolio of mixed media work, she instigates fantasy and harsh realities through scripts, sculpture, rock operas, live performances. and compositions that span over a decade.

FutureClown’s takedown of the 45th American President began on January 20, 2017 – the day of his inauguration as the swearing in ceremony of Donald J. Trump as President of The United States was lip synced and live-streamed from the nonprofit gallery LACE (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions), viewable by passers-by and streamable in real time via Facebook. This was the only event on LACE’s schedule, which was closed to the public that day to observe the nationwide culture strike #J20, which called on art institutions to close on Inauguration day.

As noted by Carolina A. Miranda at the Los Angeles Times, “if you missed Trump’s speech, you can always watch the clown version instead.” In the words of Priscilla Frank at Huffington Post, “For many, watching a futuristic clown sworn in as president seems less strange than the real thing.”

Contemporary art publication ArtFCity completely shut down its website for the same reason except for one sole feature on their site for the live stream of FutureClown’s Inaugural speech. Their statement reads: “From our perspective, clowning the entire event is pretty much the only reaction a sane person could have to the inauguration.”

The Queens Museum in New York also streamed FutureClown’s Inaugural Speech in the Atrium during the “Sign of The Times” sign-making program for participants in this weekend’s Women’s March protest were making signs over the weekend.

Rachel Mason has interviewed and corresponded with some of the world’s most well-known leaders, created busts in their likeness, and performances and operas inspired by world events. She has long used her FutureClown persona to tackle political events that seemed somewhat out of this world. Her unique approach has led to coverage in the LA Times, NY Times, and numerous other publications.

In 2015, FutureClown re-enacted the GOP Debate, lip syncing each of the candidates. According to Huffington Post, “Mason achieved the near impossible task of making Trump look more clownish than he’s already appeared.” In 2013, she wove together the Filibusters of Senator Rand Paul and Wendy Davis, a 13-hour ordeal that ended up being featured in the New York Times.

She has recorded 13 albums and created many music videos. Her feature film The Lives of Hamilton Fish toured the world in 2015 and recently released on VOD. Mason has exhibited her visual art and performance work at museums, film and performance festivals internationally, and at many of the country’s leading art galleries.

Earlier in 2017, she re-released her Das Ram LP via Sublunar Society with noted comparisons to Jenny Hval, Lene Lovich, Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), SIA, Kate Bush, and Siouxsie Sioux. This album conveys the stories of specific characters, who define and delight in their own realities and cosmologies, and individuals who create their own world views, their own religions, and fantasy lives.

Ending the most politically absurd year of 2017, the new “Time to Resign” single foreshadows the release of Rachel Mason’s upcoming trilogy via Sublunar Society by mid-2018. “Time To Resign” is now available at all the regular stores and streaming platforms, and is also available via the label’s Bandcamp

Just to underline how multi-talented Rachel Mason is, we’re also pleased to present you music from her latest Das Ram album, out now via The Sublunar Society.

RACHEL MASON
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