Once upon a time in New York... so used to go the fairytale. But today’s reality in the Big Apple follows the more familiar grim cycle of exodus and gentrification, a process seemingly only sped up by the virus’ horrendous sweep through the city. Benin born Shirazee was one of those caught by the virus in the Spring, laid up at home, doing everything to avoid heading to overflowing hospitals. Thankfully he recovered, and his incredible journey offers us a more hopeful New York fable.

Arriving fresh faced in New York with big dreams, Shirazee ended up bouncing around trying to make ends meet while hustling to get a music career going, even relying on the generosity of fans to crash on couches. It was unsustainable and eventually he was forced to confront the reality of sleeping on the streets. But a New York angel, an elderly Moroccan lady, took him in, offering up a rental apartment free of charge. Finally stability, but after a few months, an expired student visa meant immigration caught up with him. Shortly after a cold email to then Benny Blanco’s manager led Shirazee to a meeting with EMI publishing, he was signed and the publisher then sorted his visa.

Fast forward a few years and Shirazee has recorded “African In New York,” inspired by Sting’s iconic original, but the label can’t or won’t get Sting’s blessing. Shirazee sends another email and suddenly hears back from Sting himself with a ringing endorsement and the offer of a zoom, and the track is green lit.

Shirazee’s story and his reimagining of the immigrant experience in New York feels prescient. A beautiful video shot this summer in New York, reminds us that the city can still be magical, and dreams do still come true.

When did you conceive of this song? Was “African In New York” an idea you had been holding onto for a few years, or something that came to you this summer?

I had secretly been obsessed with the song for years but always felt like remaking it would be far fetched, it’s not something a kid from Cotonou, Benin ever dreams possible but last year I mustered the courage to do it and as soon I sang the first line, I just knew it was meant to be.

The video is really beautiful, the colors, the smiles, it really speaks to the density and richness that cities can provide us. How did you come up with the idea? Was it an homage to a certain part of the city?

Thank you. This one is a wink and ode to NYC but specifically to the Bronx, where a lot of the African community resides in. I had to shoot it in the Bronx and tell the story of six Africans whose lives cross paths seamlessly or confrontationally as it always does in this city. Showcasing that beautiful chaos we’ve all grown accustomed to with this song as soundtrack felt like the right thing to do and I am proud of it cause it’s a one shot video well executed.

How do you think the immigrant experience in New York has changed since Sting wrote his original? Do you still feel this is a city or indeed a country that offers hope for immigrants?

I recently had the honor of speaking to him and got the feeling that his generation of immigrants had a more exciting time than we are having now. The laws have become way more tighter and I’m blessed to have reversed my fortune from illegal to legal through music but how many of us get this “lucky”. I think the American Dream is far from dead for sure but you have to work harder for it.

Your journey here reads like a movie or a quintessential rags to riches tale, have you always had faith? Is this all part of a predetermined destiny?

Faith is the compass to destiny, without it I feel like one can easily be LOST. I feel like it’s the ultimate guide to everything we need and want if you just believe in yourself first to get to where you need to go.

You’ve lived around the world, Benin, South Africa, Paris, UK, America, do you always feel like an outsider? What are some universal truths you’ve learned that connect us regardless of country or city?

Actually it’s the opposite, I feel at home in most places I visit now because of all the experiences and languages I speak, that came with living in all these countries. I love that we are the same people but pretend to be different, it’s cute lol. The sooner we realize that skin color, religion or wealth shouldn’t separate us the better. We are more alike than you’d think, once you travel and open your eyes it’s a very obvious truth we are all refusing face.