Raqa is a trans musician who for more than 2 decades has supported over 50 queer & tran’s music projects. For the last seven years Raqa has been calling these songs in, and is now ready to record their own album so they can bring this music out into the community.

Help them with this momentous task featuring 6-7 queer and gender expansive artists! By donating to this project you support new living music to uplift the trans community, and you make it possible for trans and gender expansive artists to continue to create and thrive.

Raqa:

“This album is my bird song, an act of life. I want it to reach the furthest heart and ease its pain. My mantra while creating this has been: ‘May this album make the world a better place in which to live’. I knew I wanted a dynamic sound ~ instruments that could be playful, be sorrowful…that's why I chose to arrange with violin and saxophone, because it feels radical. I’m honored to witness Jackie and Stephanie's genius and I’m really looking forward to sharing this with you”.

Why donate?

This is a creative way to build community resilience, cultivating portals of joy and purpose. By paying artists and musicians for their time and talent we help create the type of world in which we wish to live.

Recording Budget:

Summer 2026 Recording the Album

750 per day studio and engineering fee x 7 days = 5,250

musician guarantee 400 for the session / six musicians = 2,400

unforeseen funds = 500

Meals = 400

= 8,550

Fall 2026 post production

Mixing, 7 songs 300 per song = 2100

Mastering, 7 songs 200 per song = 1400

= 3,500

TOTAL NEEDS:

= 12,050

Thinking Forward

I will to continue to provide work for gender minorities by:

1. Touring and hiring trans, queer and gender expansive musicians

2. Merchandise and vinyl hiring gender minorities to make art

3. Music Placement giving back to the community with revenues, paying it forward, and cultivating abundance for the community.

I hope in the next 3-5 years to expand this creative community and increase ways to connect people through art and music. I feel secure in my core value of living in community by being generous and inclusive when it comes to growth and expansion.

Meet The Shimmering & more Shimmerings to come!

Raqa Down, composer

Jackie An, violin

Stephanie Neumann, saxophone & arrangement

Greta Flowers, vocals

sneak peak home recording!

https://home recording: https://theshimmering.bandcamp.com/track/roses

THE ASK

We are seeking a goal of $45 thousand to support the artists!

The funds will be used as follows:

We anticipate:

Thank YOU for supporting this delicious and rewarding work!!