Known MPLS youth choir drops Father’s Day single celebrating Black men

Known MPLS, a Twin Cities youth choir, is releasing a new single this Father’s Day weekend, a celebration of Black men that founder Courtland Pickens says grew far beyond its original purpose.

The single began as a collaboration between Known MPLS and Black Men Teach, a Twin Cities organization, with the goal of uplifting Black male educators. But as the project developed, its scope expanded.

“What started as a song to do that has ended up being a song to amplify Black men altogether,” Pickens said. “Living in a world where Black men are torn down constantly and highlighted for all the negative things that they do, we want to highlight Black men who are actually doing positive things in the community, who are leaders, who are excellent fathers, who are breadwinners, who are making a change in this world.”

The single will be available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal and Amazon, as well as on YouTube and the choir’s website, knownmpls.com.

The release marks a new chapter for Known MPLS, which Pickens started in July 2019 after a single Facebook post drew more than 144 interested youth and young adults. The choir has maintained 50 to 60 members since its founding. Though the group released its first single, “He Did It for Me,” in 2023, Pickens says the turbulence of the past year made clear that now is the time to share the music they have been sitting on.

“Earlier this year the world went through heavy trauma with this whole ICE situation,” he said. “I heard God tell me: use your voice, use the gift that I’ve given you. And right there in that moment I penned this beautiful song.”

That song, “Minnesota Stand Up,” is set to release next month as part of a five-song EP Pickens is calling a love letter to Minnesota.

“We want to spread love here first before we’re launched out into the world,” he said.

Known MPLS performs a mix of original music and covers, with Pickens arranging well-known songs into choir arrangements and reworking lyrics to keep the message positive and uplifting. While the choir is rooted in gospel tradition, Pickens describes the music more broadly as inspirational.

“It’s all positive, inspiring music,” he said. “We’re not limited to gospel, but I make sure all the music that we do is positive and uplifting.”

Known MPLS is a branch of Voices Inc., a nonprofit Pickens founded that uses music and performance to build confidence and invoke change among youth and young adults. The name carries a double meaning. A desire to be known and celebrated in the community, and a commitment to making others feel seen.

“People go through this world and nobody even speaks to them,” Pickens said. “We want to use our voice to see others, to affirm them and to validate them.”

Beyond the choir, the organization is cultivating solo artists, including hip hop artists, singers and spoken word performers with a long-term vision of growing into a record label.

“I want to be able to speak into youth and young adults and really speak to their confidence, to ignite that passion in them,” Pickens said. “Whatever dreams and desires that they have, that they can achieve them.”

For Pickens, the work is also deeply personal. His mother, who ran a daycare and spent her life surrounding herself with young people, passed away about 12 years ago. He sees Known MPLS as a continuation of her legacy.

“The way that I saw her impact the lives of youth and young adults, I see myself doing the same thing,” he said.

Upcoming performances include Orchestra Hall this weekend and a June 28 appearance alongside Josh Groban and Jennifer Hudson. A full calendar is available at knownmpls.com. Youth and young adults interested in joining can submit an audition on the website.

Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@spokesman-recorder.com.