Day: August 7, 2012

Leyla McCalla’s parents are from Haiti; she was born in Queens, New York. “I guess that makes me a first generation Haitian-American,” she says awkwardly. Perhaps she’d never given  much thought to the subject of her nationality. Leyla has other things on her mind. She and the Grammy Award-winning group Carolina Chocolate Drops were on their way to a gig when we talked. “This is so exciting!” Leyla gushed, like a kid on a rollercoaster. Check out the new INNERview with this gifted musician. (Below: Leyla performs Rose-Marie in Central Park 8/11/12. Video by J. McCalla. Enjoy!)