On first listen, you could be mistaken for simply thinking that "Remedy" is just a chilled, soulful track, but underneath its luscious production and Kiah Victoria's intoxicating vocals lies a discussion of the Flint Water Crisis of 2014.
It features a sample of one of Michelle Obama's inspiring speeches, adding to the inherently political nature of the song. Through its lyrics, it is apparent that Victoria is angry about what is going on, utilising metaphors and dreamlike melodies to striking effect. She not only draws attention to the issues raised, but inspires you to come aboard and encourage change.
Yet, beyond the bleakness of the situation that Victoria addresses is a message of hope, as Victoria explains: “The only thing I know to be true is that humans require love. Despite the bleakness of most things, love, or at least the potential for it, is alive in our bodies and souls. The second verse feels like my neighborhood in Brooklyn. A bunch of churches and liquor stores but no real relief. The line ‘was I have a Dream just too difficult for them to sell?’ begs the question of why truth continues to get stifled, why solutions seem to be silenced. Why does love get looked over when it is the only true remedy? I hope through it all, you can see the song is also a celebration because love is resilient as fuck.”
