Seven Songs of Yearning for a New World, Sung by a Starship
01. Another (Do, Do, Do, Do)
02. Grace I (Queer Cowboy Blues)
03. Grace II (Crossing the Prairie)
04. Lover (Leaving Tomorrow)
“Seven Songs of Yearning” is a new performance work and the first onstage collaboration between ONCE WE WERE ISLANDS and Ruby Louise Rose. This Queer Futurist work combines original music and songs with poetic text to tell the story of a group of Queer refugees who leave Earth. They are carried through space by a starship powered by desire. The starship sings songs that are expressions of the yearning for a new home where Queer people can thrive and live to our full potential. It is our artistic ambition with this work to blend together elements of a sci-fi concept album with theatre to create an event that is tender and intimate yet also inspiring and political. Music and songs will be composed by Ruby Louise Rose to text and lyrics created by ONCE WE WERE ISLANDS. These elements are woven together into a 60-minute event performed live by Aslan, Chris and Ruby with modulated voice, bass guitar and electronics.
Written and recorded by Ruby Louise Rose while in residence at TUO TUO, Joutsa, Finland between the 1st and the 8th of December, 2025. A huge thank you to Kaitlyn and Joni for inviting me to their amazing place, and thank you to Roscha for being a lovely fellow resident!