Boyfriend Goes to the Garden of Eden; Panorama and Robin Barnes Go to the Mardi Gras

boyfriend album artwork photo at my spilt milk — Boyfriend, by Hunter Holder

Boyfriend radically rewrites the story of Adam and Eve, while Barnes and the Panorama Brass Band reimagine Carnival music.

Boyfriend has taken artistically big swings, and her upcoming album, In the Garden, will be one of her biggest as she reimagines the story of the Garden of Eden with musical guests including Billy Porter and Peaches.. She reconsiders the characters and features queer voices extensively with Big Freedia as God and Jake Shears from The Scissor Sisters as Adam.

Shears reflects on the project, saying, “A queer, feminist reimagining of Genesis? Embodying the original man? Sign me up! I loved the idea of putting a new, rambunctious spin on the Adam character. Playing Adam has been such a blast because he’s this carefree, blissfully unaware hunk who’s never had to question anything—until Eve starts shaking things up. It’s cheeky, it’s thought-provoking, and it’s got that perfect mix of theater and pop.”

Earlier this week, Boyfriend released the first track from the album, “Fight,” featuring Jake Shears. According to Boyfriend, ““This song really showcases the way I’m re-interpreting these two characters. Adam demonstrates his complacency, Eve demonstrates her defiance.”

In the Garden is due out May 9, and Boyfriend will play Jazz Fest on Sunday, April 27.

Singer Robin Barnes’ new track isn’t quite so audacious, but she does reconsider a sacred text—in New Orleans, anyway—with “Hey Na,” her remake of “Iko Iko.” Bounce figures prominently in Barnes’ remake with guest spots by Big Freedia and Ha-Sizzle, as well as The Kings of Brass.

For the occasion, Barnes makes some intriguing melodic choices to freshen up the song, and she provides the steady through line and gives her guests the room to be themselves.

“Hey Na (Iko Iko)” dropped on February 5, and she will play Jazz Fest on Sunday, May 4.

Every Carnival season, the Panorama Jazz Band becomes the Panorama Brass Band to play parades. With Mardi Gras in mind, the band added a song to its brass band repertoire when it recorded the Bulgarian song “Dulgo Horo” for its Song of the Month club. “Dulgo Horo” prompts a dance we don’t normally do when a brass band plays, but it’s an invitation to dance nonetheless.

You can hear “Dulgo Horo” on Panorama’s Song of the Month club page, and you can see the Panorama Jazz Band at Jazz Fest on Sunday, April 27.

Jazz Fest’s daily breakdowns are online now, and single day tickets are also on sale.