Queen City Rising – “We the People”

Solo rock project Queen City Rising, created by singer-songwriter and guitarist Mike Paris, released a powerful single “We the People” on August 13, 2026. Originally raised on Long Island and later based in Cincinnati, handles every part of the music himself, writing, singing, and playing all the instruments. Inspired by watching a redistricting protest unfold, Paris channeled that real-world energy into a loud, driving rock track about standing up and refusing to be silenced. The song captures raw grunge energy with a gritty vocal fry styled after classic Cobain era Nirvana, delivering a strong message for everyday people finding their voice.

The raw production and honest delivery give “We the People” a genuine, undeniable punch, and everything about the track feels simple, dirty, and full of life. Hearing one person play every single instrument while keeping such heavy momentum going is impressive. The harsh vocals cut right through the distorted guitars, giving the song a classic mid-nineties feel while addressing real issues happening right now. It serves as a great reminder of how direct and fun rock music gets when someone just plays from the heart.

I completely love this release, and anyone who appreciates genuine, loud rock music should definitely check out the previous release from Queen City Rising to hear how the project started out. With more singles planned in the coming weeks and set to follow through September, this is a great moment to stay tuned. Please follow Queen City Rising on Spotify, Facebook, and SoundCloud so you can catch all the new music coming out during the rest of this year.