Weekend Music: Black Women Who Rock

To that effect, black female artists exhibiting more rebellious styles are consequently shunned by black audiences for being “too weird,” and ignored by other audiences as not being authentic rock musicians. This is where the Afro-punk movement comes in: a blindingly boisterous collection of musicians whose general style makes them “misfits of society.” However, in the eyes of many, their style of dress and sound simply makes them copycats of white musicians. In other words, with the argument that rock music originated with people of color, some believe that black females choosing to go the Afro-punk route are ultimately suppressing their African-American roots.

Where Are the Black Female Rock Stars? by Ayanna G. (via)

What makes me really root for black women who rock is their willingness to carve out their own niche, to follow their artistic muses despite all the expectations, private and public, of what a black woman should and shouldn’t do. Artists like Santi(o)gold, Janelle Monae, Meshell Ndege’ocello have achieved a measure of success and recognition, but most black female rock artists (random sample below) do their thing away from the attention and approval of mainstream of black culture.

CAROLYN “HONEYCHILD” COLEMAN: Kentucky-born, Brooklyn-based musician, composer, DJ.

“Thrash diva Honeychild brings to mind Miriam Makeba meeting Bjork in the Sex Pistol’s basement” (Greg Tate, VIBE).

(Bio).
Listen to “Never Goin’ Home” at the Bold As Love site

Honeychild Coleman performs with Apollo Heights at Afro-Punk 2009. © S. Kamau Mucoki

SHINGAI SHONIWA: Zimbabwe-born, UK-raised bassist and frontwoman for The Noisettes.

The band’s rapidly growing audience has a special significance for Ms. Shoniwa, who said her father wanted her to be an ambassador. “My private achievement is when I look out at the crowd and see a rainbow tribe, all different ages and colors,” she said. “Music should be about breaking down contrived divisions.”

from from New York Times profile on The Noisettes.

Noisettes: Never Forget You

JOYA BRAVO:

Singer/Songwriter/Rapper/Violinist, “JOYA BRAVO” is a New York native born in Queens and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Conceived by Jamaican parents, Bravo’s upbringing was conservative, but musically charged. Bravo began playing the violin at age nine. Her success eventually earned her a chair in the Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Symphony Orchestra (a highly accredited youth ensemble in the southeast region).

(MySpace Bio)
Joya Bravo performs Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” on the violin

Joya Bravo performs at Afro-Punk 2009 © S. Kamau Mucoki

TAMAR KALI: Tamar Kali interviewed on NPR’s News and Notes in 2007 (audio)