The Blog.
Dive into our blog for fresh insights, stories, and discussions from the heart of our community. Stay tuned for weekly updates and additions to our list of articles, written of, by and for YOU! Welcome and thank you for being a part of positive social change, by highlighting and amplifying the voices of Indianapolis’ own in areas of music, visual art, poetry, community building and more.
Paris Paloma and the reclamation of feminine power: A personal narrative
by Leslie Galvan-TorresMusic connects all things whether it be someone singing, a piece they wrote and performed, or the little happy sounds of a plant next to your window sill. Music is embedded within us for expression, or if you are that plant, simply just existing. Today we shall discuss an artist rooting for social change with her voice and metaphors hidden underneath the tales and loops of words along with her visuals in a select few music videos which speak to her larger work. Although at face value they may already seem interesting, my goal is analyze Paris Paloma's art of expression for all to understand the mastery she has over her craft. Paris Paloma is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist who began a rise to international attention with her 2023 single “Labour” and...
Indy’s own Brentlee Bich on “Shrek: A Drag Parody Musical,” the city’s drag culture and the power of transformation to make the world “just a bit more sparkly”
Interview by Trevor Potts It is our great honor at Where Words Ignite Worlds to broaden our scope a bit with this feature on Indianapolis drag luminary Brentlee Bich. To date the focus of our publication has been on the role of music in social change, locally and globally. We will certainly continue publishing pieces in this arena, but at the same time, we will also be expanding our scope to highlight some of the important work of artists in other fields, including visual and performing arts, film, civic engagement, spoken word and here, drag. We are honored with this article to provide a platform to Indy's own Brentlee Bich, one of our city's most talented and irrepressibly joyful performers. Brentlee was also a former scholar of mine at Indiana University Indianapolis (then IUPUI), so...
Indy gathers to celebrate the life and light of Katrina Bolyard, who burned “like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars”
by Trevor Potts The city of Indianapolis gathers today (Monday, July 1) to celebrate the life and artistry of one of its true artistic and spiritual luminaries, Katrina Bolyard of the band manners, please., who passed just over two weeks ago, but who will live on always in the hearts and kindness of all those she touched in her time here. No words can do justice to the light force that was Katrina “Kat” Bolyard, but the outpouring of support and love shown since her passing speaks to the tremendous influence she has – and always will have – on Indianapolis music, art, culture and spirit. Anyone who ever got a chance to see her band live was transformed by her ferocity, her vulnerability, her whimsy, her passion and her conviction, whether performing as an advocate of equality,...
Preston Nash: Musical Brilliance Opening Doors for the Next Generation
by Sydney Fisher Indiana University Indianapolis' "Rhythm & Revolution: Music and Social Change" course is the brainchild of our impassioned, courageous and inspiring leader, Trevor Potts. Emblematic of his devotion to us students, he has delivered upon his promise, week after week, to supply us with impactful guest speakers. To wrap up our Rock & Roll unit, Trevor decided on Preston Nash, former member of the punk band Dope and current founding member of Rock Garage Music in Indianapolis. In one of those funny full-circle moments that life affords you sometimes, Trev chose to show us Dope’s “Die MF Die” (2001). I’d heard the song once before. As a young, troubled teen–enrolled in a group of young, troubled teens–a girl who I did not understand but who I found endlessly...
Skanking to the Sounds of Revolution: How Ska Led Me to Discover Punk and Change How I Think About the World
by Jake Swain ** My Personal Journey in Music Throughout the course of this semester, I think that I have made it abundantly clear that I absolutely love the punk genre. However, it was actually a genre that tends to mingle with punk that led me to fully dive into the genre and truly discover it. Funnily enough, it was a genre that, in its purest form, sounds nothing like punk. Long story short, my love for the punk genre would have never come to be if I hadn’t first been listening to the noisy, upbeat, horn-infused genre that is ska. So… It’s time for the important question. Just what the hell is ska? Ska is a genre that originated in 1950s Jamaica. Blending elements of Caribbean music with American Jazz and R&B....
International Spotlight – Bloodywood: An Indian Folk Metal Band Using Music to Combat Social Inequities in India
by Braden Chapman & Jake Low Bloodywood warns wife beaters and rapists that they will “Bring the Beatdown” onto them with “Dana Dan," an anthem for the victims of male oppression in India ** INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT Introduction In 2022, India overthrew China as the country with the largest population. As of 2022, India currently has a population of 1.417 billion. Even though India has the largest population in the world, we want to focus on three people. New Delhi, India, is known as the capital of the country. But to us and many others it is the home of a very popular Indian metal band, Bloodywood. “Formed in 2016 by multi-instrumentalist Karan Katiyar and vocalist Jayant Bhadula. They later rounded out...
IUI Doctoral Scholar – Emmanuel K Asare
Please describe yourself in a few sentences. What do you do/study and what are your passions? I am Emmanuel K. Asare, MPH, a doctoral student studying Health Communication who is results-oriented, constantly checking on my progress to see how close or how far away we are and what it will take to make aspirations happen. I find this pressure inspiring and a great motivator. I'm a people person. I love meeting new people and learning about their lives and their backgrounds. I can almost always find common ground with strangers, and I like making people feel comfortable in my presence. For the 2024 Comm Day presentation you offered, on what did you speak? During the Graduate panel discussion on Communication Day, I provided an overview of the historical development of...
IUI Doctoral Scholar – Ernest Kofi Agorde
Please describe yourself in a few sentences. What do you do/study and what are your passions? I am Ernest Kofi Agorde, a doctoral student in Health Communication at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and an Associate Instructor of Fundamentals of Speech Communication. I have over a decade of experience in communication, public relations, and media, including previously working as a Junior Assistant Registrar in the Public Affairs directorate of the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, (and I am) an accredited Public Relations professional. I hold a M.Phil. in Communication Studies with a specialization in Public Relations and Broadcast Journalism from the University of Ghana, and a B.A. in Philosophy and English Language from the University of Cape...
Postmaster by Day, Funkmaster by Night: A Feature Article on Cyrus Youngman
Jake Low A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of speaking with a man by the name of Cyrus Youngman when he was invited to speak to my Rhythm and Revolution class as a guest speaker. There is something about Cyrus that I connected with. Something about his energy that just seems to fill you with wonder, and you can tell when speaking with him that he is deeply passionate about music and also spreading positivity. For a bit of background, Cyrus Youngman works as a postman for the United States Postal Service, however, his true passion is music. Cyrus was in a band called Cyrus Youngman and The Kingfishers and their last two recorded albums were Trip to Try in 2017 and Your Life Will Never be the Same from 2019. Both of these albums feature intense emotional lyrics about struggles with...
Jody Galadriel Friend: A Public Universal Friend
Jackson Lemaster Self-acceptance is a treasure many people search their whole lives for. There’s no map where you can follow and there’s no “X” that marks the spot. It’s a treasure only found through thorough self-reflection and there’s no telling where the “X” might be. It comes in all shapes and sizes, and we all should revel in the confidence those around us may feel. I got to see a shining example of confidence and self-acceptance when alternative, indie singer Jody Galadriel Friend visited my class to discuss music and social change. Jody Galdriel Friend is the self-described “queer goth matriarch” and lead singer of Public Universal Friend, an indie band based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jody herself is both trans and a lesbian and shared that every band member is part of the queer...
Mariah Ivey: A Voice of Transformation, Change and Eloquence this City Needs
Mady Burner Mariah Ivey is a spoken word artist and poet who grew up in Indianapolis on the poetryscene. At 14, she was in a slam poetry contest, where she made it to the championship round.Once she graduated high school, she attended Columbia College in downtown Chicago and later,she moved to D.C. and was a part of an East Coast poetry tour. She then moved back toIndianapolis, where she got her master’s at IUPUI, and wanted to create spaces for people of allages to be able to experience new and local artists.Mariah Ivey has such a passion for art, education, and community, and you can tell justby the way she talks about these topics that they are something special to her. While talking tothe Rhythm and Revolution class this Spring at IUPUI (now IUI), she said, “Artists make it okay to...
Oreo Jones: Indy Hip-Hop Legend and Champion of Diversity, Community and Inclusion
Gaige Bennett When talking about the most influential figures in Indy’s music scene, it’s nearly impossible to leave Sean Michael Smith, better known as Oreo Jones, out of the conversation. From his work with Big Car Collaborative, to the founding of the renowned Chreece fest, he’s continuously shown his ability to make waves. His mission reaches past merely making music though, as he seeks to bring Indianapolis together through his work.Hailing from Warsaw, Oreo was heavily impacted by the local punk and hardcore scene. He spent countless weekends there before joining his first band, Screaming Hemorrhoids. His love for underground hip-hop really blossomed when he made the move to Indianapolis to attend IUPUI, and he’s been on a winning streak ever since.It’s difficult to restrict...
Jake Watson: IU Doctoral Scholar on Music Ecology and the Power of Music to Effect Transformation, “One Conversation at a Time”
Jake Low A few weeks ago, I was able to sit down and do an over-the-phone interview with Cyrus Youngman, one of the guest speakers who came to our Spring 2024 Rhythm and Revolution class. It was a very productive and insightful conversation and both of us greatly enjoyed the discussion. The theme for the interview was the role of music and of musicians in impacting positive social change. It was incredibly philosophically and intellectually stimulating. It was then that I knew that for my second feature article, I wanted to conduct a second interview. Enter Jake Watson… Along with having an incredibly masculine first name, Jake W (who will be referred to as JW for the interview portion, and I will be referred to as JL to avoid confusion) is a doctoral student in the Communication Studies...
The Legacy of An R&B and Funk Groove: The Musical Journey of Kevin ‘Flash’ Ferrell The Legacy of An R&B and Funk Groove
Adrian England On Thursday, January 25th, a voice of R&B and Funk echoed through Cavanaugh Hall at Indiana University of Indianapolis as Kevin "Flash" Ferrell, lead singer of the late 1970s group "Manchild," graced our Rhythm and Revolution course class room, under the direction of Professor Trevor Potts. As a proud native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Kevin's musical skill has sent shockwaves of energy, impacting audiences worldwide with his funkadelic performances. From his school days at Harry E. Wood High School to his time of work at Methodist Hospital of Indiana University Health, Kevin's dedication to music has been consistently forthcoming. His soulful sound has drawn crowds from the streets of Halifax, Nova Scotia, to energetic locations around the world. His songs were also...
International Spotlight: On “Musicking,” Community Identity and Sociopolitical Change
Arden Hutson With the 2024 spring semester drawing itself to a close, IUPUI’s Music and Social Change class heard from its final guest speakers this past week. Arranged and hosted graciously as ever by Professor Trevor Potts, the topic of discussion centered on music’s ability to reflect and crystalize the values of different communities, and how this phenomenon can be witnessed across continents and genres. One of our guest speakers, Emre Can Alptekin, is a Turkish PhD candidate at the University of Wroclaw in Poland, who presented the Rhythm and Revolution class with a condensed version of his dissertation entitled “Roles of Musicking among Migrants in Socio-political change.” When beginning his presentation, Emre asked the class to “buckle up!” before helping them get to know the...
IUPUI/IUI Department of Communication Studies Graduate Scholars Offer Ideas on the Power of Music to Effect Cultural, Political and Spiritual Transformation
Galilea Romo On Thursday, March 27, the Department of Communication Studies at IUI hosted an event that allowed some of its pace-setting graduate students the opportunity to talk about the music that they think has been important to them and the ways such music relates to social change. There were five panelists who each talked about concepts and musical artists they believed to be a relevant part of this conversation. First, Rose Ryan Douglass presented on the Riot Grrrl Movement, relating to feminism, and specifically the band Hole and its lead singer Courtney Love. Next, Joaquin Dorado Mariscal focused on the band Gorillaz and how their presentation and style of making music was so inspirational to many people, even while offering poignant cultural critique on such issues as...
Case Study: Blur, the Gorillaz, and History of Modern UK Nationalism
Arden Hutson & Laine Roberts When the world looks back at the rock music of the 1990s, the landscape is often characterized by music journalists as a battle of influence between the angry, unpolished, and overtly left-wing American grunge rock, and the shining and unapologetically British commercial success of Britpop. This is a battle that most journalists will argue was won soundly by American Grunge. While I certainly will not argue that point, I do find it interesting how the musician largely seen as the de facto leader of the Britpop genre, Damon Albarn, has changed his messaging over the years. In the same way that changing cultural values can affect the language and efficacy of political movements, they can also affect the style of music that becomes popular in a given...
Embracing Passion and Purpose: Reflections from Rhythm and Revolution
Chloe Dyar In a dynamic fusion of inspiration and introspection, the Rhythm and Revolution class welcomed three amazing speakers whose narratives resonated deeply with the essence of passion and purpose. Chelsea Sanderson, Maria Willinger, and Alicia Tucker, each bearing the mantle of experience and wisdom, illuminated the classroom with their profound insights and personal journeys. Chelsea Sanderson, Vice President of Operations at HI-FI Indy, stood as a testament to the transformative power of music. Graduating from Ball State University in 2012, Chelsea's narrative underscored the connection between music and emotional expression. Growing up in a small town nestled within the confines of closed-mindedness, music emerged as her refuge, her sanctuary among the chaos of life's trials...
IUI scholar crafts powerful original song, “When Love Dies,” to address issues of mental health, drug addiction and suicide| A.B. & Lex
With the goal of shining a spotlight on local artists and musicians using their voices powerfully, the link above features an original new song written by IUPUI/IUI scholar Alexia Bowen. Co-written with her father, "When Love Dies" addresses issues of mental health, drug addiction and suicide, and does so with artistry and grace. Congratulations, Alexis!
Harmonizing Legacies: A Celebration of Funk and Jazz Maestros Herman ‘Butch’ Slaughter & Kyle Long
Adrian England, Joshua Santosh and Jaime CardozaIn a symphony of extraordinary talent, the city of Indianapolis and IUI (Indiana University Indianapolis) were recently graced by the incomparable funk virtuoso Herman 'Butch' Slaughter, a cornerstone of our city's musical and cultural heritage for decades, with his longtime friend and co-musician Gary Amos. Over the past near-half year, Slaughter has become nothing short of a guiding light for our city's scholars in the IUI "Rhythm and Revolution - Music and Social Change" course, offering profound grace and wisdom to the next generation through lectures, interviews with current scholars and musicians, and even performing an impromptu song at an end-of-the semester benefit show ("Night of the Comet") which raised over $2300 for area...
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