More Contributors to Gender Amplified Music Festival
BCRW has created several blog posts (read them here and here) introducing Gender Amplified Music Festival contributors, performers, and speakers. In this installation of introductions, we are happy to present five such contributors who will engage and educate festival attendees on topics related to the future of women in music production at the festival on September 28.
THEESatisfaction, composed of Stasia Irons and Catherine Harris-White, are Gender Amplified’s headlining performers. Stas was born and raised in Tacoma, Cat in Seattle and Hawaii. The pair met at the University of Washington and are currently based in Seattle. They write, produce and perform their own material: “funk-psychedelic feminista sci-fi epics with the warmth and depth of Black Jazz and Sunday morning soul, frosted with icy raps that evoke equal parts Elaine Brown, Ursula Rucker and Q-Tip.” THEESatisfaction was immediately embraced for their singular sound, unflinching commentary, and “immortal groove”; a combo of sharp digital hustle and self-booked, self-financed tours that connected them to like minds everywhere. THEESatisfaction came upon the scene with their self-released albums, the first of which was 2008’s That’s Weird. All has been in preparation for the album they’ve envisioned for years, their debut full-length on Sub Pop Records, awE NaturalE (check out the official music video for “Queens” above). Follow them on twitter @STASandCAT and check out their blog.
Ebonie Smith is a music producer, songwriter and entrepreneur based in New York City (check out her music video “Boy Named Ray” below). She is the founder and producer of Gender Amplified. While an undergraduate student at Barnard College, she began making beats for aspiring artists and establishing herself as an up-and-coming producer/engineer. Ebonie went on to discover new and interesting ways of merging her love for music production with a sincere desire to impact social consciousness through musical exploration and education. Ebonie currently works as an audio engineer and producer for Atlantic Records. She also owns and operates Eudora House, an independent, boutique music production and publishing company. Ebonie holds a master’s degree in Music Technology from New York University. Follow Ebonie on twitter @eboniesmith and check out her tumblr.
Brian K. Smith is Professor of Learning Technologies in the School of Education at Drexel University. His research involves the use of computation to support and augment human performance and learning, especially in contexts outside of formal education, as well as bringing creativity to the core of educational practices. Brian moved to Drexel after 3.5 years as Dean of Continuing Education at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD); he was a co-investigator of RISD’s “STEM to STEAM” initiative, an effort to introduce art and design thinking into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and research. Brian will be a contributing speaker for the Virginia C. Gildersleeve Panel: Exploring the Impact of Women in Music Production at the festival.
Kallie Marie is a music producer based in New York City. After spending high school and college enamored with rock & roll and recording technologies, she moved to England and earned her Masters in Music Production/ Composition from the Leeds College of Music. Kallie produces music for various artists such as Natalie Mishell, (e)motion Picture, as well as Ashley Hicklin and others. She produces her own band Explosives For Her Majesty (check out some of their music here). She works as a freelance composer for film, TV, and dance. Kallie also teaches Audio for Multimedia at New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies. Kallie will lead the “What is Sound?” workshop at Gender Amplified. Follow Kallie on twitter @DoomGolly.
Pri the Honeydark is an MC and music producer based in Queens, New York. She is the founder of The Female Producers Association, a networking organization for creative women worldwide. She is a member of the underground Hip Hop collective, The Anomolies. She also produces and licenses music for television, with some of her recent work featured on MTV. Pri will speak for the panel Producing Music and Media, Producing Culture: Gender Justice and the Artist/Producer Relationship in Hip-Hop. Follow her on twitter @prithehoneydark.