"Blackness is inherently punk", says musician and journalist Stephanie Phillips. As a member of the Londoner Black feminist punk band Big Joanie since 2013 and the collective Decolonise Fest, Phillips has extensive knowledge of the alternative music scene. We spoke to her about the book release of “We Were Here: A History of Black People & Alternative Music”.
Pop-Kultur returns for its 12th year. Increasing their program offerings after last year's funding struggles and re-orientation, the festival promises once more a wide array of insights in to the pop music sphere. Editor Felicia Ete Aghaye curated a shortlist of events and concerts for OFFKEY audiences.
The new single "LTDA" by Mariama is dedicated to love beyond romantic love and an ode to femme friendship and community. On it, the Berlin-based singer teams up with afrofuturist artist Astan KA as well as Johanna Amelie, Ay Wing, Mya Audrey and J-JD. Ahead of the release, Mariama answered a few questions about the collaborative process, and the importance of love and community.
Otis Mensah oscilates between genres drawing on influences from rap, jazz and beyond. Since moving to Berlin, they have found their place in the local music scene and recently released their EP "small town otis". In conversation with Anna Grubauer, Otis chats about their musical approach and reflects on their experience of searching a home in Berlin.
Music is a language of protest and creates networks of solidarity. That is the ethos behind Sarkash سرکش Underground, a festival for hip-hop, rap, trap, and experimental sounds from Afghanistan, Balochistan, and Kashmir taking place in Berlin on August 1st at Marmorbar & Oelgarten. We spoke to organizer Armeghan Taheri about what it means to host a festival for the diaspora of a region where music is banned.
In Berlin, it seems every which way you look new music event series are popping up. One of which is the newly debuted The Hang! They're signaling a stark return to the live music experience which we welcome with open arms. Felicia Ete Aghaye got the chance to talk to one of its organizers, Brian D. Sauls, about its conception and their objective for the Berlin scene.
The Palestinian multi-instrumentalist Ahmed Eid has released his first solo record "min ghazzeh la baghdad min haifa la beirut (من غزة لبغداد من حيفا لبيروت)" after performing with bands for more than a decade. We spoke to the Berlin-based artist about using music to express lived reality, Palestine Music Space, and what calling out the Western complicity in the ongoing genocide in Palestine means for musicians.
For over a decade, Avalon Emerson has shaped dancefloors through carefully constructed, emotionally charged DJ sets. In recent years, she has expanded that language into songwriting with her band project Avalon Emerson & the Charm, trading immediacy for introspection. With a second band album on the way, Anna Grubauer spoke to the artist about navigating life between club culture and the stage.
