Once upon a time two years ago during my sophomore year, I was handed the aux in an Uber with friends on our way to a concert. It was a girl’s night. But as I scrolled through my playlists, I was shocked at the lack of actual female artists; particularly Black and Brown women that I had to play. It was on that night that I dedicated myself to diversifying my music diet and when I had the idea to create a radio show. With this idea, WVAU graciously extended open arms to me and I had an hour-long show every Sunday evening called Redefining the Woman of Color.

I eventually changed my show’s name, though, after thoughtful conversations with friends and reflection of my own. The new name of my show that I’ve stuck with so far is Redefining the Black and Brown Woman. I made this change as I further examined my relationship with the umbrella title, “person of color.” I no longer felt like the description represented me. My race isn’t something to be lumped together with all other nonwhite races. I deserve clarification and bluntness when referring to my race because ‘Black’ has been referred to as a bad word for far too long. I’m not a person of color. I’m Black. With my show, I wanted to be frank that this is a platform specifically designed for Black and Brown women. Point blank.

On my show, I played Black and Brown women from every genre with a particular emphasis on those that exist beyond the expectations that society oftentimes puts us in. I wanted to pay special attention to the Black and Brown ladies in genres like indie-rock, electronica, and alt-pop that have typically been exclusive over time. I wanted to celebrate the complexities and nuances of Black and Brown women. I wanted to feature genre-benders, innovators, and conversation-starters and that’s what I did. Every week, my college radio show was an hour to focus on my passion in music. I put in a lot of time researching and preparing for my show and had the best time doing it. It was an oasis that I could get lost in despite the chaos of life around me.

So, when COVID-19 rapidly spread throughout the nation and my weekly show was cancelled, I was devastated. Amidst the ever-changing circumstances of the pandemic my love for new music only grew stronger. I’m finally back at WVAU for my last year at AU, but instead with a weekly column.

Meet me here every other Monday for your bi-weekly dose of Black and Brown women musicians. I’ll talk about the fresh finds that have kept me going despite the difficulties of 2020, interviews with some of my favorites, and conversations regarding diversity within the indie/alternative music scene.

So, to kick things off, here are ten that you need to listen to…like right now:

1. Magic – Linda Diaz

2. Adrenaline – Rachel Chinouriri

3. Oh My God – Sevdaliza

 4. Tenderness – Jay Som

5. Fancy – Pip Millett

6. Baby – Aaliyah Allah

7. ihatewhenihurtyou – Ramya Pothuri 

8. Euphoria – Dianna Lopez

9. Take Me – MISO

 10. Green – KAINA