Writer Carina Browder on writing about what actual inclusivity would look like in the music scene (GRRL033)

Grrl on Grrl: intersectional and trans-inclusive music & interview show

Welcome to Grrl on Grrl episode 33! In this episode, Carina Browder joined me over Skype……….. more than a year ago, to discuss writing about music, especially in the pop punk scene, talking shit about a *certain music publication* and offering less problematic ways to learn about music and embrace diversity. She is currently on hiatus from freelance writing but has started work for a pop culture convention.

I had planned on smooshing this interview with another one I did with Kika Chatterjee, another music writer, but fuck it. They each deserve their own episode. You’ll hear Kika’s soon(ish?), along with interviews from Boneth Ahaneku and Lys Guillorn, the latter two edited with the amazing Sarah Parish, who answered my call for help.

Thanks to The Fresh Brunettes for providing their song “Best of the Worst” as the new Grrl on Grrl theme song! You can find their album Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition on CDBaby. And of course, thank you to Carina Browder for her patience and to all of you folks for still checking in.

Listen

http://traffic.libsyn.com/grrlongrrl/GRRL033-CarinaBrowder.mp3

Download GRRL033 at Libsyn [~38 minutes; 37MB] or stream from these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]

Show Notes

• Mentioned articles in intro: “Defend Girls Not Pop Punk” at the Tempest and “Your Call for Inclusion Leaves Me Out”
• Inspiration for bringing intersectionality into music writing
  • Atlanta – seeing kids with their parents at shows – reminding Carina of her dad taking her to shows
  • Social media management/starting a Tumblr community for black girls who liked pop punk and alternative
• What drew Carina to write about music?
  • Opinions on pop culture, moving from FB to WordPress
  • American Idol – first artist she ever wrote about / in-person interview: Josiah Leming
• Why write about music specifically?
• [11:00] Staircase Spirits – “Roulette”
• Talking about not just gender-based inclusion but racial inclusion as well
• Culture shock when moving away from other multiracial military kids to more segregated Atlanta, Georgia
  • Clinging to representation in pop culture
• What kind of issues does Carina want to cover or want to see covered?
  • People are multi-faceted and have multiple identities
  • Adia Victoria
• June: being referred to as just “the Asian”, being seen as the outsider, “the Othering”
• [23:45] No Home – “Suffering for Reputation”
• What draws you to cover a certain artist?
• Dream publications – wanting to write for teen-oriented magazines
• Problematic publications – Alt Press
  • See list below for alternative sources/writers to follow
• Things to keep in mind as a music writer / Advice for a music writer
• Writing about diversity/pitching about diversity – actually examine what diversity looks like
• What do you think we can do to bring more POC to spotlight?
  • Paying more attention to local music
• [34:20] Kareen Lomax – “Melatonin”

Links

• • Carina Browder’s portfolio
  • Carina and Co-Host Charlie’s podcast Industry Plant (on hiatus)
  • Carina’s Instagram & Carina’s Twitter

Carina’s Suggested Writers to Follow

• Hanif Abdurraqib
• Hazel Cills
• Megan Seling
• Erika Delgado
• David Turner
• Brittany Spanos
• Charlie Joseph