Stance Podcast with Chrystal Genesis

Stance takes on Institutions and explores some of their inner workings and how best to navigate them with professor and journalist Gary Younge, economist and former head of the British Civil Service Gus O’Donnell, actor, campaigner and Chancellor of the University of Nottingham Lola Young and we look into the care system with @CPositivista. We profile Juno award-winning Musician and Composer Caribou who talks us through some of the tracks from his new record Suddenly.

Stance interrogates what Belonging means through tattoo art, literature, music and journalism as Chrystal Genesis is joined by guest editor, author, journalist, Artistic Director and CEO of The Bernie Grant Arts Centre, Hannah Azieb Pool. We explore the theme of Belonging through the lens of people of the African diaspora. In this original and eye-opening episode, SHINGAI tells us about her new record Ancient Futures, we catch up with journalistic giant Gary Younge as he leaves The Guardian for Manchester University and we talk tattoos with artists Jessica Horn and Laurence Sessou. Their new visual arts project The Temple of Her Skin examines the stories and aesthetics around African women and their tattooing journeys. In our Belonging feature, we speak to author Maaza Mengiste about her new novel, The Shadow King, which tells the story of female strength and is set during Benito Mussolini’s 1935 invasion of Ethiopia. And finally, we profile fashion powerhouse Duro Olowu to find out more about his background, pioneering womenswear label and his new exhibition at the Museum Of Contemporary Art Chicago called Duro Olowu: Seeing Chicago.

To celebrate our 3rd birthday, Stance Takes is back bringing you two live discussions on nightclub culture. We start with Beats, Racism and Strife as we explore prejudice and discrimination in the nightclub space over the decades. We examine how the commodification of black music intersects with racist door policies and politicized dance floors. We were joined by Grime legend Marci Phonix, writer and journalist Emma Warren, UK Father of the vogue house of Comme des Garçon Kartel Brown, and Soundsystem elder Clive Curniffe. The second talk covers the architecture and design of nightclubs. We talk about how the lack of accessibility to nightclubs raises questions as to how inclusive these spaces really are. The panel was made up of disability rights activist Joshua Hepple, Associate Professor of Design History at Kingston School of Art, Catherine Rossi, and award-winning teacher, architect and promoter Neil Pinder. Join the conversation @stancepodcast and do subscribe and write us a review. stancepodcast.com 

We unpack notions of Happiness through art and colour, celebrity, film, psychology and science as Chrystal Genesis is joined by guest editor, makeup artist Kay Montano. We learn more about The Queen of Happiness Florence Mills as we take a trip to Harlem. We visit the artist and teacher Vanessa Jackson RA who discusses colour and emotion and we catch up with Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Lauren Greenfield who talks power, happiness and wealth. We speak with Dr Laurie Santos from the Happiness Lab podcast who opens up about how we can become happier. Stance profiles Zackary Momoh, the British actor from London, and one of Hollywood’s rising stars for 2020 about his new film Harriet. Finally, onto a section, we call ‘Rites of Passage’ we ask broadcaster and chef Andi Oliver and author and editor, Nikesh Shukla, to share a piece of literature that deeply resonates with them and makes them happy.

We explore film, music, literature and visual art as Chrystal Genesis is joined by guest editor, journalist and director of Bare Lit Festival, Mend Mariwany. We investigate the theme of The Disappeared as we head to Iraq to cover an estimated 250,000 to 1 million people who have disappeared without a trace. We look at the forgotten histories of those that have reappeared through the writer and academic Saidiya Hartman’s new book Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments. Plus, we visit Mexico City, often referred to as The Sinking City which may soon disappear if radical action isn’t taken. Stance profiles NYC singer and producer Amber Mark to hear about her new EP What If and dig into her unique sound and global influences. Finally, we explore the city of Philadelphia to check out its incredible mural art scene with organisation Mural Arts. Join the conversation @stancepodcast and do subscribe and write us a review. stancepodcast.com

Chrystal Genesis welcomes guest editor Jemma Desai, film curator and writer. We explore mothering as a radical and transformative force in the world, with reports from Cape Town, Leeds, Seattle and London. We talk to musician and producer Kindness, whose new album celebrates joy, resilience and community through funk, pop, Indian folk, deep house and nineties girlgroup harmonies. Finally, we head to Sri Lanka to learn how its rich history of puppetry is helping to heal wounds, a decade on from the civil war. Join the conversation @stancepodcast and do subscribe and write us a review.

In this special summer episode, Stance features Deborah Colker, the legendary Brazilian choreographer and creative mind behind the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics. We speak to writer Kerry Hudson about her memoir, Low Born, that charts life growing up poor in 80’s & 90’s Britain. And Stance heads to Grange Park Opera to speak to Wasfi Kani, the woman bringing South Carolina’s Porgy and Bess, to the English countryside. Visit stancepodcast.com

Stance travels to Manchester to explore and celebrate its extraordinary LGBTQ+ history and why it’s been consistently judged as one of the best places in the world to be LGBT. We catch up with Chicago born singer, songwriter and poet Jamila Woods to find out more about her album LEGACY! LEGACY! that celebrates 12 of her heroes and icons from the African diaspora, along with the cultural lineage they have created for her. Lastly, Stance covers Smack That, a play currently touring the UK, inspired by real stories of domestic violence and abuse.

Stance meets award-winning writer Valeria Luiselli. We speak to her about her life and what influenced her new book The Lost Child Archive, which has been longlisted for the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction. We head to the East Bay, California, to learn about the disability rights movement for artists and we visit Creative Growth, the world’s first and largest non-profit centre dedicated to artists with disabilities. And lastly, we profile electronic music collective KOKOKO!. Formed in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, they have been hailed as creating a new and exciting sound that is radical and energetic in a country where political instability has been almost consistent.

Stance catches up with actor and director powerhouse Adjoa Andoh to find out more about her production of Shakespeare’s Richard II showing at the Globe Theatre in London. It’s the first UK show to be produced entirely by people of colour - front and backstage. Stance flew to Bergen in Norway to check out Borealis, an experimental music festival showcasing everything from music to performance art to dance. Voices featured include Last Yearz Interesting Negro, Juliana Huxtable, Colin Self, B L A C K I E and more. Stancepodcast.com @stancepodcast