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The history of queerness, particularly Black queerness, has been lost to time it seems.
Even more so rare are the common portrayals of LGBTQ+ people in the media many of us grew
up with. However, Black Indie and Rap artists of the past decade have been embodying black
sound to share their queer identities and stories. This box set titled Adolescence Heard contains a
collection of songs detailing many of the thoughts young, black, queer people may have in their
early adolescence. The artists in this collection highlight the intersectionality of identity from
their lyrics to the use of black sound strategies like syncredit mixing and choral-like styles,
joining a host of other black musicians in revolutionizing the art-form.
Adolescence Heard is a collection of 8 songs from 6 different artists, all of which are
proud queer/LBTQ+ members of the black community. This album is meant to be listened to in
order, allowing for listeners to fully understand the journey of a young person coming to terms
with their identity. Comprised of 3 parts- Solace, Reckoning, and Euphoria- each subgroup
focuses on a specific period of time and thought in a queer person’s life.
To seek solace is to search for comfort in a time of pain or confusion. The Solace portion
of Adolescence Heard emulates black artists' use of music and sound to voice their fears and
worries, ultimately creating their own solace. Sophie is a sickly sweet song set to an indie-pop
beat in which Parks softly says“I feel like the world is on its back” and she “hates that we’re all
sick” (Parks, 1). One can infer that Parks is writing from the view of an individual struggling
with a personal battle; “sick,” a term often used to demean gay people, alludes to the idea that
she is fighting internal homophobia, reckoning with the idea that she may not fall into the
straight expectation Parks was raised upon. American Pie, sung by Shea Diamond, utilizes
classic soul music chords and hymn-like vocalizations to craft a song about having to fight tooth
and nail for basic rights, something undoubtedly harder for black, trans women like Diamond.
This use of music to shed light upon the struggles of the forgotten harks to Mahon’s description
of Big Mama Thornton’s style in which she uses her talents to search for her “musical and
personal voice” (Mahon, 5). Diamond, like many young people coming to terms with their
sexuality or identity, craves equality for those deemed to be “other” or “less than” despite the
inarguable fact that identity is not a choice. Solace is rounded out with another Arlo Parks song-
Black Dog, the title of which is a metaphor for mental illness (Richards, 1). With her delicate
guitar strums, Parks devastating lyrics “It’s so cruel, what your mind can do for no reason”
wholly sum up what it can feel like to be a young queer person. It is undeniable that many queer
people may face mental health struggles compounded by their intersecting identities. These
songs share a similar tone of sadness, strife, and confusion in order to emulate the moments of
insecurity caused by outside influences in a youn, black, queer person’s daily life.
The middle portion of this album, Reckoning, is meant to represent the acceptance phase
of adolscence when coming to terms with identity or queerness. We ask questions and search for
our place in this new landscape, having to relearn how to form relationships or how our
perception of others is changed. We start with our last Arlo Parks song of the album, Green Eyes.
This driven-beat hit punctuated by Parks’ signature soft-voice poetry tells the story of a queer
relationship ultimately dissolved by the inability of one partner to show affection in public for
fear of a judging eye (Kim, 2 ). Whether one may resonate more with Parks or the ex-lover, the
road to comfortability in ones skin for black queer people is full of trials and missteps. But as
Parks sings “I could never blame you darling” listeners can sympathize for both parties,
understanding that a queer person’s journey to self love is never an easy process. With the next
song, Adolescence Heard begins its transition into the more upbeat, fast paced sound reminiscent
of black sound of Hip-hop and Rap. Steve Lacey’s and DAISY WORLD’s Like Me repeats
questioning statements about how many out there “are like me,” creating a song about finding
community. This search for like minded, supportive people is reminiscent of the riot grrrl
movement which was built for people “...who had always in some sense, been outside..." of the
mainstream (White, 475). Reckoning comes to a close with Tyler, the Creator’s ARE WE STILL
FRIENDS? The beginning seconds open to the sounds of an electric choir almost as if Aretha
Franklin had come of age in the current era. This classic Tyler hit revolves around the thin line
between friends and something more, about unspoken desires and open-secrets that many queer
people may struggle to navigate in their post-coming out life. Reckoning symbolizes through
these songs how a queer person comes to learn about themselves and their place in life, utilizing
black sound techniques and styles to do so beautifully.
Euphoria is the indescribable feeling of joy one feels within themselves. Euphoria,
especially for black queer people, is a celebration of yourself, of settling into exactly who you
are. The songs in this section are meant to represent the happiness that can be found at the end of
the proverbial rainbow, using black-founded style and genre to do so. Chanel, by Frank Ocean,
proudly plays with the duality of gender expression- specifically femininity- and sexuality as he
sings about his guy being “pretty like a girl”. He refuses to let his sexuality be something people
can talk down to him about, stating that he’s the “big man,” further solidifying the confidence
Ocean has. This song was historic for the rap and hip-hop genre, described in Far Out as “not
only [is it Ocean proving] that hip-hop doesn’t have to be a place where homophobia is accepted,
but he’s also proof that LGBTQ+ people come in all shapes and sizes, too.” Adolescence Heard
comes to a close with Dreamer Isioma’s Really Really, an upbeat, indie-rock song that is sure to
get stuck in listeners' heads. With its driving drum beat and groovy bass lines intermixed with
Isioma’s declarations of being “fresh to death”, listeners feel as if they’re being hyped up
alongside the singer. On Genius, Isioma wrote “People need to listen to this song because it’s
hella affirming… I am the coolest person in my own world. Self love is cool.”(Isioma, 1) With a
game-changing use of sound (similar to how Memphis Minnie’s use of electric guitar was
described by Langston Hughes), Really Really stands as a testament to black queer joy, how
being your true self can set you free (Hughes 2). Representing euphoria through music written,
composed, and performed by Black, Queer artists opens up space for other people to exist and
thrive, a simple fact of life that for too long has been denied to marginalized people.
It is vitally important to recognize and uplift songs that detail the experiences of black
and queer people. Through albums like Adolescence Heard, queer people can see themselves
represented and find a safe space to be themselves, meanwhile the artists of intersecting
identities can use Black sound to share their stories.
Liner Notes for Adolescence Heard
Solace
Released as a single in 2019, Sophie starts with a soft pre-chorus harmonization as Parks begins
to tell the story of the girls she finds herself drawn to before transitioning into a slow, guitar lead
song about being “sick” with oneself. In an interview with When the Horn Blows, Parks stated
that Sophie was about “crumbling under expectations and feeling helpless, but with a persistent,
quiet sense of hope underpinning it.” (Ahmed, 1).
Parks is undeniably a poet with her songwriting abilities, crafting melancholic, self-reflective
songs of a young, queer, Black woman. Her inclusion on this album brought not only these queer
stories, but also the contributions Black artists have been making towards revolutionizing the
Indie genre of music.
Lines to Listen to: “So I listen to funk, I bend to the punch/ Then pretend that I'm fine when,
really, I'm crushed” and “I'm just a kid, I/ Suffocate and slip, I/ Hate that we're all sick” (Parks,
1).
Released in her debut EP Seen It All 2018, American Pie is a neo-soul beat riddled with choir-
like vocalizations and metaphors for breaking through oppression. As a Black, trans artist,
Diamond writes and performs this song to remind listeners that “everyone deserves to be happy,
to be themselves, to be free” (Karlan 1). Using her voice to speak for those who can’t, Diamond
uses terms like “break the chains” as well as soul/blues style to exemplify Black sound. The
connections between Diamond and other strong female artists like Nina Simone (particularly in
her 1969 performance of Are You Ready ) is undeniable (Thompson, 2021).
Lines to Listen to: “I'm not a stranger, I'm just like you” and “Just want my piece of the
American pie/ Got your slice, where is mine?” (Diamond, 1)
First released in 2020 as a single before being included in Parks’ debut album Collapsed in
Sunbeams, Black Dog stands as an ode to feelings of depression- whether you be the one
suffering or the loved one helping. Parks sticks to a simple guitar strum and piano lick to
compliment her signature soft, gentle singing and lyrics that express the duality of complicated
situations. Released during the height of the pandemic, a time where many were slipping into the
depths of darkness, Black Dog hit close for many listeners. Though Black Dog may first come
across as a song to express Parks’ struggles, in an interview with NME, she stated that she hopes
the vulnerability and honesty of the song can help to push people into starting a conversation or
seeking help (Richards, 3).
Lines to Listen to: “I’d lick the grief right off your lips” and “I would do anything to get you out
your room/ It's so cruel what your mind can do for no reason” (Parks, 1)
Reckoning
This single release from 2020 ended up being one of Parks’ most listened to songs of her
Collapsed in Sunbeams album. Green Eyes essentially tells the story of a queer relationship
staple: lack of acceptance creeping its way into the sanctity of a relationship. But rather than be
bitter and blame one's partner, Parks’ song provides empathy having known how devastating it
can be to be unsupported. Fitting in with the majority of Parks’ discography, Green Eyes
maintains a modest tempo but includes a plucky, perhaps even funky, underlying bass line,
harking to funk and jazz roots of black sound.
Lines to Listen: “Could not hold my hand in public/ Felt their eyes judgin' our love and beggin'
for blood/ I could never blame you darlin'” (Parks, 1)
Opening with a punctuated, electronic beat that sounds almost like anxiety-personified (in a
groovy way) Steve Lacey’s collaboration with DAISY WORLD was released in 2017 as a part
of his debut solo album APOLLO XXI. Like Me expressed the questioning queer people feel as
they search for community and the expectations that come from going public with their
sexuality.
With the release of this song, Lacey was recalling experiences of his own as the performer's
sexuality had been “up for debate”- an outdated and frankly offensive but overly common theme
in discussions of artists. His debut album was written as a way to work through his sexuality and
mental health, and as stated in Dazed, Like Me was “an honest song that helps people who may
have felt how he felt, feel all the more loved, accepted, heard, and less alone.” (Musoni, 3)
Lines to Listen to: “How many out there just like me?/ How many work on self-acceptance like
me?” (Lacey, 1)
6. ARE WE STILL FRIENDS- Tyler, the Creator
Track 12 of Tyler, the Creator’s 2019 concept album IGOR of the neo-soul hip-hop genre, ARE
WE STILL FRIENDS is a song dedicated to navigating the after-relationship tensions between
close friends. This song starts with an almost hymn-like choral sound before transitioning into
sharp, loud chords complimented with a grimey sounding bass line. Sampling from Al Green’s
Dream was a large part of the creation of this song. Tyler, an ambiguously out artist, creates a
song that is nearly all young, queer people can relate to.
Lines to Listen to: “You're caught in this matrix, don't know where you're playing/ You made it,
could be your favorite if you make it your friend” (Okonma, 1)
Euphoria
Described in a Pitchfork Review of the 2017 single release, Frank Ocean in Chanel “Over a
slow, shuffling piano, he peels back the layers of his hyperactive mind, cracking open insights on
everything from sexual fluidity…to the hazards of lean abuse” (Pearce, 1). Straying from the
typical norms of the R&B genre by discussing sexuality outside of the heterosexual persuasion,
Ocean solidified himself as a trailblazer to the genre. Chanel is an easy to listen to song that
listeners can find solace in; knowing who you are and loving who you want is the key to finding
your place.
Lines to Listen to: “My guy pretty like a girl/ And he got fight stories to tell/ I see both sides like
Chanel” and “Can't you see I am the big man? (Big man)/ God level, I am the I am (Whoa)”
(Ocean, 1)
Indie and hip-hop non-binary artist Serena Isioma released Really Really in 2022 as a part of
their first full length album Goodnight Dreamer. This song is euphoria personified, the
exclamation of Isioma that they are hyped to share themself with the world, not taking anyone’s
flack. The beat is driven, a hyper-pop-esque sound that begs listeners to dance like no one’s
watching. A song that is sure to uplift any mood written by a bright artist, Isioma is a name to
look out for in the future of the indie genre.
Lines to Listen to: “Bad bitch she naked in my bed, I'm on the couch/ Scrolling through my
telephone, checking my bank account”
Works Cited
Ahmed, Narza. “Arlo Parks - 'Sophie'.” When The Horn Blows, When The Horn Blows, 3 Nov.
2019, https://whenthehornblows.com/content/2019/11/4/arlo-parks-sophie.
Diamond, Shea. “Shea Diamond – American Pie.” Genius, June 2018, https://genius.com/Shea-
diamond-american-pie-lyrics.
Hughes, Langston. “Music at Year's End.” The Chicago Defender, 9 Jan. 1943.
Karlan, Sarah. “Singer Shea Diamond Is Here to School You on Black Trans Artistry and
Resilience.” BuzzFeed News, BuzzFeed News, 17 Aug. 2018,
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/skarlan/shea-diamond-on-black-trans-artistry-and-
resilience.
Kim, Michelle Hyun. “Arlo Parks Celebrates Queer Love on Her New Song Featuring Clairo.”
Them., Them., 20 Oct. 2020, https://www.them.us/story/arlo-parks-new-song-featuring-
clairo.
Lacey, Steve. “Steve Lacy (Ft. Daisy World) – like Me.” Genius, May 2019,
https://genius.com/Steve-lacy-like-me-lyrics.
Mahon, Maureen. “Listening for Willie Mae ‘Big Mama’ Thornton's Voice: The ...” Project
Muse, University of Nebraska Press, Oct. 2011,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236794039_Listening_for_Willie_Mae_Big_Ma
ma_Thornton's_Voice_The_Sound_of_Race_and_Gender_Transgressions_in_Rock_and_
Roll.
Musoni, Malcom- Aime. “Steve Lacy's 'like Me' Is an Honest Song about Queer Existential
Dread.” Dazed, 31 May 2019, https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/44667/1/steve-
lacy-like-me-apollo-xxi-song-queer-sexuality.
Okonma, Tyler. “Tyler, the Creator – Are We Still Friends?” Genius, May 2019,
https://genius.com/Tyler-the-creator-are-we-still-friends-lyrics.
Parks, Arlo. “Arlo Parks – Black Dog.” Genius, May 2020, https://genius.com/Arlo-parks-black-
dog-lyrics.
Parks, Arlo. “Arlo Parks – Green Eyes.” Genius, Oct. 2020, https://genius.com/Arlo-parks-
green-eyes-lyrics.
Parks, Arlo. “Arlo Parks – Sophie.” Genius, 25 Oct. 2019, https://genius.com/Arlo-parks-sophie-
lyrics.
Richards, Will, et al. “Arlo Parks: Creator of the Year's Most Devastating Song.” NME, 20 May
2020, https://www.nme.com/features/nme-radar-arlo-parks-black-dog-is-the-years-most-
devastating-song-2671623.
White, Emily, and Barbara O'Dair. “The Great Indie Debate.” Trouble Girls: The Rolling Stone
Book of Women in Rock, Random House, New York, 1997.
Contract Grading
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3.0 2.5 2 D
Contract Chart 4.0 (A+) 3.9 (A) 3.8 (A-) 3.4 (B+) (B) (C+) (C) )
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The World's Fastest Podcast non n
Introduction (1 total) All All All All none none e e
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First Day Group Icebreaker & Syllabus
Must Must Must st n
Review Must Do Do Must Do Must Do Do Do Do e
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Collaboration Team Podcast Mu st
Assignment (including all pre and post Must Must Must st D
components) Must Do Do Must Do Must Do Do Do Do o
Tuesday/ Thursday Brainstorms (12 in
total; weeks 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9) All All All All 9 8 7
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Tues. in-class, random breakout group Miss Miss Mis s
discussion (5 total--Weeks 2, 3, 4, 7, 9) All All All All 1 2 s3 4
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Thurs. pre-assigned group Discussion is
Dialogue Google Doc (4 total--Weeks Miss Miss Mis s
2, 3, 4, 7) All All All All 1 2 s3 4
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Mu st
Very Brief Individual Reflection on the Must Must Must st D
Process of Producing Group Podcast Must Do Do Must Do Must Do Do Do Do o
Optional (individual): Must do two of 2/4 1/4 1/4 None Non No N
Choose two of the four: four e ne o
(1) Questions for UW Librarians During 2/4 n
the World's Fastest Podcast (completed e
Introduction. Beyonce
2) Questions for Lulu Carpenter, Media response and
Justice Workshop).
3) Questions after listening to one Peer
Pop Con Podcast NOT produced by
your own group (after listening to
podcast, draft a summary and 2
questions,100-250 words). Link to be
posted.
4) Questions for one episode of the
Popular Music Books in Process
archived video of your choice (After
watching video, draft a summary and 2
questions, 100-250 words)
5) Response to Beyonce
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search_query=PMBiP)... Questions for
librarians)
Optional (collaborative): Choose one of
3 Options:
1) Give feedback to a team’s podcast
interview questions and script before
they record. If you would like to pursue
this option, we will assign you to a team
that is not your own for your feedback.
(Option has passed)
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