Looking Back on Art Is...Black Light!
It was an absolute honor working with TPT, ShaVunda Brown, Amani Ward and Yoni Light on the production of "ART IS…Black Light." These artists are absolutely amazing, in every way, and it means so much to me that they were willing to work with me and bring my vision for this show through to fruition. I couldn’t be more proud of these women and their works, their performances, their light, their talent and radiance! In all the time I have been an artist, this was one of the most authentic, loving, family-oriented, special shows that I have ever participated in. Our people showed up in full effect, packing the studio in support - and the energy in the room was so thick, it was visceral.
I am beyond thankful to have started my year out by getting to feature and showcase some of the best artists here in the Twin Cities. And this is exactly why we need and always will need these types of collaborations between organizations like TPT and the artist network - because it encourages our growth and our collective voice at a time in which speaking out and using art for social change is dire.
Lastly, it really helped me realize how it is feasible for me to merge Black art, life, and community involvement and advocacy together to bring out the best in my own artistry by using my platform to invite others to shine. The whole process of, "ART IS…Black Light!" was life-changing, and I am glad to have been able to share such a beautiful memory of a beautiful night with such beautiful people.
---PaviElle French
PaviElle is an amazing interdisciplinary artist, Upper Midwest Emmy Award and Sage Award winner. She is known for her powerhouse vocals and performing with an equally powerful 6 piece band. Most recently, PaviElle was voted as Minneapolis City Pages "Best R&B Vocalist of 2015", her band was named one of First Avenue's Best New Bands of 2015 and she was a featured artist on TPT's "Lowertown Line" in 2015. PaviElle hails from Rondo, a historically Black neighborhood in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She honed her craft as a teenager at Penumbra Theatre and with the collective, EduPoetic Enyerbrainment. Growing up in a family steeped in music, she says that she wants to make music that honors and represents the Black aesthetic. As a songwriter, PaviElle always has a way she wants her songs to “swing,” and it’s this free-style emotion, in the scatting and vocalizing, that brings a millennial’s heart-born, contemporary vision to a classic soul music sound.
