Steffanie Christi'an

TAYLOR MAC, ‘A 24-DECADE HISTORY OF POPULAR MUSIC’ For two months, I’ve been thinking about his October all-day, all-night fantasia, still amazed that Mr. Mac did it, still miserable we had to go home after he did. It wasn’t just that he sustained his theatrical virtuosity that was so exhilarating. It was that he kept sharing the virtuosity of others: the Detroit power singers Steffanie Christi’an and Thornetta Davis well after midnight, the Brooklyn United Marching Band blasting through Curtis Mayfield’s “Move on Up” at the crack of dawn, the guitar shredding of Viva DeConcini for nearly the whole thing. Meanwhile, Mr. Mac practiced live criticism of and empathy for 240 years of mostly American popular music, changing clothes, wigs and makeup, while baring his chest, his butt and his soul. - The New York Times

Thanksgiving eve did not disappoint this year as the electrifying energy of rock maven Steffanie Christi’an was unleashed. The singer-songwriter delivered a dynamic performance at the Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit, during Nice and Rough: A Night with Steffanie and Tina. This was not simply a tribute to musical legend Tina Turner, but a grand exhibition of Christi’an’s signature artistry. Host and poet, jessica Care moore described Christi’an as humble with an undeniable ability to make you feel things that you want to keep hidden. Fans were willingly exposed as she stalked the stage one minute, while seducing it the next.

Christi’an opened with “Limbo,” from her upcoming album It’s Complicated. Its soothing groove got the audience primed for a night of breath-snatching vocals, impressive dance moves and robust instrumentals. Flanked by a live band and two sexy backup singers, Christi’an switched back and forth between her material and Turner’s classics, highlighting jams from the Ike and Tina days and beyond. The diverse crowd was wowed as she performed songs like, “Proud Mary,” “You Got What You Wanted” and “Fool In Love.” Her aura oozed grit and sensuality as she embodied the poise of a legend. Brief moments came when if you closed your eyes, you could swear that Turner was onstage.

Crowd favorites of Christi’an’s original material were the raw “Overdraft,” the vulnerable “There You Go,” and the defiant, yet cohesive “What You Gonna Do.” Each song revealed a piece of this seminal artist — who expressed sincere enthusiasm and gratitude for all who were present. Not merely a singer covering one of her idols, Christi’an has a unique presence. Expressing her consciousness, she acknowledged a desire to do more. Yet, she simply offered a cathartic and memorable engagement in harmonious elevation.

There’s already buzz for future tribute concerts honoring either Anita Baker, Aretha Franklin or Phyllis Hyman. Peep moments from the show in the photo gallery below. - Rolling Out Magazine

From noon on Saturday, October 8, to noon on Sunday, October 9, I attended theater artist, drag performer, and musician Taylor Mac's marathon performance, A 24-Decade History of Popular Music, at St. Ann's Warehouse. This epic production, in development since 2012, is a series of concerts of popular music from each decade of American history, 1776 to 2016. Except that "concert" doesn't begin to cover it. The piece is an endurance feat for Mac, his band, and the audience. Twenty-four musicians accompany Mac onstage, and one departs each hour, eventually leaving the star performer alone. It's a fashion spectacular, showcasing costume designer Machine Dazzle's wildly inventive creations. It's a series of pointed meditations on race, class, and gender in America.

It's also an exercise in community building, among performers and spectators, together in a room for 24 hours. We sing along together, sprawl on the floor together, and eat together. And we watch Mac survive, aided by an enormously diverse variety of collaborators: virtuosic music director Matt Ray, musicians and backup singers, puppeteers, dancers, and a coterie of festively attired assistants called the Dandy Minions. There are no intermissions, so the singer eats, drinks, and, with Machine Dazzle's assistance, changes costumes onstage. (A few times, the audience collectively gives Mac permission to go offstage and pee.)

What follows is a partial chronicle of events.

12:25 p.m. Taylor Mac, multicolored pennants and streamers trailing behind him, strides down the aisle singing "Amazing Grace." Welcome, he says. (Mac employs multiple gender pronouns but prefers "judy" above all others.) The marathon will be a "radical faerie realness ritual" — and we, collectively, are the sacrifice.

This beginning act conjures the chaos of American independence: a victory that resulted in the perpetuation of historical injustices, like slavery, and the displacement of indigenous peoples. Why, in America, Mac asks, are we constantly asked to forgive oppressors and vilify outsiders?

2:14 p.m. The 1790s, Mac tells us, were like a frat party: Americans were so thrilled to be out from under the paternal thumb of the Brits that we went wild. The Dandy Minions hand celebratory ginger beers around.

5:38 p.m. Mac, wearing an enormous white bonnet, asks us to contemplate the Trail of Tears, then launches into a series of nineteenth-century children's songs.

6:48 p.m. The 1850s is a rousing sing-off between Stephen Foster and Walt Whitman, competing to be named the true father of American song. Mac plays both roles — though an audience member is summoned onstage to symbolically represent Foster — while sporting a skirt fashioned from empty potato-chip bags and interjecting acid commentary about the racism and misogyny in classic Foster ditties like "My Old Kentucky Home." Whitman's words, by contrast, still sound radical today.

8:20 p.m. The Civil War breaks out, and the audience is divided for a series of "battles" in which we hurl ping-pong balls at each other. Mac deconstructs the Southern anthem "Dixie": "Wish you were in the land of cotton? I bet — you didn't have to pick the cotton," he remarks.

10:45–11:31 p.m. Mac guides us through eras of westward expansion and Eastern European immigration to the strains of "I've Been Workin' on the Railroad" and Irving Berlin.

1:18 a.m. "What's next?" Mac quips.

2 a.m. The 1920s, for Mac, are about competing responses to the trauma of WWI: the desire to acknowledge the pain, and the desire to stifle it through decadence. Yet though Mac sides with the first, this hour conjures real hedonistic joy, including a delightful sequence to "Shake That Thing," in which the oldest spectator present "teaches" the youngest how to dance.

3:13 a.m. Mac wears a large, plush soft-serve ice cream sundae. The band plays Depression-era songs while the Dandy Minions set up "soup kitchens" to feed us late-night snacks.

6:16 a.m. The civil rights movement is under way, and Mac brings Detroit singers Steffanie Christi'an and Thornetta Davis onstage to sing protest songs, including a rousing rendition of "Mississippi Goddam." "Desegregation: too slow," the singers chant. These songs of the struggle for racial justice are particularly poignant because, ten hours (or a century) earlier, in this same room, we were listening to songs celebratory of the slaveholding South. Theatrical duration, shared space and time, creates its own collective memory.

7:06 a.m. Heading from the late Sixties to the early Seventies. Mac, wearing a huge multicolored peace sign, meditates on the Stonewall riots. "Imagine that I am the queer of America, and you are the homophobes," Mac insists. At his behest, we pelt him with ping-pong balls as he dashes around the theater singing "Born to Run."

7:48 a.m. "The thing about sexuality is, it's like performance art," says Mac. "There is no failure."

8:54 a.m. We give Machine Dazzle a standing ovation for his final exit from the stage. "It's the AIDS decade," explains Mac. "I thought we had to lose something major."

9:34 a.m. Mac recalls that his first encounter with an out gay person was when he attended an AIDS walk in San Francisco and saw thousands of them at once. "The reason they were all together was because they were dying," he says. "What I experienced was a community that was being built as it was being torn apart." Years later, he wanted to create a performance that embodied a community like that: one that was forged while being destroyed. "So," he concludes, "we started making a 24-decade history of popular music."

9:59 a.m. Singing anthems of radical lesbianism, Mac invites activist Sarah Schulman onstage to read the Lesbian Avenger Manifesto.

11:04 a.m. In the final hour, before we stumble out into a rainy Sunday, Mac, for the first time, abandons covers and performs original songs. His collaborators have left, and he's alone onstage. Except not really — because we're all here too. - The Village Voice

Name: Steffanie Christi’an

Sound: This Detroit native creates rock ‘n’ roll that she describes as a mix of Tina Turner, Alanis Morissette and Rage Against the Machine.

Tina Tribute: Next week, Steffanie Christi’an performs a tribute to one of her idols Tina Turned titled “Nice and Rough: A Night with Steffanie and Tina” at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, 315 E. Warren in Detroit. The concert is 8-11 p.m. Nov. 23 and tickets, $25 in advance and $30 at the door, are available at SteffChris.Eventbrite.com. Christi’an will be backed by her nine-piece band and will perform classic Turner songs, plus original music from her debut album “Way Too Much” and her upcoming release “It’s Complicated.”

Melody Baetens - The Detroit News

by: James Rockefeller Gray

photos by: Watts Mangum

You never really know your favorite artist until you’ve experienced them dancing on top of sand, wind blowing rapidly, over a scorching Alabama sun that is blazing down on you. The Hangout Music Festival located on the Gulf Shores of Alabama. It forces the artists to go harder than ever; and for the music lovers to take extra notice. This year the festival went in hard, everything seemed to be extreme; from the beautiful weather to the abrasive security check-in, from the excellent shuttle bus service to the superb mac and cheese with bacon sandwich from festival foodie favorite Cheese Dreams.

Adventure Club, Beck, Talib Kweli (exclusive interview below), Foo Fighters, Skrillex, Major Lazer, Robert DeLong: The line- up was so stacked that heavy hitters like Beats Antique and Toro y Moi played early in the afternoon. This is an indication to the amount of talent that graced the Hangout stages. The festival was crowded at this point I can only estimate tens of thousands of people must’ve showed up. Hangout definitely has its own character distinct from all the other festivals. Like every festival there were some ultimate pros and ultimate cons. For the most part it was an overall great experience, and by the closing night with Beck it looked like a beach party scene from a Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello film.

Talib Kweli performing by himself would had been just enough to satisfy fans. But anyone who is a fan Talib knows that he is a man of many surprises when it comes to his collaborations, lyrics, song choices, and performances. His set at Hangout was no exception. Talib brought his friend and new- comer Steffanie Christi’an who was the sultry, soulful cherry on top of his set. Steffanie Christi’an has a voice that is reminiscent to Billy Holiday and Erykah Badu. The audience was so intrigued that they followed her every move as she led a call and response between herself, the full live band, and the hyped Hangout crowd. It seemed as though the audience was already familiar with her music, and that she has been performing for decades. Talib surprised fans but doing a song that is completely out of the genre that he has established himself in; he did Punk Rock. Yes folks Talib Kweli did “Search and Destroy” by Iggy and the Stooges , and people lost their minds. He rocked it out! It was so surprising that I saw a man actually sit down on the sand to listen to every lyric Talib Kweli was spitting. I had the opportunity to be able to get an exclusive interview both Steffanie and Talib about their experiences at Hangout and what their plans are for the near future.

(JRG) James Rockefeller Gray

(TK) Talib Kweli

(SC) Steffanie Christi’an



(JRG) Talib, we noticed that you experimented with different genres of music during your set at “Hangout” in particular Punk Rock. Have you always been a Punk Rock fan? And do you ever see yourself maybe doing a rock album?

(TK) I am definitely a fan of great punk rock that I’ve come across in my life, but it’s not something I actively seek out like a true fan would. Lyrically, punk and hip hop share the same spirit. I could see myself doing a rock album, but I would need a lot of training and help first. I wouldn’t want it to be a vanity project.

(JRG) Steffanie, you were superb. Where did you both meet?

(SC) Thank you very much! Talib and I met in Detroit, MI, where I am from, several years ago. Jessica Care Moore and I opened for him at the Music Hall.

(JRG) Talib and Steffanie who are some of the people that you are collaborating with for the upcoming album?

(TK) Stef can answer for her album, but I’m working on several projects at once. Right now I am mostly focused on my projects with 9th Wonder and Mad Lib.

photo by: Watts Mangum
Talib Kweli photo by: Watts Mangum

(SC) Well, first I am releasing a free mixtape, entitled “Down,” through Javotti Media, Talib’s label. Down will include new material, along with tracks from my first EP “Way Too Much” and works performed with my old band, FluxPhonic. The free mixtape will be followed up by a yet to be titled, full length collaborative album with Detroit producer, Cool Beanz.

(JRG) Steffanie what do you want fans to know about you? Who are you music influences?

I want fans to know that I aim to transcend musical stereotypes, while blurring the racial lines associated with the type of music I create. It is my ultimate goal to allow people to step outside of themselves, and step outside of the figurative box, in which society sometimes creates and categorizes for us. I am here to express my flaws, insecurities, personal triumphs, life questions and experiences through my lyrics, music and performing, revealing my humanness while trying to uplift and invoke all in the same process. At times, I feel extremely awkward but the opportunity to create music allows me the fortitude to ultimately become who I want to in the grand scheme of things.—Steffanie Christi’an
My musical influences run the gamut and include but are not limited to Bob Marley, Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin, Tori Amos, PJ Harvey, Rage Against the Machine, Tina Turner, Green Day and Mahalia Jackson. I just love music in general from classical to metal. With that being said, Rock & Roll is where my heart is.

(JRG) Talib is Black Star done for good?

(TK) Who told you Black Star was done? We do several shows a year. As far as a new album, that remains to be seen

(JRG) How’s Hangout compare to the other festivals you all have been too?

(SC) I performed at the Electronic Movement Festival last year in Detroit and after performing at the Hangout Fest it solidified to me that there is an awesome palpable synergy at music festivals created by a collective group of people who want to hear some great music and have a hell of a good time. For me, that feeling is the same whether I am a performer or in the audience.

(JRG) Talib what do you want us to spread the word about?

(TK) All things Javotti Media and the fact that people can get music directly from me at Kweliclub.com

Steffanie Christi’an-check her out here. http://steffchris.com/ - Clarion Content

Detroit — When hometown musician Steffanie Christi’an took the stage Saturday at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American history, she was doing what she does best.

Rocking out.

“I’m trying to keep everybody entertained,” said the 33-year-old rock’n’roll artist, whose new album, “Way Too Much” came out Saturday at the Black Women Rock! concert.

Black Women Rock! united African American musicians from all across the country for an evening celebrating the music of cult hero Betty Davis. It also provided a platform for musicians who might be overlooked, says organizer Jessica Care Moore.

“I created it because you do have women listening to rock’n’roll, AC/DC, Rolling Stones,” said Moore. “As far as black music, rock’n’roll, it’s just the blues sped up. Even the Motown sound is rock’n’roll.”

Moore, an author, poet and event producer from Detroit, started the Black Women Rock! concert during the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta in 2004. This year marked the 10th anniversary.

“These women are playing guitar, writing progressive lyrics, jumping around on the stage,” said Moore. “I’m trying to represent this art form in the proper skin and the feminine form. Even at festivals that support black artists, they don’t have rock’n’roll artists.”

For Steffanie Christi’an, the concert was a chance to share what she’s been working on since she became a solo artist at 15. She’s spent a career opening for artists like Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, Taproot and Thousand Foot Krutch. But she also knows that seeing an African American woman performing rock music can still be new for some.

“It’s a great opportunity for Detroiters to be exposed to something they wouldn’t normally see on platforms like TV and the radio,” she said.

The 33-year-old credits her mother, a “punk rocker with a full mohawk” for introducing her to different musical styles while she was young. She was 3 years old when MTV came out and says she fell in love with what she saw.

“I’ve never not wanted to sing rock’n’roll,” she said. “I don’t think people should receive scrutiny for liking any specific type of music.”

Root of a genre

Los Angeles-based artist Joi returned to perform at Black Women Rock! for the fourth year.

“What this event does, is it gives a history lesson. You’re able to see the root of the genre,” she said. “It also gives an opportunity for all these wonderfully talented black women to perform together.”

Born in Nashville, Joi, 43, says she has always grativated toward funk-rock-soul sounds. She went to an all-African American girls Catholic school, but her mother pulled her out and put her into an all white-prep school for middle school, so she was exposed to different types of music growing up.

“On the radio station where I grew up in Nashville, they played everything. You might have something really random. A Rod Stewart song followed by a Marvin Gaye song,” she said. “Back then, it was just about playing the music.”

Since then, she moved to Atlanta where she went on to work with artists like Outkast, Goodie Mob, TLC, Robbie Williams, George Clinton and Raphael Saadiq.

She says being able to perform in the city for Black Women Rock! is a reminder of how far she and the other artists have come and a way to help bring others into the fold.

“What we do in Detroit, it’s so powerful,” said Joi. “It’s so necessary.”

Beside the concert, Care Moore is hosting a free panel discussion with some of the artists from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the museum. Later in the evening, local artists will perform at the 5e Gallery in Midtown, 4605 Cass Avenue.There is a $10 door fee to get in ($7 for students).

Care Moore says it’s about filling a void and inspiring others.

“A lot of young, black girls listen to rock music. They need a space where they can come and truly be themselves,” she said. “They can listen to rock’n’roll music and know it’s a part of their culture. It’s not outside of it. We are reclaiming it.”

Giving voice to powerful voices

Tamar-kali, a Brooklyn artist who performed at the concert, describes her style as agressive melodic rock and hardcore.

Music has always been a part of her life. Her father was a bass player and she had access to instruments from when she was little.

“The guitar hit me early on. I saw a Teena Marie video when I was 6 or 7 and I put rubber bands on a plastic hanger so I could play along,” she said.

As a teenager, Tamar-kali performed in a soul group at her all-girls Catholic school and played folk guitar in church. Later, she says, she become more politically active and her music style changed.

“All those questions I had, the things I was thinking about...punk rock and harcore seemed to have a more political aspect to the music,” she said.

When she comes to Detroit to share her music, she says she comes for the sisterhood. It reminds her of her early solo days when she was in New York and found kindred spirits among the poetry scene, which is where she met Care Moore.

“I had always been alienated from African American spaces because I’m into what I’m into,” she said. “They accepted me.”

Black Women Rock is important because it provides an opportunity for artists who may not be all that well known to shine,” said Tamar-kali.

“Yes, you’re used to seeing a black woman as a singer but the particular artists Jessica calls on are a lot of the unsung voices,” she said. “She’s giving a voice to some of the most powerful voices that people don’t know about.” - The Detroit News

Black Women Rock was the spectacle of the city this past weekend, as many of Detroit’s most dynamic women gathered together at two separate venues to celebrate their feminine strength, beauty and fire through music and dance.

Hosted and organized by poet jessica Care moore, the main concert on March 15 at the Charles H. Wright Museum featured six headlining artists, including Wunmi, Imani Uzuri, Tamar-kali, Kimberly Nichole, Steffanie Christi’an and moore.

“I did Black Women Rock because I wanted to be around women who are like me,” said moore during the March 16 panel discussion. “Whatever the genre of music is, it’s the life that reminds me of myself, and so I bring women who are like-minded and like-spirited together to present in front of people. And that’s the idea, it’s not even if we play rock and roll, it’s about what we do to put food on our table, the way we live our lives.”



During the panel discussion, the women discussed being independent artists, using their talents for social justice, and “the return of the matriarch to the forefront of society.”

“(We are) building our very fantastic queendom with an east wing and a west wing,” said moore. “If some of these brothers can’t figure it out, we’re going to have to create the space, and they are just going to have to show up the way they need to show up, with roses and things that we need, taking care of us in a certain kind of way, not waiting for you to figure it out and grow into your man-self.”

Moore says never been an artist who’s scared to be around other powerful women. “It makes me feel good to be around women that are more powerful than me,” she said.


The audience and panel host Ramona Prater asked the ladies questions, who responded openly from their experiences.

“We’re consuming so much and creating so little,” said Tamar-kali of Nlack women in today’s society. The Brooklyn rock singer has visited Detroit several times in the past few years. “We feel like our little bit isn’t going to do much, but it’s little bits that birth movements. It’s never these big actions, it’s that build up,” she said.

“I’m a full time artist,” said Wunmi from Nigeria, who has earned international acclaim for a 25-year career traveling the globe as a dancer, singer and fashion designer. “To do that, you choose, you make choices, strategize. I did it without knowing I was doing it. I love to dress, but the dressing wasn’t about dressing up, I didn’t want anyone else to look like me.



“Choosing an artist’s life,” said Wunmi, “you have to figure out between the loving it and the pain built. You do something you love and you come home and you haven’t eaten, and your rent is due. It is a strategy between us.”

During the seminar, moore credited her parents for her entrepreneurial spirit, saying they were “the reason why I’m not just an artist, which is why I love producing and presenting other people, not just with Black Women Rock.” Before that, (since) 1997 Moore has been running an independent small press that publishes poets.

“You don’t choose it,” she said. “Some of it is gift, it’s a delicate balance between gift and spirit.” - Michigan Citizen

Are you hip to the Detroit rock scene? From an outsider's perspective it can amaze, huh?

Having said that, the scene's always been pretty segregated, and you never see too many black faces on local indie or rock show bills, just as it's rare to see many white kids on local rap shows. But, the organizers of the Cosmic Slop Festival, spearheaded by one Deekah Wyatt, aim to put Detroit's black rock scene (yes, Detroit's black rock scene) on a pedestal by kick-starting the area's first annual Afro-rock concert fest.

The festival, Cosmic Slop, is, you'll note, named after Funkadelic's killer fifth studio album. Like its namesake, the all-day fest promises a hodgepodge of genres, serving up an eclectic mix ranging from industrial to free-form funk-jazz. And, the fest not only promises to rock; they also plan to educate black kids on what's possible in Detroit rock. (We don't know what that means exactly, but if it extends deeper than Black Merda, we will be psyched.) Best, the all-day freakout is but five bucks; with more 20 bands on two stages, a finster is a hell of deal. Here we've picked a few of the many worthy combos performing.

Blackmail

They're the previous winners of WDIV's best-of contest in back in 2007, and they've enjoyed song rotation on 89X. The tight, post-grunge, "ghetto rock" quartet can craft songs as effectively aggressive and catchy as stadium rockers like Sevendust or Seether, and you can always expect some furious fretwork from underrated local guitar hero Mike Brooks. Outdoor stage, 6:15 p.m.



Cody Stagefright

When talking of rap-rock, you don't really think of the word "soulful" much. Too often the genre takes the less endearing qualities of both rap and rock and amplifies them to unholy effect. It can get pretty ugly. But Cody Stagefight manages to reverse that and construct a sound that explodes like great rock and flows like good rap. Outdoor stage, 4:45 p.m.



Descendents of the Throbbing Pee Pee

This kickass-monikered Detroit funk outfit dives into the grooves of '70s soul — such as Booker T. & the M.G.'s, Bill Withers and Roy Ayers — and revamps it for a new age. And, for the most part, they do a killer job of it. Tunes ebb and flow with grace, grit and feel, just like great sex-you-up soul of yore. Outdoor stage, 1 p.m.



Duane, "The Teenage Weirdo"

The 19-year-old and current Metro Times fave is sorta the lovechild of Grace Jones and David Bowie, or something like that. And when you see him live, he damn sure looks like it. So, yeah, the kid's got one foot in the glam, the real Warholian glam of the '70s, not this horseshit Sunset Strip manly crap. Duane's bouncy, lo-fi synth-pop tunes have an almost nursery-rhyme quality and often mine every good pop band that charted in the '80s. Indoor stage, 7 p.m.



Enema Squad

ES is something of a cross between the sludgy funk of early Funkadelic and the jagged-yet-serpentine grooves of free jazz. The vet dudes in Enema Squad hypnotize with dense, eyebrow-raising funk grooves and then blow you back with feedback-coated instrumental jam-ups. Indoor stage, 12:30 p.m.



Enemy Squad

One of the Detroit music's best-kept secrets, this funk-rock crew never fails to massively attack the groove on stage — it swings both ways too: You can either dance or space out to it. Masters of giving space to their tunes, the Enemy Squad guys provide ample amounts of instrumental improv that highlight a subtle musical connection between band members. Kickin' it in the cosmos, man! Indoor stage, 11:45 p.m.



Eprom Colony

Industrial mishmash that molds huge eletroclash beats into a dank, creep, gothic-informed atmosphere. Scratchy guitar-chugging clashes with vocalist Doc Colony's deep, whiskey-sotted pipes to create a sound that's both danceable and headbangable. Outdoor stage, 2:30 p.m.



Final Cue

Sexy neo-soul intermingled with rock flourishes led by a beautiful, husky-voiced frontwoman. Although the band's influenced by a lot of modern rock, it never gets too heavy and prefers to keep the volume dialed back to help sway you as if you're attached to someone else's hips. Indoor stage, 4:15 p.m.



FluxPhonic

Fronted by the insanely foxy Steffanie Christi'an, FluxPhonic is an amply tight and polished quartet whose specialty is catchy indie rock tunes. Christi'an's hefty, soaring voice glides over blazing guitar work with hooks that kill. Indoor stage, 8:45 p.m.



Nadir

Whether he's with his trio Distorted Soul or solo, you can be sure anything the dude touches is more often than not writer gold. He can write smooth, jazzy numbers worthy of some uptown joint or he can channel his inner Stevie Ray and bring down the Old Miami or Lager. Outdoor stage, 7 p.m.



NuRokSol

Whoever said, "You can't be fit as a fiddle if you're tight as a drum" had it all wrong. In fact, if there's ever a poll for "tightest band in Detroit" NuRokSol has it locked. When this quintet gets into its alternative metal groove, few bands around town can match it. And with a near virtuoso guitarist and drummer, they never cease to entertain. Outdoor stage, 4 p.m. - MetroTimes Magazine

Detroit Rock City is recognized around the world for some of the meanest, nastiest, hard grinding rock music to have ever been played. Names like Kid Rock, Jack White and Bob Seger may first come to mind, but the Cosmic Slop Festival hopes to bring a new image of rock music to the Motor City.

The Cosmic Slop Festival is “the only intentionally diverse, the only intentionally multi-racial, multicultural celebration of rock music and rock culture,” says Deekah Wyatt, festival organizer and performer.

The festival will take place Aug. 24 at noon at The Artist Village in the Brightmoor neighborhood. It will include three stages of local rock musicians, with food and craft vendors. Tickets are $10.

Performers include Detroit rock acts Blackmail, Nadir Omowale, Steffanie Christ’ian, Deekah Wyatt and The Rock City Soul, Coko Buttafli and Atoms N Ease, along with New York City bands Rain of Kings and Blak Wav.

Wyatt is a ferocious stage performer, a guitarist and singer who displays her passion for rock music with every show. As a Black woman, she has found a small but active subculture in Detroit of people of color with a love of rock music, which typically only attracts white audiences to the shows.

“In this town, people are looking for something different,” says Wyatt. “I think there are many people here accustomed to more than one genre of music.”

This will be the festival’s third year, the second consecutive year at the Artist Village. The event has grown each year, and Wyatt expects over a thousand attendees to come throughout the day.

“The festival is for girls and for guys who have felt like they were weird because they didn’t want to listen to the same rotation that you hear on mainstream radio,” she says.

Detroit’s reputation for developing Black rock artists has grown with the recent release of the film “A Band Called Death” about the influential punk rock group in the 1970s, a group whose music is still being discovered today.

The Cosmic Slop Festival is named after the classic Funkadelic album released in 1973, a group that expanded the minds of many musicians by experimenting with different sounds and styles. Funkadelic’s creativity and freedom of expression is a guiding inspiration for the festival organizers and performers.

“In doing this festival, I realize that rock music is the only genre that is openly accepting of any other genre of music,” says Wyatt. “You can go to a rock show and you can hear jazz, funk, R&B, rap; you can hear some of everything.”

Steffanie Christi’an is a singer who has defied music industry expectations by continuing to make rock music. She performs annually with the Black Women Rock concert in Detroit and will take the stage delivering songs from her upcoming EP release.

She dismisses curious reactions to her music style by acknowledging that Black artists were the first to develop rock music styles, which were popularized by white artists like Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

“Much of the past several decades of rock music may have one believing that Black artists don’t have much of a place in rock music,” says Christi’an. “(It’s) an idea that is ridiculous given that rock music came from blues and gospel.”

A preview of performances at the Cosmic Slop Festival will take place Aug. 16 at the African World Festival held at the Charles H. Wright Museum from 5-10 p.m. Rocket McFlyy, Blackmail, Christi’an, Wyatt and Omowale will all perform at the preview.

During the week following The Cosmic Slop Festival, The Phoenix Cafe on John R Road in Hazel Park will host The Cosmic Slop Fest Aftermath Aug. 25-31, with artist workshops and performances of all music genres.

For Wyatt, the most meaningful part of the festival is connecting with other fans of rock music that often feel like outcasts in the Black community for their taste in music.

“There was one girl who I met at my day job,” Wyatt recalls. “She said, ‘I’ve always been a weirdo, always been an outcast. And then when the hipsters showed up, they started calling me a Black hipster, but I’m me. I’m just a chick who likes to rock and my skin is brown.’

“She and I ended up standing there crying,” says Wyatt, holding back fresh tears while remembering the moment. - Michigan Citizen

Black Women Rock: Showcasing the Funk by Steve Furay - Common Breath Media

At the time of this writing, singer Betty Davis is most likely in the comfort of her Pittsburgh home, not having any idea of the recent concert that took place in her honor.

Releasing only four albums, the hard funk/rock singer had a tumultuous marriage to musician Miles Davis, whom she married in 1967 but divorced him a year later. Soon after, she retreated out of the limelight, choosing to live in obscurity and refusing to speak about her musical experiences to the press. She was the first African-American female rock singer to have a confrontational image, and her raw lyricism about the seedy and sexual underbelly of life made her both a cult favorite and a social pariah within African-American communities.

Esteemed poet, author and book publisher Jessica Care Moore conceived of a music celebration that would blend the talent of progressive black women artists and provide education on the participation of African-Americans in rock music. She first invited women musicians to perform Davis's songs in 2004, wanting to not only celebrate the inspiring singer but to also provide a platform for black women alternative music artists who, like Davis, are critically acclaimed but struggle to find success within the larger music industry.

Based on the sold out attendance at the concert, which took place on March 16th in Detroit, the Fourth Annual Black Women Rock concert served as an opportunity for black women artists not just to perform but to also speak openly about their experiences in being labeled 'different' for their musical and other creative ventures. In addition, local artists, such as Sabrina Nelson, painted portraits as the musicians performed.

Accompanied by the 10-piece, all-black female orchestra, which included veteran guitarist Kat Dyson, Toronto-based singer Saidah Baba Talibah opened the show and performed her hit "A Place Called Grace" from her excellent album, 2010's (S)Cream and momentarily stunned some onlookers ( and perhaps the smattering of children in the room) when she raunchily belted out Davis's "If I'm in Luck I Might Get Picked Up," as there were some surprised looks on some of the older ladies in the room when Talibah dropped and shimmied her way through the hard funk song. Poet Ursula Rucker performed three of her works, ending with the title track from her album, She Said. Detroit native Steffanie Christi'an was a powerhouse - a perfect example of the level of sheer talent that is ignored because an artist does not fit the physical aesthetic of what she is supposed to look like when performing rock music. Maybe she was momentarily possessed with the dual spirits of Davis and Tina Turner, as the singer exploded across the stage; her physical movements were just as powerful and intense as her vocals.

During her set Native/African-American Martha Redbone talked a bit about her work as a singer, songwriter and a prominent activist, noting that her independent artist status gives her the freedom to actively promote indigenous rights without worrying about an imposed image that is commonly given to women involved on major record labels. As a veteran Americana and soul artist, she provided much needed advice to the aspiring female musicians that what was most important about their music careers was the music itself, not empty promises of fame and fortune.


After a duet with poet Moore and Christi'an and a surprise dance performance from bellydancer Tene Dismuke, ouse of Baset singer Dionne Farris (formerly of the group Arrested Development) performed and all the artists took the stage to jam and to close out the evening.

It's fitting that the event took place in a city that, in some ways, has been just as dismissed as black women who perform alternative music. The concert epitomized the tenacity both Davis and Detroit represents: forgotten and often misunderstood, both remain strong. - Bitch Magazine

DETROIT — “We are Black women and we play rock ‘n’ roll. We’ve been doing it since the beginning of time,” says jessica Care moore, founder of Black Women Rock (BWR).

BWR will perform Feb. 8 at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Black Women Rock is a living tribute to Betty Davis — one rocking Black woman.

Davis, at one point married to legendary jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, influenced his music and went on to create a sound and imagery all her own. An icon to pioneering Black rock figures ever since, Davis is still largely unknown. BWR is a reminder.

Moore says BWR is a tribute to the “amazing lights, so many Amazon women” who are not in the mainstream.

Brooklyn-based punk artist Tamar-kali, a BWR vocalist and guitar player, says the “ground breaking and self-defining music” of Davis parallels the lives of many of the BWR artists.

“I hope to continue the legacy of Nina Simone, Grace Jones, Betty Davis,” Kali told the Michigan Citizen. “So we can (understand) that iconography or imagery is in line with true artistry.”

BWR reminds us that though the path for Black women, artists and otherwise, can be daunting, it’s not crippling.

“Despite what some say, I believe Black women always have to fight a little bit harder. Have to love a little bit deeper. Have to stand a little bit stronger. We know how to make the best out of any bad situation. There is a collective experience that deep down we understand,” says Steffanie Christi’an of BWR, who attended the African-centered Aisha Shule/W.E.B. Dubois Prepatory Academy and Wayne State University.

BWR is a collaboration of visual and performing artists. Visual artist Sabrina Nelson as well as DJ Stacey “Hotwaxx” Hale will participate in this iteration of BWR.

Kali says BWR creates new images and Black women are not just seen as singers or pop princesses, but creators and innovators.

“A lot of time there is a formula,” she adds. “This is when you see a variation, the absence of artistry in music culture. It is a profit and loss situation.”

“Black Women Rock represents everything I stand for as a woman and as an artist. It has been such a pleasure to see what Black Women Rock has grown into. We are a movement and it only gets bigger and stronger everyday,” says Christian.

Moore says Detroit is a “great base” for the event because Detroit-based artists “know the grind.” And Christi’an points out Detroit’s long musical legacy: Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, MC5, the Winans, Norma Jean Bell, Big Proof, Madonna, Aaliyah, Alice Cooper, The White Stripes, Kid Rock, Eminem and J. Dilla.

BWR will appear at the DIA Feb. 8 at 7 and 8:30 p.m. They will also perform with Martha Redbone March 16 at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. - Michigan Citizen

DETROIT — Black Women Rock’s featured show at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History has become one of Detroit’s premier annual cultural events, an electrifying evening of music organized by the Motor City’s globally celebrated poet jessica Care moore.

Artist Steffanie Christi’an has been with the show since the beginning and has emerged as one of the shows highlights, stunning the crowds with her powerful voice and commanding sensuality.

On March 16, the women return to the stage with the show Black Women Rock: The Diaspora! featuring guest performers Ursula Rucker, Dionne Farris, Martha Redbone, Saidah Baba Talibah, DJ Stacey Hottwax Hale and live art from Sabrina Nelson.

Tickets are available for the show at the museum for $25 and a sold out crowd is expected.

“I can’t even express my gratitude about how happy I am to be a part of the show,” says Christi’an. “From the moment I started doing those gigs, I’ve had an incredible following that grows exponentially every year every time I perform with Black Women Rock. For that I am very grateful.”

The show is a unique presentation of Black women artists performing rock music, and is annually seen as a tribute to the great Betty Davis, the Bay Area singer who was married to jazz legend Miles Davis. Davis is celebrated at the show as a spirit guide for the women, an artist who brought attitude, independence and a bold sexual energy to her performances.

“Us paying tribute to Betty Davis is also very important, because I think Betty was ahead of her time,” says Christi’an. “She was doing (shows) that I don’t even think that people are doing today. She was completely out of the box, and that is what we stand for.”

Steffanie Christi’an has spent over a decade emerging as featured rock performer, paying her dues as a backup singer, the lead in her band, Fluxphonic, and now recording as a solo artist. Giving her all on stage is her trademark, a born performer who found her calling despite the fact that major rock record labels spend much of their time and energy promoting only Caucasian men.

“I love rock and roll, and when I do it, I bring it. I love performing, I can’t even explain it. I just feel like I’ve been touched some kind of way, like I know that is what I’m supposed to do.”

The women of Black Women Rock don’t want to be seen as a novelty in the rock music genre, especially given that rock music came from the Black music traditions of blues and gospel.

“It’s not about us taking it back,” says Christi’an. “It’s not a gimmick. We don’t do this to try to be different, this is just us. I know for sure that this is just me, this is the way I grew up. I’ve been singing rock ‘n’ roll since I can remember. My granddaddy taught me how to play the guitar and the blues, and rock ‘n’ roll came from the blues, so this is what I’ve been doing. I think just getting up there and being ourselves and not succumbing to what is expected of us from other people who don’t really represent us fully or in the right way, that says a lot about our character.”

With the theme of this year’s show being “The Diaspora,” jessica Care moore and the event organizers came up with a diverse lineup of artists two show the wide amount of influences in Black music.

“I look at it in two ways,” says Christi’an, “Black Women Rock, we rock the (African) Diaspora in a literal sense, and then include the different type of music that we do culturally.”

On March 17 at 1:30 p.m., the women will return to the museum for a panel discussion to talk about their common experiences as artists and why this event is so powerful for themselves and the audiences. This seminar is an annual tradition, and is often as impactful as the music performances from the previous evening, with tears sure to flow from the powerful display of sisterhood.

“Everybody’s crying,” laughs Christi’an. “That is even more so emotional than the actual show for me. The first year I talked a lot, but I try to just sit back because I want to listen. That day I look forward to even more than performing sometimes.”

Black Women Rock has left the seeds of inspiration with many women since their performances began in 2010, which is ultimately the goal of featuring Black women artists in a way that challenges stereotyped societal roles.

“I’m excited about what else blossoms from what we’re doing,” she says. “I already feel very proud about what we’ve accomplished. I can’t wait to get onto a larger scale. It’s not about the money, it’s not about the fame. For me it’s about showing other little Black girls in particular that you can do whatever you want to do.

“And you can do it and you can put your foot in it, as my grandma would say.”

This unrelenting energy is brought to the stage with each Black Women Rock performance by Steffanie Christi’an, jessica Care moore, the live band and all the featured artists, and they hope that the show continues to grow worldwide to help spread this love and inspiration to new audiences.

“None of us are going to stop making the type of music that we make to please the music industry or anybody else,” says Christi’an. “We maintain the integrity of what we’re trying to do. And I think that is one of the most important principles of what Black Women Rock stands for, is that we’re not going to be teeny boppers for half naked, or with weave down our backs, and talk about stuff that we really don’t mean. That’s just not what we’re going to do in order to please other people.

“The people hear us. And even though we may not be reaching the masses of people that we want to yet, the key word is yet. We’re on a mission, we’re a movement, and we’re not going to stop.” - Michigan Citizen

THE REBEL

Name: Steffanie Christi’an

Occupation: Singer/Songwriter

Representing: Oak Park

Personal Style:You will usually catch me in jeans and a tank with tons of accessories, but onstage anything goes. I like to think of my style as tomboyish, yet sexy.

Fashion Inspiration: Gwen Stefani, Lenny Kravitz, Madonna in the ’80s. In my head, I am still in the ’80s.

Favorite Place To Shop: Incognito, Showtime, Lost and Found, Urban Outfitters, and thrift stores.

2012 Spring Fashion Must-Have: Any piece of jewelry from Assad Mounser. Her pieces are amazing and just my style.

Must-Have Item Onstage: Water, a smile, and stilettos, until I kick them off like Patti LaBelle! - Uptown Magazine

Steffanie Christi’an proudly proclaims she’s “way too much,” and with good reason. Not only is Way Too Much the name of her independently released six-song EP, it’s a state of mind and the term that the Detroit rocker uses to neatly sum up her state of sound.

Listening to one of her tracks and it’s hard to not hear a little bit of that Tina Turner growl spiced with some of dance singer Sonique’s feline-fierce range. But you’ll also hear injections of Rage Against the Machine and Alanis Morissette, alongside Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin, Prince and Tori Amos. If it isn’t clear, know that is one black woman who rocks hard, and confidently declares she can hold her own and the microphone when sharing the stage with the likes of contemporaries Res, Joi and Martha Redbone.

Steffanie wastes no time leaping into her element on some of the tunes from her debut. “Way Too Much” begins with a bit of a country-twanged melody, but ends up delivering a punk-inspired, speedy guitar riffs in the vein of such bands as blink-182 and Sum 41, more than keeping up with rip-roaring track and getting playful as she seemingly cackles through sections of the song.

But that tempo takes a turn on the bluesy “What You Gonna Do,” whose captured funk is ammunition to fire off Christi’an’s groove-riding vocals. “Hit," on the other hand, embraces the distorted chords that Lenny Kravitz popularized on "American Woman" and "Believe," but it's Steffanie's raw rock poetry that may have listeners convinced her genre is rock and soul. - SoulBounce

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American
Former Rage Against The Machine and current Bruce Springsteen band member Tom Morello was the draw for the Ferguson Rocks concert jointly organized by rapper/activist Talib Kweli and leaders from the frontline of the uprising Saturday night at the Ready Room.
But those who came through would see genre-bending fusion that merged hip-hop, rock, reggae and poetry that spoke to revolution as part of “United Week Fight” collaborative effort that included a full weekend of activities commemorating the one-year anniversary of Michael Brown’s death.
Nationally renowned poet Jessica Care Moore served as mistress of ceremonies for the show that began with a performance by local hip-hop rock band Blank Generation.
Rapper and Baltimore native Son of Nun spoke to the struggles of his community in the wake of Freddie Gray’s death in compelling lyrics that connected the dots with Ferguson in “Fire Next Time.”
But the rock portion of the show truly began with Detroit native Steffanie Christi’an.
She could’ve been mistaken for an R&B songstress as she stepped to the stage, but the moment her band began to play it was obvious she was anything but.
Christi’an was a black girl who rocks. She screamed at the top of her lungs while invading the personal space of the front row of those standing directly in front of the stage.
It was electrifying to watch as she played air guitar during solos and hopped around on stage the entire course of her set of songs from her soon-to-be-released debut album.
But she also spoke to the heart of the protesters in the building with her cover of Bob Marley’s “War.”
“Until the philosophy which holds one man superior and another inferior is totally and permanently discredited and abandoned,” Christi’an belted as the audience sang along to Marley’s anthem in the fight against racism. “Until the color of a man’s skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes…everywhere is war.”
In lieu of an intermission, Moore delivered some of her poetry while backed by musicians. But she would demand complete silence as she recited work that reflected on Ferguson.
“I can’t breathe because now I’m being forced to lie face down in cement in Ferguson with an AR-15 drawn at my back,” Moore said. “A tall brown teenage boy is shaking in Rosa’s lap. A big girl stands up anyway.”
The poem tied Michael Brown, Eric Garner and the unrest that has taken place around the country as a response to the deaths of people of color at the hands of police.
“Who can push out fresh air anymore?” Moore asked. “The rich, the corporations? We should all be choking to death on Fox News and processed foods and white supremacy.”
Despite outward appearances, Band Outer National proved that they were anything but the run of the mill rock band as their music issued a war cry against injustice and reflected on recent tragic deaths at the hands of law enforcement.
“Most of this song was written by us, but the chorus was written by Eric Garner,” front man Miles Solay said before he started singing “This Stops Today.”
They set the tone for Morello, who wrote music that specifically spoke to the Ferguson movement. - The St. Louis American

At the time of this writing, singer Betty Davis is most likely in the comfort of her Pittsburgh home, not having any idea of the recent concert that took place in her honor.

Releasing only four albums, the hard funk/rock singer had a tumultuous marriage to musician Miles Davis, whom she married in 1967 but divorced him a year later. Soon after, she retreated out of the limelight, choosing to live in obscurity and refusing to speak about her musical experiences to the press. She was the first African-American female rock singer to have a confrontational image, and her raw lyricism about the seedy and sexual underbelly of life made her both a cult favorite and a social pariah within African-American communities.

Esteemed poet, author and book publisher Jessica Care Moore conceived of a music celebration that would blend the talent of progressive black women artists and provide education on the participation of African-Americans in rock music. She first invited women musicians to perform Davis's songs in 2004, wanting to not only celebrate the inspiring singer but to also provide a platform for black women alternative music artists who, like Davis, are critically acclaimed but struggle to find success within the larger music industry.

Based on the sold out attendance at the concert, which took place on March 16th in Detroit, the Fourth Annual Black Women Rock concert served as an opportunity for black women artists not just to perform but to also speak openly about their experiences in being labeled 'different' for their musical and other creative ventures. In addition, local artists, such as Sabrina Nelson, painted portraits as the musicians performed.

Accompanied by the 10-piece, all-black female orchestra, which included veteran guitarist Kat Dyson, Toronto-based singer Saidah Baba Talibah opened the show and performed her hit "A Place Called Grace" from her excellent album, 2010's (S)Cream and momentarily stunned some onlookers ( and perhaps the smattering of children in the room) when she raunchily belted out Davis's "If I'm in Luck I Might Get Picked Up," as there were some surprised looks on some of the older ladies in the room when Talibah dropped and shimmied her way through the hard funk song. Poet Ursula Rucker performed three of her works, ending with the title track from her album, She Said. Detroit native Steffanie Christi'an was a powerhouse - a perfect example of the level of sheer talent that is ignored because an artist does not fit the physical aesthetic of what she is supposed to look like when performing rock music. Maybe she was momentarily possessed with the dual spirits of Davis and Tina Turner, as the singer exploded across the stage; her physical movements were just as powerful and intense as her vocals.

During her set Native/African-American Martha Redbone talked a bit about her work as a singer, songwriter and a prominent activist, noting that her independent artist status gives her the freedom to actively promote indigenous rights without worrying about an imposed image that is commonly given to women involved on major record labels. As a veteran Americana and soul artist, she provided much needed advice to the aspiring female musicians that what was most important about their music careers was the music itself, not empty promises of fame and fortune.

After a duet with poet Moore and Christi'an and a surprise dance performance from bellydancer Tene Dismuke, ouse of Baset singer Dionne Farris (formerly of the group Arrested Development) performed and all the artists took the stage to jam and to close out the evening.

It's fitting that the event took place in a city that, in some ways, has been just as dismissed as black women who perform alternative music. The concert epitomized the tenacity both Davis and Detroit represents: forgotten and often misunderstood, both remain strong. - Bitch Media

Detroit singer-songwriter Steffanie Christi’an is a Black woman who rocks — and she rocks hard. Although she can bless your soul with gospel and twerk to trap music, she’s truly a rock maven who deftly channels pioneers such as Rosetta Tharpe and Tina Turner. Christi’an is now poised to ascend to the next level with a tribute concert honoring Turner. Attendees will give thanks as she commands the stage at Nice and Rough: A Night With Steffanie and Tina, Wednesday, Nov. 23, at the Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit. Christi’an will perform songs from Turner’s catalog, along with some of her own material.

Recently, rolling out discovered the woman behind the music. She shared why she stays true to her craft, thoughts about Black artists’ acceptance in Europe, performance locations on her Bucket List and more.

Tell us about Nice and Rough.
Nice and Rough: A Night With Steffanie and Tina, is my musical tribute to one of my musical idols, Tina Turner. I’m going to be performing with a very dynamic nine-piece band. It’s 90 intense minutes of me, Tina, and just — giving you all I’ve got.

So it’s going to be part Tina, part Steffanie?
I’m performing music from Way Too Much, the album I released in 2014. I’m also performing music from It’s Complicated, that’s my release on Bling UniverCity that’ll be out in 2017. And I’m going to be performing music from throughout Tina’s career.

What made you decide to do Nice and Rough?
I can’t deny the comparisons between our voices, as well as our stage presence. I’ve always looked up to Tina for being a Black woman, singing rock ‘n’ roll, and just commanding the stage making a name for herself. When there was no one else trying to create that space for her, she did it on her own. A friend of mine talked to me about doing a tribute and I was like, “Why haven’t I ever thought of this before?” [So], I decided to put it in order.

What is it like for you, as a Black woman in rock music?
It’s a catch-22. For me, it’s very liberating to be able to perform the type of music that I like and that I want to do. It’s not a gimmick to me, I’ve always liked rock ‘n’ roll music ever since I was a little girl. I grew up during the beginning of the MTV era, and it had an indelible impact on me. But it also can very limiting in the sense that, somebody who sings R&B can go perform at a blues bar. Whereas someone like myself; I’m limited as to what type of shows I can do, who I can open for, what type of venues I can utilize.

Why continue with rock? Why not go to R&B?
Why should I? I don’t feel that I should have to. To me, music is universal and I don’t feel like I should be limited to singing a specific type of music that people want me to sing, or that I should be singing because I’m a Black woman. I love rock. It’s ridiculous to even have that conversation with people. It’s me. It’s who I am. It’s my music. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to listen to it. [But] you should not, not listen to it because it’s rock ‘n’ roll.

What is your inspiration for your music? Do you have a muse?
It sounds cliché, but life. The experiences that I go through or that I see my friends or my family or anybody go through. I can look at an experience and there’s a story in that. I might come up with a melody or I might come up with some lyrics, but it’s just life experiences.

What’s on your Bucket List for places where you want to perform?
I would love to perform at the Grammys and I would love to perform at Afropunk—that’s not so far away. I would love to tour Europe. I think that Europe is more open to Black rock artists. I like to experience an environment where people are more open to what I do.

Why do you think Black rock artists are better received overseas?
I don’t think that they have the same history as we do here in America and that has a lot to do with slavery. There’s an energy in Europe … they’re open to new things. They don’t feel like they own this type of music. This reminds me of the hoopla over Beyoncé performing at the Country Music Awards. Mainstream America is very possessive when it comes to their music. All music, pretty much in America, was built from the blues — from African Americans during slavery.

How do you balance your career and your personal life?
As a working mother, wife and artist, I won’t lie, it was difficult juggling life in general when I worked 40 hours a week. It was rough and took a lot of communication between my husband and I, making sure that we were always on the same page—especially with regards to our children. But now, since I have become a full-time artist, I have a lot more freedom and it is so much easier to balance my career and home life.

If you had one living artist and one deceased artist that you could write and record with it, who would it be and why?
I like weird sh*t. I like Mozart, I would love to do something classical with a rock twist. That would be exciting to me. I would also love to write and record with Bob Marley—oh and Nina Simone. There’s so many as far as being deceased. As far as alive, it would be Bjork and Tori Amos; they’re two of my biggest influences. They were my favorite artists, singers [and] songwriters when I was finding myself as a teenager.

What do you want people to get from the show?
Bringing this Tina Turner aspect into the show, I want to expose myself to a different audience. I also want to bring something new to the table for fans who’ve already seen me. Anytime I perform, I try to create a cathartic experience where we’re all feeling something.

When it’s all said and done, what would you like fans to associate with Steffanie Christi’an?
I want those who hear me or see me to think that I am a raw, but vulnerable, possessive — in the sense that I’m possessing the spirits of music and those who have come before me. I am paying tribute to those artists who I feel have groomed me in a sense that their music has helped to create who I am. I’m paying homage to them. I want people to leave with something. I want them to leave like, “Wow that changed me.”

If you like it nice and rough, check out more from Steffanie Christi’an at www.SteffChris.com. - Rolling Out Magazine

An end of summer soundtrack is a must-have for the last few backyard barbecues. Presented by the Detroit-based multimedia company BlingUniverCity, Summer Bling is an eclectic compilation featuring some of Detroit’s best underground artists. Produced primarily by “Dean” CoolBeanz, and executive produced by the featured artists, this album is for the grown and sexy who need to get their minds right. Whether you dig rock, R&B, hip-hop or jazz, Summer Bling can get the party lit and accompany the afterglow.

Breaking up the fantasy of the good life, “Life’s A Beach” is what happens when vacations end and real life begins. Female rapper Delaurian is flustered as the soothing sounds of the seaside are overpowered by the trill of her alarm clock. Those of us with 9-to-5s feel rock maven, Steffanie Christi’an as she summons strength to get through the workweek, anxiously awaiting “Satuhday.” Her velvety vocals speak to employees who yearn to break free as she repeats the bridge, “Satuhday should so be tomorrow/Everyday should be like a Satuhday.”

Pulsating drums and wiry synths surrounded by echoing vocals emit a cosmic vibe as singer-songwriter Ideeyah hips us to why “Famous Ppl Get High.” Her sultry vocals crush fabricated personas. It’s a testament to how the pressure to put up a front and impress others drives people to do strange things for fame. Delivering clever rhymes and mellifluous vocals are Pierre Anthony’s forte. On the mellow head-nodder, “My Influence,” he mesmerizes with a deft display of rapping and singing as he leads up to the hook: “See music got this power over me/That’s why I’m consistent … She’s everything I want and what I need/ She’s my therapy/She’s my influence.”

The sedate “So Famous This Summer” is a dope instrumental that’s perfect for relaxing and networking with cocktails. While “Tell Me” is reminiscent of De La Soul, as Grown Man (CoolBeanz and Diff Jones) keeps it real about getting to know a new bae. Their honesty will gain the respect of mature women while stirring curiosity.

Channeling The Foreign Exchange, Collective Peace contributes the album’s second instrumental, “Jummer Sam.” LaDarrel “SaxAppeal” Johnson‘s saxophone commands the lead on this transcendent masterpiece. Just like those warm summer nights that we don’t want to end, Zania Alaké expresses desire for an everlasting love on the ballroom ballad, “Summer Nights.” Alaké embodies soulful jazz with ease — working her Black girl magic.

“New” Detroit presents many opportunities, but some of them can be perceived as a gift and a curse. CoolBeanz and Delaurian remind us to stay conscious to gentrification in “City Folk.” Renovation and rebuilding often spark revolution, which is a sobering reality illustrated on this conscious track.

Impassioned sentiments and socially conscious themes coupled with a cohesive soundscape, make “Summer Bling” an essential addition to playlists. “Summer Bling” is available now on all streaming services. Visit www.blingunivercity.com to download the deluxe version. - Rolling Out Magazine