Ep. 70: Singer and Multi-Instrumentalist Emma-Jean Thackray on Owning Her Inner Weirdo

Writer, DJ, lecturer and creative provocateur Elijah joins Chrystal Genesis to talk about his new book Close The App, Make The Ting: Transformative Prompts For The Modern Artist. In this wide-ranging conversation, they chat about how his Yellow Squares project has grown from Instagram prompts into a global project of installations, lectures, billboards, and collaborations. They dig into his early story in London’s independent music and art scenes, co-founding influential grime label Butterz, his thoughts on his Jamaican heritage, and the complex beauty of Black British identity. Together, they chat about creative sustainability, echo chambers, and how embracing friction and feedback can power visionary work. This episode is a fabulous dive into ideas built to push culture forward. If you like what you heard, please leave a review, subscribe, and explore more at stancepodcast.com and on socials @stancepodcast. Stance is Hosted by Chrystal Genesis and Produced by Etay Zwick. Referenced In This Podcast & Show Notes: Butterz Linktree Elijah IG Make The Ting by Elijah & Jammz

Singer, composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Emma-Jean Thackray joins Chrystal Genesis to talk about her new album, Weirdo, an ambitious, deeply personal project written, performed, produced, mixed, and arranged entirely by Emma-Jean in her South London flat.  In this episode, they discuss how grief, neurodivergence, and resilience shaped the record, which blends elements of jazz, funk, soul, grunge, and pop. They explore her early path into musicianship, how isolation and creativity came together in the making of Weirdo, and why embracing your weirdness can create a powerful sense of self. The conversation touches on vulnerability, community, and finding your home in music, with tracks from Weirdo, out now via Brownswood Recordings and Parlophone Records, featured throughout. If you like what you heard, please leave a review, subscribe, and explore more at stancepodcast.com and on socials @stancepodcast. Stance is Hosted by Chrystal Genesis and Produced by Etay Zwick. Referenced In This Podcast & Show Notes: Wanna Die by Emma-Jean Thackray  It's Okay by Emma-Jean Thackray feat. Kassa Overall Black Hole by Emma-Jean Thackray feat. Reggie Watts Maybe Nowhere by Emma-Jean Thackray   

Musician and artist Goya Gumbani joins Chrystal Genesis in New York’s East Village ahead of his live show to talk sound, style, Miles Davis, and his new album, Warlord of the Weejuns. In this episode, the Brooklyn-born, South London-based artist reflects on the cultural influences behind his dreamy, laid-back record, where the storytelling of New York hip-hop meets London’s jazz edge. Recorded just after soundcheck, their conversation glides through fashion, food trucks, friendship, and family, with Warlord of the Weejuns, out via Ghostly International, threaded throughout. The album features contributions from Fatima, Yaya Bey, Joe Armon-Jones, and more, and is a meditation on self-expression, Black cultural lineage, and the quiet power of doing things your way. If you like what you heard, please write us a review, subscribe and check out more of our work at stancepodcast.com and all podcasting apps & socials @stancepodcast This podcast was hosted by Chrystal Genesis and produced by Lauren Davies & Etay Zwick.  Referenced In This Podcast & Show Notes Goya Gambani IG Buy Goya Gumbani's Music Here Music Used In This Podcast: Driftin' Interlude feat. Pearl De Luna by Goya Gumbani. Beautiful BLACK by Goya Gumbani. Chase the Sunrise feat. Yaya Bey & lojii & Fatima by Goya Gumbani.  Manuva(s) feat. Joe Armon-Jones by Goya Gumbani. FireFly feat. Fatima by Goya Gumbani. Nothin’ to Say by Goya Gumbani.  

Marie Mitchell joins Chrystal Genesis at home in Harlem for a cooking lesson and conversation, drawn from her debut cookbook, KIN: Caribbean Recipes for the Modern Kitchen. In this episode, Marie teaches Chrystal how to finally master a classic Caribbean staple while sharing the stories, memories and legacy behind the food. As the daughter of Jamaican-born parents, Marie’s approach to cooking is about bringing people together through flavor, history and conversation. Her debut book KIN goes far beyond the usual jerk chicken with rice and peas, weaving together more than 80 recipes from saltfish fritters and aubergine curry to dumplings, pineapple punch and provisions, alongside essays and reflections that trace cultural connections across histories, geographies and generations. Over the stove and around the table, Chrystal and Marie explore the many layers of Caribbean cuisine, from the role of intuitive cooking to the importance of honoring the past while making space for the future. KIN marks the beginning of a longer journey, spotlighting the dishes, subtleties and often-overlooked stories that shape Caribbean food. If you like what you heard, please write us a review, subscribe and check out more of our work at stancepodcast.com and all podcasting apps @stancepodcast This podcast was produced by Etay Zwick. Presented by Chrystal Genesis. Referenced In This Podcast & Show Notes KIN Cookbook Marie Mitchell Website  

Stance visits London to explore the Tate Gallery show The 80s: Photographing Britain with campaigner Marc Thompson. The exhibition examines how photographers used the camera to respond to the seismic social, political, and economic shifts of the era, including the rise of Thatcherism, race uprisings, and the AIDS epidemic. It highlights photography as a vital tool for social representation, cultural celebration, and artistic experimentation, spanning landscapes, self-portraiture, and social documentary during this pivotal and highly creative period. Marc Thompson, a Brixton-born cultural leader and prominent British campaigner with over three decades of experience in HIV activism and education, joins Chrystal for a tour of Tate Britain. Together, they engage with the works of photographers such as Ajamu X and Rotimi Fani-Kayode, discussing the legacy of Black queer voices in shaping modern Britain, the cultural significance of Brixton as a hub for activism, creativity and nightclubs, and the ongoing fight for healthcare equity faced by marginalized communities today. If you like what you heard, please write us a review and check out more of our work at stancepodcast.com and all podcasting apps @stancepodcast This podcast was produced by Etay Zwick. Referenced In This Podcast & Show Notes Mark Thompson Linktree Marc Thompson IG London HIV Prevention Resident Survey Black & Gay Back InBlack & Gay Back In The Day IGThe Day Black & Gay Back In The Day Podcast Lost Spaces Podcast - Queer Nation (with Marc Thompson)  PrEPster Love Tank Black Health Matters Do It London - HIV Prevention Interview with Marc Thompson in London Friend  Article about Marc Thompson in The Voice We Were Always Here Podcast hosted by Marc Thompson Tate Britian The 80s: Photographing Britain at the Tate Artists include: Online Gallery of Rotimi Fani-Kayode's Photography Black British Artists 1980s Archive Pogus Caesar  Martin Parr's Ajamu X's website Dave Lewis's website  Susanne Roden Anna Fox's website Derek Bishton's website Jason Evans website  Reflections of the Black Experience: Brixton Art Gallery, 1986. PV Card, Poster, Catalogue, Time Out, Echoes & LAM Reviews A Review of an exhibition of Rotimi Fani-Kayode's work  

Stance is back with singer and dancer Moonchild Sanelley as we approach our 8th year on air! In Season 4, Chrystal Genesis explores the people, places, stories, and ideas shaping our creative world. And with that, we head to South Africa to hear about Full Moon, the upcoming album from Port Elizabeth-born, Jo’burg-based singer, dancer and businesswoman Moonchild Sanelly. Born Sanelisiwe Twisha, she was raised on dance routines and church choirs and has since created a sound that’s entirely her own, which she calls Future Ghetto Funk—an eclectic fusion of hip hop, punk rock, house, and dance-pop with South African gqom and kwaito. She has also collaborated with artists like Beyoncé, Self Esteem, Nile Rodgers, Ezra Collective, and Gorillaz. Chrystal sat down with her to discuss her third studio album, Full Moon, her patented teal Moonmop hairstyle, and the inspiration behind her new record's themes of sexuality, reclaiming power, motherhood, vulnerability and forgiveness. If you like what you heard, please write us a review and check out more of our work at stancepodcast.com and all podcasting apps @stancepodcast This podcast was produced by Etay Zwick with additional support from Zara Martin. Music used in this podcast: Scrambled Eggs by Moonchild Sanelly with thanks to Transgressive Records Do My Dance by Moonchild Sanelly with thanks to  Transgressive Records Big Booty by Moonchild Sanelly with thanks to  Transgressive Records Gwara Gwara by Moonchild Sanelly with thanks to  Transgressive Records Demon by Moonchild Sanelly & Sad Night Dynamite with thanks to Transgressive Records With Love To An Ex by Gorillaz featuring Moonchild Sanelly with thanks to Parlophone Records  Big Man by Moonchild Sanelly and Self Esteem with thanks to  Polydor Records  

After seven years of Stance which has spanned over 64 episodes of arts, culture and current affairs, 8 insightful Stance Takes shows, the growth of Stance Studios, multiple awards, and over 30 in-person events across the globe, we present our final show from season 3! In this episode, Chrystal Genesis takes a look at creativity, storytelling and what it means to be human through literature, music, history and culture. We speak with musician and producer Kamaal Williams who chats about his latest album, Stings, his enduring faith, and the layered creative influences behind his music. Author LaToya Watkins discusses her new collection of short stories Holler, Child, set in Texas, and talks about how using method acting brings her closer to the the characters she writes about. Artist and composer, Cochemea discusses working with Sharon Jones as part of the Dap-Kings, and his album Vol. II Baca Sewa, which connects ancestry, memory and improvisation. Musician and multi-instrumentalist, Sinkane shares the inspirations behind his new upcoming record, We Belong, celebrating black creativity and joy. Ahead of semi-retirement, we hear from some of our guest editors who reflect on their experiences collaborating with Stance. If you like what you heard, please write us a review and check out more of our work at stancepodcast.com and all podcasting apps @stancepodcast

On Stance, we explore the question: what does it mean to be a Jewish person of color in America today? We chat with a range of voices from this growing demographic, in the worlds of philosophy, pop culture, community organizing, and journalism.  Plus, we cover music with Jazz Musician Enji to learn more about her mesmerizing new record, Ulan. At a Sukkot celebration, a few members of the Jews of Color Initiative team, Jade Groobman, Sarah Starks and Riki Robinson, discuss their hopes, dreams and their work building more community in Jewish spaces. CEO of Jews of Color Initiative, Ilana Kaufman takes us through their mission to build a professional, organizational and communal space for Jews of Color. She discusses the importance of accurately capturing data about Jews of Color, and of empowering them into leadership roles. Writer, Hanah Bloom, tackles the model minority myth twice over in her essay about being a Japanese American Jew, published in Hey Alma, a contemporary online community. She reads her essay and chats about some of the responses that followed. Professor of Philosophy and Global Affairs, Lewis R. Gordon offers us another glimpse into the diverse history of Jewish peoples, as he shares his experience navigating between the Jewish community in Jamaica and the Jewish community in the US. We end this topic with Robin Washington, a journalist and Editor-At-Large for The Forward, a US Jewish news and culture publication founded in 1897. He reflects on what it means to be a Black Jew after the horrors of October 7. We chat with vocalist and composer Enji about her musical journey and the inspiration behind her third solo album, Ulaan. Enji’s unique and expansive sound combines jazz, contemporary folk, and the ancient Mongolian musical tradition of Long Song. She talks with us about how combining the creative freedom of jazz with her Mongolian heritage enables her to express more of her authentic self. If you like what you heard, please write us a review and join the conversation at stancepodcast.com and all podcasting apps @stancepodcast @chrystalgenesis

This show explores Harlem, one of New York City’s most historic and noteworthy places. Co-hosted by special guest, Vita, she joins her mum, Stance’s host and founder Chrystal Genesis to highlight some of their favorite places. As residents of the area, they visit a handful of their favorite spots, spanning film, food and nature to uncover what continues to make Harlem one of the most distinctive pockets of NYC.  Through independent filmmaking at Maysles Documentary Center, we chat with lead educator Art Jones about their one of a kind cinema space, filmmaking as a creative medium and the importance of community-first programming. At Sugar Hill Creamery we speak with co-founder Petrushka Bazin Larsen about founding Harlem’s only family owned ice cream store, the relationship between ice cream and Harlem’s community, and Vita gets to taste test a few of their seasonal flavors. Stance connects with The Brotherhood Sister Sol, a social justice organization empowering young people of color through community and environmental change. Chrystal and Vita visit their Green Youth Market and meet with senior manager, Nando Rodriguez, to find out how urban farming enriches the Harlem community. We end with music from New Yorker, Cameroonian American musician and songwriter, Vagabon, on her new record Sorry I Haven’t Called exploring joy after grief. All music used in this podcast is from Vagabon’s new album Sorry I Haven’t Called. With thanks to Nonesuch Records.  This show was producer Zara Martin.  If you like what you heard, please subscribe, write us a review and join the conversation at stancepodcast.com and all podcasting apps @stancepodcast @chrystalgenesis Visit Stance's website at stancepodcast.com .com for more info and links from this episode. 

How do we tap into sources of hope, compassion and humanity during such turbulent times? This episode of Stance explores this question through the lenses of philosophy, poetry, and music. Professor Lewis R. Gordon is a philosopher, musician, and historian whose areas of focus include existentialism, Africana philosophy, social and political theory, theories of race, and philosophies of liberation and education. He speaks with us about compassion, politics and power during periods of uncertainty and upheaval. Poet, writer and multidisciplinary artist, Fariha Róisín shares her latest poetry collection, Survival Takes A Wild Imagination, and reflects on hope, humanity, and imagining new futures. Soul artist, singer-songwriter and lawyer, Danielle Ponder introduces to us her compelling debut album, Some Of Us Are Brave, an anthem of resilience and hope. This show was producer Zara Martin. Special thanks to Im Genesis and Etay Zwick. If you like what you heard, please subscribe, write us a review and join the conversation at stancepodcast.com and all podcasting apps @stancepodcast @chrystalgenesis Visit Stance's website at stancepodcast.com for more info and links from this episode.