Still buzzing from their sold out debut showcase last month, Sounds Queer prepares to return to Paper Dress Vintage on Wednesday, 18th May 2022. The event will once again champion diverse voices and sounds from the LGBTQIA+ community, whilst providing a safe space for audiences within it.
Buy your ticket to Sounds Queer here
Sounds Queer have announce the first artist confirmed to play their next event is jazz-soul sensation and multi-instrumentalist Akin Soul. Raised on a diet of Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway and Corinne Bailey Rae amongst others, Akin creates jazzy beats that are oozing with soul and are bound to get those hips moving in no time. Akin will be joined by his band Akin Soul & The Soul Tribe, who have performed across London at All Points East Festival, Off The Cuff, The Garage and Pop Brixton to name a few.
Supporting Akin will be the one and only Abena Essah. Influenced a range of genres from soul, to indie, to R&B, Abena’s own sound can be described as open air – soulful, alternative and harmonic, capturing the nostalgia, struggle and joys growing into your skin, unearthing who you are, queerness and falling in and out of love. As a creative of many hats, they draw upon their skills as a poet to write lyrics in their music that feel warm and vivid. Abena Essah has performed their music, across different festivals and venues such as the Brainchild Festival, Grand Junction and the Southbank Centre with Outspoken Live. Currently Abena Essah is a Roundhouse Resident Artist and is working on their debut EP.
The evening will be hosted by London’s undeniably talented and multi-faceted drag queen Barbs, alongside our fabulous resident DJ Bestley, who will be providing intergalactic good vibrations throughout the evening.
“Despite London being a cultural hub for both music and the queer community, there are few live music nights whose priority it is to provide a platform for LGBTQIA+ artists. In addition to this, there is a lack of truly inclusive events, gigs or venues for emerging music that caters to the specific needs of the community”, co-founder Toby Corton explains. Run by music lovers and queer creators, Sounds Queer aims to provide a platform for those artists as well as a safe space for the community to discover and support them. You lucky devils.
Sounds Queer was founded by the artist-led collective VETA and queer creatives DYVR and Toby Corton. Toby has been making music since 2017 and his love of the creative process has led him to taking photos of drag queens such as the already legendary Bimini Bon Boulash and London Trans Pride Founder Lucia Blayke. DYVR is a non-binary artist and activist who creates ethereal, ambient-electronic loveliness and is also a founding partner and creator of the bespoke handmade jewellery line Queerings.
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Buy your ticket to Sounds Queer here
