NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As Black History Month wraps up this week, you can celebrate Black female musicians on Sunday evening.
This is the second year of the Touched By Sun Fest, and it was started because the founder, Crystal Rose, was tired of Black women being boxed into specific genres, so she wanted to show the range they have.
Rose said that growing up as an artist she was always expected to be a jazz or r&b singer because she is a Black woman. However, she categorizes herself as "genre-fluid."
She moved to Music City in 2021 excited to chase her dreams as an artist, but noticed Black women were not getting the support she had hoped for.
So she started Touched By Sun Fest for other Black women artists to showcase their talents and support each other.
She said last year's festival was small and thrown together quickly, but then she and her co-organizers were awarded the Metro Arts Thrive Grant to make this year's event bigger and better, and she hopes it will only continue to grow.
Sunday there will be 9 performers from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Flamingo Cocktail Club on Houston Street in South Nashville.
The genres the artists will cover range from country and folk to R&B and rock.
"I think it's encouraging to see Black women create whatever they want to create. It's really easy to box in people, box in black women, box in artists, in any field," said Rose. "There's just freedom in seeing in seeing someone do what they are meant to do. It encourages people to do what they're meant to do as well."
There will also be art and vendors people can check out.
You can buy your ticket ahead of the event on Eventbrite.
Rhori recommends:
“Here’s another example of a small non-profit doing so much good in our community! Forrest Sanders highlights the group Friends Life Community, which provides adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities a chance to express themselves through art. In this case, original stage performances! Registered drama therapist Sarah Edwards guides the performers, including Mary Margaret, as they express themselves through written words and dance movements. The original show is touring and have a date set this September at TPAC!”
-Rhori Johnston
