Singer-songwriter and musician Shelley Nicole, frontperson of Shelley Nicole’s blaKbüshe, joins Our Black Gay Diaspora host Erick to discuss her career, which blends rock, soul, blues, jazz, and funk. Shelley shares the inspiration behind her acclaimed album I Am American, produced by Living Colour’s Vernon Reid, and her Afrofuturist electronic music project, The Tao of Abbey Lincoln. Shelley reflects on collaborating with Black Rock Coalition co-founders Greg Tate and Vernon Reid, performing at Lincoln Center, and entering NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest. She also explores the theme of honoring Black women in her anthem “Black Girls.” This conversation is about creative freedom, ancestral connection, and the enduring relevance of Black artistry.
","author_name":"Erick Taylor Woodby"}