KeAloha joins host Oceaan in this week's episode of Resonant Rest, to explore the intersectional identity that fuels the artistic process and empowers the soul journ of who we are. Together these two songweavers delve into the vital connection to ancestry and the stories we try to find and tell, while touching on the nuanced barriers of BIPOC artists in spaces and culture.

“Recently being on the front lines at Fairy Creek, music is just such a big part of these movements and completely shifts the energy and morale of a group and a situation.”

Multidisciplinary artist Vanessa LeFan joins host Oceaan Pendharkar in the penultimate episode of Resonant Rest.

Together, Vanessa and Oceaan discuss sustaining one’s body and time, especially within seasonal structures of work, to imagine and create new futures. They interrogate the grant system and the economic insinuations behind terms like “genre” and “emerging.” Vanessa also shares her dreams of reconnecting music and dance and what the frontlines of the Fairy Creek Blockade have taught her about the power and purpose of song.

And they geek out—just a little bit—about their shared theatre kid roots.

"I love basic income. I really believe in it. What would you do if you had, you know, even like, $1,000 a month? [. . .] I feel like we'd be able to follow what we actually want to do as artists more freely. You know, I would gladly can the grant system and just have a basic income for everybody."

A guitarist, recording engineer, and producer with a fondness for tinkering, Thomas Hoeller joins host Oceaan Pendharkar for this episode of the Resonant Rest podcast,

A collaborator at heart, Thomas shares how cultivating musical friendships feeds his growth as an artist. He speaks about developing his practice, making a shift towards recording and producing, and dreaming of an economic system that would support people’s basic needs and create space for art-making.

A special thank you to Thomas for his work supporting the post-production of this show!

“I think that the system that we live in makes us believe that once you pick a lane, that's the only lane that you have that's available to you and like: what do you mean, you can't just quit? Like, yeah, I can. Yeah, I can. We can all just stop.”

Episode 4 of Resonant Rest invites multidisciplinary artist, musician, and facilitator, Tonye Aganaba into conversation with host, Oceaan, to discuss building community, what it means to be an artist and an organizer and how we can dream of new worlds that are rooted in deep connection with each other.

"Someone said that you can't wait for inspiration. It's got to be discipline. And that's got to be like the most useless thing. That didn't work for me. I can't discipline myself into writing. I will just write. [...] I don't really see myself as a person that's going to be, like, a song machine."

In this episode of Resonant Rest, singer, songwriter, and voice teacher Carmina Rae speaks to host Oceaan Pendharkar about how the pandemic grew her ideas of value and independence, how to redefine productivity, and how not to be a song machine.

Oceaan and Carmina explore everything from the pros and cons of working for yourself versus working for others, adding and appreciating value outside of capitalist definitions — and even their ideal funerals.

“I would like to nurture a world in which non-binary and women musicians feel safe and comfortable, and inspired to do things themselves and not rely on any shitty producer. I'd like to remove toxic masculinity from the world — especially in the music industry.”

A multi-disciplinary artist, a writer of queer love poems, and a BIG dreamer, Anjalica Solomon joins the Resonant Rest podcast. They speak with host Oceaan Pendharkar about crushing self doubt, seasons and cycles of making art, and nurturing playfulness in music-making.

Anjalica shares their approach to a daily writing practice, and how rest and creativity go hand-in-hand for them. They talk to Oceaan about creating for the self and the spirit as a means of resisting capitalist modes of artistic production. We also hear about their dreams for a world beyond the scarcity mindset — where artists have space to experiment, make mistakes, grow, and thrive.

Singer, songwriter, and wonderful human Michael Tylo is the first ever guest on Resonant Rest! They talk to host Oceaan Pendharkar about feeding their creative practice through listening and experimenting, and feeding themself with self love, curiosity, and really good home cooked meals. 

Michael dreams of making music in an anti-capitalist reality and is finding ways to hold onto hope by visioning queer musical futures.

“As permanent as some things feel, it is possible for radical change.” - Michael Tylo

Music:

“Simpler Times” by Michael Tylo and Zayda, co-written by Zayda; produced/mixed by Michael

Welcome to Resonant Rest! Resonant Rest is a Grounded Futures podcast series about musicians and creative practice, rest, sustenance, dreams, and community. Through a series of conversations, we will explore these topics with musicians living on stolen Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) lands (so-called Vancouver). We are interested in collective learning, starting conversations that create real change, and imagining futures where everyone can thrive.

Resonant Rest is hosted by Grounded Futures’ Solo Together Podcast Resident, Oceaan Pendharkar.