Stance

Stance takes on Institutions and explores some of their inner workings and how best to navigate them with professor and journalist Gary Younge, economist and former head of the British Civil Service Gus O’Donnell, actor, campaigner and Chancellor of the University of Nottingham Lola Young and we look into the care system with @CPositivista. We profile Juno award-winning Musician and Composer Caribou who talks us through some of the tracks from his new record Suddenly.

Stance interrogates what Belonging means through tattoo art, literature, music and journalism as Chrystal Genesis is joined by guest editor, author, journalist, Artistic Director and CEO of The Bernie Grant Arts Centre, Hannah Azieb Pool. We explore the theme of Belonging through the lens of people of the African diaspora. In this original and eye-opening episode, SHINGAI tells us about her new record Ancient Futures, we catch up with journalistic giant Gary Younge as he leaves The Guardian for Manchester University and we talk tattoos with artists Jessica Horn and Laurence Sessou. Their new visual arts project The Temple of Her Skin examines the stories and aesthetics around African women and their tattooing journeys. In our Belonging feature, we speak to author Maaza Mengiste about her new novel, The Shadow King, which tells the story of female strength and is set during Benito Mussolini’s 1935 invasion of Ethiopia. And finally, we profile fashion powerhouse Duro Olowu to find out more about his background,

To celebrate our 3rd birthday, Stance Takes is back bringing you two live discussions on nightclub culture. We start with Beats, Racism and Strife as we explore prejudice and discrimination in the nightclub space over the decades. We examine how the commodification of black music intersects with racist door policies and politicized dance floors. We were joined by Grime legend Marci Phonix, writer and journalist Emma Warren, UK Father of the vogue house of Comme des Garçon Kartel Brown, and Soundsystem elder Clive Curniffe. The second talk covers the architecture and design of nightclubs. We talk about how the lack of accessibility to nightclubs raises questions as to how inclusive these spaces really are. The panel was made up of disability rights activist Joshua Hepple, Associate Professor of Design History at Kingston School of Art, Catherine Rossi, and award-winning teacher, architect and promoter Neil Pinder. Join the conversation @stancepodcast and do subscribe and write us a review. stancepodcast.com 

We unpack notions of Happiness through art and colour, celebrity, film, psychology and science as Chrystal Genesis is joined by guest editor, makeup artist Kay Montano. We learn more about The Queen of Happiness Florence Mills as we take a trip to Harlem. We visit the artist and teacher Vanessa Jackson RA who discusses colour and emotion and we catch up with Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Lauren Greenfield who talks power, happiness and wealth. We speak with Dr Laurie Santos from the Happiness Lab podcast who opens up about how we can become happier. Stance profiles Zackary Momoh, the British actor from London, and one of Hollywood’s rising stars for 2020 about his new film Harriet. Finally, onto a section, we call ‘Rites of Passage’ we ask broadcaster and chef Andi Oliver and author and editor, Nikesh Shukla, to share a piece of literature that deeply resonates with them and makes them happy.

We explore film, music, literature and visual art as Chrystal Genesis is joined by guest editor, journalist and director of Bare Lit Festival, Mend Mariwany. We investigate the theme of The Disappeared as we head to Iraq to cover an estimated 250,000 to 1 million people who have disappeared without a trace. We look at the forgotten histories of those that have reappeared through the writer and academic Saidiya Hartman’s new book Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments. Plus, we visit Mexico City, often referred to as The Sinking City which may soon disappear if radical action isn’t taken. Stance profiles NYC singer and producer Amber Mark to hear about her new EP What If and dig into her unique sound and global influences. Finally, we explore the city of Philadelphia to check out its incredible mural art scene with organisation Mural Arts. Join the conversation @stancepodcast and do subscribe and write us a review. stancepodcast.com

Chrystal Genesis welcomes guest editor Jemma Desai, film curator and writer. We explore mothering as a radical and transformative force in the world, with reports from Cape Town, Leeds, Seattle and London. We talk to musician and producer Kindness, whose new album celebrates joy, resilience and community through funk, pop, Indian folk, deep house and nineties girlgroup harmonies. Finally, we head to Sri Lanka to learn how its rich history of puppetry is helping to heal wounds, a decade on from the civil war. Join the conversation @stancepodcast and do subscribe and write us a review.

In this special summer episode, Stance features Deborah Colker, the legendary Brazilian choreographer and creative mind behind the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics. We speak to writer Kerry Hudson about her memoir, Low Born, that charts life growing up poor in 80’s & 90’s Britain. And Stance heads to Grange Park Opera to speak to Wasfi Kani, the woman bringing South Carolina’s Porgy and Bess, to the English countryside. Visit stancepodcast.com

Stance travels to Manchester to explore and celebrate its extraordinary LGBTQ+ history and why it’s been consistently judged as one of the best places in the world to be LGBT. We catch up with Chicago born singer, songwriter and poet Jamila Woods to find out more about her album LEGACY! LEGACY! that celebrates 12 of her heroes and icons from the African diaspora, along with the cultural lineage they have created for her. Lastly, Stance covers Smack That, a play currently touring the UK, inspired by real stories of domestic violence and abuse.

Stance meets award-winning writer Valeria Luiselli. We speak to her about her life and what influenced her new book The Lost Child Archive, which has been longlisted for the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction. We head to the East Bay, California, to learn about the disability rights movement for artists and we visit Creative Growth, the world’s first and largest non-profit centre dedicated to artists with disabilities. And lastly, we profile electronic music collective KOKOKO!. Formed in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, they have been hailed as creating a new and exciting sound that is radical and energetic in a country where political instability has been almost consistent.

Stance catches up with actor and director powerhouse Adjoa Andoh to find out more about her production of Shakespeare’s Richard II showing at the Globe Theatre in London. It’s the first UK show to be produced entirely by people of colour - front and backstage. Stance flew to Bergen in Norway to check out Borealis, an experimental music festival showcasing everything from music to performance art to dance. Voices featured include Last Yearz Interesting Negro, Juliana Huxtable, Colin Self, B L A C K I E and more. Stancepodcast.com @stancepodcast

In this episode, we catch up with London singer and producer NAO to hear about her acclaimed second album, Saturn. Plus, we explore the many faces of modern yoga - including the voices driving for greater representation in the wellness space, the people that call themselves ‘yogis’, the cult-like controversy surrounding the founder of Bikram yoga, LA’s first instructor that teaches from a wheelchair, and the artist that started the movement #WhitePeopleDoingYoga. Stance is an award-winning arts, culture and current affairs podcast. Stancepodcast.com @stancepodcast 

In our Women + Islam feature - we examine the rise of US political figures like Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib; have a discussion with women from the Arab Diaspora; we uncover the practice of Islam shrouded in mystery - Sufism; and we hear from one of the writers in a seminal new essay collection called It’s Not About the Burqa. This month, we are in conversation with actor and rapper, Paigey Cakey, from Hackney, East London. Lastly, Stance reports from La Colonie - a radical art space and haven for young artists and intellectuals in Paris looking to open up the debate and challenge France’s post-racial stance, created by artist Kader Attia. Stance is an international award-winning arts, culture and current affairs podcast.  Stancepodcast.com @stancepodcast

This month, we kick off the new year with an exploration of language in our feature, “Way With Words”. How do we preserve our most endangered languages? How does a dialect become a language? Do labels like “Womxn”, “LGBTQIA”, “people of color” and “Latinx” empower or hold people back? What happens when a command of written and verbal language no longer separates robots from humans? We’ll dig into these questions and more with Animesh Garg, Robotics research scientist at Stanford; Dr. Helen Beer, Yiddish teacher at  University College London; Genesee Johnson, professor at Harvard; Mel Y Chen, Associate Professor of Gender & Women's Studies at UC Berkeley, and writer, Yara Rodrigues Fowler. We also speak with Armina Mussa, visual artist and creative director of Saint Heron - a multidisciplinary creative agency founded in 2013 by Solange Knowles. Armina shares how a life-changing incident has helped her find her voice in her art. Lastly, we revisit our MIND series exploring links between design and mental he

On Beauty - Stance explores its value in society, the ethics surrounding beauty ideals, the objects we treasure, and the beauty rules of Drag. Stance speaks with artist Naeem Mohaiemen, Turner Prize Nominee, to find out more about his work. And in our current affairs piece, we investigate how neuroscience is being used to promote greater wellbeing in cities, with a new generation of scientists, architects and policymakers. stancepodcast.com @stancepodcast 

How can we re-imagine political power? What is the role of culture in the current political climate? These were the questions framing the YBCA 100 Summit in San Francisco - an event recognizing some of the most exciting people, organizations and movements changing society for the better. Stance caught up with this year’s honorees Janet Mock; Tarana Burke; Nnedi Okorafor; Rafael Casal, as well as YBCA's Marc Bamuthi-Joseph to hear their takes. Stancepodcast.com @stancepodcast ybca.org   Music Credits: Janelle Monae - I Like That Blood Orange - Jewelry ft Janet Mock J Dilla - Rebirth is Necessary Sun Ra - Space is the Place Public Enemy - Fight the Power

In our first ever podcast, as President Trump took office we talked about the rise of the demagogue. Nearly two years on, the bitter fight for control of Congress is playing out in front of our eyes. Stance looks at how global relationships with democratic participation has changed and is shifting in a period of rapid technological and political upheaval. We profile Sayaka Murata, a multi-award winning author in Japan who’s making waves with her acclaimed novel Convenience Store Woman. And for our arts piece, we speak to two poets from opposite sides of the Atlantic, Fatimah Asghar and John Cooper Clarke, about their new collections. Stance is an award-winning arts, culture and current affairs podcast. Stancepodcast.com @stancepodcast

In this episode of Stance Takes - we celebrate Black History Month in the UK and hear whether new ideas around representation and diversity are challenging the old stale orthodoxy. Stance co-host Chrystal Genesis takes her son to the British Library’s exhibition celebrating 70 years since the Empire Windrush. They share stories of their history against a backdrop of Marcus Garvey, Darcus Howe and Una Marson. We speak to Farzana Khan, a producer and award-winning arts educator currently coordinating the Black Cultural Activist Map with the Stuart Hall Foundation, to celebrate and restore stories of forgotten cultural activists. We also meet the people behind Knights Of, a new publishing house overturning conventional wisdom in literature. Stancepodcast.com @stancepodcast Stance Takes is a new experimental series outside of Stance Podcast’s regular format, covering entertainment, in-depth interviews and the ideas framing our conversations. Our first episode of Stance Takes was selected as “Podcast of the Week”

This month, Stance explores what has been hailed as a new era in masculinity, a year on from the launch of the #metoo movement. Stance dissects society’s idea of masculinity and how this is being challenged and reshaped, with voices including Emmy-winning filmmaker Deeyah Khan. Stance profiles the award-winning acclaimed poet, musician and writer Kate Tempest, and speak with Emmy award-winning director and actor and winner of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize, Desiree Akhavan, ahead of the launch of her highly anticipated new TV show, The Bisexual.  Stancepodcast.com @stancepodcast 

Introducing Stance Takes: an experimental mini episode outside of Stance's regular format, covering entertainment, in-depth interviews and the ideas framing co-founders, Chrystal Genesis and Heta Fell’s conversations. The first Stance Takes will explore the cultural significance of award-winning surrealist TV drama comedy, “Atlanta” by FX. Donald Glover has been described as a “one of Hollywood’s most exciting and in-demand creative minds” today and he recently made history as being the first black person to win an Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a comedy series. Expect an immersive audio experience filled with music, expert analysis and snippets from the hit series as its second season comes to a close. Stance is an award-winning podcast exploring arts, culture and current affairs, from diverse, global perspectives. Stancepodcast.com

Stance explores the notion of Coming of Age, what it means to young people, how it's expressed and celebrated across many cultures and depicted through film and felt through music. We speak to award-winning playwright and poet Inua Ellams about his critically acclaimed play Barber Shop Chronicles which is now touring internationally. And, lastly we catch up with Eno Williams, the lead singer of African Electronic 8-piece band, Ibibio Sound Machine. Note: This episode contains occasional swearing. Find out more: Stancepodcast.com