In this episode, I sit down with New York Times acclaimed "striking mezzo-soprano" Raehann Bryce-Davis to discuss the lives and concerns of Black Opera Singers in 2021. Raehann updates us on the status of the opera industry post 2020 and the Black Opera Alliance's work towards antiracism in 2021 and beyond. raehann.com blackoperaalliance.com operaamerica.org Follow Me!  IG: instagram.com/my_oh_myah  FB: facebook.com/thornandthistlepod  TW: twitter.com/my_oh_myah

Has this ever happened to you: you’re a plucky aspiring artist in the classical space. You’ve done a summer program or two or ten. Maybe you’ve gotten roles. Maybe you haven’t. You’ve spent a significant portion of your meager muggle income on audition fees, coachings, collaborative artist fees, airfare, audition attire, that pesky degree(s). you spent 4-8 years getting, and oh yeah, a place to live and food to eat. The financial pressure, competitive atmosphere, emotional and physical strain, etc. is starting to weigh on you, especially after all your artistic plans for 2020 were either reduced, postponed, or canceled. The pressure to stay “on” and keep pressing in the hopes that one day you land a coveted season position with a company or whatever your ambition is starting to weigh on you. Maybe you had some unpleasant YAP experiences sprinkled amongst the good. Maybe they were all pretty unpleasant. You start to wonder, “Will this ever work out? Am I wasting my potential? Am I good enough? Can I sustain this? Should I give up?...” As a young artist, going through the process can often be draining, and it can feel like the passion you once had for the art is straining under the stress of an unforgiving industry. I think it’s time we talk openly about there life and struggles of the next generation of artists. I want to unearth a conversation that is too often dismissed. Let’s go deep and examine the taxing (and often exploitative) world of young artist programs and the classist, ableist, and racist experiences which can occur within them. Join me in what is essentially a group therapy sesh for our community.

Happy Valentine's Day! Celebrate with me by grabbing a sweet treat, slipping into something ~comfortable-, and tune in as I give my very official review of Malcolm & Marie and discuss some of my favorite takeaways from bell hooks' Love Bible", All About Love: New Visions. No need to have read the book or seen the film because I'll be giving you all you need to feel included. Of course l'l also delve into my relationship with love and the bumpy road of dating in your 20s in the 2020s. Please be my Valentine and tune in! Referenced: "All About Love: New Visions" by bell hooks "Malcolm & Marie" movie written/directed by Sam Levinson

Happy New Year!!! 2020 was rough and I need to vent but also express a little gratitude to the people and things that got me through all year. Come along for this T&T mini-sode to ring in the new year with me!

show notes coming soon

...notes coming soon

Recent UofM grad @jaimesharp walks me through what she's been up to since graduating this spring. We catch up and talk projects past, present, and upcoming AND Jaime shares some exclusives on the emergence and future plans of @operanexgen https://www.operanexgen.org/

Life is crazy and you might be thinking, "I should probably go (back) to therapy..." This one is for YOU! I go through my journey to starting and stopping and starting therapy throughout my life and then I tell you everything you need to know before you book an appointment. Learn what to expect from the process. You might be surprised that just like the dating game, you may need to put yourself out there more than once to find a therapist who is right for you! Join me for another trip through the bramble on this week's Thorn & Thistle

Thanks to @zipporahthevegan and @camtheevegan for sitting with me as we break down our vegan journeys, deconstructing vegan stereotypes, and exploring the cultural implications of being both black and vegan. A very chill episode you'll want to tune into whether you're a herbivore, carnivore, or omnivore. Dropping tonight @ 7 PM EST everywhere you get podcasts!

Join me this week as I talk with internationally acclaimed singer and vocal artist, Julia Bullock. Together we delve deep into her life and career, the communal and sacred property of musical spaces, dealing with the Young Artist blues and MORE! Bullock is extremely poignant and spot on as we navigate these tricky conversations and it was truly a pleasure to share a dialogue with her. We also touch on the controversy of the Richard Tucker Foundation, David Tucker, the Black Opera Aliiance, and Bullock's involvement in and response to the whole situation. It is a must-listen for sure!!