Diandra Interviews Brittany Campbell: Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter! Period! Yet, it is the fear and questioning of this statement that proves, in and of itself, that they don’t matter equally. For Brittany Campbell, music helps her digest her fear for herself and friends at realizing history repeats itself, and black history has too many injustices and systemic sufferings to be repeated. Yet, what can we do, as a society, to heal? How much do we need to heal? From BLM to falling in love with her girlfriend while singing Schulyer Sisters in Broadway’s Hamilton, life is a ride for this songstress/ animator, but she is open to letting it lead.
Diandra: What has been the most difficult part of and the most hopeful aspect of the recent protests for BLM?
Brittany: I think the difficult part about participating in protests and having friends participate in the protests is the worry. I have a friend in Louisville who is doing such amazing work, but he is a black man and I just…I worry. I have another friend who was in a protest in Chicago (specifically the protest that aimed to take down the statue of Columbus). She described the tension between the police and the protestors…It’s so weird to digest this concept of being danger because of your skin color. It’s weird that there has been daily proof of this all over social media..all over the news..and I am made hyper aware of my black friends who are out there fighting.
The hopeful part is that protests are still going…more people are understanding that the statement Black Lives Matter is not an attack on their lives, nor is it a political statement…rather, it is fact and a fact that should be upheld. The hopeful part is that I’ve experienced people’s empathy grow. I’ve experienced my own empathy growing. The hopeful part is that this is such a shared experience, among all human beings, that we cannot help but to go through this, instead of around..we can’t bury it. It excites me for the future.
Diandra: Was there a particular instance that inspired “Matter”?
Brittany: Matter was written in a particularly difficult week. I had a few conversations with close friends that were strange. I’m from the east coast (New York to be exact) so this idea of racism is often treated like a thing of the past or something that isn’t a part of the culture of the city being so diverse. There, the effects of racism are much more in the underbelly, much more micro but nevertheless there..these conversations with my friends…my close friends..were the first time we had to acknowledge it…and it was awkward..and sad…confusing.
That same week, I watched my girlfriend (from the south) go through conversations with her friends. People were so scared even to talk about the movement at all…to talk about George Floyd… Breonna Taylor… so scared to bear the risk of upsetting their family members. It was hard to witness. I wrote “Matter” to the people I love to encourage introspection.
Diandra: When you see someone question or deny “Black Lives Matter,” as a movement or even a phrase, how do you see music as your way of countering or even healing that darkness?
Brittany: I think music has a way of disarming people. It’s that unexplainable magic thing that harmony and melody does. Because music can lead you into this more open space, it enhances your ability to listen to new thoughts and perspectives that may not be your own.
Diandra: Do you feel the music industry, especially in the last few months, has stepped up its initiatives of inclusivity and diversity or do you feel there is a long way to go?
Brittany: I think there’s a long way to go. I think the movement had certainly increased awareness of the importance of diversity and inclusivity …but I also think there are fundamental things about the music industry that perpetuate the opposite.
Diandra: Unfortunately, some people don’t see racism as a topic for or in association with environmental justice. Do you think we can we heal society in time to heal the earth, and how would you describe combatting racism as essential to combatting climate change?
Brittany: You know, I think it’s one and the same. Human beings have been building and functioning in a society that has been unhealthy for us in a lot of ways. In this time, when we are learning about each other (good or bad) and learning about ourselves (good or bad), we are growing. We are learning to look around… we are learning how to take better care of one another….As we are learning to expand the scope of our empathy, it has to trickle into how we treat our home (The Earth).
These are ongoing battles so we always gotta be thinking not only in terms of the present, but the future leading generations. I wanna segue into an organization called Abundant Beginnings. A portion of the proceeds from ‘Matter’ will be donated to them. I love what they are doing because they are teaching children about environmental change by fostering intergenerational land-based learning practices. It’s incredible.
Diandra: Mental Health is proving to be ESPECIALLY important during these times. What are the things you are doing to keep sane and serene?
Brittany: Therapy…therapy…therapy lol. I started therapy back in March and it has been such blessing in sifting through so many complicated thoughts.
I’ve also been exercising. It really does help to move your body..however you need to do it….get those endorphins going. I’ve been jump roping and biking a lot. Getting out into nature is always always so grounding.
Diandra: As an animator, how do you see music as a visual experience, and what lyric or song of your inspires a picture in your mind?
Brittany: I’ve always seen music. It’s been colors or, sometimes, even scenes in my mind. As a producer and songwriter, those visions guide the direction song. As an animator, I guess place scenarios on top of what I already see. So…I guess Im saying, all my music invokes pictures in my mind…its how it was created. I’m glad I get to play with that through animating.
Diandra: What animation tale, from manga to kid cartoons, would you love to convert into a song? Why and how?
Brittany: Howl’s Moving Castle….I’d love to make a song that feels like a slow growing spellbound love..
Diandra: Currently in love, what has your relationship taught you about inner peace?
Brittany; It’s taught me that finding your inner peace is so necessary to the healthiness of you relationship. When you explore yourself, work on having a better relationship with yourself, it really does effect how you interact with your partner.
Brittany Campbell – Mean [Official Video]
Diandra: Meeting in Hamilton, what is one of your favorite memory from the show?
Brittany: I feel like none of my favorite memories are appropriate lol. Let’s just say a lot of my favorite memories are with Candace. I do remember the first time we had to sing Schuyler Sisters together and discovered that our voices blended the way that they do (geek alert).
Diandra: What is your favorite childhood memory with music?
Brittany: The first time I heard the orchestra from the Metropolitan Opera stage.. that was a wow moment. I was 9 or 10…Another one was when my mom was braiding my hair … I was crying because I was tender headed…then I heard Whitney Houston come on the radio and everything sort of melted away. I was like 5 then… but I remember it so vividly.
Diandra: What are the qualities you most love about yourself as an artist and person?
Brittany: I love my resilience and my capacity to learn new things. I have always loved music…this animation thing came out of nowhere. I just really wanted an animated video and figured I could learn how through YouTube and trial and error…
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