{"id":50554,"date":"2016-12-11T23:38:51","date_gmt":"2016-12-11T23:38:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mixedracestudies.org\/?p=50554"},"modified":"2016-12-12T00:04:01","modified_gmt":"2016-12-12T00:04:01","slug":"event-review-salena-goddens-livewire-album-launch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mixedracestudies.org\/wp\/?p=50554","title":{"rendered":"Event Review: Salena Godden\u2019s #LIVEwire Album\u00a0Launch"},"content":{"rendered":"

Event Review: Salena Godden\u2019s <\/strong><\/em>#LIVEwire<\/strong> Album\u00a0Launch<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Welcome to the MA in Black British Writing<\/a>
\nThe world-first Masters programme in Black British literature at Goldsmiths, University of London<\/em>
\n2016-12-09<\/strong><\/p>\n

Heather Marks<\/strong><\/p>\n

Soho<\/a> holds many secrets, and last night revealed one of them to be Salena Godden\u2019s<\/a> spoken word album launch at Carnesky\u2019s Finishing School<\/a>. Descending the steps into the basement of the old Foyles<\/a>, I was met by the gaze of pop art portraits at every turn, until I entered the intimate setting for the evening\u2019s entertainment. Against the brightly lit stage, I slunk into the oh-so-Soho dimly lit claret background to watch the evening unfold…<\/p>\n

…Salena Godden took to the stage to perform some of her poems to an eagerly awaiting audience. Godden delved into The Good Immigrant<\/em> <\/a>to read her excerpt \u2018SHADE\u2019. Lines such as \u201cSome days I look like Beyonc\u00e9<\/a>, some days I look like Rihanna<\/a>\u201d touched on colourism<\/a> and its exotification of light skinned black women. Other lines like \u201cIt all depends on the filter and the time of year\u2026it depends on what point people are trying to make\u201d spoke to the oft-touted lie of \u2018not seeing people\u2019s colour\u2019 as Godden listed the world events which do and do not make the news \u2013 \u201coh, Boko Haram<\/a> black? No, not today\u201d. Godden spoke to the world around her and kept her work current, making reference to the refugee crisis in Calais<\/a> in her readings from \u2018SHADE\u2019,\u00a0and Can\u2019t Be Bovvered<\/em><\/a> from her album LIVEwire<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0Godden threw punches at colourism and political inaction, \u00a0and the frustration one could sense in her words\u00a0landed well with the audience…<\/p>\n