Reclaiming Folk is a celebration of people of color in Folk Music. Folk Music is traditional music, folk music is storytelling, folk music is music of the people, folk music is a voice for what’s happening in the world today.
In our society, there is often no space for marginalized people to tell their stories. Reclaiming Folk seeks to make space for musicians of color to tell their stories and tell the stories of our past, so that our future can be a more inclusive place for all. We are Reclaiming Folk, because history has forgotten that people of color have always been at the root of American Folk music. From field calls to Blues to Gospel, the origin of American Folk Music is connected to people of color.
This program includes a 60 minute performance by three Massachusetts-based, folk artists of color singing songs in a round. Each musician will play original songs and one traditional folk song by a musician of color. Following the performance will be a 30 minute talk back and discussion where the musicians will talk about their songs and their experience as folk musicians and then the discussion will open up to a Q&A.
Questions? Contact Kerry: keodonnell@somervillema.gov
About the Creator:
Naomi Westwater (they/she) is a queer, Black-multiracial singer-songwriter from Massachusetts. Their work combines folk music, poetry, and spirituality. Their hope is that through ritual and storytelling they can aid nature in the end of capitalism and the return of community, creativity, and collective joy. Naomi holds a Master of Music in Contemporary Performance and Production from Berklee College of Music and she is a part of The Club Passim Folk Collective, where she produces Re-Imagining Lilith Fair: a tribute to the feminist music scene of the 1990s with an intersection lens for today. Naomi was nominated for a 2021 and 2022 Boston Music Award for best singer-songwriter, and has been featured in The Boston Globe, Under The Radar, WBUR, Vanyaland, WGBH, Allston Pudding, and The Bluegrass Situation. Naomi is on faculty at Club Passim and Not Sorry Productions teaching songwriting, tarot, and poetry, and leads the Boston Chapter of We Make Noise. She is also an event producer and has produced shows at The Apollo Theatre, The Beacon Theatre, The Bell House, and more. Currently, Naomi is producing a series called Reclaiming Folk: A Celebration of People of Color in Folk Music.
About the Performers:
Lydia "LovelySinger” Harrell is one of Boston’s finest musical treasures. Her sultry, soulful voice and evocative songwriting have garnered her the attention and respect of the nation’s finest musicians and venues. Jazz/Soul is where her heart is, however, Lydia has shown an unbreakable ability to mold herself into any musical situation. Be it performing with the Boston Pops, serenading NBA fans with America’s National Anthem, or lending her vocal talents to a chart-topping deep house singles by British record label, Reel People Music, Lydia’s dedication to extracting the pure essence of song goes virtually unmatched. Lydia consistently performs more than 150 shows a year not only as a solo act, but also in collaborations with other artists such as world renowned Jazz musician, Bobby Floyd and as one-half of the background singing duo, The Lady Parts (providing backing vocals for artists such as Zap Mama, Ryan Montbleau and many more). Some of her notable musical accolades include singing lead on a Bob Marley Tribute Album distributed by Sony Music Latin, winning the 2015 Duke Ellington Jazz Vocal Competition, performing at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, NYC (2016), winning the 2017 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival Voice Competition and winner of the Best Song at the 48 Hour Film Project Boston. In addition to her accomplishments as a musical artist, Lydia is a film/TV, voiceover and theatre actress. She has appeared in many commercials, films and theatre productions. In March 2023, she released her first single that she composed, performed and produced in many years, Don't Let It. Since being a part of the Club Passim Folk Collective, Lydia has become inspired to record several new projects all coming very soon. Lydia is also a voice instructor at, one of the top music colleges in the world, Berklee College of Music and Berklee Online.
Anju (they/she) is a singer, songwriter, producer, and performer shaped by the people and places in Minnesota and Massachusetts. Their music conjures imaginary lovers, scents of citrus, and visions of hairy brown skin under the sun. Anju’s work has been highlighted by NPR’s All Songs Considered, Rolling Stone India, and Minnesota Public Radio’s The Current. She is currently teaching piano, violin, and guitar to young musicians and working on their debut full-length album. You can connect and follow their journey @anjutunes on social media and www.anjutunes.com.
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Somerville Arts Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
