welcome to afropunk: andre power

Every year, the AFROPUNK Festivals around the world welcome many new and young artists to its stages for the first time. This year, we decided to ask a few of them to introduce themselves to the AFROPUNK audience by answering some questions about who they are, where they come from, why they do what they do, and what brought them here.  This time around, it’s Andre Power, co-founder of the mighty Soulection community and artist collective, who’ll be DJing tunes at AFROPUNK Brooklyn.

Place of Birth and/or Residence:

I was born in Philadelphia, but I currently live in Los Angeles.

Short Description of What You Do:

Musically, I consider myself a DJ and a curator. I’ve been DJing for about five years, but have been curating music playlists and telling stories through music for about 10 years. There has always been a huge part of me that wants to create a soundtrack for every experience — for my life and for others — so that is what I do. My vibe is heavily influenced by my background, how I grew up, where I’m from and the surrounding areas – Philly, Baltimore, NJ, NY and DC.

What are your favorite things about where you are from, and what are your favorite things about local black culture where you are from?

My favorite thing about being born in Philadelphia is the heavy history of soul music because it has influenced and inspired so many artists. Some of the greatest and most respected artists in hip-hop, soul, R&B, jazz and many more genres are also from Philly.

If there was one or two core thoughts/ideas that you want your music to convey, what are they?

I want the music I share to take your mind, body and soul on a journey to a place that feels good. I obviously have a strong connection to the music I find myself listening to on a daily basis,  and I want other people to find their own escape in my music. I hope that by sharing it, I can not only help them on start their journey but also be able to create a connection with them during that journey, especially when I am playing live for them.  This music is the soundtrack my life and experiences.

What is your most recent musical project? What separates it from your previous musical/creative projects?

Since the beginning of 2016, I’ve been working on a creative audio/visual project titled ‘Getting Lost in Foreign Places’. This project goes back to my passion for curation, scoring and music supervision. Since January 2016, I’ve traveled to 20+ countries, where I spend alone-time exploring, capturing photos and videos, and documenting my experience. I then pair the videos with audio that I feel matches these moments. This theme, ‘Getting Lost In Foreign Places,’ is constantly inspiring me in my daily life and work. This project will evolve into a physical audio/visual show when I feel the time is right, and it is different from any project I’ve done because it’s something that will never end. I will always want to see, explore and document new places around the world.

When did you first hear of AFROPUNK? or Do you have any firsthand AFROPUNK experiences of your own?

About eight years ago when I first got into the music/art industry. The first time I attended AFROPUNK, I was excited not only for the music and the people, but for the energy and the presence of the people, my people. It was such a overwhelming visual  experience in the best way — of style and self expression — and to this day, there is still nothing else like it.

What are you looking forward to most when you play at AFROPUNK?

Making the people move and sharing all of the amazing newfound music I’ve gotten from traveling around the world. I’m also and always looking forward to connecting with other DJ’s and artists.

Anything else you want to say to the AFROPUNK audience as a way of an introduction to the audience?

AFROPUNK is more than a music festival, it is an epicenter for love, style and openness. A lot of the beliefs of the movement are the same beliefs and messages I share and feel on a daily basis, so I’m very humbled to be apart of such a power movement.

Catch Andre Power at AFROPUNK Brooklyn.