guest mix: Angry Grrrl Music of the Indie Rock Persuasion
Angry Grrrl Music of the Indie Rock Persuasion was inspired and cultivated from sifting through various playlists, so it’s only fitting for a Guest Mix to arrive here on The Grey Estates. My name is Amanda Starling and I host the podcast focused on creating a platform for non-men, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ artists and creatives throughout the music industry.
Angry Grrrl Music started as a project aimed to create a megaphone for marginalized voices and cultivate a community that was as inclusive as it was a showcase. I grew up with bands like Letters to Cleo and Hole floating the background of my bajillionth viewing of 10 Things I Hate About You, Paramore front and center in my radio pop punk phase, but never felt like I was truly represented or heard in a scene that was dominated by straight white men. As a young Mexican American woman, it was even harder to find people of color when the mainstream media was dominated by thin, pale women with straight hair whose stories were still driven by romantic narratives.
That is, until I started going to DIY shows with diverse lineups. I saw women, LGBTQIA+, and people of color playing a variety of instruments and roles, from the front person to the drummer to the tour manager. Sometimes it was entire tour packages finally lead by people who looked like me and knew my experiences. I was hooked on finding more, so I combed through playlists, compilations, and mixes to find who I had long hoped existed. I finally felt seen. But I knew that countless other people needed to be seen, too.
Like this playlist, I wanted to make a list to be able to show every time that a white cis man suggested there weren’t any other voices in music aside from his own. I wanted to make sure that we had a place to share our experiences and be met with understanding in lieu of scrutiny. I wanted to have conversations that would lead to progress.
Angry Grrrl Music of the Indie Rock Persuasion is about giving the mic back to the people who have something to say. It’s giving them their autonomy and ability to share their own story with no press filters or locked mainstream narrative. It’s a space to be as vulnerable or as silly as the artist wants - because at the end of the day, this is the story of the artist, the creative, the supporter that shapes the way we consume music.
If this sounds like sort of show you’d dig, episodes are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play Music, Podbean, and dozens of other podcast hosting platforms. We’re at over 5,000 streams and growing, with a website on the way that’ll aim to keep all of these spots for streaming together and allow artists a blog platform to share updates and opinions. Until that’s ready for launch, it’s all about the playlists and pod.
This mix includes my favorite songs from each of the podcast’s alumni, along with folks I call “Friends of the Pod” that have been huge supporters along the way. Here you’ll find dear friends like Slingshot Dakota and Expert Timing, rising stars like Retirement Party and Skatune Network, and vets that I’m honored to have met like A.W. and War on Women. It even includes some allies who’ve helped me along the way like Dikembe and Superhaunted, too.
This mix is a “thank you” to every person who’s given their time to chat on the pod, shared show, or helped spread the word. It’s a special thanks to those who have become my friend long after the episode has aired, too. Until next time, stay angry and share these voices with your friends.