NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As Black History Month wraps up this week, you can celebrate Black female musicians on Sunday evening.
This is the second year of the Touched By Sun Fest, and it was started because the founder, Crystal Rose, was tired of Black women being boxed into specific genres, so she wanted to show the range they have.
Rose said that growing up as an artist she was always expected to be a jazz or r&b singer because she is a Black woman. However, she categorizes herself as "genre-fluid."
She moved to Music City in 2021 excited to chase her dreams as an artist, but noticed Black women were not getting the support she had hoped for.
So she started Touched By Sun Fest for other Black women artists to showcase their talents and support each other.
She said last year's festival was small and thrown together quickly, but then she and her co-organizers were awarded the Metro Arts Thrive Grant to make this year's event bigger and better, and she hopes it will only continue to grow.
Sunday there will be 9 performers from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Flamingo Cocktail Club on Houston Street in South Nashville.
The genres the artists will cover range from country and folk to R&B and rock.
"I think it's encouraging to see Black women create whatever they want to create. It's really easy to box in people, box in black women, box in artists, in any field," said Rose. "There's just freedom in seeing in seeing someone do what they are meant to do. It encourages people to do what they're meant to do as well."
There will also be art and vendors people can check out.
You can buy your ticket ahead of the event on Eventbrite.
It's truly the small things that add up to a great day - and Warrick in Lebanon is having a big impact. His familiar face is becoming a staple in one part of the community and inspiring closer connection in the simplest way. Enjoy his warm personality! You may even feel inclined to wave to a stranger today, too.
-Rebecca Schleicher
