“Finding my Blackness, Finding my Rhythm”: Music and Identity Development in African, Caribbean, and Black Emerging Adults

Abstract

This study examines how music functions in relation to identity development for African-, Caribbean- and Black-identified emerging adults who have immigrated to Canada. Eleven ACB-identified emerging adults, recruited from music schools, community, and student organizations took part in semi-structured interviews adapted from McAdams’ Life Story Interview protocol to focus on music practices and memories. Thematic Analyses results suggest that transitioning to life in Canada necessitated learning new meanings of being and “becoming” Black. Participants described the influence of music on negotiating identity in a Canadian context. They described using music to resist racist and hegemonic narratives of Canadian Black identity, to connect to and celebrate their embodied Black identities, and establish self-continuity and coherence across histories and generations to connect with spiritual memories, land, and ancestors. We conclude by suggesting implications of this work for practice and developing research methodologies that resist whiteness.

Identity development in the digital context

“…For example, people may choose to engage with television (medium) and watch specific telenovelas (content) that reflect their lived experiences and commitment to their ethnic and gender identities (Mayer, 2003). Some may also engage with certain music genres to signal their identification with and commitment to their racial identity, while others may do so to explore their racial identity (Myrie et al., 2022).…”

Music Videos as Health Promotion: Juvenile’s “Vax That Thang Up” and the Promotion of the COVID-19 Vaccine in the Black Community

“…Previous research highlights the power of music as it relates to the experience of Black people in the United States; from identity construction to racial liberation in the 1960s to debates over contemporary feminism, the influence of music videos is well-researched ( Morant, 2010 ; Myrie et al, 2021 ; S. Williams, 2017b ). For example, Beyoncé’s visual album, which was initially released as exclusively music videos, Lemonade , was incredibly popular and prompted important conversations over Black feminism and neoliberalism ( Olutola, 2018 ).…”

Modes de connaissance et de devenir : apprendre ensemble dans un cours de cycle supérieur sur l’interdisciplinarité

“…We recognize that our choices and commitments in theory and methodology are rooted in who we are; in other words, research is often connected to self-identity. There are many different definitions and approaches to self-identity; the one taken in this course is based in the instructor's expertise in narrative approaches to identity (e.g., Breen et al, 2016;Breen et al, 2019;Myrie et al, 2021). The life story approach to identity (e.g., McAdams, 2008) emphasizes that the development of self and identity occurs through dialectical processes involving interaction with other peoples' stories-including stories told to us directly and those we encounter through media and art (Breen et al, 2017;Mclean & Breen, 2016).…”