Noteworthy to Host Panel with Awkafina, Erin Markey & More at Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, 7/25

Noteworthy's Singer/Songwriter panel discussion celebrates the careers of four powerful female artists writing, recording and performing live music in the fields of hip-hop, musical theater, electropop, rock and R&B. The panel will take place on July 25 at 7 p.m. at Housing Works Bookstore Cafe (126 Crosby Street).

Panelists include YouTube rap diva Awkafina, multi-platinum recording artist Wynter Gordon, outré cabaret and theater sensation Erin Markey and alt-electropop explorer Xenia Rubinos. Media critic Elisabeth Vincentelli of The New York Post will moderate.

Panelists will talk about the process and labor of writing, the hustle and thrill of performance, their influences and mentors, the personal definition of "singer/songwriter", how to collaborate with a team, the necessity of business management, and how to build a career while staying true to yourself. A question and answer period will provide advice and encouragement for aspiring artists in the audience.

Noteworthy was founded with the intention of providing a platform for women in the NYC music industry to speak openly and incisively about their path to success, to inspire others with their stories, and to teach those who work within the field what the view is like from both sides of the stage. Noteworthy strives to present panelists that reflect NYC's own broad range of ethnicity, background, experience and genre specialty. Anyone curious about the current state of the music industry and the role gender plays in it today will find ample opportunity to learn.

For MP3 audio from the previous Noteworthy event, featuring a collective of voices from NYC's arts programming community (including Shanta Thake of Joe's Pub, Erika Elliott of SummerStage, Rachel Chanoff of Celebrate Brooklyn and Yoko Shioya of Japan Society), click here.

Noteworthy is scheduled to run for ninety minutes. This event is free and open to the general public; we recommend arriving prior to the 7:00pm start time to guarantee seating and access for this talk.

Panelist Biographies:

Queens native and LaGuardia High School alum Nora Lum writes rhymes, produces beats and performs under the stage name Awkwafina. Her raps are topical, comedic and acerbic; her beats are banging. Awkwafina's first two YouTube released singles have garnered over 300k views apiece.

http://awkwafina.com/

With a grace and range well beyond her years, Wynter Gordon's music is a moving combination of pleasure and pain, failure and triumph. In a word - life. Wynter is as masterful a songwriter and composer as she is a vocalist. Her magnetic charm and beauty may intially draw you in, but it will undoubtedly be her passionate songs that speak to you, and, ultimately, keep you here.
http://wyntergordon.bandpage.com/

Erin Markey creates comedic and conceptual performances, often involving music, for stage and video. She is a featured regular in the critically acclaimed performance series OUR HIT PARADE at Joe's Pub (The Public Theater), where she regularly collaborates with Tony-nominated musician Kenny Mellman (Kiki and Herb). She has shown other work at The New Museum, Leslie Lohman Museum, Michelle Tea's Sister Spit Tour, The Sex Workers' Art Show, and Deja Vu Showgirls and Love Boutique. She is currently adapting her live show THE DARDY FAMILY HOME MOVIES by Stephen Sondheim by Erin Markey into a musical TV series.
http://www.erinmarkey.com/

Brooklynite Xenia Rubinos' new release MAGIC TRIX is being hailed as one of the most exciting debut albums in years by fans and critics alike with feature coverage in NPR, MTV, Fader, and WNYC. Without the use of rhythm guitar, Xenia and her percussionist Marco Buccelli have created a dozen aggressively danceable, uncommonly catchy, powerhouse tracks. Having already toured the US nationally, including official showcases at SXSW, Xenia can currently be found playing around NYC in support of her first album.
http://xeniarubinos.com/

Elisabeth Vincentelli (Moderator) joined the New York Post as theater critic in February 2009. She talks about theater on WNYC on a regular basis, and serves as Vice President of the New York Drama Critics' Circle. She previously was arts and entertainment editor at Time Out New York, and also contributed to publications such as The New York Times, The Village Voice, The Los Angeles Times, Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, The Believer, Slate and Salon. She's written two books about Abba: Abba Gold and Abba Treasures.

Housing Works Bookstore Cafe is located at 126 Crosby Street, one block from the Broadway/Lafayette B/D/F/M stop. This event is free and open to the public. The Housing Works Cafe will serve wine, beer, coffee and snacks throughout the event; no outside food or drink is permitted.

Housing Works Bookstore Cafe is one of downtown New York's most vital cultural institutions, presenting an eclectic mix of events -- from readings and concerts to comedy nights and storytelling competitions - featuring many of today's most exciting artists. The bookstore is staffed almost entirely by volunteers and 100 percent of its profits go to Housing Works, Inc., which provides housing, healthcare, job training, and advocacy for New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS. As an independent cultural center, it offers patrons a unique opportunity to join the fight against AIDS and homelessness simply by buying or donating books; eating at our cafe; coming to concerts, readings, and special events; or volunteering on our staff.