VV Brown on asking you if she’s British yet? (Season 8 Premiere)

The New Exchange with Ken Grand-Pierre

Would ya look at that? We’ve made it to season 8! Once again, it brings me immense joy to share these talks with you over the next few months. Especially when I reflect on how these talks have evolved beyond my wildest expectations from what I envisioned for this podcast. Even if you’re a new listener to this series, it won’t take you long to recognize that these talks tend to get deep and hand-on-heart; it shatters my mind how open the guests get across these next 15 episodes.

Starting today with Vanessa Brown (aka VV Brown), an indie alt-pop singer-songwriter, model, and producer from Northampton, UK. The word ‘trailblazer’ should also be added to the mix, especially due to her recent album, Am I British Yet? Which you can infer from the title, is a direct critique of how British society can make people of other races and cultures feel less then. Though the conversation starts with a focus on Vanessa’s lived experience, it doesn’t take us long to utilize a birds-eye view of how what she’s experienced mirrors what so many people of colour and I have experienced across the world. We explore those feelings and experiences in-depth across this episode, along with highlighting the vitality of having joy within the resistance.