GenQ - For the not so straight individual

Alix Olson never has a problem speaking her mind. Having her message heard by the masses? That's another problem entirely and like many independent artists today, she is working out how to accomplish that feat. Alix Olson, the award winning slam poet and activist, has spent years performing at political events, educating through her poetry at universities and workshops, and entertaining poetry lovers at with her energetic and eloquent observations. At the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival in August of 2005, Alix shared some of her thoughts on how to balance marketability without contributing to the consumer culture she works so hard to break down.

I learned about Alix Olson by flipping to HBO one night and catching a rerun of Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam. And thus, my interest in both spoken word poetry and politics was born. Clearly, I was a late bloomer. But thanks to Alix - and HBO - I found my way. ?Those kinds of stories really make me want to be on TV more even though initially I was really hesitant about HBO'Def Poetry Jam you know, it sounded so cheesy and so antithetical to what I was trying to do,? Alix stated, ?but I'm really glad because now I get to hear about how all these people that got to see it who wouldn't have seen it any other way. ? Finding liberal independent poets and musicians on HBO seemed ironic to me, and Alix agreed. ?You know on the one hand, your message is getting spread and popularized on the other hand it really sort of waters down the purpose when you are helping to feed the institutions that you are working to break down. I think one almost cancels the other out and I think it's a big question that a lot of us are dealing with. How to spread the message without taking away from its value.? When asked to comment on Ani DiFranco's Knuckle Down being sold in Target stores, she incredulously chuckled ?I wouldn't quite know what to think if I were being sold in Target!?

Later, when speaking about how to give young women new musical options, Alix explained further. ?Obviously, what sells to the industry and what sells to the radio stations is art that works to maintain the status quo and to maintain insecurities and to maintain fear and to maintain consumer culture, because that's what makes them make money. If you had people like Ember [Swift] or like Pamela [Means] that are challenging the status quo by what the status quo wants when the status quo's job is to self-sustain.? Alix herself is challenging the status quo by being mentioned in mainstream media aimed at younger women. ?Last year, CosmoGirl did something really small on me and I felt like that was such a big victory, you know?? Today's young women have cultural options that just weren't available to many of us as young children. ?When I was growing up, I don't know who you listened to when you were ten and eleven but I didn't have Bitch & Animal to listen to, I don't know who the fuck I listened to! So who knows what's going to happen with the new generation of young kids who have been influenced by this whole generation of radical fucking artists? ?

Technically, Alix Olson is a poet, though much of her work has been set to music in live performances and on her DVD, Left Lane. From touring like an independent musician would and working with independent artists such as Pamela Means, Chris Pureka and Lyndell Montgomery, Alix has a unique insight into the independent artist's struggle to remain true to their message while still striving to reach a wider audience. When asked if she would ever consider being produced by a label or if she would always choose to continue working on her own, she was quick to correct my phrasing. ?I'm not on my own, I have a community so we call ourselves independent artists but we're not really independent because we're so interdependent on each other. We really rely on each other as friends and artists to get this done. I mean, I call Ember [Swift] like every other day with a question about something and vice-versa so I think we're independent in that we're not reliant upon a superstructure but I think we're dependant in a very positive way upon our community and each other.?

No matter what format you find Alix Olson in ? TV, radio and print interviews, live performances or CD's ? you can't help but be inspired by her passion and dedication. She uses her voice and her power to help make this world a better place for every man, woman, child and artist. The manner in which she chooses to get that voice heard is constantly evolving.