To help keep up Charlotte’s spirits during the COVID-19, we’ve partnered with Charlotte SHOUT! and Charlotte Center City Partners to encourage Queen City creatives to team up for SHOUTing Matches — short, shareable creative mash-ups.

Charlotte SHOUT! announced that the fall 2020 festival is postponed until September 2021.⁣ It’s sad news BUT that doesn’t mean creativity in our city is postponed. Not. At. All. SHOUT is an expression of Charlotte creativity and we’re gonna keep shouting until next September (and beyond)!

Today’s SHOUTing Match! features FIVE creative powerhouses in one video. “Up Above My Head” is a new piece featuring lyrics from legendary spoken word artist, Bluz, with track and vocals from DJ Fannie Mae. Videographer, Michael Church, shot the video in front of a mural by Abstract Dissent as Caroline Calouche & Co. perform aerial acrobatics in the background! Enjoy.

Watch “Up Above My Head”

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Here’s a little more from Bluz himself on how this project came together.

How did this team come together for this?

BLUZ: Well, when the call went out I was trying to think of the most complicated and most unlikely pairing of arts I could. Honestly, I was looking to possibly add accordions or bagpipes, but I was already of my contributors limit … lol.

After some thought of who I’d love to work with and who has never met. It brought me to DJ Fannie Mae and Caroline Calouche. Most may not know that Fannie Mae can sing…excuse me..sang and Caroline owns a company that is dedicated to aerial performance. And, they can just about set up anywhere.  I pitched them my idea and they said, “Yes.”

Where is the backing track sampled from?

BLUZ: [A] Sister Rosetta Tharpe song called “Up Above My Head.” DJ Fannie Mae produced the track.

What meaning does the setting have for you?

BLUZ: The amazing mural by Abstract Dissent was icing on the cake. The eyes of George Floyd piercing thru the word “Change” is so visually gripping and provided some balance to the piece.  At the core, it means we can all change and look for hope if we recognize something bigger than ourselves. [Yet, we] still depend on each other to make the changes necessary for peace.

What do you hope people will come away feeling when they watch this?

BLUZ: I hope they feel inspired and encouraged. I hope they feel engaged and motivated to create, not only art, but conversation and space to grow as human beings. I hope they reflect on the work they have done and seek to do.  I hope they feel necessary and important to the change we all want to see.

I hope they feel … hope.

Creative Credits

• Track and Vocals by DJ Fannie Mae
• Poem by Bluz
• Aerial performance by Caroline Calouche and Sarah Small
• Mural by Abstract Dissent
• Shot by Michael Church