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Sudan Archives

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Sudan Archives
Brittney Denise Parks wearing a black top, playing violin onstage
Sudan Archives performing in 2019
Background information
Birth nameBrittney Denise Parks[1]
BornCincinnati, U.S.
OriginLos Angeles, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Violinist
  • singer
InstrumentsViolin, vocals
LabelsStones Throw
Websitesudanarchives.com

Brittney Denise Parks, better known by her stage name Sudan Archives, is an American violinist, singer, and songwriter based in Los Angeles, California.[3] Parks learned to play the violin by ear as a young child in Cincinnati, Ohio.[4]

Signed to Stones Throw Records,[5] Parks has released two studio albums to date: Athena (2019) and Natural Brown Prom Queen (2022). She won two Libera Awards in 2023, for Best Breakthrough Artist/Release and Best R&B Record.

Early life

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Sudan Archives was born Brittney Denise Parks[1] in Cincinnati, Ohio.[6] She began playing violin in fourth grade, learning by ear.[7][4] Parks' stepfather worked at the Atlanta-based record label LaFace Records, and he encouraged her to form a pop duo called N2 with her twin sister, Cat.[4] However, Parks realized that she would rather not be in a band. She stated, "I felt stifled – it wasn't good for my creativity. All through high school I was a punk. I never stood up for the Pledge of Allegiance and I didn't sit with anyone at lunch. I just wanted to get out."[4] After attending several late-night raves, Parks felt inspired to follow her own musical inclinations and left home for Los Angeles at age nineteen.[4][6] Of the raves, she said that "Watching those artists, I realised that I didn't need to be in a band. I could do this by myself. My parents told me I couldn't live with them if I kept going out. So I left."[4]

Parks studied ethnomusicology at Pasadena City College,[8] while attending the experimental club night Low End Theory and working on her own musical material on her iPad. Embarking on a journey "to show the Blackness of the violin,"[4] Parks studied the history of violin performers across different cultures, noting: "I found violinists who looked like me in Africa, playing it so wildly. It's such a serious instrument in a western concert setting, but in so many other places in the world it brings the party."[4]

Career

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2017–2021: Early releases and Athena

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Sudan Archives released her self-titled debut EP in 2017[9] and followed it with the Sink EP in 2018.[10] The EP's lead single, "Nont for Sale", ranked as one of Stereogum's favorite songs in May 2018.[11] Parks released her debut studio album, Athena,[12] the following year. The album received widespread critical acclaim from publications such as The Guardian, which said it contained "some of the most viscerally gorgeous music put to record",[13] The Quietus, which commended Parks for her "knack for writing massive hooks that will dig straight into your brain",[14] Variety, which described Athena as "innovative, unusual and inviting",[15] and many more.

2022–present: Natural Brown Prom Queen

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On March 16, 2022, Parks returned with "Home Maker", her first new track in three years and the first single from her second studio album, Natural Brown Prom Queen. Pitchfork made it one of their Best New Tracks and described it as Parks' "most approachable yet, a swaggering statement of intent with all the idiosyncratic charm that makes her music so memorable".[16] Parks headlined the Stones Throw showcase at South by Southwest the following day.[17]

On September 9, 2022, Natural Brown Prom Queen was released to widespread critical acclaim, with Parks noting of the album's variety: "It felt like time to let people know who I am. My stage name is kind of academic and on Athena, I created this thoughtful persona centred on divine Black femininity. Now I want to show my looseness, too. I'm a deep, insightful person, but I'm also fucking silly."[4]

In 2023, Sudan Archives won two Libera Awards, for Best Breakthrough Artist/Release and Best R&B Record.[18]

Musical style and influences

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Sudan Archives has taken inspiration from a variety of African musicians, including Cameroonian electronic musician Francis Bebey and Sudanese violinist Asim Gorashi.[19] She is also inspired by Irish music.[20] When performing, Sudan Archives sometimes uses electronic effects pedals and electronic beats and has also performed in a string quartet.[21]

Personal life

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Parks has a twin sister named Cat, with whom she was briefly part of a pop duo called N2.[4]

Parks lives in Los Angeles, and as of the COVID-19 pandemic has been dating James McCall, better known by the stage names Nocando and All City Jimmy.[4] Parks and McCall built a home studio together in her basement, where she recorded her second studio album, Natural Brown Prom Queen.[4]

Discography

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Studio albums

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EPs

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  • Sudan Archives (2017)
  • Sink (2018)

Singles

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  • "Water" (2017)
  • "Nont for Sale" (2018)
  • "Confessions" (2019)
  • "Glorious" (2019)
  • "Confessions (Velvet Negroni Remix)" (2020)
  • "Glorious (Nídia Remix)" (2020)
  • "Home Maker" (2022)
  • "Selfish Soul" (2022)

References

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  1. ^ a b Byrne, Niall (January 27, 2018). "New Artist of the Week: Sudan Archives". The Irish Times. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Nechamkin, Sarah (March 12, 2019). "Meet Sudan Archives, the Electro-R&B Violinist Who's Mesmerized By Jellyfish". Interview. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  3. ^ Thompson, Stephen (March 1, 2018). "The Austin 100: Sudan Archives". NPR. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Kalia, Ammar (September 9, 2022). "Sudan Archives: 'In so many places in the world the violin brings the party'". The Guardian. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  5. ^ Lobenfeld, Claire (July 12, 2017). "Sudan Archives is the experimental violinist channeling '90s R&B and Afrobeat for Stones Throw". Fact. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  6. ^ a b Gee, Andre (June 26, 2023). "Sudan Archives Is Rewriting the Rules from Her Basement Studio". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  7. ^ Gutierrez, Juan (March 11, 2020). "On the "Athena" Tour with Sudan Archives". Flood. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  8. ^ Sundaresan, Mano (November 8, 2019). "'I'm Different, But I'm from Here': Sudan Archives Reaches the End of Her Beginning". NPR. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  9. ^ Lobenfeld, Claire (July 14, 2017). "Sudan Archives releases self-titled debut EP for Stones Throw – watch 'Come Meh Way' video now". Fact. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  10. ^ Madden, Sidney (May 21, 2018). "'Sink' Into Sudan Archives' Soulful, Unconventional Music". NPR. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  11. ^ Leas, Ryan (May 21, 2018). "Stream Sudan Archives' Sink EP". Stereogum. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  12. ^ Yoo, Noah; Monroe, Jazz (September 5, 2019). "Sudan Archives Announces New Album Athena". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  13. ^ Aroesti, Rachel (November 1, 2019). "Sudan Archives: Athena review – electrifying and erudite neo-soul". The Guardian. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  14. ^ Farah, Amanda (October 28, 2019). "Sudan Archives Athena". The Quietus. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  15. ^ Aswad, Jem (November 1, 2019). "Album Review: Sudan Archives' 'Athena'". Variety. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  16. ^ Torres, Eric (March 17, 2022). ""Home Maker" Sudan Archives". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  17. ^ Breihan, Tom (March 15, 2022). "Sudan Archives Shares New Single "Home Maker": Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  18. ^ Simon, Perry Michael (June 16, 2023). "A2IM Announces 2023 Libera Awards Winners". AllAccess. Archived from the original on June 16, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  19. ^ Farrell, Margaret (November 1, 2019). "The Story Behind Every Song on Sudan Archives' New Album Athena". Stereogum. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  20. ^ Peng, Cici (March 17, 2023). "Sudan Archives' violin-charged R&B is detonating classical conventions". Mixmag. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  21. ^ Boilen, Bob (June 22, 2020). "Sudan Archives: Tiny Desk Concert". NPR. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
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