Sororise

her spectacle

Emily Anne McKown also known as Sororise was raised in Minnesota's Twin Cities and came of age in Olympia, Washington. Singing since she could open her mouth, music has played an integral role in her life. She began playing piano at Age 5, guitar at 10, percussion at 12, began songwriting at 15, and learned the accordion at 18. 

As a young songwriter and budding activist, she took a lot of inspiration from the American folk revival of the '60's, protests songs, and singers like Joan Baez and Pete Seeger. In her academic career, Emily studied music, theater, film, and political economics, which put her on a path toward creating spectacles for social justice. She writes:

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"Artists are not only mirrors for the world, but also mothers to new ways and possibilities for living in it. In today's throwaway culture of mass-media, as artists, it is critical we create palpable catharsis for our audience. I believe in the power of the spectacle to combat the apathy that ails a privileged class. Beyond a documentary, a tweet, news article, or podcast, the spectacle brings us shoulder to shoulder and leaves us with a physical feeling. This feeling, only found in physical community, is breeding grounds for action. This feeling is breeding grounds for the revolution."



Now taking inspiration from female artists such as Jenny Hval and Laurie Anderson, Emily has created the act Sororise to perform the spectacle of her dreams. Adding the synthesizer and loop station to her list of instruments, she orchestrates her one-woman band. Sororise writes and performs about issues of gender, consent, racial injustice, privilege, power, and consumption. Expanding expectations of what a concert looks like, she shares her story and song with video projection and movement. Sororise presents and immersive experience to dig into our subconscious and models a path to turn our vulnerabilities into strength.

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