2023 Church of Noise Awardees
To the faithful, the faithless, the starless wanderers… We are honored to announce our newest round of Funded Artists to join the fold. We are sharing our Church Elders' picks from 2023. These span genres, energies and localities. These artists truly define our mission of supporting Adventurous Music!
Q4 2023 FUNDED ARTISTS
Laura Fisher
Classical pianist and former choir girl-turned-songwriter, producer, arranger. In love with the ethereal and holding on.
Nominated by Jess Joy
Beck Rose
Beck Rose is the ambient project of classical composer and pianist Becky Turro.
From CJ: "I recently discovered the music of Becky Turro aka Beck Rose. Their piano playing is both very inventive, but also very tethered to the classical tradition. I would absolutely listen to their piano sounds on their own, but i love that they’ve also added these subtle and gorgeous electronic manipulations to create a tension between a very traditional style and something more contemporary."
Nominated by CJ Boyd
Q3 2023 FUNDED ARTISTS
Hoop Jail
Hoop Jail is an art project from Long Beach, CA
From Greg Saunier: "Obscure, totally diy punk band from long beach that I think is incredibly good. They’re extremely enthusiastic and produce a lot of stuff, but all self-released."
Nominated by Greg Saunier
Q1 & 2 2023 FUNDED ARTISTS
Chelsea Lee Trejo
Arizona-based musician and artist Chelsey Lee Trejo aspires to sonically interweave folk, ambient, and drone music through an experimental lens. Performing solo and in collaborative projects since 2017, her current approach to music encompasses an array of elements including finger-picked folk guitar, synth-based sounds, bowed strings, found noisemakers, and other traditional and unusual instruments - often improvisationally mixed. She believes through the common sphere of sonic experiencing vital pathways are formed for building healthy communities and ways of being with oneself, others, and the world. Currently, she feels grateful for the ability to serve her community by helping facilitate community-focused musical projects and events that build such connections. Chelsey is honored to be a recipient of the Church of Noise grant and plans to create her first full-length album with the aid of this generous gift.
Caxxianne
Jamaican born, Cayman Islands raised Award-winning, Contemporary Hip-Hop artist songwriter and MC Caxxianne, pronounced (ka-sea-an) has been honing her skills on stages across Europe since 2018 and has not stopped since. Making a name for herself in the German Alternative scene, powerhouse Caxxianne fuses together her Caribbean flavour, her heart for contemporary sounds and her captivating poetry skills bringing about the perfect blend of her passions.
Her evolution into music has allowed her to express herself freely and boldly, daring to say what others won't. Her music is created to liberate the rebel in every soul that dares to open up to her lyricism. Caxxianne is a self-proclaimed peoplelutionist advocating for the rights of her people and all people. Her work takes you to a place where words become freedom, a place of elation for Black and Brown Humans.
Two Lips
TwoLips, AKA Kianah LongChase, is an artist from Northern New Mexico. With a dance background, punk roots, and sharp tongue, TwoLips finds herself an outlier in the LA dystopian cityscape. One that is ready for her afro-indigenous sound. Opening for acts such as LP, Mick Jenkins, and Austin Millz, fans can look forward to a busy year for TwoLips, including several music releases, visual content, and a solo art exhibition at the Heart Department, a black woman owned gallery in the arts district of DTLA (May 4-mid June). Longchase is an enrolled member of the Native Village of Eklutna. She lives and works in LA.
Tashi Dorji
Tashi Dorji is a Bhutanese guitarist and improviser based in Asheville NC. Tashi’s own skewering of guitar traditions has developed an idiosyncratic take on the instrument, one defined by movement and profound openness to technique. Tashi has released music both as a soloist and as a collaborator, notably with Mette Rasmussen, Aaron Turner (Sumac, Mamiffer), Che Chen (75 Dollar Bill), Susie Ibarra, Aki Onda, Michael Zerang, John Deiterich (Deerhoof), C Spencer Yeh, Patrick Shiroishi, KUZU ( w/ Dave Rempis & Tyler Damon), MANAS (w/ Thom Nguyen), Patrick Shiroishi, Dylan Fujioka on labels like Moone Records, Gilgonko Records, Bathetic Records, Trost, Feeding Tubes, UNROCK, VDSQ, MIE, Aerophonic Records, Family Vineyard, Astral Spirits etc. Tashi is currently on Drag City records.
Thank you as always for your continued support to the Church, don't forget about our new Flexi Zine series! A new way to help support more artists and bring exciting music to your ears.
xoxo, Church of Noise and the Elders