Interstellar: Noire’s Celebration of Afro-Futurism

On Nov. 20 at 7 p.m., Spelman College’s only contemporary music ensemble, Noire, held their fall concert titled and themed, “Interstellar” hosted by Spelman’s Department of Music at the Baldwin Burroughs Theatre in the LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Samuel L. Jackson Performing Arts Center. 

The 30-member ensemble took the packed-out audience on a galactic journey into a uniquely curated musical selection featuring some fan-favorite artists and songs from Janelle Monae’s “Electric Lady” to Frank Ocean’s “Pink and White” to Beyoncé’s “Alien Superstar”.

Photographed by Noldine Belizaire 

A dedicated member of Noire and the brains behind this year’s fall concert theme, sophomore Alex Buckner describes the show as their take on Afro-futurism.

“I love futuristic and spacey motifs and with the creative and eclectic personalities and minds that are part of Noire. I knew we could make something unforgettable. I kept thinking of that one scene in ‘Trolls 2’ where they go to “Funk Planet,” Buckner said. 

Noire president senior Hannah Baumgardner adds that the group wanted to explore different genres. 

 “Noire had kind of been trapped in this R&B style, but when we chose ‘Interstellar’, it was a meaningful decision in a sense that we can branch out and also explore an organic sound,” Baumgardner said. 

One of the show-stopping moments of the night included a performance of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love”, in which one of the musicians of Noire performed with the Grandmother Moog, a semi-modular analog synthesizer inspired by the Moog modular synthesizer, which was used to create the iconic instrumental and baseline of the original song.

Sophomore Maddison Gardner led a rendition of Childish Gambino’s “Me and Your Mama” as a soloist. The song is a strong psychedelic rock ballad from Gambino’s critically acclaimed album, “Awaken, My Love!”, in which Gardner did not fail to deliver and captivate the entire room with.

 The ensemble received a standing ovation after arguably one of the best vocal performances in the AUC. 

Photographed by Noldine Belizaire

“We have to give Black women the space to exist in whatever genre they want to exist in. Know that when you go to a Noire concert that we’re going to be singing whatever from now on,” Baumgardner said. “There’s girls in our ensemble who love My Chemical Romance, there’s girls who have [a] theatre background, there’s girls who have classical [or] jazz backgrounds. We all come from different places, so we want to express that when we perform.”

Noire evokes an ethereal, unifying and delightful atmosphere and spirit through “Interstellar”, highlighting just how expansive Blackness, femininity and creativity can be. 

The love and passion the ensemble and musicians share for their craft is nothing short of inspiring and admirable. Noire is a true beacon of light that, now, more than ever, is important to share beyond the AUC. 

To keep up with Noire’s future performances and ways to join or support the sensational ensemble, you can follow them via Instagram @spelmannoire or visit the music overview page on the official Spelman College website.