- Grammy-nominated R&B/Jazz artist Ambré headlined the “Say It Loud” Black History Month celebration in Boynton Beach, Florida.
- The event featured live music, art installations, food, and a VIP lounge with a live DJ.
- Local artists showcased their work, including painter Stephanie Alyrical Gowdy and Haitian artist Tracy Guiteau.
- The event aimed to bring the community together through art and music while celebrating Black history and culture.
BOYNTON BEACH — India Ambré Perkins, known in Rhythm and Blues / Jazz circles as Ambré, said she’s been focusing a lot on the roots of her voice and message.
Nominated for multiple Grammy awards, the 28-year-old artist from New Orleans said performing in Sunday’s Black History Month celebration “Say It Loud” in Boynton Beach gave her the opportunity and stage to do just that.
“I didn’t know I had that many fans in Florida; this is my first time performing in Florida,” Ambré said of the 200-plus people in attendance at the Boynton Beach Arts and Culture Center, which hosted the event.
“I’ve been really pondering what my message is and what I have to say that’s deeper than what everybody else is saying,” said Ambré, who has released three full-length projects and is currently signed to Roc Nation. She first gained fame after collaborating with Kehlani on a cover of Drake’s Preach album.
The event at the two-floor center featured various installations from local artists, interactive displays and live music.
The Louisiana native who once lived in Kissimmee said her culture has deeply influenced her sound, with jazz roots pulled from her upbringing in New Orleans and her time in the marching band playing trombone.
“My sound, at least now, I’m leaning more into my roots when it comes to jazz and funk music … I’m trying to get back into that world, blending a lot of stuff,” she said.
Creative writer, spoken word artist and actor Bertrand Boyd also spoke to the crowd.
Boyd, who appeared in the 2019 film “Queen and Slim,” called it “an honor” to perform for Black History Month and described the event as “more than he expected.”
The renovated Arts and Cultural Center was the former grounds of Boynton Beach High School and it hopes to turn its newly renovated space into a place where the local community can gather and experience the arts — whether that’s dance, song or artwork.
“We want to bring the community together through good music and through good artistry,” said Kelly Armstead, Boynton Beach’s arts and culture director, regarding the event in partnership with Florida Variety (FLAVAR CO). “‘Say It Loud’ is an evening filled with unique visual artworks and live music, honoring our past and celebrating our future.”
Artists tell the meaning behind their work
Food trucks served up various dishes from the Caribbean diaspora, including plates of Jamaican Cuisine and Haitian street food outside the center. Inside were vendors selling jewelry, drinks and custom grills.
Also on display was art from Jess Kirby, Tracy Guiteau, and contemporary artist Harold Caudio, whose series “MORE THAN AN ARTIST” uses vibrant colors and eclectic mediums to “pay tribute to iconic Black figures, capturing the richness, resilience, and beauty” of Black culture, according to a post from center’s Instagram.
Boynton Beach’s Stephanie Alyrical Gowdy, known as “Alyrical,” a legally blind artist who uses her hyper-realism portraits as a medium to express unspoken emotion, also was on hand.
“I usually paint things that are hard to vocalize, emotions that are very hard to vocalize. I’m not good at vocalizing my own, so I just put it in my art,” she said in a panel discussion hosted by the center. “I use a lot of African-American women as references, so I kind of combine culture with art.”
The inspirations of the displayed art were told to the crowd with a theme of collaboration emphasized.
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Painting live in the halls of the center, Alyrical’s talent stretched beyond the canvas, reaching the eyes of viewers whose identities inspired her work.
“I lost my vision in 2012 … a lot of people think it completely disabled me,” she continued. “Instead of perishing, I use my inner vision to create.”
Native to Opa-Locka, Haitian artist Tracy Guiteau said she uses the paintbrush as a means to tell stories, incorporating hidden words into her paintings.
“When it comes to the art business, there’s no blueprint for that. I’m just a regular Opa-locka girl. I want [other artists] them to be able to see that it can happen with consistency, with passion, with determination,” she told the panel.
Barber-shopped themed room was on display
Heard past the main stage and into the halls were the sounds of various DJs, playing songs from Beyonce to Michael Jackson. After their time on the dance floor, guests could grab a drink sponsored by cognac house Rémy Martin.
The Cotton Room, exclusive to guests with a VIP ticket, featured a set from DJ Dani Fortune, spun on vinyl. On the walls were portraits of renowned Black musicians, such as Prince, Diana Ross and Grace Jones.
Paralleling The Cotton Room was an immersive display reminiscent of the traditional barber shop, a space integral to Black culture and conversation. Guests could take pictures in the shop seats while viewing old copies of Ebony Magazine. In a mural-style painting on the wall were the words “Say It Loud” written in red paint. Beside them, a painting of various Black hairstyles, reminiscent of a barber shop catalog.
“Guests can step back in time and reminisce on the days of visiting the barber shop or beauty salon… surrounded by good conversations, reading the Ebony and/or Essence magazine and just being present in the moment,” Armstead said.