On Episode 03, Michaela Harrison talks about the whale community she has been connecting with over the last seven years in Bahia, Brasil (dolphins are in the mix too!), whale medicine and the healing power of the voice, sound and music.
Image Description: Michaela stands at the edge of a white and blue boat sailing in the ocean, facing several humpback whales right in front of her who have surfaced from down below. She wears a white shirt and a white skirt. In the background is the wide expanse of the ocean reflecting the grayish blues of the sky. Source: Whale Whispering Blog - Grupo Competitivo/Come Together
Michaela A. Harrison is a recently-returned Washington, D.C. native whose career is rooted in relaying the healing, transformational power of music through song. She has performed nationally and internationally as a soloist and with various bands and musical collectives. As a resident of New Orleans for over 17 years, Michaela established an enthusiastic following at local venues such as Café Istanbul, Second Vine Wine, Ashé Cultural Arts Center and Three Keys at the Ace Hotel.
Michaela began singing in the Baptist church at age five. Her musical style incorporates her gospel roots as well as a diverse range of genres including jazz, blues, R & B, soul, samba, MPB and African traditional music. As a protégé of Bernice Johnson Reagon, founder of Sweet Honey In The Rock, Michaela is well-versed in spirituals, work songs, and African American protest music from the Civil Rights era. With a four-octave range and a vocal quality that runs the gamut from pristine sweetness to fiercely powerful belting, Michaela has often been compared to such greats as Minnie Riperton and Mahalia Jackson, though she maintains a signature style that distinguishes her voice as easily recognizable no matter what she is singing. Her soulful, heartfelt delivery of both covers and original music has often moved audiences to tears.
Holding a Bachelor's Degree in Foreign Service and a Master's in Africana Studies, Michaela has also studied and lived in East Africa and Brazil. Fluent in French and Portuguese, and familiar with Spanish and Swahili, Michaela has an expanded repertoire of world music and renders songs in their original languages. She infuses her performances with insightful commentary based on her multi-cultural perspective, simultaneously uplifting and educating audiences.
We talk about:
Michaela’s musical influences and the musical traditions that raised her
Carrying the consciousness of the continent of Africa while cultivating Afro-Diasporic identity
Being an Intergalactic siren and the intention for healing being the core of Michaela’s song work
Michaela’s experiences developing trust with whales and surrendering to the unknown
What are the experiences of whaling from the whale’s perspectives?
Being aware of other beings’ histories in addition to the histories of human beings (i.e. what’s happened in the past from the viewpoint of whales)
The importance of interspecies relationship-building
Being an animal whisperer most of her life
Telepathic Communication and it being integral to decolonization work
Her collaboration with marine biologists and oceanographers
Whale Whispering being an ancestral calling
The interaction between enslaved Africans on slave ships and whales during the Middle Passage
Co-creating sounds and songs with whales and Ancestors to survive and live in this moment
The Whale-Womb connection and Intergenerational Womb Healing, especially within the context of colonization on the continent of Africa and the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade
The relationship the people of Bahia, Brasil have with the sea
Whale Whispering gatherings
Water work as an act of repair + SO much more!
COLLABORATERS:
Projeto Baleia Jubarte based in Praia do Forte, Bahia, Brasil
RESOURCES:
Website: www.michaelaharrison.org + Whale Whispering Blog
Instagram: @realmichaelaharrison
Listen to: “Love Wins”, “We are One: Ancestral Flow” and “I Hear You: Together We Heal”
Read: “Murmurations: What the Whale Whispered” via YES Magazine
HOW TO SUPPORT MICHAELA’S WORK:
Support Whale Whispering by making a donation on her website and/or going to her Music Marketplace page and listening to/downloading various releases with the whales under "Conversations with The Whales". Each track is $7 USD.
Follow the podcast on Instagram @throughlinepodcast
The intro music on this podcast is sourced from PixaBay, a vibrant community of creatives, sharing royalty-free images, videos, audio and other media.
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