Arts & Culture
jessica‘seeka’ holtby www.seekasings.com @seekasings
Being nominated for the Western Canadian Music Awards - Children’s Artist of the Year for 2021 is merely a reaffirmation that Jessica Holtby’s contributions to and skill for children’s music are immeasurable. While pursuing her Master of Arts from the University of Alberta, Jessica focused
on language learning, language teaching, and song translation. A lifelong student of music, she reflects also on a childhood that exposed her to a multitude of instruments. This combination paved the way for Seeka Sings, her platform as a children’s content creator, focusing on early education. As a Black woman in the music industry, Jessica shares, “I have had countless experiences of being pigeon-holed. It has often seemed that I am expected to be beautiful, sexual, “exotic”, “ethnic”, and not particularly intelligent…. A positive note would be that we are starting to see an increasing amount of attention and support for artists of colour”. Working against industry stereotypes highlights the crucial need for diversity and representation. Her presence as a Black artist trickles to her young audience, “I want to be an artist that Black and Brown children can see themselves in. But also, I want to be an artist that white children can admire - someone who doesn’t look like them and is making content that they enjoy”
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