AUTHENTIC EXPRESSION — MORI ROTHHORN

Interviews with queer Asian Americans Angelica Noelle Fandino and Yoon Kim on intersectional musicality.

Angelica Noelle Fandino

“So dramatic

All this magic that I thought we had

I’m an addict to this madness That we call our past”

-Gin and Juice, Angelica Fandino

Angelica Fandino grew up surrounded by music. It streamed in the windows from her uncle’s band, blasted through the car speakers, and echoed across her high school choir’s stage. As a sophomore at the University of Michigan, Angelica has continued to keep the music of her childhood alive, as she continues to sing, produce, and perform her music both with U of M acappella and in her solo career.

“Music is a very prominent part of my personality,” Angelica said. “It’s also a very big part of my culture as a Filipino American. As Filipinos, we love music and performing, so I’ve always grown up with music.”

Many of Angelica’s musical roots lay in her family, but her inspiration also comes from artists like Lizzie McAlpine and Dodie, whose emotional story telling influenced her growth as an artist.

“I think for me songwriting is just a way of verbalizing a lot of emotions that I can’t other wise can’t express in conver sation with someone,” Angelica said. “Growing up, I was never able to have that conversation. But instead [now] I’m turning to these creative outlets to kind of just put my voice out there.”

Angelica’s performance of “Gin and Juice” on January 4th at the UAAO POC Open Mic, captured the storytelling and emotional maturity of Angel ica’s music. The song is the fourth track off of her first EP titled “what have we become?”, released in January on all streaming platforms.

“The song I performed was called Gin and Juice,” Angelica said. “I wanted to show the cy cle of liking someone, to loving them, to having to let them go and this cycle of closure that I had to deal with myself… I was able to write about those emotions better, and I think that’s why I really value storytelling in my songs. Having a narrative that’s easy to follow as if you’re reading a book or something.”

While she still continues herself to be a new artist, her music and approach to making art has shifted as she has grown.

“If you’re writing songs for the right intentions, it’s supposed to be scary, and it’s supposed to be vulnerable,” Angelica said. “I think what makes the best music is when you’re honest with yourself, and when you’re able to put it out there for everyone else to hear, even if it’s scary at first. I feel like it’s been very therapeutic for me to use songwriting as a way of finding closure.”

Yoon Kim

“Forrest green, Forrest blues I’m remembering you If this is love, I know it’s true I won’t forget you”

— Forrest Gump, Frank Ocean

The stigma that often surrounds homosexuality in the church can be confusing, and for those who don’t fit into sexual and biological binaries, the intersections between the two can be incredibly complex. For queer, Christian, Korean American, Yoonjim Kim, her existence at these intersections shaped her experience as she navigated her identity.

“It’s really rare to find or hear about people who identify as a Queer, Christian and Korean American,” Yoon said. “I think It’s definitely been a lot of navigating. It’s been a really interesting and weird experience being in the middle.”

As she’s come out to more people in her spiritual community at U of M, she’s found power in the intersectionality of her identity. Her faith and queerness inform one another to shape both her experiences.

“I’ve kind of been able to live more authentically, and still hold onto these spaces,” Yoon said. “I would say the biggest intersection I have found between queerness and faith has been the idea of grace, and how important grace is.”

As she grew up in the church, Yoon would play piano and drums during services and came to value playing music with and for her community.

“I really like to share music with people,” Yoon said. “It’s never a private act. I think that’s something I have really experienced, [is] playing music spiritually with my spiritual family, There’s musical synergy that kind of happens. There’s that community building that’s present, even if it’s not articulated in any other way.” clears everything for you. Everyone takes on so much more complexity, and there are so many more nuances,” Yoon said. “Whether that’s music, any other kind of art, or in the relationships I have, being queer has informed them. It’s given me a new set of eyes that has helped me recognize that there is more than one dimension to any craft, person, or relationship.”

Yoon still values playing with others and often jams with her friends on the electric guitar. Her values and identity continue to inform her creative process and music.

At the January UAAO POC open mic, Yoon performed a cover of Forrest Gump by Frank Ocean, using her electric guitar and looping pedal. She took inspiration from musicians like Justice Der, and played his arrangement of the piece.

“[Forrest Gump] has been a special song for me, especially the version that I played,” Yoon said. “It captures a very sweet, innocent kind of love that brings me back to this special moment. It’s a really cool experience to be able to fill a room with my own sound. With the loop pedal, I feel like I’m actually completing a song even if it’s just me, myself, and I.”

Having safe spaces where she could explore her racial, sex ual, and spiritual identity was integral for Yoon in her journey with identity. She highlights how important it is to have grace, transformative advoca cy and patience when navigat ing the intersections of who we are.

“I’m really grateful for UAAO and queer spaces on campus, especially Asian American ones,” Yoon said. “It’s been really pivotal for me as some one who’s still coming out to a lot of people. It’s helpful to other people who are maybe still questioning, or don’t know their queer identity yet. Things