Features / music
Helping trans and non-binary singers find their voice
Kat Larabi-Tchalaia and Francis Myerscoug are the creators of a new choir called Phoenix Song Project, which offers a space for trans and non-binary people who have felt unable to find their voice in traditional choirs.
Bristol24/7 caught up with them to hear about how the project, based at Easton Community Centre, is empowering singers to be their authentic selves.
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Phoenix Song Project had its first rehearsals in spring after trans and non-binary singers felt uncomfortable in traditional choirs which have different parts for men and women.
“A lot of people were worrying how they fit within that binary,” explained Francis.
Kat added: “Traditional choirs aren’t a safe space for us. People can make us sing parts that don’t correspond with what we want to sing.”
When used as a form of gender-affirming care, hormone replacement therapy is a way of medically transitioning. It involves receiving a regular dose of testosterone or oestrogen to reflect the gender you identify with.
Testosterone naturally lowers the voice by changing vocal cords and speaking muscles, similar to people going through puberty.
Francis said: “Our voices develop and change with medical care and we might not be used to it. It’s nice to have the community gather with an awareness of how to work with our voices.”
Creating a safer space
“The current political climate is really bad for trans people, in this context we need community,” said Kat, speaking about how the Phoenix Song Project is creating a safe space for trans and non-bonary people.
At the Conservative Party conference, six cabinet ministers used their time to speak on trans issues. Suella Braverman rallied the party against ‘gender ideology’.
Francis said: “We hope the project is a small step towards progress.”
“I’ve had some pretty bad experiences in big choir groups, especially as a teenager. Music has been one of the things that has kept me going, it’s really sustained me.”
The group provides an opportunity for trans and non-binary people to explore their voices, in a supportive, informal setting.
“We sing songs that bring us joy as trans people,” said Kat. “It seems we have succeeded in making a safe space.”
“For me, I’m very deeply touched by the trans community. It’s my family. It’s a community that suffers a lot, especially at the moment. If I can create a small group where people can be themselves and make music, for me, that’s the goal.”
Francis added: “It’s not a choir where there’s really strict discipline. In rehearsals, we have back and forth about what people feel we need to give more attention to.”
“We’d like to perform more but it’s also about gauging different levels of comfort across the group. People might not want to sing in public so we have open conversations so we can plan accordingly.
“It’s collaborative and everyone gets a say in what we do.”
Looking to the future
For Kat and Francis, the performance aspect of the group is important.
“Being on stage shows we deserve to be in art as much as everyone else does,” said Francis. “In a lot of art, you can see the same bodies over and over again. It can exclude trans and non-binary people.”
“We get to be celebrated and applauded, which is empowering,” continued Francis.
“We want to do more lowkey things, sing in pubs, open mics and venues where we feel safe. Exploring less formal performances will be fun.”
“I’d like us to grow a bit more, I’d like to do some more performances, not necessarily anything massive. I want it to feel like a community, and also that we’re having an impact on the wider community.”
While remaining conscious of the group’s needs, Kat has big plans for the Phoenix Song Project.
“I’d like to see more members and I’d like us to perform more. I’m an ambitious person, and we’ve got people who write songs in the group. Eventually, I’d love to be in a singing group that empowers trans composers and songwriters to write songs and then the choir can sing them.”
Phoenix Song Project meets on Thursdays from 7.45pm – 9.15 pm and is ‘pay what you can’ to join
Andy Leake is reporting on Lawrence Hill and queer communities as part of Bristol24/7’s community reporter scheme, a project which aims to tell stories from areas of Bristol traditionally under-served by the mainstream media
Main photo: Diego Maeso
Read next:
- The transformative power of a haircut
- A performance choir for Bristol’s gay men
- Using the power of pantomime to showcase Bristol’s diverse drag scene
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