Andrea Gibson: poet, lyricist, activist

Andrea Gibson                                                                                               Photo: Casie Zalud

It is not enough to say that Andrea Gibson is a slam poet. No. She is a lyrical master whose words will stand the test of time. Gibson has done an admirable job making a name for herself and standing out as not only a slam poet, but a voice of introspection and truth. According to her website, Gibson has been performing live for some time, and along this journey she has won several awards, including the 2008 Women of the World Poetry Slam. The website also boasts that she has published books, with one, “Pole Dancing to Gospel Hymns”, winning a DIY Poetry Book of the Year. As if these awards were not enough, Gibson has decided to take her poetry a step farther by shifting from politics and GLBT issues to more personal and reflective pieces. Andrea shares the moment in which this change took place: “A year ago a fellow poet challenged me to start writing the poems I have been afraid to write. From that point on, with every poem I’ve written I’ve asked myself what I’m hiding and why.” This new outlook on her writing and her clever use of music has helped her to create a brilliant album, opening listeners’ eyes to the connection between political agenda and personal strife, and closing the gap between poetry and music. The album, titled “Yellowbird,” is an ingenious combination of carefully selected pieces of music and perfectly articulated poetry. Gibson was sure not to stray too far from the roots of slam poetry by including on the album musicless poems. Although there is no melody supporting the words in these pieces, the poems themselves will surely sing to you in a different way, creating a song all its own.

Gibson tours more than half of the year, and she will be making a stop right here in Hampton Roads. She, along with Mermaids in the Basement, will be performing at the Granby Theatre in Downtown Norfolk on Saturday, September 26, 2009. Come out and experience poetry as you have never experienced it before! For information about this show, click here.

To find out more about Andrea Gibson and her albums, you can visit her website: Andrea Gibson.