Adia Victoria Hosting Benefit Concert for Voter Awareness in Spartanburg
Blues artist Adia Victoria is set to return to her hometown of Spartanburg for an upcoming benefit concert to encourage voting in the upcoming Nov. 5 election. Victoria, originally from Spartanburg with part of her childhood spent in Campobello, has been recognized by national media and draws heavily from her personal experiences in her music.
“A good proportion of my music is blues, and the blues is primarily about problematic situations,” Victoria said. “My upbringing in Spartanburg in the ’90s was filled with trivial troubles.”
Victoria grew up in an environment where many around her felt disconnected from the democratic process due to a prevailing feeling of powerlessness. However, her mother’s active engagement in electoral work, despite the grim surroundings, fostered in Victoria a strong civic engagement consciousness that she wishes to extend to others.
Benefit Concert to Raise Voter Awareness
Victoria will host the concert on Oct. 19 to promote voter participation, a major event as it will be her first concert in Spartanburg. The concert will be held at Northside Harvest Park and is organized by a local nonprofit organization, the Spartanburg Initiative for Racial Equity Now (SIREN).
Jason Spencer, co-founder of SIREN, has been a long-time fan of Victoria’s music. A meeting between sets at another concert led to Victoria’s agreement to perform at the benefit.
“People need to comprehend that they possess influence and power, and I’ll do anything I can to support initiatives to get people to exercise their right to vote,” Victoria said.
Increasing Voter Participation
The concert, scheduled just before the start of early voting, is intended to fund SIREN’s voter awareness campaign. SIREN plans to use the funds raised to distribute flyers and canvas neighborhoods, focusing mainly on minority precincts.
“We can’t just target one voting group,” Spencer remarks, “At a recent voter registration event, we encountered individuals who simply said, ‘No, I’m not voting.’ That’s the kind of apathy we are combating. Our aim is to boost involvement.”
Adia Victoria’s Musical Journey
At the concert, the audience will have an opportunity to experience Victoria’s music, which is deeply influenced by her upbringing and experiences. Her song “Magnolia Blues” was inspired by a Magnolia tree in Spartanburg where Victoria and her friends used to play as children. The song, like many others in her repertoire, is a tribute to the South and depicts the experiences of African-American women.
Victoria’s music often serves as a mirror reflecting societal realities, challenging the status quo and sparking listeners to introspect. “A lot of what I depict in my music are things I typically fear to vocalize,” Victoria added. “And I hope that anyone that tunes into my music can learn something new about themselves or find some part of themselves that they haven’t been able to express.”
Event Details
Adia Victoria’s concert will take place at the Northside Harvest Park, 498 Howard St., on Oct. 19 at 6:00 p.m. Local bands will broaden the musical palette before Victoria hits the stage.
Tickets range between $25 and $50 and can be purchased at Eventbrite.
