Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corporation, the non-profit parent organization of 90.5 WESA and 91.3 WYEP, have just announced the musicians selected for their innovative new Artists in Residence program. Over 260 Pittsburgh-area artists applied in July. Fifteen musicians from the Southwestern Pennsylvania region will create musical compositions to be featured in the stations’ on-air and online content. The chosen artists will be showcased on both station’s websites, WYEP.ORG and WESA.FM, and their compositions will be heard by listeners across our region’s airwaves.
“Listeners have heard music created by past Artists in Residence on both WYEP and WESA, from WESA's 'Voting Matters' coverage to the 'CityGuide' segment on both WESA and WYEP,” revealed Mike Sauter, Vice President of Broadcasting at Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corporation (PCBC). “For this cohort, we were able to include more artists in the program—five more than last time. It was tough not be able to include even more artists due to the high quality of applicants. But we're very proud of the group selected this year. As a whole they represent various styles of music, and as individuals they are all multifaceted in their creativity,” shared Sauter.
The artists will write, arrange, perform, and record original instrumental compositions that will be used as show themes, transitional music beds, and in other settings in WYEP's and WESA's on-air, digital, and video content. PCBC developed the Artists in Residence program to help support the diversity of talent that is a vital component in Pittsburgh’s musical ecosystem.
This program is supported by a grant from the Hillman Foundation to foster arts and culture in the Pittsburgh region.
f3ralcat
f3ralcat is an artist, composer and producer who yearns for a paradigm shift away from the superficial sexualization that exists today for saxophone. His band, Feralcat and the Wild, is a prog-rock/emo/fusion band where his sweeping saxophone melodies carry overtop driving distorted guitars and synthesizers in music that is meant for mosh pits, not for jazz clubs. As a solo producer (stylized "f3ralcat"), his music lends jazz sensibilities to more eclectic sounds in lo-fi, synth-wave and video game soundtracks.
In addition to his own characteristic work as an artist, he has performed as a sideman with neo-soul singer Sierra Sellers, Afro-Latin jazz fusion band Hugo Cruz y Caminos, and the eco-socialist avant-garde ensemble Afro Yaqui Music Collective. f3ralcat has been featured in local publications/magazines, including Visit Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh City Paper, Pittsburgh Current, Made in PGH and Very Local Pittsburgh.
JuliAnne Wright
JuliAnne Wright is a singer/songwriter/producer based in the South Hills. A public school music teacher for 16 years, she re-started her performance career after a brush with brain surgery reawakened old dreams, and fostered a renewed sense of purpose.
Since 2012, she can be found playing live in the Pittsburgh area (most frequently at the weekly AcoustiCafe open stage) or holed up in her basement studio, producing multi-genre tracks for her pop/groove alter-ego "Huuli" and other solo and collaborative projects.
JuliAnne was a finalist at WYEP's singer songwriter contest in 2016, released her debut album "The Ups and Downs" in October 2022, and contributed a track to the collaborative album "Femme Frequencies" (as 'Huuli') released August 2023. Outside of performing, JuliAnne is also a songwriter/producer, with nine original songs signed to licensing agencies, and one tune landing in an international Dove ad in 2021. Learn more at julisongs.com!
Website: https://julisongs.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/julisongs
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julisongs
Sherry Libertucci
I'm Sherry! Back when I was homeless, music was how I survived and kept myself sane. Now, music is how I process my emotions, understand myself, and communicate with others. In 2020, I started the nonprofit Helpin' Aht Instrument Rescue, which aims to give free musical instruments to those who can't afford them. You can hear my latest music with my new band, Sherry CD-ROM! I also play in Westinghouse Atom Smasher!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5XKNgisQTSqrO7PQPrlv7M?si=73WeKz4cR6-t1OLUrwOkkw
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sherrycdrom?_t=8hE91DOJMNy&_r=1
Instagram: https://instagram.com/sherrycdrom?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
Shane McLaughlin
Since moving to Pittsburgh in 2011, Shane McLaughlin has been continuously creating music while performing locally and across the country. As a songwriter with his band, Buffalo Rose, Shane’s compositions have been featured on NPR’s All Songs Considered, American Songwriter, and The Bluegrass Situation. His piece “The Soil and The Seed” won best song at the International Acoustic Music Awards in 2022 in the duo/group category, with the group taking home the overall grand prize.
Buffalo Rose’s project “Rabbit”, co-written with Grammy Lifetime Achievement Recipient Tom Paxton, reached #1 on the FAI Folk Chart, and they continue to collaborate with Tom on a weekly basis. As a performer, Shane has played at festivals across the country, sharing the stage with Tyler Childers, The Wood Brothers, MonoNeon, Jonathan Scales, The Infamous Stringdusters and Sam Bush. He has also presented as a guest lecturer on songwriting at Duquesne University and the University of Florida.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shanelukemclaughlin/
Website: www.shanemclaughlinmusic.com
Music: https://ffm.bio/buffalorose
Bandcamp: https://buffalorose.bandcamp.com/album/again-again-again
Emmanuel Walker aka BROTHAMANS
BROTHAMANS is an eclectic multi-genre recording artist and engineer who founded, owns and operates the production company; @manmadestudiosllc on the east side of pgh. In his 7th year of music publishing and production, he has racked up over 150k streams across Apple Music, Spotify & Youtube. You can also find BrothaMans on the stage as an actor and youth mentor within the ALUMNI THEATRE COMPANY PROFESSIONAL ENSEMBLE.
Instagram: https://instagram.com/brothamans7?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brothamans?_t=8hFbMOKpjic&_r=1
Website: https://siteid-2009839.univer.se/
Ben Dumm
Ben has been playing music in Pittsburgh and the surrounding area for 28 years.
At the age of 13, he found a passion for playing guitar, and began experimenting with song writing and basic home recording at 15.
By his late teens, he started playing in punk rock bands and entered a professional recording studio for the first time with an original project. He has since played in a variety of bands, including rock and roll, rockabilly, singer songwriter, and Americana - during which he continued to record in dozens of studios. He has toured the country multiple times playing in over 30 cities and a variety of noteworthy venues.
In 2020, as music venues were temporarily closing their doors, he turned his attention entirely to recording and music production. Applying his acquired versatility, he has since launched two online music libraries providing instrumental tracks in a wide range of genres for content creators and media makers.
He continues to perform in western Pennsylvania and New York with various friends and music projects.
Kha'DJ
Kha'DJ (aka Khadijat Yussuff) is a Nigerian-American transmedia artist, producer, & DJ whose audio work explores soundscapes made from the colors of home: nature, industrialization, people, and the echoes of our past histories and inner lives. With versatility at the helm of their practice, Kha'DJ takes sonic root in Afrobeats, Hip-hop, & orchestral symphonies, blending unique sounds from around the globe into calming, immersive journeys.
Emmanuel Berrido
Emmanuel Berrido is a Dominican-American composer, pianist, and conductor with the goal of creating musical narratives that resonate with people from all walks of life. His love for sound has enabled him to work with dynamic string quartets, energetic symphony orchestras of all levels, and chamber music ensembles all over the east coast. A passionate advocate for popular music, he is also the pianist and music director of the Pittsburgh-based Latin American music group GAVAS Beat. Emmanuel holds degrees from Florida International University and Ithaca College and is currently pursuing a PhD in Music Theory and Composition at the University of Pittsburgh. Learn more at www.emmanuelberrido.com.
Instagram: @emmanuelberrido
YouTube: @EmmanuelBerridoMusic
Ryen McHenry
Ryen McHenry is a native of Pittsburgh, PA. He is a composer for visual media (film, television, and video games) and an instrumentalist. In 2021, Ryen graduated from Seton Hill University located in Greensburg, PA with a Bachelor of Music in Performance (Saxophone). In May 2023, Ryen graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in Film Music Composition from UNCSA located in Winston-Salem, NC. Since graduating Ryen has worked on several projects. This year, he had two works he composed music for screened at film festivals including Fantastic Fest and the Reno Film Festival . When he’s not composing Ryen enjoys cooking, playing video games, and watching movies. Ryen hopes to work in the film industry in the future.
eka Juno
eka Juno is an instrumental project by Pittsburgh musician Brad Collins, known for crafting a unique blend of post-hardcore noise, minimalist electronica, and slacker rock influences into a distinctive sound. In addition to his solo work, Brad Collins plays bass for the alt-folk act Ryan Hoffman and the Pioneers, a band known for their performances at venues like the Andy Warhol Museum and the Deutschtown Main Stage. Previously, he contributed his guitar talents to the bands Mur Mir Mercury and Rosalyn, leaving his mark on the local indie scene. Beyond music, Brad Collins finds inspiration in his hometown of Pittsburgh, where he resides with his wife and two daughters.
Website: https://ekajuno.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ekajunocollection/
Alan Racadag
Alan Samuel Racadag, a Filipino-American composer, performer, and producer, boasts a diverse musical background. He received formal training on the violin and in composition while also honing his skills as a self-taught guitarist and music producer. His influences range from Radiohead, metalcore, and Taylor Swift to Beethoven, George Crumb, and Georg Friedrich Haas. In 2020, he penned and produced an eclectic independent release named "Superbloom." Today, he's actively composing modern classical music while exploring electronic dance music under a discreet alias, all while calling the North Shore his home.
Website: https://alanracadag.bandcamp.com/album/superbloom
Akil Esoon
Pittsburgh's native son Akil Esoon has been involved with music, arts & culture in a professional capacity for over 35 years. As an artist, Akil has recorded & performed around the world with the best and the brightest the music & entertainment industry has to offer. As a music producer, Esoon is a talented multi-instrumentalist with professional placements in television, film, as well with professional recording artists in today's music industry. Mr. Esoon has placed great emphasis on teaching and mentoring youth. His work as a teaching artist in the city of Pittsburgh has made a positive impact on youth in the community at large since 1996 through creative & passionate programming. Akil's dedication using his undeniable musical talents and experience to uplift and empower the youth in the community renders him one of the most well rounded and most respected artists / music producers in America.
Music Placements & Performance Credits included, but not limited to: This Fool, (Hulu) Rick and Morty, (Cartoon Network) Empire (Fox), Game of Thrones (HBO), Archer (FX), Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It (Netflix), EA (Electronic Arts), VH1, as well as the John Lennon Songwriting contest finalist. Recording, Artist Credits included but not limited to: Grxwn Fxlks, De La Soul, RhymeFest, Snoop Dogg, David Banner, Mysonne, MC Eiht, The Roots, Common, Jasiri X, Mac Miller, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Wiz Khalifa, Toni Braxton, Timbland, Fantasia, Jordan Sparks, Raheem Devaughn, Musiq Soul Child, Faith Evans, Case, Emanuel DeAnda, Gabby Barrett, Formula412, Maysa Leak, Gary Bartz, Dr James T Johnson Jr., Dr. Umar Johnson, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worell, & James Brown just to name a few.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mcakilesoon
Instagram: https://instagram.com/akil_esoon
Grxwn Fxlks YouTube: https://youtube.com/@GrxwnFxlks
Grxwn Fxlks Instagram: https://instagram.com/grxwnfxlks
Grxwn Fxlks web: https://grxwnfxlks.com/
Soren DeNiz
Soren DeNiz (they/them) is a queer Latine artist born and raised in Pittsburgh. They have been playing piano since age 5 and writing music since age 10, and they currently front the local indie-pop band Paladin. Their compositions have also been featured as theme music for the podcast HBBTAT and their own audio theatre company Play On Words Podcast. They earned an Associates degree from CCAC with a concentration in graphic design. Above all, Soren is a creative aiming to fill the world with vibrant culture, whether through music, theatre, or design.
Music: https://linktr.ee/paladinpgh
Fi Solveig
Fi Solveigis a multi-lingual multi-instrumentalist born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With a classical background and a fascination for all cultural music, she has worked to create a tonal palette which is uniquely her own. Composing everything from filmic orchestral to haunting ambient synthwave, Fi strives for authenticity in every project she undertakes—never trying to sound like anyone but herself. She has worked on video game soundtracks with developer friends on more than one occasion and is currently in the process of writing an alternative pop album.
Lindsey Shaw
Lindsey Shaw is a visual artist and bedroom musician from the Pacific Northwest, currently residing in Pittsburgh, PA. She received a BA in Film & Electronic Arts from Bard College in 2021. She started learning how to make music to accompany her animations and over time it evolved into its own musical project, paynes grey.
Website: https://cyborgwhore.com/
Instagram: @yule.goat
Learn more about all the Artists in Residence at wyep.org/artists
Why was this program introduced?
Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting is seeking to elevate the profile of area musicians, to give them experience in composing music in a professional setting for professional applications, and to bring a new variety of musical voices to PCBC’s on-air and online programming: something distinctively Pittsburgh.
"At WYEP, we are always trying to find new and helpful ways to support musicians in the Pittsburgh region," said Sauter. "Thanks to our partners at the Hillman Foundation, we are excited to offer musicians an opportunity to explore their craft in a perhaps different way. I'm confident that this group will continue on the great work made by previous Artists in Residence, allowing for new and robust sounds to add to the programming of WYEP and WESA.”
