SXSWORLD

 The final lineup reflected the organizers' com- mitment to diversity, not just in the range of ethnicities present, but also in the contrasting musical styles represented. "Just because we were programming artists from the seven banned countries didn't mean they all had to play tra- ditional music," says Froebel. "The final lineup had amazing scope. Yes, there was the tradi- tional Iraqi music of Dena El Saffar and Mohsen Namjoo's blend of ancient Persian music and con- temporary blues, but there was also Bassel & The Supernaturals' infectious neo-soul and the hip hop of Libyan artist Kayem."  Any concerns that ContraBanned, with its serious message, might conflict with the St. Patrick's Day party atmosphere at SXSW were quickly dispelled. The positive reaction of the audience was clear, as the powerful stories of the assembled artists were shared amid a spirit of celebration. Iranian-American artist Mamak Khadem brought everyone together in a tradi- tional circle dance. South Sudanese rap artist and former child soldier Emmanuel Jal fired up the crowd with his anthem "My Power." Naked from the waist up and adorned with white war paint, he spoke out against anger: "Those who have voted for Trump have fear… we will win because we fight with love."  Somali-Canadian sister act, Faarrow (Iman and Siham Hashi) provided the night's emo- tional highlight. The pop duo, who escaped the civil war in their homeland as young girls, now act as spokespeople for the UN Refugee Agency. Sporting t-shirts emblazoned with the slogans "Refu-She!" and "Extra Power," they electrified the audience with their cover of the Fugees's "Ready or Not." "Shout out to the Fugees for making it OK to be a refugee, and making it cool" said Iman.  Do one-off events like ContraBanned have lasting impact? Are artists guilty of capital- izing on political crisis to gain exposure, as some skeptics assert? When questioned, most of these artists expressed a desire to use their music to give voice to the faceless bogeyman that the Trump administration is targeting.  "I am not here because I want to be, " said Emmanuel Ja. "People are still dying in South Sudan. There are children in refugee camps. Dead bodies talk to me. I can't run away from the responsibility of representing my country ... I see my life as a work of art that I create to spark consciousness." W hat is the role of the artist in turbulent times? The election of Donald Trump posed this question to the world, sparking a wave of protest as people laid down their smartphones, pressed pause on Netflix and invoked the spirit of the sixties by going on marches and writing protest songs.  This was the underlying question behind the ContraBanned: #MusicUnites showcase at SXSW 2017. Conceived as a response to Trump's divisive travel ban, ContraBanned embodied the idea that while politics divides, art unites. Musicians with roots in the seven nations banned by Trump's since-overturned January executive order took to the Palm Door on Sixth stage to celebrate their cultures, share experiences and send the message that hate will not triumph over harmonies.  The showcase was the brainchild of immigra- tion lawyer Matthew Covey and award-winning radio host Marco Werman, who worked for six weeks to bring their idea to fruition. The aim was to show America what it would be missing if voices from these nations were silenced.  "We hadn't done concert promotion for a few years, but the first thought that came to my mind when I heard about the travel ban was 'how do we respond?' " said Covey. "I felt the same way many Americans did ... How can I use my skills and contacts to find a meaningful response to what my government is doing?"  Fusing politics and music is nothing new for Covey and Werman, who have both spent their long careers exposing injustice and championing new talent. While Covey has fought behind the scenes to help artists obtain visas to travel and perform in the U.S., Werman's weekly show on Public Radio International, The World, show- cases stories of activism and sounds of protest from around the globe.  ContraBanned was actually based on an idea the two had during the final days of the George W. Bush administration when, over a few beers, they hit upon the idea for an "Axis of Evil" showcase. "We thought it would be fun to bring together art- ists from the countries deemed part of the 'Axis of Evil' [after 9/11] by the Bush administration," remembers Covey. "But we couldn't find a North Korean artist who we could bring to the U.S., so the idea faded. After the news of the travel ban broke, I called Marco and said 'now's the time.' "  An advisory board of industry experts was assembled to help book performers, raise funds and handle promotion. The tight timescale cre- ated huge challenges, but many people, such as festival producer Boo Froebel, were happy to devote time and energy to a project with such a unifying purpose. Early on, the decision was taken to feature artists with roots in the banned countries who were already resident in the U.S. or Canada. Plans to bring the Iranian electronic artist, Ash Koosha, over from London had to be shelved after issues with his visa.  A Kickstarter campaign was launched in late February, alongside private fundraising efforts, to generate enough money to cover all the artist and production costs. A crowdfunding target of $15,000 in 15 days was set and quickly exceeded. "I came up with a budget that was a bit daunting," admits Froebel. "We couldn't in good conscience ask these artists to [pay their own way] as they weren't already planning to be at SXSW. This was a response to a lot of hate and misunder- standing directed at them; it would have been adding insult to injury if we had not been able to cover their expenses and pay them a small fee." ContraBanned Showcase PUTS ART OVER POLITICS By serena KutcHinsKy Emmanuel Jal, photo by Katrina Barber/Getty Images Photo by Katrina Barber/Getty Images

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