Joy Guidry: Black Artistry at its Finest

Self-love, compassion, laughter, and the passion to amplify Black artists: This is what drives NYC-based bassoonist and Berlin Prize for Young Artists nominated composer Joy Guidry.

As a follow-up to their lauded album Darkness is a Myth, they released their latest LP, Radical Acceptance, on February 4. 

“It was inspired throughout this last year of my life,” Guidry says. “Not really focusing on COVID, but how COVID gave me time to reflect. I started trauma therapy, and my therapist always talked about radical acceptance. I was like, “What’s that?” It’s basically just accepting things that you cannot change. You sometimes can’t change people, so you kind of have to roll with it. So, that’s the gist of the whole album, and each track is a sonic experience of me releasing the want to change something, the desire to have so much control.”

Ranging from spoken word to deep, chest-rattling drone to spirited free-jazz, Radical Acceptance is an album that, once fully experienced, is difficult to shake. 

Guidry says creating this LP was an extremely cathartic process.

“I have bipolar II Disorder and PTSD, so it’s been very big for me to talk about it to normalize it,” they explain. “Radical Acceptance has made it easier for me to talk to people about what I struggle with because what I have is different than depression. Depression is extremely powerful and life-threatening, but bipolar disorder is different from depression. People will say, “Oh, you’ll feel better.” I’m like, “No, I won’t.” I have a mental illness, and there are times that I am unrecognizable to my friends and family. So, it has been important to talk about that, and I am very proud of this LP. I think I hit all my goals with creating the music and having a clear message.”

Radical Acceptance also touches on body image, which has always been a hot topic in the queer community.

“It’s been tough,” Guidry says. “My whole life, I was always called husky, big man, all this stuff, and it was awful. Then when I got to college, I went raw vegan. I did it for health benefits, but it actually caused a form of bulimia for me. As I lost a lot of weight, I was having more sex; I felt more desirable; I felt more confident, but when I look back at pictures, there is no life in my eyes. Then I gained a lot of weight and became super depressed, but eventually, 

I worked on loving myself. I will always have internalized fatphobia, but I shouldn’t care about what others think about my size. It’s been this long journey.”

Listeners received a sample of the LP when the first single “Inner Child” was released in December by Foxy Digitalis, and Guidry says listeners reacted extremely well.

A versatile improviser and composer of experimental, daring new works that embody a deep love of storytelling, Guidry’s music not only channels their own inner child, but it also honors their ancestors and predecessors. They have always had an interest in contemporary art, and they are beyond grateful to have family and friends supporting their musical ambitions. 

“My family really inspires me, and I love to tell stories,” Guidry says. “I found ways to do that through music, and I got good at it. Music is such a huge part of my life now, and I have such an appreciation for it. Knowing that so many friends and family members support my dreams, it’s unreal. It is such a blessing from God that I can wake up and do music every day. That is my job, and I love what I do. It gives me so much agency, and it’s bringing me into spaces that I never thought I would be in.”

In every aspect of Guidry’s practice, they seek to support, hire, and promote Black artists. To this end, Guidry has spearheaded Sounds of the African Diaspora, a competition and commissioning platform for composers from the African diaspora. This new initiative ensures that composers from the diaspora have access to the space, resources, and time necessary to foster new, innovative music.

Among Guidry’s other accolades, they have performed with several art organization,  including the Dance Centre Kenya Ballet Orchestra, International Contemporary Ensemble, and Alarm Will Sound; have been a featured soloist in Yvette Jackson’s opera Fear is their Alibi that premiered at the 2021 Prototype festival; and they have been commissioned by The National Sawdust, Long Beach Opera, JACK Quartet, and the I&I Foundation.

As for the future, Guidry hopes a lot more is in store for their career. 

“I want to go on tour; I would like to start a band, and I would love to win a Grammy,” they exclaim. “That all sounds really fun, but really, I hope to just keep traveling, make more music, and work with more labels. The label I’m on now, Whited Sepulchre Records, has been so incredible to me, and it’s been such a great journey. I hope to have that type of relationship with different labels in the future. I also hope this ends up being my full-time job, and I can continue telling my stories.”

Stay up-to-date and connect with Guidry by following them on Instagram @joe_wey, or visit their official website, guidrybassoon.com. Radical Acceptance is available on all digital streaming platforms.   

Photos by Shala Miller