A Labrador teen shares the music that inspires her during Black History Month

Margaret Beyere is celebrating the Black artists who inspire her.

All through February, the Happy Valley-Goose Bay teen is joining CBC Radio's Labrador Morning for a new segment called Margaret's Mixtape.

Every Friday, as part of Black History Month, Beyere shares a song by a Black artist she thinks we all should know.

"I really wanted to pick songs that spoke to me, so there are some in there that have more of a political meaning, some in there that just have a really great vibe, but all of them have some sort of personal connection to how I feel about culture and how I feel about history and its importance and relevance today," Beyere said.

Beyere says music is a means to celebrate community and a way to tell stories to communicate Black history.

"A reason that [music is] a really good form of highlighting history, especially during Black History Month, is people can tell different stories and send different messages through music," she said.

A part of the person

Beyere was born and raised in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, but her parents are from Ghana and she grew up immersed in their culture, their food, their dance and, of course, their music.

"Music is a really big part of my personality," she said.

Beyere plays multiple instruments — saxophone, clarinet, and some piano and violin — and has performed in her school band and choir for years.

"My passion for music is understanding how so many different components that don't sound like they would ever correlate can come together and create a masterpiece," she said.

"You can mix them together and create something truly incredible and connect with other people through it."

Picking a song

Beyere's first song choice for the mixtape is Ego, a track by Nigerian artist 1da Banton.

She recalled her reaction when she first heard the track at a Sharing Our Cultures meeting in St. John's in 2023. Those meetings connect culturally diverse school youth to foster belonging and acceptance.

Beyere says she was instantly captivated by the song and the accompanying dance performance by the St. John's Afrobeat Dance Group.

"I'd just never seen that style of dancing in person," she said.

"I connect that song with the experience of participating and sharing our cultures.

"I think that's one of the most amazing ways to showcase and preserve cultures, especially in a small town like this where there's so many diverse people. I would recommend anybody participate in the event."

Beyere hopes listeners can groove to the song, enjoy the vibe and that it leaves them feeling happy inside.

To listen to Margaret's Mixtape check out Labrador Morning on the CBC Listen app or tune in every Friday during Black History Month.

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