Artist Profile: Ali Seivwright
The latest in a series of interviews with artists who have a significant body of work that responds to social justice issues.
Ali Seivwright is a writer, poet, comedian and a self-taught multi-instrumentalist who has been a part of the Toronto music scene since he was 15. A Canadian-Jamaican from Scarborough, Ali is the host of the popular podcast "Words With Ali", found on all major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.
CL: Carissa Law, JAYU’s Manager of Advancement
AS: Ali Seivwright
CL: How/when did you begin writing poetry?
AS: I began writing when I was 7, in Grade 2 my teacher asked us to write short stories and I would hide acrostic messages poking fun at the assignment—lucky for me my writing was almost completely illegible back then (arguably I haven't improved much hahaha). The summer of Grade 4 I was thrust into the world of construction, and being a highly sensitive kid in that type of environment, I was forced to "adapt". At the time I found poetry to be an outlet for dealing with the new host of emotions and feelings the particular context conjured.
CL: Do you subscribe to the notion of art as a provocation for rethinking or art as a vehicle for social change? Since you work primarily in the medium of words, what is it about the letter and its container, language, that lends itself to exploring social issues?
AS: Art can bring about great changes in both the individual and the masses. Listening to a song that makes you cry, or observing a sculpture that changes your perceptions of what anything can be—these are instances illuminating art as a vehicle for driving great social evolution.
Art is expression. It is the thoughts, feelings, and energies we put forth to convey an idea, and it is up to the observer to interpret. Embedded in the interpretation there may be a message, especially in the medium of poetry, the message is always present: this is what i feel, these are my thoughts, this happened/is happening etc. Language serves to translate thoughts and bridge understanding between one another which is the foundation of how we bond, form connections, and ultimately grow together.
“ I can be me and not worry about being widely accepted, so can you. ”
CL: You describe your podcast “Words with Ali” as “merging comedy and philosophy”.
Did this approach spring from an understanding of how the modern consumer perceives philosophy as prohibitive on account of its unwieldy language and heavy subjects?
AS: I associate “Words With Ali” with philosophy insofar as it is a raw view into my own mentalities and perceptions where I try to create the conditions for honest and straightforward communications, relaying what’s on my mind with little varnish and candidly. Sometimes the subjects are heavy but within that heaviness there are deep thoughts on what I've witnessed in my world and the world around me.
CL: Its monologue format but conversational delivery presupposes intersubjectivity, like you believe your lived experience is shared by many, and you’re trying to communicate to another. Would you say the tendency to bring large narratives into the realm of direct individual experience is underpinned by a desire to articulate, on behalf of your audience, the opaque sentiments arising from cultural events?
AS: I guess you could say that the delivery of Words With Ali has been almost like a cryptic inside joke for myself where I'm having a literal conversation with myself, about myself. We live through various moments in our lives and more often than not, someone else has similar if not exactly the same sort of experience. In my case, I’ve come to use words boldly and honestly because I never had the privilege to be outspoken without some form of repercussion. I think so many people resonate with what I say because they recognize the freedom and possibility in disavowing the false notion of conformity to a certain narrative for intellectual or emotional interaction to take place. I can be me and not worry about being widely accepted, so can you.
“In a way, I think comedy is an earnest display of emotions, if we agree a byword of that is honesty—by pointing out the fallacies and contradictions overlooked in our society, it is honesty at its funniest.”
CL: Meditations on virtues (“Words on Patience”/”Words on Confidence” etc.) for the sake of personal growth is a recurring trope across seasons. Do you find yourself expressing this preoccupation in your poetry?
AS: “Words With Ali” is one of my many avenues towards becoming a more complete and whole person which is a sentiment echoed across ventures, including my poetry. The "panini sandwich" situation took a significant toll on my health and well-being such that I was robbed of the ability to continue pursuing what I love, which only led me deeper into the throes of stagnation. You could say I’m like a plant that needs constant nurturing care from water and whatnot in order to grow and flourish. My work is to continue that movement in every facet of my life.
CL: Comedy is marked by irony, whereas poetry is often an earnest display of emotions. How do you reconcile these conflicting modes?
AS: In a way I think comedy is an earnest display of emotions, if we agree a byword of that is honesty—by pointing out the fallacies and contradictions overlooked in our society, it is honesty at its funniest.
If you think about how a joke could make you laugh while provoking anger in another person, or how a poem could leave one person feeling sad and another inspired, we can see the nature of Art which is subjective. To express within these seemingly opposite art forms is how I believe we naturally express as human beings, we all laugh and we all cry, which is why the ancient Greek muses, Thalia and Melpomene, represented by laughing and crying masks respectively, are mainstays in theaters, the breeding ground for artistic renditions of emotions as well as the human condition.
CL: And then the significance of music—as a medium. That you’re an instrumentalist as opposed to say, a vocalist is curious to me, given your affinity to words. What instruments do you play, and what drew you to them?
AS: Music is the greatest human language because we can all understand and communicate through it. Though my voice is an instrument as well, it is, from my point of view, limiting to label oneself as a singer or a guitarist.
I've dabbled and played guitar, bass, baritone, trombone, tuba, saxophone, amongst other various percussion instruments in addition to singing. Each instrument has its own "voice" and I found over the years certain ones that resonate with my current mood better than others. Through that play and experimentation (enabled by the Long and McQuades Demos offer) I discovered the singular notes (words) each instrument (language) generates and which meshes most seamlessly with my voice and what I want to convey. I return to guitar most often in that respect.
CL: What sits at the intersection of all these artistic expressions?
AS: The need to feel, in whichever form that takes. Before the "Panoramic" I had essentially numbed myself as a way of coping with depression, anxiety, anger, hatred, and loneliness. I found exploring the various art forms was helpful to an extent, but it was only from going through the worst time of my life during the "Panasonic" that prompted a desire to express on a deeper level, on top of sharing it with the world around me. I understood that the community of self-aware and honest people I’ve developed in my circle is a by-product of delving deeper within myself, which is a source of motivation for me to express myself more often, especially after being silent for so many years.
CL: Your lodestar, inspiration, patron saint?
AS: Do people use lodestar as a general term these days? {to which I responded: maybe not but I also don’t consider myself a general person}
But yeah I'm constantly inspired by my brother and what he's accomplished and strives to accomplish. Since we were kids he's always been a shining example of, be you to the best that you possibly can. Khaleel is one of the inspirations for me to get into music, to learn new skills, and to get wicked good at nunchucks. We should all find inspiration within ourselves and look ahead to what we wish to embody and share with our loved ones and community. You’ll realize we have all that we need within ourselves.