Melomaniacs: How Independent Musicians Influence West Hollywood’s Cosmopolitanism

• In Event: 20420 - Section on Sociology of Culture Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table 2: Cultural Production and Circulation

Abstract

If Los Angeles is considered the creative capital of the world, then West Hollywood (WeHo) musicians can be seen as its cultural citizens. From the historic Sunset Strip to “out and proud” Santa Monica Boulevard, the 1.9 square mile city space has habitually served as a haven for emerging and established artists of multicultural genres and identities. Funded by the City of West Hollywood and fiscally sponsored by Fulcrum Arts, this project’s objective is to triangulate sociology of music, Arts advocacy and live performance by qualitatively studying the life courses, musicianship and solidarity of independent (i.e., non-commercial) musicians living and working in WeHo. Phase one elicits 23 in-person and in-depth interviews with local, professional musicians to determine how these individuals derive creative meaning and connections within the musically diverse space of West Hollywood and to explore the existing conditions that allow independent musicians to express their true selves and emotions through their musical careers. Ranging in age from 25-81, participants represent LGBTQ+ and heterosexual identities as well as the expansive genres and instrumentations that compose the city’s musician base. Significant findings from phase one emphasize the musicians’ authentic expression through original songwriting and live performances; feelings of acceptance and validation from connections to culturally hybrid WeHo audiences; nonconformity to the dominant Los Angeles commercial music label restrictions which offers solidarity within the independent field; and appreciation for the terrains and imaginaries of the city’s diverse musical stages with storied histories. In further analyses, I explore Peterson’s (1992) cultural omnivorousness theory from a less normative framework here in the U.S.—one that draws more uniquely upon qualitative interview data from the producer (i.e., musician) lens versus the consumer (i.e., audience) lens. I articulate how the musicians are categorically the population that influences WeHo’s progressive cosmopolitanism through their own cultural omnivorous attitudes as well as their postmaterialist, autonomous lifestyles. I conclude that it is the interconnectedness between these individual musicians and the structure of West Hollywood that coevolve moral capital, contributing to a more dignified and musically equitable space for artists to be recognized.

Author

• Caroline E Nagy, City of West Hollywood/Fulcrum Arts