Refolkus
Monday April 7th, 2025 with Rosalyn Dennett
Art is Activism w/ OKAN

In this week's episode, we chat with Elizabeth Rodriguez of OKAN. Elizabeth reflects on the profound impact of her African ancestry on their music and takes us through her journey from classical music in Cuba to rediscovering her roots in Cuban music and improvisation. She talks about the role of music in driving social change and how her personal experiences inspire her songwriting. Elizabeth also opens up about the challenges of parenting while pursuing a career in the music industry, highlighting the importance of belief, adaptability, and having a solid support system to navigate the ups and downs of the industry. Full Podcast episode here: https://www.folkcanada.com/post/refolkus-podcast-art-is-activism-w-okan If you’re interested in submitting questions for our upcoming episodes, be sure to follow Folk Canada on Instagram where we will be posting our upcoming guests. Folk Canada Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/folk_canada/ Find OKAN online: Website & Upcoming Shows: https://www.okanmusica.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/okan.band/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@okanmusica Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/okanmusica Bandcamp: https://okanmusica.bandcamp.com/ About OKAN Charged with the profound power of their African ancestry. OKAN takes their name from the word for heart in the Afro-Cuban religion of Santeria. Fusing these Cuban roots with jazz, folk and global rhythms, OKAN delivers songs about immigration, resistance and joy in Spanish, Yoruba and Spanglish. Hot off their Tiny Desk NPR Alt Latino debut and a tour supporting Grammy-winners Rodrigo y Gabriela, OKAN’s recent release Okantomi was awarded the 2024 Juno Award and included in NPR Alt Latino, Le Monde, and CBC Music’s “Best of 2023” lists. OKAN is co-led by Cuban-born Grammy & Latin-Grammy nominees: violinist and vocalist Elizabeth Rodriguez and her wife, percussionist & vocalist Magdelys Savigne.