The We Make Noise Festival celebrates women and gender-expansive artists in Boston through a one-day free summer event. The festival features live music performances by local musicians and DJs, a visual art gallery showcasing the work of diverse artists, digital interactions exploring feminism and activism, and a platform for local vendors through Boston Women’s Market.

By empowering artists and engaging the community, WMN Festival aims to create an inclusive space for celebration, empowerment, and artistic expression.

We Make Noise Lineup

MEET OUR HEADLINER: OOMPA

OOMPA is a nationally-acclaimed, Boston-born (ROXBURY to be specific), hip hop artist. She was named one of Boston Magazine’s 150 Most Influential Bostonians and her engaging, interactive performing style has earned her 3 Boston Music Awards and 15 nominations. WBUR’s the Artery describes the lyric-focused rapper as having a “natural tenderness with language” and calls her verses “funny...incisive and memorable.” Oompa showed this poetic prowess as the winner of the 2017 Women of the World Poetry Slam and a finalist in the 2016 National Poetry Slam. Following the release of her second album, Cleo, in August of 2019, Oompa sold out The Sinclair and a number of other Boston venues. Since then, she has shared the stage with renowned artists around the country like Charli XCX, 24KGoldn, Tinashe, 2Chainz, and Rico Nasty.

She has continued to be a staple live performer in Boston this past year with a headline performance at the Paradise Rock Club and multiple festival appearances in 2022, including a set on Boston Calling’s Red Stage.

Her latest album, UNBOTHERED was released independently in October 2021 to popular and critical acclaim. This album is joy incarnate. What it feels like, what it sounds like, what it looks like, who it’s for, and, most importantly, how to find and make joy a reality in this life even when presented with so much constant sorrow. This album is Oompa expanding as a human and as an artist. Free of boxes, free of expectations, and free of rules except for those she has laid out for herself.

In the Fall of 2022, Oompa was named as one of 12 artists accepted into the prestigious Pepsi Music Lab which is a multi-year partnership brokered by United Masters that will see her featured in advertisements, radio spots, concerts, and branded content nationwide. New music, visuals, and more are on the way this summer 2023 that will elevate Oompa to even greater heights.

Hailing from Roxbury and gracing the stage at this year's Boston Calling Music Festival, Cakeswagg is renowned within Boston’s hip-hop community for captivating performances, lyrical prowess, and a vibrant personality. Most recently, Cakeswagg triumphed in the crowd-voted "Master of the Chamber" battle-rap event, besting fellow Boston rappers and demonstrating her exceptional ability to engage crowds and energize any audience. Nominated for Video of the Year at the 2023 Boston Music Awards for her track 'Big Plays,' Cakeswagg draws inspiration from creative icons like Missy Elliot and Kendrick Lamar. 

Cakeswagg’s influence goes beyond her music career. She's leaving a lasting impact on Boston’s youth as a theater teacher and hip-hop instructor. From igniting creativity in elementary school children to mentoring aspiring high school talents, Cakeswagg is shaping the future artists of Boston's community.

Lisa Bello, a true Boston native, stands as an acclaimed R&B singer-songwriter celebrated for her remarkable ability to infuse every performance with the soul, swagger, and profound emotion that define her unique East Coast-born style.

A former Boston Public Schools educator, Lisa boasts a rich tapestry of accomplishments, ranging from her lifetime of songwriting to her incredible vocal talents and humanitarian efforts. She is also a member of the Recording Academy. Lisa has been honored with a diverse array of awards, including the prestigious John Lennon Songwriting Contest in the Hip Hop category. Additionally, she has clinched Boston Music Awards for both Female Vocalist of the Year and R&B Vocalist of the Year, as well as the title of New England Nightlife Independent Artist of the Year. Furthermore, Lisa has been bestowed with the OUTMUSIC Awards' Humanitarian Songwriter of the Year accolade. 

Notably, Lisa also lends her incredible voice as the national anthem singer for numerous NBA, MLB, and NFL teams across various cities.

And as an added note, she can STILL fight.

Amanda Shea is a two-time Boston Music Award-winning Spoken Word Artist. Shea is an artist, performer, educator, artivist, publicist, host, and curator. She co-founded and curated six iterations of Activating ARTivism, a community festival to amplify POC through art, activism, and resistance. Her work can be found in the Museum of Fine Arts, The Boston Globe, TEDX, TEDXRoxbury, Netflix, Prime Video, BBC News, GBH, and much more. Shea will be releasing her first book, “Pieces of Shea” in the Spring of 2024. Amanda's work examines her personal life experiences, social justice issues, and healing through trauma utilizing art as the tool.

Naomi Westwater (they/she) is a queer, Black-multiracial singer-songwriter from Massachusetts. Their work combines folk-rock music, poetry, and spirituality. Their hope is that through ritual and storytelling they can aid nature in the end of capitalism and the return to community, creativity, and collective joy. 

Naomi holds a Master of Music in Contemporary Performance and Production from Berklee College of Music and she is a part of The Club Passim Folk Collective, where she produces Re-Imagining Lilith Fair: a tribute to the feminist music scene of the 1990s with an intersection lens for today.

Naomi was nominated for a 2021 and 2022 Boston Music Award for best singer-songwriter, and has been featured in The Boston Globe, Under The Radar, WBUR, WGBH, and The Bluegrass Situation.

Naomi is on faculty at Club Passim and Not Sorry Productions teaching songwriting, tarot, and poetry, and leads the Boston Chapter of We Make Noise. She is also an event producer and has produced shows at The Apollo Theatre, The Beacon Theatre, The Bell House, and more. Currently, Naomi is producing a series called Reclaiming Folk: A Celebration of People of Color in Folk Music. Learn more on their website and listen to their new music.

Genre-bending and melodiously captivating, Sydney Ewing, known professionally as Kühlname (Kool-NAH-may), is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, and producer from Dallas, Texas. With over 2 million views on social media platforms, Kühlname’s eclectic fusion of R&B and world music takes audiences on a transcendent and mesmerizing musical journey, featuring angelic harmonies, smooth basslines, and driving percussion that weave together into a rich tapestry of sound. Her introspective lyrics and notes of sarcasm invite listeners to connect with their inner selves and with one another, fostering a sense of empowerment, balance, and unity.

At just 22 years old, Kühlname has performed in front of audiences of several thousand and graced the stages of prestigious venues, including the House of Blues, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and Carnegie Hall. Most recently, she captivated audiences at Wellesley College with a performance and a compelling talk, showcasing her versatility and making her a sought-after talent for both her musical and educational insights. As she moves to London to pursue her graduate studies, Kühlname's artistry continues to enchant audiences, solidifying her as a rising star in the music world.

Daniela Gómez is a singer/songwriter from Mexico City. By mixing pop, jazz, folk and electronic music, she manages to create a new style that resembles that of FKJ and Natalia Lafourcade. Her songs portray the peculiar way she perceives the world and its situations, taking the listener through a journey into the multiverse of art, nature, love, and consciousness.

In 2016, she performed in New Delhi International Folkloric Festival as part of the Mexican Folkloric Group. She won second place at Olivia Gorra's International Singing Contest in 2018. She shared the stage as a background vocalist for Mexican Icon Aida Cuevas in 2019, and for Grammy nominee artist, Dayme Arocena, in 2020. In 2021, she was part of the prestigious Antonio Sánchez Residency in Mexico City, where she received instruction by Grammy nominee and jazz vocalist, Thana Alexa. In 2022 she co produced a concert with the Mexican Consulate in Boston, where she organized and performed a Mexican Serenade for 5 de Mayo.

She is currently working on her first album and performing across different places in US and Mexico.

Analise is an upcoming alternative-indie artist based in Boston, MA. Inspired by the likes of Dijon, Boygenius, Omar Apollo, Adrienne Lenker, and her mom’s BeeGees obsession, Analise’s music blends together everything that she has lived, loved, and learned. Growing up as an overly extroverted, sensitive, and creative person, she started writing songs at the age of 13 - which quickly became her favorite way of communicating and connecting with others. Still is. Since then, Analise has recorded, produced, and released five singles, with one of her recent projects “Messy” receiving over 35k streams in just two months. The release of her Debut EP, “Oshibana,” was one of her most vulnerable and heartfelt releases to date. Wonderland Magazine described the EP as an exploration of the “minefield” of young love which, as Analise puts it, “tries to understand our growing selves, while trying to give ourselves to someone else.” With the release of her latest single “All Alone Again”, and its corresponding self-directed music video, Analise has garnered praise from CLASH Magazine and Fashionably Early, and is certain to conquer new hearts and ears across the country. 

Award winning Native Tlingit artist Kim Moberg was born in Juneau, Alaska and resides in MA. Music was the constant in her childhood, helping her to adjust to the frequent moves associated with growing in a military family.Kim began playing guitar at age 14 but stage fright kept her from becoming a performer. In 2014 Kim set out to overcome her stage fright and wrote her first song.

Kim teamed with Grammy nominated producer Jon Evans to record three albums, all charting on the FAI DJ charts. Her latest release “The Seven Fires Prophecy Suite for Humanity” (2023) is an original 8 song suite that tells the ancient yet relevant Anishinaabe legend “The Seven Fires Prophecy” in songs that tie ancient prophecies to our current social environment. Kim’s fourth album “All That Really Matters”, also produced by Jon Evans, is scheduled for release in early 2025.

Kim’s numerous recognitions include 2021 Rocky Mountain Songwriting Contest Finalist and 2021 Great American Songwriting Contest Folk/Americana Finalist.

A strong believer that music brings us together and holds the power to affect change, Kim is an augural member of Club Passim’s The Folk Collective, an initiative founded in 2012 to present inclusive and equitable events that welcome and invite diverse audiences and artists to the Passim stage and beyond. Kim's rich vocals have been described as “a blend of honey and whiskey”.

dogtailcorners is a queer singer-songwriter, pianist, and harpist, who seeks to blur the lines between poetry and music. Influences of Fiona Apple and Jeff Buckley are present in her indie-pop sound. Vocals imbued with potent lyricism take the forefront in her debut EP ‘my garden”: ranging from powerful belting and ethereal harmony stacks. A Cancer sun with a Pisces moon, dogtailcorners alchemizes her big feelings into song, and hopes to curate a loving and supportive community in their wake.

Ladybugg is who you listen to at 2am when life seems to be crumbling around you. With lyrics rooted in poetry and sounds inspired by the likes of Frank Ocean, Willow, and SZA, Ladybugg lures you in in to explore your inner more thoughts fears and desires. 

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