kei slaughter

Profile

kei (they/them) is non-binary flutist, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, and music therapist from New Orleans, Louisiana. Currently based in Boston, MA, kei is an Associate Professor in Music Therapy at Berklee College of Music and a doctoral student in Expressive Therapies at Lesley University.

They are also the founder of S O U L F O L K Sounds, LLC, a music and wellness practice that centers LGBTQIA+ Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Drawing from their experiences in the Black Church, kei leverages the power of music to promote community healing, compassionate witnessing, and sustainable joy. They collaborate often with theatermakers, recording artists, and producers. More recently they received a commission to write a new work “[ban]” for the National Flute Association’s LGBTQ+ Flute Choir. An emerging arts-based scholar, kei is passionate about the intersections of racial, sexual, gender, and religious identities in US contexts. Now they are exploring the experiences of queer Black folx in the church and the role of gospel music. An enthusiastic pencil collector and Southern boi at heart, they hold deep reverence for porch sitting, singing around my grandmother’s dinner table, breathing near water, and sharing meals and laughs with loved ones.

OneBeat 11 Fellow, 2023. BMT Music Therapy Loyola University New Orleans, MFA in Music Composition Vermont College of Fine Arts, MA in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness, New York University. Discography: Dark Fire (2017).