Dr. Ajitpaul Mangat, assistant professor of English, brought students Celena Barone and Caitlyn McDowell to California, to attend PopCon. Held this year from March 12-14, PopCon brings together scholars, journalists, and musicians at the University of Southern California, for panels about pop music and its cultural impact. Dr. Mangat organized a panel for the event that discussed the concept of “heteropessimism” in pop music, and he was able to gather contributions from scholars whose work he shares in his classes. Attending the convention is a great opportunity for all fans of pop music, but especially for those who take an added academic interest in the music.
On her experience at the conference, Barone said, “This conference was full of rich conversations about music, and making connections with people who are so incredibly well-spoken and passionate about their wheelhouse. The conference itself focused on how music actively reflects the state of being many of us are in.” She added that one of the coolest parts was being able to meet some of the authors she has read through Dr. Mangat’s class.
Dr. Mangat organized a panel that brought together professors from across the globe that he has met through popular music studies, and attending conventions like this, in the past. The panel featured Dr. Jessica Holmes, associate professor of Musicology at the University of Copenhagen, Dr. Dan DiPiero, assistant professor of Music at Boston University, and Dr. Amy Skjerseth, assistant professor of Popular Music at the University of California, Riverside.
All involved in the panel had specific work that relates to the overarching topic of “heteropessimism” in pop music; a term that speaks to the rising cultural cynicism around heterosexuality and social dynamics between men and women. In reference to the experience of the panel and the study of pop music overall, Dr. Mangat said, “[The panel] was an opportunity to be in dialogue with scholars who are my friends and whose work I admire. I have only been involved in popular music studies for a few years but I have already found a really supportive and inspiring community. These collaborations are what get me most excited about research and scholarship.”
McDowell most enjoyed the depth of conversation the panels were all able to have. McDowell said, “The environment itself was intimate and welcoming, most of the rooms where the panel discussions were held had a crowd of about twenty attendees max. I loved this as I was able to ask questions to the panelists and even have personal discussions with them after.”
Other highlights of the convention included a keynote and performance from Grammy award winner Jon Batiste, to open the event. The closing night of the convention featured a keynote from producers involved in creating Rihanna’s “ANTI,” as the album turns 10 years old.
The convention highlights the importance of viewing art in the context of culture. A song is not just a song, it exists within and contributes to our culture. PopCon is the type of event that showcases the cultural power of music. The type of power best summed up by Barone, who said, “It was all unapologetically radical, loud, and wonderful.”
