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We engage musicians in the work of civic renewal. Join us!

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Braver Angels is trying to spark a social movement that will hold the country together during the dark times that are sure to come with the presidential campaigns and beyond. It’s not about trying to change deeply held beliefs or pushing partisans to meet in the “mushy middle.” Instead, the aim is to make sure disagreements are based on reality, not lazy stereotypes; that people see the humanity of those they disagree with. It’s about giving people tools to coexist and providing a space where it is safe to interact with those from the “other side.”

This is the music America needs,” Farah Stockman, New York Times, August 5, 2023

Our Work

We’re currently working on four main projects. If you have ideas or connections that might help with any of these efforts, please contact our team at music@braverangels.org

We incorporate music into Braver Angels’ workshops, debates, and member events.
Sometimes, this means arranging for musicians to perform live; other times, this means sourcing recorded songs from our musical community. We also periodically organize concerts (e.g., we hosted an evening of song and gratitude in November 2020).
We cultivate a songwriting community.
We build relationships among musicians seeking to create music that speaks to our nation’s political divides. You can find & join the community here.
We work with artists to bring Braver Angels to new audiences.
This takes two forms: first, through a growing set of music ambassadors—established, well-known musicians representing us in the public sphere. Second, we spotlight a grassroots artist of the month, featuring this musician in our online content. You can apply to be an artist of the month here.

We work with college students and youth.

We engage young people in musical events and programs that also facilitate productive, positive discussions of political differences.

Events

Braver Music hosts SongSquare, a song swap open to all genres & experience levels, on a monthly basis. We also host periodic concerts, songwriting workshops, & more.

Artist of the Month

And the winners are…

After months of gathering song submissions, partnering with other organizations, working with our incredible volunteer response, and an outstanding cast of judges, the Braver Angels Music team is ...
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Press Release: Braver Angels Music Launches Song Contest to Build Bridges with Music Communities

The song contest is back! We're on the hunt for songs that engage across the aisle. Songwriters across America are invited to apply.
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Muunie, Braver Angels Artist of the Month (August 2022)

Artist of the Month: Muunie

Therapeutic pop artist Muunie talks with Alma Cook about how becoming “the most healed version of herself” has helped her radically love others.
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Braver Angels has several music-centered initiatives, including concert programming & a growing Facebook community of songwriters. The artist of the month program is intended to bring visibility to grassroots musicians who are currently using their artistry & platforms in the spirit of our organization’s mission.

Nominate yourself or someone else to be a Braver Angels artist of the month!

Meet our Team

Our team is made up of about a dozen core volunteers, most of whom focus on one specific project area. We are so grateful for their generosity!

In addition to these volunteers, we have three staff leaders:

Alma Cook, Co-Director

Alma is an R&B singer-songwriter (find her music on Spotify!). She steers the weekly group meetings and leads the charge on musical ambassadorships, including the Artist of the Month program.

Micah Hendler, Co-Director

Micah founded the Jerusalem Youth Chorus (making Forbes‘ 30 Under 30 list along the way!) and Raise Your Voice Labs. He is our development liaison and is laying the groundwork for our youth programming.

John Carroll, Co-Director

John is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter (find his music on his website, where you can also join his mailing list!). He directs our monthly Song Square events and stewards the Facebook songwriting community.

Past Projects

In 2020, the music team organized a Braver Angels songwriting contest. More than 200 songwriters answered our call to submit songs in the spirit of Braver Angels. You can view the full contest collection here, and you can read a series of red/blue dialogues on selected entries here (part 1part 2, part 3).

Guess what?! We’ve decided to host a song contest in 2023 as well! The only entry fee is Braver Angels membership, which costs a minimum of $12/year. Learn more here and apply now! 

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