What's going on? Margaret's Mixtape music series concludes with a Marvin Gaye hit
Black History Month has concluded for another year, but just under the wire, we have one final edition of Margaret's Mixtape.
Every Friday through February, Happy Valley-Goose Bay teen Margaret Beyere joined CBC Radio's Labrador Morning to host a segment where she introduces a song by a Black artist who inspires her.
We dubbed it Margaret's Mixtape.
As she reflects on the segment, she says she feels inspired by how different musical styles can bring people together.
"What inspires me the most is the way it can all relate to each other while being so different," she said. "We've heard a little bit of Afrobeat from Nigerian artists, we've heard some more acoustic stuff on the American side."
And for the final song we heard a little bit of Motown.
This week, Beyere went with the 1971 protest song What's Going On by one of the pillars of Motown — Marvin Gaye.
She says she wanted something that would speak to a different aspect of Black history in the United States.
What's Going On was written in the wake of the civil rights movement and inspired by Vietnam War protests.
"It's a great reflection on society and on the importance of helping one another," Beyere said.
Beyere says she's always compelled to investigate the story behind a song.
"I really feel inspired listening to some people's art because it tells a story of their lives and how they perceive things," she said.
Having just turned 18, and looking ahead to graduating high school, she anticipates one thing that won't change for her: music will always be part of her life.
"It's something that makes me feel comfortable," she said. "It's something that brings me peace."
As she continues her journey exploring music, Beyere says she's excited to see what she might uncover.
"I think it's really important to highlight that — especially during Black History Month — none of us are ever done learning," she said. "And that there's always something hidden that is just waiting for us to find by opening a conversation or by listening to a song."
Margaret's Mixtape has finished airing, but you can find it through Labrador Morning on the CBC Listen app.
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