Sunday February 16th 2025
Greetings! In honour of Black History Month, I’m sharing my Current Favourite Black Niche Content Creators. If you’ve ever wanted to know which influencers I turn to for cool, weird, movies, music and art, consider this your free ticket to The Modern Media Museum of My Mind ( I just came up with this title on the spot. Honestly, I’m impressed 💁🏾♀️).
Here’s the list:
“Your favourite vibe curator and tastemaker”
Tastemaker/ DJ / Music Curator
If you’re not afraid to explore music from one end of the world to another, or if you enjoy endless genre-hopping, St Virgil might be your new favourite source. I feel like they are what the world needs. A well rounded, arts-minded, culturally aware content creator and DJ who gently guides enthusiasts like you and I down vast, winding corridors of the unknown, the vaguely familiar, and the esoteric.
My 2020-era TikTok algorithm was absolutely liiiit and it was around this same time St Virgil’s content was being pushed to my FYP. Rightfully so. I was blessed to be exposed to HEAPS of underground artists and clips of various songs that don’t really fit into any specific category for me.
St Virgil’s content is pragmatic in its approach to facilitate and enhance such experiences. It’s content that politely interrupts doomscroll sessions with educational anecdotes that bring even more life to the things we love about the music that’s ready for discovery on that platform. I’m regularly excited to hear St Virgil’s artist, song & album recommendations.
When I learned that St Virgil has what I refer to as “college radio show host roots” (like moi 😌) I developed into even more of a fan. For a moment I thought, “ho, is you me?!” But I can see how it all makes sense now. The evidence is constantly revealing itself: there’s a whole generation of artsy young Black women and girls, just quietly and happily coming across one another - and the music that moves us.
In this clip from their Music Discovery TikTok playlist, St Virgil says, “What we do here is music association”. Like, I knew there was a reason why some of my mother’s favourite jams had me deep in my feelings when I was 8 years old and why I get flooded with similar feelings whenever I listen to songs like Marilyn by Mount Kimbie (ft. Micachu) for example.
Music association.
They get it. They get why those of us whose tastes are like melting pots really can vibe to almost anything if it’s made right.
While I mostly grew up believing there weren’t many Black, femme-presenting music specialists who can dabble in so many genres at once — in my case, getting laughed at and ostracized for allegedly wanting to “be white” based on the music I gravitated toward — creators like St Virgil make me feel right at home. They understand that broad musical tastes can give life maximum vibrancy and colour as opposed to locking each of us up in boring little boxes, where we’re only permitted to listen to a select type of music based on whatever the next person decides is appropriate.
They also seem to understand that the gravitational pull towards a sound (maybe a surreal and syrup-y guitar riff or a dreamy shoegaze melody) might actually come from a mysterious affinity for our own heritage as Black people or as Black women. Perhaps it comes from an inexplicable fondness and fascination with our origins — a love for something haters might refuse to embrace within themselves.
FUN FACT: I actually grabbed the song Foolish Harp/Waerera by Bhundu Boys off St Virgil’s “Zimbabwean Music I Grew Up Listening To” Playlist on Spotify for my own Black History Month playlist called Afro Arts & Culture, which you can listen to here:
Once you’ve listened to Foolish Harp, drop a comment below or share this post and tag me in your socials, describing how it makes you feel …if you can put it into words.
I highly recommend following St Virgil on Spotify to tap straight into the music, or on TikTok if you enjoy their commentary driven approach to music discovery. I personally enjoy both.
“Classic Over Thinker”
Film, Video & Game Reviews
Now, although I can’t say exactly how I ended up here, I’m glad I did. Su$hi Reads has cultivated a cozy digital space for fans of experimental animation, live action and other sub-genres of video media. Games, short films, some full-length features, plus a handful of tv shows you might watch if you’re into provocative (and kinda twisted) entertainment is what makes up the majority of her content.
I actually don't mess with scary movies that much which is funny because there are recurring themes of darkness, gore and horror on Su$hi Reads.
But listening to Su$hi give her voiceover analyses of the triggering subject matter and creepy characters that turn up in so many of these story plots feels safer for me, and more comforting than stumbling across them on my own; un-prepared.
I can honestly admit that I have limited tolerance for disturbing imagery whilst still appreciating the artistry of film in its many forms. Enough about me though. If you love horror, you’ll probably like it here.
Her clock app page is all I can find of her but there's plenty of content to explore. Claymation, stop-motion, animé, and CGI filmmaking techniques are commonly observed. Su$hi seems to take a lot of content suggestions from their audience as well, which makes the whole experience feel very interactive. My favourite playlist from their collection is the Short Films playlist, which appears to also be their most popular and most frequently updated.
I feel like this creator just does what they do so well. The analysis provided for each film/show/game is typically accompanied by both the creator and the audience's interpretations of lore, symbolism and social relevance embedded within the storylines . Unsettling imagery aside, one’s inner philosopher can be tended to with Su$hi Reads.
It goes without saying at this point but Su$hi Reads is another great example of Black women taking up space in realms of media that are typically associated with certain demographics. At the risk of saying something controversial, there’s a part of me that doesn’t think race even matters in these contexts. Much like St Virgil, Su$hi’s content covers some pretty vast creative territory and doesn’t present to me as being made exclusively for Black people, but rather made for alternative film and media lovers, at large.
With that said, as a woman who identifies as being among the Black & African diaspora myself, there is something inherently special about the unspoken, un-tokenized representation in these digital content creator spaces. I’m just happy to see that women who appear to come from backgrounds similar to mine, and therefore might share some of my life experiences, are making waves and being genuinely influential in the creative movements that catch my attention.
“Sickeningly Sweet Music”
(Band)
There’s honestly not much I need to say about Saccharin , partly because there is only so much information I can find, and also because they’re one of those bands that make you feel like you’re standing at the metaphorical doorway of something very taciturn to begin with. You feel the urge to gatekeep but you’re pretty confident they’re gonna get their flowers whether you keep the secret or you don’t.
There’s an ‘if you like it, you like it’ kind of lo-fi aura in effect here… ‘lock in or skedaddle’ type energy, if you will 😽🌹
There are no wordy bios written. There are no band member names plastered to their profiles. What they do offer is lots of sweet music: singles, demos, a full length album (Cheaters Never Win) and some EPs (including their latest “3P” called Date Night).
(Side Note: They just dropped a new single this weekend called “Sweet Glaze”, go listen to it!)
Saccharin’s demure, yet sinister soft-life lyrics about going to the “Maul” and being a “Five Star Girl” pair really well with their postpunk bedroom-pop audio aesthetic. From what I gather, their musical recipe is an iconic combo of barely-there drum pads, heavy reverb and significant use of guitar pedal effects. There’s a slightly gothic tone overall, resulting in a final product that fits somewhere between late 80's to early 00's outfits like Le Tigre, Bratmobile, Slowdive and Bauhaus, or more recently emerged artists like Zzzahara and Makeout City.
Fronted by a young baddie with microbangs (on bass, I think) and what appears to be their singular guitarist (and maybe keyboardist) bandmate, I’ve been lurking in the Saccharin fan girl shadows with absolutely no shame for about a year or two.
Now you know my current favourite top three but for bonus points, I’m gonna link a couple more honourable mentions cause you need to know about them as well:
“Ur fave irl vampyre”
Guitar Prodigy
Wizard-level guitar instrumentalist specializing in metal, rock, et al. Remember when duets were a thing on TikTok? Let’s bring that back. Making “bars x guitars” duets with DiamondsMetal was one of my favourite things to do.
Visual Artist
Juicy Hued Paints & Prints
Coco showed up on my FYP rather recently. It was an “instant follow” situation. Coco's hyperrealistic painting style and deeply saturated colour choices undoubtedly do it for me.
I hope you've enjoyed this Black History Month visit to my virtual museum. If you’ve made it this far and if any of this content resonates with you, share it. Follow these creators. Don’t be shy to add your own favourite Black Niche Content Creator recommendations in the comment section of this post, too. I’d love to know which ones strike YOUR fancy the most. Let’s spread the love, the knowledge, the art and the music. Happy BHM!
Very dope!!