Meet the KDL Vibes Curator: Adrian Wright

Did you know your library has its very own music collection?

KDL Vibes is Kent District Library's local music streaming collection, connecting listeners with West Michigan artists while supporting and celebrating our local music community. Each year, local musicians, music community members and library staff listen to submissions and select approximately 30 artists to be featured in the collection. Selected musicians receive a $250 honorarium and sign a non-exclusive licensing agreement to share their music through KDL Vibes.

Over the next few weeks, we're introducing the people behind the playlists — the community curators who partner with library staff to help discover the incredible local talent featured in KDL Vibes.

This week, meet Adrian Wright, a local creative whose passion for West Michigan's music scene helps shape each year's collection.

Tell us a little about yourself – Who you are, what you do, and your connection to West Michigan music.

My name is Adrian Wright and I am a local creative. I mainly create alternative rap music that is soulful, funky, and introspective. I am from Flint, Michigan but moved to Grand Rapids after being dismissed from optometry school in Big Rapids. I quickly became a part of the music community after moving here. The connection was initiated through performing with my friends from college as United Everywhere and Avocadsquad as well being known as someone local musicians can call up on stage to freestyle on the spot. Most recently I have been able to bring my own creations to life performing as Adrian Wright and The Great Let Go's.

If someone's never heard of KDL Vibes, how would you describe it?

KDL Vibes is a platform that keeps track of your local music history. Often the local micro movements can be lost in what's pushed upon us by the big media outlets. KDL Vibes is capturing the vibe of the creatives in your community.

You can bring only three physical albums with you on a long trip—no internet, no streaming. Which ones do you choose, and why?

Outkast – Stankonia
I feel like every vibe I need to get from music is captured in this album. If I had only one album to pick it would be this. I used to go to sleep listening to this album as a kid, which probably explains a lot about my mental state.

Erykah Badu – Mama's Gun
The blend of soul and funkiness in this album can't be denied.

Gorillaz – Demon Days
This is another album I feel captures all the vibes I want to get from music. I don't know what else to say, it's a masterful showcase of creativity.

Honorable Mention: Talking Heads – Remain in Light
The grooves in this album are infectious and I can listen to them indefinitely.

What's a favorite local spot — music, art or cultural — that you think everyone should know?

Adrian Wright: "I think that everyone should know about Grammotones located on Division in downtown Grand Rapids. Grammotones is a retail space, performance venue, and creative hub for local artists run by one of our own amazing local artists, Dante Cope."

Interested in submitting your music?

West Michigan musicians can submit one representative song to KDL Vibes during the annual submission period, September 1 through October 12. To learn more about the program, submission guidelines and artist FAQs, visit vibes.kdl.org.

Stay tuned as we continue introducing the curators who help bring the sounds of West Michigan to KDL Vibes.