Dylema: When I Named Myself, I Became a Poet

Poet and singer Dylema says she became aware very early on that she would be unhappy trying to live up to the patriarchal expectations put upon her. She’s since been on a journey in pursuit of her freedom. From changing her name to coming out to her mother, Dylema says that finding herself, understanding who she is and what she wants has been the key to finding peace and living fully in her truth. We explore why changing her name allowed her to imprint herself on Igbo culture, how she helps others flip their pain into poetry through The Pancake Business, her ever-evolving and expanding ideas of what it means to be a feminist, her mother’s reaction to her coming out and the practical steps she’s taking to be true to herself.

— — 

Dylema is a singer and poet, founder of both The Dylema Collective and The Pancake Business, and the creator and host of the newly-launched podcast, What If a Black Girl Knew. 

This episode features clips of The Dylema Collective performing Knight for Tonight and Email.

— — 

The Dylema Collective is performing at the Jazz Club Soho on 10 March. Book tickets here: pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/dylema-collective.

— — 

@_busybeingblack is the podcast exploring how we live in the fullness of our queer Black lives. Supporting this podcast doesn’t cost any money; your feedback, ratings, reviews and shares all help, so please keep the support coming #busybeingblack

For those who feel compelled and have the means, you can support this podcast financially: PayPal.me/busybeingblack

— — 

Thank you to our partners:

UK Black Pride

BlackOut UK

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices