Jawwaad Taylor

Jawwaad found music to be a crucial outlet for coping with the emotional toll of living with sickle cell disease.  In his journey to healing, he used music as a form of therapy, both for himself and others. His experience with music helped him process pain, express deep emotions, and ultimately find a sense of empowerment. Jawwaad became an advocate for using the arts to improve wellbeing, encouraging others to use creative expression as a tool for healing. His story is a testament to the profound and transformative power that music and the arts can have in building resilience and improving health.

Jawwaad collaborates and regularly performs with MacArthur Fellow Carrie Mae Weems and other visual artists, and combines his compositions with their visual work. His list of performances includes countless national and international festivals such as the Hove Festival, Sonar Festival, Meltdown Festival and the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. 

Jawwaad is a Red Bull Music Academy alumni. He studied with and participated in workshops with Pauline Oliveros, and was a member of the Deep Listening Institute and Nameless Sound. Using scientific and evidence-based techniques, Jawwaad has taught students how to use advanced deep listening techniques to create music and sounds that stimulate the body’s endorphins, which control feelings of calmness.

Jawwaad is a 2020 Creative Capital Award winner. He is a founding member of the group Shape of Broad Minds and is co-founder and producer of the band, The Young Mothers. Recently, his music was featured in a Prada ad campaign. Jawwaad attended Prairie View University.