What happened at the Americana Awards? Adeem the Artist addresses suffering alleged Transphobic cruelty in an open Instagram letter

Adeem the Artist, the nonbinary songwriter celebrated for their groundbreaking 2022 album White Trash Revelry, has aimed at the Americana Music Association (AMA) in a scathing open letter published Wednesday night. The letter comes after their Emerging Artist of the Year nomination at the recent Americana Honors & Awards ceremony held at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium.

In the open letter, Adeem made unsettling claims about their experience at the awards ceremony, stating that they were accosted by another artist backstage and that the AMA did not publicly acknowledge the incident.

The open letter from Adeem the Artist has sparked discussions across social media platforms and within the music industry, raising essential questions about the need for inclusivity and accountability in music organizations.

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Adeem the Artist stated in an open letter on Instagram following the incident

The artist's revelation has sent shockwaves through the music community, calling into question the inclusivity and transparency of the Americana Music Association.

Adeem wrote,

“The disturbing reality is that the single most homophobic and transphobic cruelty I’ve experienced to my face happened in a space that touts its inclusivity with remarkable pride,”

Adeem refrained from identifying the artist involved in the alleged incident or providing explicit details. However, they did mention that their choice to wear blue lipstick garnered unfavorable attention from a fellow musician sharing the same green room. It's worth noting that Adeem's performance at the Americana Honors featured them donning the white suit previously worn by Tyler Childers at the 2018 ceremony.

Following the alleged incident, Adeem the Artist, left the venue and subsequently received an emailed apology from the AMA, accompanied by a request asking, “What can be done.”

In response, Adeem expressed their discontent with the responsibility falling on their shoulders, writing:

"The onus should not be on me to find a solution.”

Adeem the Artist clarified their non-membership in the Americana Music Association, acknowledging the organization's efforts to provide a platform for marginalized artists and break away from the perception of Americana music as a "cis, white male monolith." However, they criticized the AMA for several other practices in the open letter.

One of their primary concerns was the alleged tokenization of artists by the AMA and the underpayment of independent artists. Additionally, Adeem accused the association of a lack of transparency in its financial operations and artist booking process.

The Americana Music Association has not publicly responded to Adeem's allegations or criticism. It remains to be seen if the association will make any statement on this matter, as the incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by LGBTQ+ artists in the music industry and the pressing need for industry-wide reform to ensure a more inclusive and equitable future for all.

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Adeem the Artist is a country music singer-songwriter from North Carolina

Adeem the Artist is a musician from North Carolina who challenges and embraces country conventions uniquely. With a deep-rooted connection to country music tradition, their music effortlessly transitions between folk storytelling and raw, down-home rock. Adeem uses these familiar sounds as a backdrop for their empathetic portrayals of contemporary America, where the fight for equality is a prevailing theme.

Born as Kyle Bingham in Locust, North Carolina, in 1988, Adeem's musical journey led them from adolescence in Syracuse, New York, to performing on cruise ships in their twenties. Eventually settling in Knoxville, Tennessee, with aspirations of becoming a pastor, Adeem made the pivotal decision in 2011 to focus on secular music.

They independently released several albums in the following years, steadily building an online following. It was with the release of 2021's Cast Iron Pansexual that Adeem gained significant recognition, leading to a deal with Thirty Tigers in April 2022. That same year, the label released their second high-profile album, White Trash Revelry, solidifying Adeem the Artist's place in the music landscape.