THE FLOACIST
Purpose over ambition...everytime!
Natalie ‘FLO’ Stewart aka The Floacist of Floetry, is an international performance poet, recording artist, educator and creative mentor. With a creative career spanning over 20 years inclusive of the formation of Neo Soul duo Floetry and the introduction of the Floetic creative ethos ‘poetic delivery with musical intent’.
The Floacist applied this ethos to both her group and solo musical approach through combining the mediums of spoken word, performance poetry and musical compositions. Garnering 7 grammy nominations, a Mercury prize nomination, several Soul Train and Lady of Soul nominations and awards, selling over 2 million records and touring worldwide. As a songwriter Floacist has collaborated with a plethora of artists ranging from Earth Wind & Fire, Michael Jackson, Common, Most Def, Lalah Hathaway, Thandiswa Mazwai and Musiq Soulchild.
Purpose driven always, the Floacist returned home after living in the US for a decade ready to pay forward and reach out to the UK spoken word community which is both varied and vast. November 4th 2014 the first FLO Vortex opened. She knew that it was time to share what she had learned about the possibilities of performance poetry. One of the most important stages of development was the open mic. But after that, it becomes unclear as to what to do to develop as a performance poet.
Being the difference we want to see. We facilitate studio sessions, theatre workshops and creative writing sessions ran by established artists of their respective fields encouraging, enhancing and expanding the skills of the poets that we work with. This leads to a replenishing of the culture with new expressions and new voices to be added to our multicultural, blended society.
We also do this to offer young people who bare the gifts of spoken word, lyricism and poetry more options than just the music industry and the ‘hip-hop’ genres of music in particular as their only outlet of expression. Word Music gives the opportunity for variations of content possibilities and versatility of expression. Allowing young people the ability to step outside of the box and express themselves honestly and freely whilst still creating and experiencing the musical creative process. They get to experience making videos and exploring visual literacy, without the pressures of the mainstream music industry machine. These expressions remain organic and pure. This in itself releases the artist. It frees the artist. It frees the audience. It frees the poet.
