Hello! My name is Zaria and I am a junior at Durham Academy. In my independent study, I will be taking a deep dive into rock ‘n’ roll history, specifically from the 70s through the 90s.
My love and appreciation for rock ‘n’ roll can be traced back to when my dad would play 80s song in the car when I was in preschool. Since then, my love for the genre has continued to grow. In the past year, I have learned so much about rock ‘n’ roll and the stories behind some of my favorite bands through watching documentaries, reading musicians’ autobiographies, and going to concerts. Some of my favorite bands include Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, and No Doubt. In 2024, I had the incredible opportunity to go to Los Angeles for a music program that was hosted on the UCLA campus. There, I met so many cool people and learned more about the music industry. At the end of my trip, I visited the Whiskey a Go Go and the Rainbow Bar and Grille, which are very famous locations in the rock ‘n’ roll world. As I am writing this, I am currently in Los Angeles about to see some of my favorite bands at the Kia Forum for the FireAid Benefit Concert.
Through my independent study, I hope to learn more about specific topics that interest me, such as the overlap between rock ‘n’ roll and politics as well as the role of race and gender in different rock sub-genres. In later posts, I will have updates on the progress I have made toward answering these questions!
