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Watch ALEX THE ASTRONAUT
and DYLAN ALCOTT
in conversation about
their disabilities
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In April 2022, friends Alex the Astronaut and Dylan Alcott met at the Paramount Hotel in Sydney to talk about their disabilities. While Alex and Dylan have had vastly different experiences, what they have in common is they both excel in their fields because of their disability, not in spite of them.
Dylan was one of the first people that Alex texted to tell that she had been diagnosed as on the autism spectrum in 2021. Dylan invited Alex to play Ability Fest – Australia’s only completely inclusive and accessible music festival – last November, which ended up being both the first festival Alex played as an openly autistic musician, and the first major live music event after the lockdowns of 2021.
They journey through a variety of topics in the 8-minute conversation, including:
‘Disabled’ is not a dirty word
Disability representation is strong in sports because of the success of the Paralympics, but severely lacking in the music industry due to a lack of visibility and opportunity
“You can’t be what you can’t see” – disabled musicians can only be part of the fabric of the music industry if we sign them to our labels, book them on our festivals, or invite them to our events
Accessibility features like Siri on iPhones, or Sensory Rooms at major events, make able-bodied people’s lives easier, but disabled people’s lives possible
Alex the Astronaut first spoke out about diagnosis of Level 1 autism last year during a stand-up comedy set. She was the season opener guest of Aspect’s podcast a different brilliant with host Orion Kelly discussing her diagnosis and how being neurodiverse is her superpower; it’s because of it that she has ability to write expansive songs in a deeply personal way that make people feel less alone. Alex the Astronaut’s latest single ‘Octopus’, which has received praise from the likes of Rolling Stone, Billboard, The Guardian, triple j, NME and more, is a gloriously anthemic track that explores the shift in self-perception she experienced following diagnosis.
View the following autism information sheets here
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Follow ALEX THE ASTRONAUT
Website – Instagram – Facebook
Spotify – Twitter
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About the Dylan Alcott Foundation
The Dylan Alcott Foundation is committed to helping young Australians with disabilities overcome the barriers of entry to sport and education by providing fundraising for grants, scholarships and mentoring. Their fundraising efforts will help to achieve big dreams through tangible means, purchasing expensive and much-needed sporting equipment, and providing scholarships at leading education institutions, and mentoring programs with industry trailblazers. For more information visit dylanalcottfoundation.com.au
About Ability Fest
Ability Fest is Australia’s first and only completely inclusive, fully accessible music festival, brought to you by the Dylan Alcott Foundation & Untitled Group and presented by triple j. Conceptualised by three time Paralympic gold medalist & 14 time grand slam champion, Dylan Alcott, in conjunction with the masterminds behind musical festivals such as Beyond The Valley, Grapevine Gathering and Wildlands, Ability Fest aims to use music as an inclusive platform to normalise disability. Ability Fest was born by Alcott due to his love of music and his desire to use his foundation to change the lives of young Australians living with disability. For more information visit abilityfest.com.au
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AMNPLIFY – KS
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My nickname is “The Amnplifier”. Why? Because around here my focus is on being a conduit for providing greater outcomes that people come here for. My day to day “work” is living in the moment, and I love helping others concentrate on finding their connection to themselves through their experiences.
Why start a music environment? The truth is I love music, I love writing, and I love life. I work with musicians every day, and I feel certain that I will be until they put me in the ground. I have been managing people in businesses of some sort for over thirty five years so along the way I have developed some “wisdom” from my regular and constant “observations”.
Amnplify your experience. That is what we want you to do here, and if you want to let me know why you do, or don’t, shoot me a message on Facebook.
Hope you enjoy yourself here and find something that hits you somewhere.
