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Beatbox World Champion to Visit Campus Sept. 15

August 12, 2022
By Larry Isch
Posted in About
Beatboxer

Former world beatbox champion Kaila Mullady will visit University of the Ozarks to present a performance and talk on Thursday, Sept. 15, to kick off the University’s 2022-23 Walton Arts & Ideas Series (WAIS).

The event begins at 7 p.m. in the Walton Fine Art Center’s Seay Theatre and there is no cost for attendance. Mullady will also present a master class for U of O students earlier in the day.

The theme for this year’s WAIS is “Big Things Have Small Beginnings.”

Mullady is the 2015 and 2018 World Beatbox Champion as well as the 2014 American Vice Beatbox Champion. Beatboxing is a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of mimicking drum machines, using one’s mouth, lips, tongue, and voice. It may also involve vocal imitation of turntablism, and other musical instruments.

According to a news release from Wolfman Productions: “Kaila’s lively and electrifying talk – part lecture and part performance – offers a freewheeling, intimate look at her journey through the often-challenging landscape of the male-dominated beatbox culture, how she made it to the top despite the odds being stacked against her, and the vital importance of owning her unique strengths and differences to stand out, thrive and achieve her goals This one-of-a-kind, interactive, multimedia presentation teaches us how we can transform our lives, become empowered and confident, and proudly share our unique perspective with the world. Whether on stage in front of beatbox fans, in an auditorium speaking to students, or helping staff training at a corporate event, Kaila has seen the benefits of beatboxing and how it allows people to open up, work together and build listening skills, no matter what their musical skill level is. Kaila believes beatboxing is the perfect vehicle to allow audiences to come out of their shell and build confidence in their voice.”

One of the most fulfilling parts of Mullady’s career has been traveling the world teaching workshops promoting expression and leadership through music. Her work using beatboxing as a tool for speech therapy led to a partnership with New York University where a class was explicitly designed to build tools in the classroom for blind students based off of her curriculum. She has traveled the country speaking at schools with the purpose of inspiring the youth to find the power of their voice, stand up for what they believe in and chase their dreams.

Whether on stage in front of beatbox fans, in an auditorium speaking to students, or helping staff training at a corporate event, Mullady has seen the benefits of beatboxing and how it allows people to open up, work together and build listening skills, no matter what their musical skill level is. She believes beatboxing is the perfect vehicle to allow audiences to come out of their shell and build confidence in their voice.

The master class, called Beatbox 101, “is all about students exploring the creative power of their voice through improvisational games and collective imagination-based sonic experiences. Through these fun games, students are given a chance to connect with each other, collaborate, challenge fear and express themselves. Beatbox 101 introduces students to different instruments, sound effects, vocal techniques, breathing techniques, technical patterns, genres, grooves, and how to make music using only the human instrument.”

Mullady is a three-time beat-rhyming champion, three-time American loopstation champion and 2014 vice American champion. She performs extensively as a member of groups like the American beatbox collective Beatbox House and the improv comedy, hip hop fusion troupe North Coast.

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