Laila Woozeer
{{Short description|British author, musician and activist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox writer
| image = Laila Woozeer 2022.jpg
| caption = Woozeer in 2022
| death_date =
| death_place =
| education = Masters in Advanced Music Performance (University of London)
| period =
| occupation = Author, musician
| genre =
| notableworks = Not Quite White
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}
Laila Woozeer is a British author, performer, musician, and activist. Woozeer's 2022 book, Not Quite White (published by Simon & Schuster) is a memoir described as "primarily focused on mixed-race identity and also looking at representation, structural racism, intergenerational trauma and interracial family relations."{{Cite web |title=Career |url=https://www.lailawoozeer.com/career |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=Laila Woozeer }} Woozeer has also written for Cosmopolitan,{{Cite web |last=Snape |first=Alice |date=1 June 2022 |title=EYNTK about navigating your non-binary identity at work |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/worklife/careers/a38969472/navigating-work-non-binary-change-pronouns/ |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=Cosmopolitan }} The Guardian, Eastern Eye, Metro,{{Cite web |last=Woozeer |first=Laila |date=2022-07-23 |title=Why are white women celebrated for fake tans, but I was bullied for my skin? |url=https://metro.co.uk/2022/07/23/why-are-white-women-celebrated-for-fake-tans-but-i-was-bullied-for-my-skin-17048585/ |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=Metro |language=en}} My London Shout Out UK and Marie Claire on race and identity. Woozeer is also a multi-instrumentalist who has worked in both theatre and musical theatre composing both original scores and soundtracks.
Writing
= ''Not Quite White'' =
Woozeer's debut book, Not Quite White, was released on 23 June 2022, and published by Simon & Schuster. The book is a memoir that focusses on mixed race identity as well as representation, intergenerational trauma, structural racism, and interracial family relations.{{Cite web |last=Owen |first=Annie |date=10 July 2022 |title=Author talks about what it was like growing up mixed race in rural North Wales |url=https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/author-reflects-childhood-north-wales-24348757 |access-date=2022-07-14 |website=North Wales Live |language=en}} Excerpts from the book were published in Mashable{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Rachel |date=23 June 2022 |title='Not Quite White' delves into the fetishisation of mixed race people in the dating world |url=https://mashable.com/article/not-quite-white-book-extract-laila-woozeer |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=Mashable |language=en}} and Wales Art Review.{{Cite web |last=Review |first=Wales Arts |date=23 June 2022 |title=Not Quite White by Laila Woozeer {{!}} Extract |url=https://www.walesartsreview.org/not-quite-white-by-laila-woozeer-extract/ |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=Wales Arts Review |language=en-US}} The book was featured in a list of best non-fiction books in Cosmopolitan and Stylist.{{Cite web |date=1 June 2022 |title=New good books to read {{!}} Best books to read (Cosmopolitan) |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/g15922606/new-good-books-to-read/?slide=21#close |access-date=2022-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601122526/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/g15922606/new-good-books-to-read/?slide=21#close |archive-date=1 June 2022 }}{{Cite web |last=Shaffi |first=Sarah |date=28 February 2020 |title=The 32 best non-fiction books out in 2020 |url=https://www.stylist.co.uk/books/best-non-fiction-books-2020/300959 |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=Stylist |language=en}} The book began as a blog post on their blog TAPE PARADE.
= Other writing =
Woozeer has written for and been interviewed in The Guardian,{{Cite web |date=2022-08-30 |title=As a 'mixed' person, the language to describe me isn't fit for purpose {{!}} Laila Woozeer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/aug/30/mixed-person-language-vocabulary |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=the Guardian |language=en}} Cosmopolitan, Eastern Eye,{{Cite web |date=22 February 2019 |title=Music is something I could explore forever: Laila Woozer |url=https://www.easterneye.biz/music-is-something-i-could-explore-forever-laila-woozer/ |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=EasternEye |language=en-GB}} Metro,{{Cite web |last=Woozeer |first=Laila |date=23 June 2022 |title=After being called 'exotic' on dates, I've got White Guy Fatigue |url=https://metro.co.uk/2022/06/23/after-being-called-exotic-on-dates-ive-got-white-guy-fatigue-16877707/ |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=Metro }} My London,{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Unzela |date=12 June 2022 |title='I was the only Brown person in my class and was called a terrorist after 9/11' |url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/north-london-news/i-only-brown-girl-class-24155082 |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=MyLondon |language=en}} Shout Out UK{{Cite web |title=Why are we all obsessed with [white] 'Britishness'? – Shout Out UK |url=https://www.shoutoutuk.org/2015/08/26/obsessed-white-britishness/ |access-date=2022-07-06 |website= Shout Out UK}} and Marie Claire{{Cite web |title=marieclaireuk on Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BBVVW_euBya/|access-date=2022-07-07 |website=www.instagram.com}} on race and identity. In 2015, BuzzFeed republished a post written by Woozeer about using the online dating app Tinder as a non-white person.{{Cite web |last=Barrett |first=Gena-mour |title=A Woman Shared The Comments She Gets As A Non-White Person On Tinder |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/genamourbarrett/a-woman-wrote-about-what-its-like-to-be-a-person-of-colour-o |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=BuzzFeed }} Woozeer previously wrote a blog called TAPE PARADE.{{Cite web |date=28 October 2015 |title=What Inspires Us to Blog? |url=https://wordpress.com/blog/2015/10/28/what-inspires-us-to-blog/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=WordPress.com News }}
Music
File:Laila Woozeer Wolf Pack Wuthering Heights performance.jpg
Woozeer is a multi-instrumentalist who has worked in both theatre and musical theatre composing both original scores and soundtracks. Woozeer primarily uses piano and voice, as well as playing guitar, ukulele, bassoon and clarinet.{{Cite web |title=Wonderful Women Interview with Musician & Writer, Laila Woozeer |url=https://honestmum.com/wonderful-women-interview-with-musician-writer-laila-woozeer/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=Honest Mum |language=en-US}} Woozeer has worked on several projects including:
- The Not Quite White book is part of a larger series of work which includes an EP of original songs and artwork.
- Heather And Harry: Woozeer was composer, actor, and musician for a collaboration with Stumble Trip Theatre.{{Cite web |title=Heather And Harry (Stumble Trip Theatre) {{!}} ThreeWeeks Edinburgh |url=https://threeweeksedinburgh.com/article/heather-and-harry-stumble-trip-theatre/ |access-date=2022-07-07}}{{Cite web |title=Heather and Harry listing on Broadway Baby |url=http://broadwaybaby.com/shows/heather-and-harry/729326 |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=broadwaybaby.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Omaweng |first=Chris |date=31 January 2018 |title=Heather and Harry at The Landor – Review |url=https://www.londontheatre1.com/reviews/heather-and-harry-the-landor-review/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=LondonTheatre1 |language=en-GB}}
- WOLF PACK: Woozeer was the creator, performer and produce of an award-winning performance-based collective
- QUIZCATS: Woozeer was the creator, arranger and performer for a live band karaoke, it included Disney-themed events named Quizney.
- A Strange Wild Song: Woozeer was composer, actor and musician in a show created with Rhum & Clay.{{Cite web |last=admin |title=A Strange Wild Song |url=https://www.liverpoolsoundandvision.co.uk/tag/a-strange-wild-song/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=Liverpool Sound and Vision |language=en-US}}
- In 2017 Woozeer was part of the group The Notables on Pitch Battle on BBC One.{{Citation |title=Hold On/Human/Castle on the Hill/Livin' La Vida Loca/Livin' on a Prayer/Some Nights {{!}} Pitch Battle |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxR4umQfQ_k |language=en |access-date=2022-07-05}}
Activism
After being subjected to 'upskirting', Woozeer was interviewed on BBC and LBC radio as well as by Refinery29 about the experience and the campaign to make it illegal under The Voyeurism (Offences) Act.{{Cite web |title=Victoria Derbyshire on Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/victorialive/status/1007560158774345728 |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=Twitter |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Gil |first=Natalie |title=The Government Has Finally Changed The Law On Upskirting |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2018/06/201827/upskirting-law-gina-martin |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=www.refinery29.com |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=MARTIN |first=GINA |title=#StopSkirtingTheIssue: "A Man On The Bus Took Photos Up My Skirt" |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2017/11/178442/upskirting-bus-photos-campaign-sexual-offence-petition |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=www.refinery29.com |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=Upskirting: know your rights |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/upskirting-know-your-rights |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}
Education
Woozeer is a graduate of Goldsmiths, University of London and holds a Masters in Advanced Music Performance.
Personal life
Woozeer lives in London and is vegan.{{Cite web |last=FiftyStatesOneDay |date=15 May 2017 |title=This Is What A Vegan Looks Like: Laila c/o TAPEPARADE |url=https://allgoodallvegan.wordpress.com/2017/05/15/this-is-what-a-vegan-looks-like-laila-co-tapeparade/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=ALL GOOD, ALL VEGAN |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Silvers |first=Isabella |date=18 January 2018 |title=7 tips to make going vegan easier |url=http://www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/food/a574641/going-vegan-tips/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=Good Housekeeping |language=en-GB}} Woozeer is Welsh, French, Scottish, American, Indian and Mauritian.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-30 |title=As a 'mixed' person, the language to describe me isn't fit for purpose {{!}} Laila Woozeer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/aug/30/mixed-person-language-vocabulary |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Owen |first=Annie |date=2022-07-10 |title=Author talks about what it was like growing up mixed race in rural North Wales |url=https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/author-reflects-childhood-north-wales-24348757 |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=North Wales Live |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Dazed |date=2022-08-02 |title=Not Quite White: Author Laila Woozeer on growing up mixed-race |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture/article/56676/1/laila-woozeer-mixed-race-not-quite-white-book-interview |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=Dazed |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Woozeer, Laila}}
Category:21st-century Welsh memoirists
Category:21st-century Welsh writers
Category:Alumni of Goldsmiths, University of London
Category:British non-binary musicians
Category:British non-binary writers
Category:British people of Mauritian descent
Category:Welsh people of American descent
Category:Welsh people of French descent
Category:Welsh people of Indian descent
Category:Welsh people of Scottish descent
Category:Welsh women singer-songwriters