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Up To Date

Kansas City musician Stephonne is fiercely themself and wants you to be, too

By Steve Kraske,
Claudia Brancart
Published October 23, 2023 at 3:04 PM CDT
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Stephonne
Stephonne's music blends aspects of rock, R&B and hip-hop to create a truly distinct sound.

The Black, queer singer-songwriter from Kansas City, Kansas, says it's taken them 36 years to fully live life. Performing on stage, Stephonne says, is "me owning that freedom, that wholeness of myself."

Genre-bending local musician Steponne is known for their lively performances and captivating stage presence.

The Black, queer singer-songwriter grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, and blends aspects of rock, R&B and hip-hop to create a a truly distinct sound.

Stephonne told KCUR's Up To Date that they feel the most themself while performing on stage for an audience.

"It's not a persona for me," they said. "It is fully me and all of my power and agency and autonomy, and it's me taking my sexuality back. It's me owning that freedom, that wholeness of myself."

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Up To Date PodcastArts & CultureMusicLocal musicLGBTQ+PerformanceMissouriKansas CityKansas City Kansas (KCK)Wyandotte County
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Steve Kraske
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
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Claudia Brancart
As a producer for Up To Date, I create sound-rich talk show segments about the individuals and communities that call Kansas City home. Whether it’s a poet, a business owner or a local lawmaker, I seek out diverse voices to help break down the biggest stories of the day. After listening to the show, I want Up To Date listeners to feel informed and empowered to make decisions in their daily lives. You can reach me at claudiab@kcur.org
See stories by Claudia Brancart
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