"Another Alphabet Playlist" #1 – Lesung & Listening

A new series of events by ZEBRAS Collective at the cultural center Merlin, which opens up literary "worlds of sound".

Authors with a migration background not only read from their own works, but also present their favorite song whose lyrics are not in German or English. These are translated and projected like "subtitles" while the song is listened to together. We then learn the personal story of the authors.

The reading and listening are accompanied by a moderated talk. At our first "Another Alphabet Playlist" evening, we will have TA-SOM HELENA YUN as our guest, who will present her moving coming-of-age novel "OH SUNNY" and her personal favorite song.

"Sunny Oh, 26 years old, has graduated from law school, a successful doctor as a boyfriend - and the urgent need to just sleep. Born in Germany to Korean parents, she feels neither German nor Korean. Her life is a constant balancing act to please everyone: her studies, the perfect relationship - all compromises to meet the expectations of her parents and those around her. After a heated argument at the traditional Chussok festival, she has had enough. She breaks away from her family and flees - to the gym of a Korean cultural association, of all places. As an "intern", Sunny takes up residence in the equipment room and is suddenly confronted with the culture she had just wanted to escape. But it is here, between gymnastics equipment and traditions, that Sunny has to confront her past and the question of self-determination."

Before and after the event, Mayha Suaysom and Duc-Thi Bui from the ZEBRAS Collective will play more songs with lyrics that are not in English or German for you, while everyone present is invited to help shape the "Another Alphabet Playlist" with one or more songs. To do this, we help ourselves to the 100 million songs of a music streaming service, from which the automatic algorithm strangely only ever suggests the same songs. - "Let's merge our music bubbles! It's time to beat the computer-generated algorithm! Together as humans!"

"Another Alphabet Playlist" #1
Special Guest: TA-SOM HELENA YUN
Reading from her book "Oh Sunny" + favorite song listing + moderated talk
Moderation: Petra Xayaphoum
DJ: Mayha Suaysom & Duc-Thi Bui (ZEBRAS Collective)