Why Weaves' Jasmyn Burke recommends reading All About Love by bell hooks
Jasmyn Burke is the lead singer and a co-founder of the Toronto band Weaves. Their second album Wide Open, a widely acclaimed indie pop record, was on the Polaris Prize shortlist in 2018.
Below, Burke discusses a book she's enjoyed reading lately: All About Love by bell hooks.
"It's about finding love, not only within yourself, but in your community, among your friends and trying to break down those social norms of what it means to participate in a loving relationship. A friend of mine and I were having a conversation about the books we had read in school and growing up. A lot of them dealt with love and relationships and history from the same perspective — an affluent white male.
"We wanted to expand the literature we were reading. All About Love comes from a black woman and I don't think I've read many stories of the struggle of women of colour, so I just found that her upbringing and the things she referenced really resonated with me. I really connected with some of the sentiments behind it, recognizing self-love and prioritizing not just your romantic relationships, but your friendships and community. I really liked that. It's not just about falling in love with one person, it's about falling in love with your community and giving back."
Jasmyn Burke's comments have been edited for length and clarity.
