Smile Politely

We want you to contribute to Smile Politely’s music section

A musician is playing a trumpet, tilting his head back with eyes closed in a moment of musical fervor. He wears a patterned, short-sleeved shirt that features traditional African designs. The background is a deep black, providing a stark contrast that highlights the musician and his instrument. The lighting casts a focused glow on him, emphasizing his expressive performance and the gleaming brass of the trumpet.
Afro D at 2023 ACE Awards

Coverage of the local music scene has been a core component of Smile Politely since its founding. Our music section covers a wide variety of genres — from rock to hip-hop to classical and more — and we’re eager to add your take on Champaign-Urbana’s robust and eclectic music community.

Since we’re a hyper local magazine, writers should have some grasp of the local music scene and its venues and artists. We do cover touring artists heading through C-U, so if you’re interested in talking about those things, that’s part of our coverage scope as well. Interested in writing about C-U’s music but not sure where to start? We can help you with that.

Send an email to [email protected] introducing yourself, why you’d like to contribute, and anything else related to your music interests.

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