‘African people are surreal’: songwriter and blues poet Aja Monet on Black resistance and love as spiritual warfare
Aja Monet, the acclaimed Los Angeles-based songwriter and blues poet, embraces the self-description of a "surrealist blues poet," a title that perfectly encapsulates her unique artistic approach. Interviewed in a London cafe, Monet, striking with her intricately styled blue braids, recently finalized her upcoming album, *The Color of Rain*. She reveals that the album's core draws heavily from her research into surrealism's historical role as a deliberate artistic tool employed against the rise of fascism.
Both deeply intellectual and profoundly connected to the everyday struggles of our time, Monet’s work consistently explores themes of love, resistance, and the inherent absurdity of modern existence. Through her captivating performances, poetry, and music, she offers a powerful balm against the suffering and injustices perpetuated by established powers. Her influence is already significant: her second poetry book, *Florida Water*, received an award nomination from the esteemed US civil rights organization, the NAACP, in 2026. She also shared the stage with Stevie Wonder at Time magazine’s event celebrating Martin Luther King Day.
Inspired by the revolutionary creativity of movements such as the Harlem Renaissance, Monet is fiercely committed to reclaiming culture's radical potential in an era defined by institutional and algorithmic exploitation. Her philosophy is encapsulated in her declaration, "African people are surreal," framing Black resistance and love as a profound form of spiritual warfare.
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