Q&A with SDG&E as California enters seventh day of flex alerts

S1: The heat wave prompts another day of flex alerts.

S2: We expect today will likely be the peak for demand across the state and across the entire west.

S1: I'm Jade Hindman with Maureen CAVANAUGH. This is KPBS Midday Edition. U.S. Marshals say the military contractor known as Fat Leonard escaped house arrest ahead of his sentencing.

S2: Well , it looks like at about mid-afternoon on Sunday that they were alerted that Leonard Francis cut his ankle monitor. So by the time they got there , he was gone.

S1: California passed a number of last minute bills to fight climate change , plus five songs to check out this month. That's ahead on Midday Edition. California's independent system operator is calling on residents across the state to reduce electricity use between four and 10 p.m. again today. It's the seventh straight day of so-called flex alerts prompted by the heat wave. The ISO says voluntary reductions in power use can help prevent rolling blackouts. Joining me now to talk about what's going on is Kevin Gerrity , chief operating officer of San Diego Gas and Electric. Kevin , welcome to Mid-day Edition.

S2: Hey , thanks for having me , Jim. Happy to be. Here.

S1: Here. So , Kevin , I read that California is expected to approach an all time high for single day energy usage.

S2: We expect today will likely be the peak for demand across the state and across the entire West. So to put it in perspective , the all time high by the California Independent System operator happened in 2017 and it was 50,117 , I believe. And today , right now the forecast is 51,145. Should give you an idea that's actually a pretty significant bump over historical high.

S1:

S2: Right. And I think that's really the perspective here. This isn't your local utility just having hot weather. It's every utility pretty much west of the Rocky Mountains. And so we all work together to share that energy across even state lines to keep everybody's grid connected. And so whether it's flex alerts or just any other messaging to conserve power is really the best way to help out our state and the entire West.

S1: And what can you tell us about work being done to increase the grid's capacity to meet future energy needs as the state moves towards mandates away from natural gas and to an even greater reliance on electricity.

S2: So I think if we think just even going back from two years ago , two years ago , we had rotating outages. I think the state , the governor's office , all the utilities have done a lot since then and pretty balanced set new resources being added. Whether that's solar , it's increasing our installations of batteries. California leads probably the world in battery installations. Most of that having been installed in the last couple of years and then additionally enhancing the demand response programs offered at the state. So , you know , for a customer hearing again about a heat wave event that strains our grid , probably sounds like a repeat , but actually our state is in dramatically better shape than we were two years ago.

S1: That's good. I mean , back to today. We're in the seventh straight day of Flex Alerts , so listeners are probably well aware that they call for reducing electricity use between four and 9 p.m. and yesterday until ten.

S2: So not only in California as a plea being made to reduce consumption , that's happening in most of the states in the West at the same time. And the result of that is it does make a very big difference , right. As the states are able to to work with one another , share resources as they become available and make sure everybody keeps their lights on. And , you know , thus far this is a historic and certainly anomalous event. There has not been any rotating outages , and I think that's remarkably good. We have another couple tight days to get through here. The customers do have fatigue after multiple days. And so not only can we see the response by customers , we can actually see their fatigue as well. And so I really encourage every customer to please find ways to change your energy demand between four and 10 p.m.. It is the single best way to assure that we don't have any rotating outages anywhere in the state.

S1:

S2: But this is at that record extreme level. And really almost all the states are facing at that same time , you know , that same extreme level. Usually , you know , when you think about whether it's within our state , well , you know , typically you'll see some different temperature profiles. And so power sharing can kind of move north and south throughout the state. Sometimes the north west has needs. They had need a few weeks ago and California was hoping the Northwest or the southwest had some needs a month or so ago and going that way. But this is a coincidental heat wave affecting most of the West. And that is always the scenario that really puts the entire. Higher Western grid in a challenging position.

S1: The flux alerts are to prevent rolling blackouts.

S2: We haven't even had to warn customers that there's the potential for and mostly that is due to everybody's great response on conserving energy , but then also the availability of resources , whether it was power plants , solar , wind , batteries , all that performance has also been very , very good and different from 2020 and even last year when we had a really tight window. We don't have any large fires in the state that are threatening transmission lines and when those transmission lines that help us share power throughout the West are threatened by fires , that's when the situation can become even more difficult. And so we have not yet based any of those situations. I'm very thankful for our customers response , very thankful for our team's response in the field , making sure everybody is in power , but we have not yet had any rotating outages.

S1:

S2: And so all of us are trying to get as close as possible to make sure everybody has power without having a rotating outage. And so the window can typically be a couple hours , right ? Because all of a sudden you can think you're in really good shape and then maybe a transmission line has a problem or a power plant has a problem , or sometimes you think it's going to be really very tight in 2 hours , but then a power plant comes back or a transmission line you thought was threatened wasn't. So it can be fairly dynamic when we get in a west wide and a statewide heat event like that. But , you know , typically it's going to be a couple of hours.

S1:

S2: No rotating outages are ever planned. Our absolute plan is to avoid them. And the biggest part that everybody listening to this show and I'm so thankful for having this opportunity is really I can appreciate the fatigue of a long event like this , but today and tomorrow really are the peak , and we're really asking customers to just double down on those conservation efforts. You know , it's four or 5 hours. It will make a huge difference. Don't run your pool , pump , you know , set your air conditioning up just a little bit. Don't have your electric vehicle plugged in. And if you have any batteries that actually can pull power off the grid , we asked the customers , please don't charge them during that window as well. And if we can stick to those things that people can work just a little bit more each of the next two days , we hope and expect to avoid a rotating blackouts or rotating outages.

S1:

S2: And we start at the top of the list and we put customers into rotating outages until we can meet the requested reduction from the California independent system. Operator. And then we meet that. We start when we hope to get through that hour. And if if we can stop there. Grace , those customers then go to the bottom of the list for the next event , which we hope is years and years from now. If at the very next hour is going to continue to be tight , we do that same process. We start down through the top of the list , down through the bottom of the list until we get through that hour. And we look to avoid critical public safety features such as fire departments and police departments and hotels and not hotels , hospitals , sorry , from receiving any type of rotating outage.

S1:

S2: Turn off all your lights. Make sure your windows are shut , especially if they're facing the sun. Raise your thermostat up just a couple degrees. Right. Avoid washing clothes if you have an electric water heater. Trust me , even setting that down a little bit will help for a couple of hours. The really big things are , you know , the air conditioning. Do not run the pool , pump the job. And those are sneaky ways of really putting demand on the grid. Everybody wants to cool off. They run into the pool and they run their pool pump. Please have that on off. But then , you know , the two new big ones , as we think about really are plug in vehicles and batteries. We just ask you to wait , you know , not to charge those during those hours , wait until after 10:00 when there'll be plenty of power for everybody , including charging those type of devices.

S1: I've been speaking with Kevin Garrity , chief operating officer of San Diego Gas and Electric. Kevin , thank you so much for joining us.

S2: It's my absolute pleasure. Thank you.

S3: Investigators from the U.S. Marshals Service and the San Diego Regional Fugitive Task Force have joined in the search for the man known as Fat Leonard. On Sunday , authorities say Leonard Glen Francis , the central figure in one of the biggest U.S. Navy bribery scandals , removed his GPS bracelet and left his residence in Torrey Highlands. He was being held under house arrest until his sentencing later this month. This is the latest twist in a corruption scandal that has plagued the Navy for years. It's resulted in the conviction and guilty pleas of more than two dozen naval officers , contractors and others. Joining me is KPBS military reporter Steve Walsh. Steve , welcome.

S2: Hi , Maureen.

S3:

S2: So by the time they got there , he was gone. Now , there's some reporting in the Union-Tribune that neighbors saw a U-Haul at that address earlier that morning. So we don't really know how far he's gotten.

S3: So there was evidence , there was preparation involved in this escape.

S2: I mean , it was guarded , but yes and no. So if you could just step back a minute. Leonard Francis , the guy dubbed Fat Leonard because of his size , was arrested way back in 2013 in San Diego. In 2015 , he pleaded guilty to federal charges of bribing high ranking naval officials to steer Navy ships at ports in the western Pacific. Now , sometime after he pleaded guilty in 2015 , he was hospitalized. Francis says it was his leg while he was in the hospital. They found cancer , maybe kidney cancer. The court records are a little limited there. You know , he has been allowed to stay out of prison while he awaits sentencing. And that's been delayed now several times , really over several years. In the meantime , the U.S. Marshals Service said in court records that they could not provide round the clock security for him. Francis had his own security and it looks like they had him on an ankle monitor as well.

S3:

S2: He is business was based out of Singapore. He steered a number of naval ships to ports that he owned in those various locales or in the Western Pacific over the course of several years , beginning really in the late 1990s.

S3: So he was about to be sentenced just a few weeks from now.

S2: You know , it is the largest corruption scandal in Navy history , and it's gone on now for for over a decade. You know , Francis was the star witness in the case. They allowed him to remain out of prison pending sentencing. But , you know , it's been delayed for several years now. And it looks like they were finally going to have him in court later on this month.

S3: So Francis had also recently participated in a podcast giving hours and hours of interviews.

S2: He smuggled a microphone into Leonard Francis while he was on this house arrest. He recorded over 20 hours with them where he laid out his side of the story. Now , this probably violated his plea agreement , though the feds have not said anything publicly about that. Francis seemed to think he would get off with time served , and he was frustrated that the case was dragging on so long , though. You know , this is a federal case and it seems increasingly likely that Francis was going to end up spending some time in prison.

S3:

S2: You know , the feds haven't said directly that this this these latest cases that came to trial this year were the end of the Fat Leonard saga. You know , it's gone on far longer than many people imagined. Ironically , Leonard never actually testified in any of these cases. Most of the 30 naval officers charged in the case pleaded guilty. But , you know , he didn't he didn't appear in , though , only the one trial that happened , the one earlier this year where four out of five naval officers were found guilty of accepting bribes. So Leonard clearly provided much of the evidence used as a basis of those indictments. And without the threat of that , Leonard , this case may actually finally be over. You know , the question is like , where is he now ? It's hard to say , but Leonard has really no ties to the United States. He's Malaysian himself. He's he's his business was based in Indonesia. The three children that he had living with him were all Filipino. So it may be very hard to track him , at least domestically. He may he may have already fled and gone south to Mexico.

S3: Ivan speaking with KPBS military reporter Steve Walsh. And Steve , thank you.

S2: Thanks , Maureen.

S3: This is KPBS Midday Edition. I'm Maureen CAVANAUGH with Jane Heineman. Governor Newsom has begun to sign a new package of climate action bills , including one to extend the life of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. The governor submitted six climate bills with only weeks to go in the legislative session , and lawmakers passed five of them before the session ended last week. Among the new measures are efforts at carbon removal and capture and new interim steps to meet already established carbon reduction goals. But a proposal to cut California's greenhouse gas emissions even more aggressively did not get lawmakers approval. Joining me is Nadia Lopez. She's environment reporter for Cal Matters. And , Nadia , welcome. Hi. The proposal to keep Diablo Canyon nuclear plant open beyond its closure date of 2025 , that's the one that's gotten the most publicity. And I'm wondering , did the legislators give the governor everything he wanted on that extension ? Well , not necessarily. So the Devil Canyon , billed as the eight for six , it was signed on Friday. That's not a surprise , though , because Newsom and his administration had said that it was one of its biggest priorities. So the bill would keep the plant open until 2030 and give me a $1.4 billion loan to do so. The bill was very similar to draft legislation that Newsom proposed a few weeks ago on August 12. But it does have some key differences. They're minor , but they still are important. Newsom wanted to extend the life of the plant for ten years , but legislators in both the Senate and Assembly were opposed to that idea , and they compromised on five years. The bill also includes stronger protections for ratepayers and alone would be allocated in smaller increments. So lawmakers have to approve spending in excess of 600 billion. The heat wave seems to be making the governor's case as to why he wanted this source of energy to continue , isn't it ? That's right. He issued an emergency order last week. And then he has repeatedly said that the state's inability to provide a consistent and reliable source of power , especially during these extreme heat events , are one factor that made him reconsider keeping the plant open. And as we all experience the state's inability to avoid rolling blackouts during the 2020 heat wave was also a huge concern that some people think prompted the governor to consider keeping the plant open as well. But some environmentalists have the same concerns about Diablo Canyon , don't they ? Yeah. So safety issues are a huge concern for opponents and many residents who live close to the plant down in San Luis Obispo. So the storing of spent , nuclear waste , proximity to fault lines and the threat of earthquakes , these were already issues that are part of the reason why PJM initially agreed to six years ago to close the plant in 2025. And besides that , environmentalists also say that the plant's extension could delay those really important investments in renewable energy. What has to happen now to actually keep the plant open ? PGE has until today to apply for federal funding. Biden during the spring , announced that a $6 billion program is available to help struggling nuclear power plants stay afloat. Okay , so another controversial climate bill passed last week. It's the one aimed at setting up regulations for carbon capture and storage. And this is one the oil industry likes. Why is that so ? There are different controversial practices as to how to reach net zero emissions as the state wants to do by 2045. What it means , basically , is that an existing polluting facility , such as an oil refinery , can build certain infrastructure on their facilities in order to capture emissions before they hit the atmosphere. So on smokestacks. But that's a controversial practice because some environmentalists say it's unproven. And in addition to that , it could be used for things such as enhanced oil recovery , which would prolong the life of the fossil fuel industry. The bill that passed would direct the California Air Resources Board to develop a program and set regulations for this practice carbon capture , utilization and storage. And in addition , that could pave the way for other sorts of carbon removal practices to occur at these facilities as well. Kind of a companion bill passed to a bill to increase natural carbon sequestration. What would it do ? So another bill would also help remove carbon existing carbon dioxide from the air. But to do so with nature based options , what that basically means planting more trees. You really. On Forest's Urban Greenery projects to help nature suck out carbon from the air. Tell us about the new bill to put buffer zones around oil wells and gas drilling. Yes , this was also a big win for environmental justice groups. Lawmakers approved SB 1137 to establish health and safety buffer zones around new oil and gas wells. This was a key bill and Newsom's climate package , similar restrictions had failed to pass or move forward in the past. This was due to a lot of lobbying from the oil and gas industry , as well as some trade unions. And this bill basically establishes these regulations , those setbacks between those production sites and residential neighborhoods that include schools , that include houses and so forth , other sensitive areas. And it also requires the operators of these facilities to take some steps at existing wells within that buffer zones to monitor toxic leaks and emissions and install alarm systems. Now , this bill was argued as a social justice issue. Why is that ? There's some evidence that indicates that people who live near these wells are at much higher risk for a lot of health problems like asthma , respiratory illness and some cancers. And the majority of those living near these oil facilities are people of color , communities of color. So a lot of environmental justice groups say that these communities are bearing the brunt of pollution. Why did the governor wait until the last minute in this two year legislative session to submit this climate action package ? That's a good question. The governor has in recent times made climate a huge priority during his administration. And you know as well , there are some rumors and speculation that he's also trying to raise his national profile. And climate has proven to be one of the most talked about and biggest issues of our time. So to amplify his image on the promise of a progressive climate policy is one reason some people believe that he's decided to take action now. I've been speaking with Nadia Lopez , environment reporter for Calmatters. Nadia , thank you. Thank you so much.

S1: There's a bill headed to Governor Gavin Newsom's desk. Simply , Bill 587 , which passed the state legislature , would require social media platforms to report hate content data and have transparent policies on that data. The Anti-Defamation League says their recent online hate and harassment report highlights the need for this legislation. Jeffrey Abrams , regional director of ADL Los Angeles , joins us now. Jeffrey , welcome.

S2: Thank you very much. Privilege to be here.

S1: Assembly Bill 587 , also known as the Social Media Transparency Bill , is out of the California State Assembly.

S2: What has become crystal clear as a result of their conduct , as a result of things like the Facebook whistle blower who make clear that Facebook , for example , knew knows that their product harms people. But what they don't do is make it transparent. What are their policies against hate speech ? How are they enforcing that hate hate speech ? This bill would remove that lack of transparency. It would require social media platforms to report twice a year to the state attorney general. What are your policies ? How are you enforcing it ? How are people who have complaints able to interact with your platform ? Is it with people ? Is it with a automated auto generated response ? What this bill will require is that social media companies give the public give organizations like ADL , give researchers and academic. A window into how the spread of hate online is impacting our society.

S1: And some social media platforms have been in opposition of this legislation.

S2: There's no question about it. It's why they have done virtually nothing through the years. They , as their very nature , look at any form of regulation as a threat to their very existence.

S1: Your most recent online hate and harassment report found that 65% of people in marginalized groups have experienced hate based harassment online.

S2: 41% of all Americans. Now , of that , there is a portion , 27% , who experienced some form of severe online harassment , sexual harassment , stalking , physical threats. And let's just take that as an example. Of those who faced physical threats , 47% did nothing in terms of reporting it to the platforms because of the perception that the platforms do nothing. And even those who did report it over a quarter reported that the platforms did. Not a single thing. So this is why it's so important. This is happening to all of us. Approximately 70% of American adults are on at least one social media platform. We're all feeling this , and the time has come for some form of regulation so that we can better understand the really awful impact on society that's occurring with all this harassment online.

S1:

S2: What we found , and it's really quite staggering , is that when compared to the other platforms , which have a lot of problems , it's really in Facebook and all of their various other various other platforms , Instagram , etc. , where the greatest problem has. And one of the big problems with Facebook as opposed to , for example , Tik Tok and to some degree Twitter , those platforms allow what's called batch reporting , meaning if there is a target of harassment , that target , that human being can report on Twitter to external extent and ticktock all the various places it's coming from. But Facebook. Facebook doesn't allow that. Facebook makes you report each and every instance separately , and there's no human being to talk to. So those who are being harassed , severely harassed , physically threatened , have no place to go. And that's that is just not right. We all know this at our very core. And if you're a member of a marginalized community , well , then you're you're in a very bad situation. LGBTQ. Our report indicated that for the third consecutive year , that is the group that is targeted more than any other group with harassment. Asian-Americans last year saw a dramatic increase in online harassment. So this is affecting so many different groups in America , marginalized communities , as well as everyone.

S1:

S2: What are your policies on extremism and harassment ? And by disclosing what these policies are , that's really just one part of it. It's then how are you enforcing these policies ? And we social media companies , if they do not comply and the reporting requirement begins January 1st , 2024 , in the statute , there are real penalties , $15,000 per day. So if these platforms do not comply , they will suffer a consequence. And unfortunately , what's become crystal clear with these platforms who are motivated , motivated by economic incentive , is that they have to pay some price in order for them to simply be good citizens.

S1: You know , hate based harassment often can turn to violence. So does this bill go far enough ? Federal law enforcement agencies in particular have had the authority to surveil extremist activities online , and yet hate motivated violence has been difficult for them to prevent in some cases.

S2: There won't be a final step until there's really a radical readjustment and revision to Section 230 of the CDA , the Communications Decency Act , at a federal level. But there is not the appetite in the current Congress to take this on. We know we have seen firsthand that rhetoric hate online spills over into the streets.

S1:

S2: It's akin to any product in the marketplace. Think of cars. There was a time when seatbelts were not in cars. But as a matter of policy , it was decided. It was determined that too many lives would be lost because there were no seatbelts. So the product there was then a modification so that every car has to have a seatbelt. Why ? It saves lives. And the same goes for social media platforms. What they are peddling right now is costing lives. And if they won't take their own responsibility for it and they have not , then there's no choice. But for a government action like this to take place that doesn't violate any rights. It has. It's completely content neutral. These are , by the way , not public government entities. They're companies. So it's really and it's a complete misnomer to think this has anything to do with the First Amendment. They are private companies. They can choose whether to spread hate or choose not to spread hate. They've chosen an alternative to make money. And the time has come for this to stop.

S1: I've been speaking with Jeffrey Abrams , regional director of ADL , Los Angeles. Jeffrey , thank you very much for joining us.

S2: Thank you.

S3: This is KPBS Midday Edition. I'm Maureen CAVANAUGH with Jade Heineman. September marks the transition between summer and fall. And while the days are not yet getting colder , times of change call for a new soundtrack. KPBS arts producer and editor Julia Dixon Evans is here with a playlist of five new songs to discover this month. This is a series where we showcase recent tracks from regional musicians , as well as new releases from touring acts who are coming to town this month. So welcome , Julia.

S4: Hi , Maureen. Thanks for having me on.

S3: Let's start with a binational band. Tell us about Nite Lapse and their new music.

S4: Yeah , this is a band from Chula Vista and Tijuana Night Laps. They have a new album on the way and they've released the first single. It's called Nonchalant.

S5: Got no word. Go ahead.

S4: The song is super chill , but it also feels really danceable. I love how they pull off that contrast. It has layered vocals , which sometimes it seems like there's a handful of different voices. It's really melodic , but also kind of experimental. It has this fun , almost funky driving bassline , and there's unexpected percussion. I don't know , but I think that might be woodblocks. And the track feels like a great continuation of and maybe even a bit of growth from their previous release. This was a 2018 EP called Ride with You. That album is great. It's really synthy. It has a kind of eighties sound and is such a coherent EP , so keep Nightcaps on your radar. They're part of this growing movement of bands in the South Bay and across the border that are making really great music and performing at home around town. All.

UU: All. And down the.

S5: Vale government run.

S3: That's nonchalant from local band night lapse. Next up is a singer songwriter from Veracruz , Mexico. Let's listen to Brando from Silvana Estrada.

S4: So Silvana Estrada is a young performer based in Mexico , and she is the daughter of two luthiers or guitar makers. She was trained in jazz and Latin American folk music. Brenda is her latest single. And the word Brenda is sort of a toast. It's like saying , Here's to something.

S3: Mean the Buddhist defined believer that the poor are not freedom aspirants like.

S5: Me and being.

S3: A Buddhist before. So going nuts for Larry. Then.

S2: Then.

S3: He footloose.

S4: The songwriting here is just really enchanting. It's swirling with this folk style narrative. Like there's a suggestion of a story while our narrator toasts to all these vast and ethereal blessings and connections and loves. My favorite of the toasts roughly translates to Here's to the simple idea of the wind fighting an old storm. Here's to the people who save us in each slow and true kiss. Guy above.

S5: Is solidly. I.

S4: I. Estrada has this voice that's really soft , but also piercing at the same time. And she plays the Venezuelan cuatro , which is a small guitar style stringed instrument with four strings instead of six. But still , somehow this really deep bodied sound. And Estrada is going to play at the Magnolia Theater and alcohol , along with Iron and Wine and Andrew Bird. She's the opening act for their co-headlining tour. That will be September 22nd.

S3: Song , Stealing Homes , but enough for a grocery store Camino. Yes , Mills went with an absentee. That was Silvana Estrada with Brando. Now for some more locals , we've been awaiting this new album from these Sacred Souls , and it just dropped last week full of what they refer to as solos. Tell us about the album and what's a standout track.

S4: So yeah , these sacred songs , they just put this out on their label. It's their revered Daptone Records. And yes , we have been waiting for it for a long time since they've been teasing a few singles over the last couple of years. There are some pretty familiar tracks on the album. It opens with Can I Call You Rose ? Which I know we've played on KPBS at least once. So I admit that I personally jump straight to the new stuff out of curiosity more than anything. And the second track is one of those new songs. It's called Lady Love.

S2: Should she ever take.

S4: It's wistful and sad. It's just this heartbreak coexisting with a with a fervent hope for another chance for reunion. After a lover's departure , the narrator says. If ever I was given a second shot of true love , girl , I take it.

S5: Very different places.

S4: As with most everything from these sacred songs , including this entire album , Lady Love sounds so timeless. There's even a classic key change partway through , and the band's heading off on a United States and European tour this fall. So tell your friends and other CDs to go and check them out. Play with.

S5: Me clumsily. Bring. Layla. My body can't face to.

S3: That's the Sacred Souls with Lady Love from their new album. Juliana Zacarias is another artist with a much awaited album. Tell us about hers. It's Hero of Your Heart. And this track , you chose California Fire. Right.

S4: Right. It's hard to sum up Juliana Zakaria's sound into one genre. She is this blend of indie pop , folk rock and Americana that just works really well. And even though her overall sound is more like indie , I feel like folk may be my favorite category for her music because what she makes it is relatable tracks that speak to what it means to be human. They're troubled , kind of heady and heartfelt stories all wrapped up in these really great , relatable songs. And.

S5: And. I'm a pi. Another California fire isn't what we need. No.

S4: And I think one of my favorites from the new album is California Fire. And this is September in Southern California. So fire seasons always either in the back of our minds or all over the headlines. This is a pensive song with a rocking edge to it , and Zakaria is also heading out on a U.S. tour. But I am hopeful that she'll play us some dates in San Diego when she gets back so we can hear these songs in person to hear joking. My.

S5: Because I'm telling. The California fire is. For.

S3: That's California fire from Juliana Zakaria. Finally , another touring act. The Los Angeles based performer Sudan Archives , tells us about selfish soul and her upcoming concert.

S4: So Sudan Archives , whose real name is Brittany Parks , is this incomparable performer. She is a violinist. She's an indie pop singer , songwriter and producer. And her new album is On the Way. It comes out September 9th , and that's called Natural Brown Prom Queen.

UU: Myself this so. What a false color.

S4: I really love the boundary pushing music that she makes. It's musically interesting , it's poetic and it's kind of wild. The single she's released so far from this album , the catchy. They're a bit dance tinged and they're total bangers.

S2: That makes 65.

UU: Get it all. Okay. One. Myself inside.

S4: This one is selfish soul. It's one of her recent singles , and it's this complex , powerful song about her hair. It's about black beauty , diverse womanhood and self-acceptance. The track's equal parts struggle and uncertainty alongside a lot of triumph and joy. And Sudan archives will play the belly up on September 24th.

S3: That's Sudan archives with selfish soul. Now you can find a playlist of these tracks and links to all the concerts on our website at PBS.org. I've been speaking with KPBS arts producer and editor Julia Dixon Evans , and thank you for our five songs for September , Julia.

S4: You're welcome. Happy listening.

S2: Turn it off.