Meet Raven Freret and Kanan Nagel

We had the good fortune of connecting with Raven Freret & Kanan Nagel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Raven & Kanan, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
Being involved in the punk scene for most of our lives, we’ve always been passionate for discovering new music and talking about issues that are important to us. We wanted to bring these issues to the forefront, and spark conversations that may seem taboo or uncomfortable in and out of the scene. 2020 was a heavy year: the live events industry shut down along with everything else during the pandemic, there were a lot of substantial things that happened in society that affected so many people (BLM, the election, anti-trans bills being presented, etc.) and it got to the point where we wanted to created a platform that encapsulated all of these things but was also a positive place for people to turn to. A place for people to find bands that aligned with our values, and who maybe weren’t getting the representation they deserved. A place for people who may not feel they have a voice or who might have a hard time talking about these issues and needs a space without judgement. We don’t discriminate or exclude any group, we want to amplify voices for all across every spectrum. Grrrls Like Us is a place for intersectionality, diversity, inclusivity, and punk rock.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
We’re very inclusive of all types of people, and highlight bands and groups that might feel they’re getting overlooked. We want to provide resources and information on things we feel people should know about or things that need to be talked about (how to be an ally towards marginalized groups, gender-inclusive terms, mental health resources, etc.). We’re very lucky to have an audience that feels the same way and have cultivated a community where people can be candid and not feel like they’re being judged for not knowing or wanting to know more. We provide support for everyone and really want our platform to be something that people can turn to or lean on if they need to.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Amoeba records would be a definite must to visit. We love collecting vinyl and buying anything music-related, and Amoeba has so many great things to offer. Another favorite of ours is Posers off of Melrose. The owner is a great human, and they have a wide variety of clothes and shoes to wear such as Fred Perry and Dr. Martens. We’d go to Chinatown, where you can find awesome ramen and snacks, before heading over to the Troubadour or the Fonda to see our favorite bands play, like Against Me! and The Interrupters.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There’s a few people that have supported us since day one that we’ve love to shoutout. They’ve believed in us when we thought we couldn’t do this, and have pushed us to keep going when needed. Hannah McFaull, Vique Simba, Linh Le, Myra Gallarza, Stacey Dee, Jennie Cotterill, Mike Maison, PD, Jon Whelehan, and Allegedly Records.

Website: www.grrrlslikeus.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/grrrls.like.us

Facebook: www.facebook.com/grrrls.like.us.collective

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXbSbOv4wwR5aQsfTURZdzQ (Grrrls LIke Us Youtube)

Image Credits
The blue and purple “GRRRLS LIKE US” logo (2nd image) was designed by SARA LYONS For the “Grrrl Talk x Bad Cop/Bad Cop” graphic, picture credit is JASON COOK