De Angela presented and moderated at the 22nd annual Pop Conference at the USC Thornton School of Music, March 7-9, 2024!

Her presentation was “Wax ‘N Facts: A Musical Odyssey of an Avid Record Collector and a Liner Notes Junkie!” on the “Legacy Junkies and Collectors: The Archive and the Personal” panel!

Abstract: Record collecting and music listening practices are more than hobbies; they are sacred duties that preserve musical legacies and shape cultural narratives. These practices create a tapestry of collective memory. My tale reflects a universal experience: the endless horizons that a love of music unveils and how it connects and sustains us. My journey into this world began in childhood through my aunt and uncles and since morphed into a lifelong mission to keep Prince’s name on the lips of the children. How does collecting physical forms of media and reading liner notes impact individual lives—a journey where every record spun connects us with other music listeners of the past, present, and future, keeping the collective narrative threads enmeshed? Collecting, cherishing, and sharing music isn’t just a pastime; it’s a way to shape the musical legacies that resonate across time and space through specific, individual actions. I invite you to reflect on your journey and ruminate on how we can collectively ensure that our love of music persists and resonates through the annals of time, honoring past listeners and acting as a bridge to future generations to come.

She also moderated the “Repackaging Dreams: Media as Archives from Greatest Hits” panel.

Learn more about Pop Con 2024 at https://music.usc.edu/spotlights/popcon-2024.