What is RingShout?

RIngShout is a musical satellite. It will be launched into space and transmit a radio signal which plays original music and audio interviews. The interviews are with Black girls and women with stellar names (Star, Estelle, Etoile, Kpakpando, Stella, Seren, Nyota, Astrea, Irawos, and many more).

Mendi + Keith Obadike are the creators of RingShout. The project is supported by the National Black Theater, The Apollo Theater, The American Composers Orchestra, and Clockshop. Please email kirrin@nationalblacktheatre.org with any questions about the project.

We are seeking recorded interviews. Here are some tips.

If your name is Star we would like to hear you talk about your name. You can record yourself or interview a family member or friend named Star. Parents or guardians should be present during the recordings with children. Interviewers should choose a small, quiet room. Ideally, the room would be a carpeted space with minimal natural reverberation. Please be sure to place the recording device closer to the child. We also suggest that interviewers simultaneously record to their phones if possible in order to have a backup recording.

Interview Questions

For Teens to Adults

Ask all of these questions

  • What is your name? (Possible follow up: What does it mean?)

  • How old are you?

  • What makes you happy?

  • Do you ever daydream? If so, what do you daydream about?

  • What do you wish people knew about you?


Ask three or more of these questions about names

  • Does anyone else in your family have a name like yours or a name that comes from space?

  • Do you know where your name comes from? If so, where?

  • Do you know who decided to name you ________? If so, why do you think they gave you that name?

  • Have you ever named someone else? If so, who? What name did you give them?

  • If you had to name someone in your family, who would you choose and what name would you give?

  • Do you think having this name has affected your personality? If so, how? 

  • If you were a superhero, what would your name be, and what powers would you have?


Ask all of these questions about space

  • What is your favorite thing about the sky?

  • What is your favorite thing about space?

  • Do you have a favorite planet?

For small children (age 6 and under)


Ask all of these questions

  • What is your name?

  • How old are you?

  • What makes you happy?

  • Do you have a favorite toy or a favorite game to play?

Ask one or two of these questions

  • If you were a superhero, what would your name be, and what powers would you have?

  • Do you know who decided to name you ________? 

  • If you had to name someone in your family, who would you choose and what name would you give?

  • What is your favorite color?

  • What is your favorite thing to do on the weekend?


Ask two or three of these questions

  • Do you know any songs about stars, the moon, or the sun?

  • What is your favorite thing about the sky?

  • What is your favorite thing about space?

  • Do you have a favorite planet?

  • Do you think you are like a star? Do you sparkle? 

For big kids (ages 7 to 12)

Ask all of these questions

  • What is your name? (Possible follow-up: What does it mean?)

  • How old are you?

  • What makes you happy?

  • If you were in a play, what would your character be like?

  • What do you wish people knew about you?


Ask three or more of these questions about names

  • Does anyone else in your family have a name like yours or a name related to space?

  • Do you know where your name comes from? If so, where?

  • Do you know who decided to name you ________? If so, why do you think they gave you that name?

  • If you had to name someone in your family, who would you choose and what name would you give?

  • If you were a superhero, what would your name be, and what powers would you have?


Ask three or more of these questions about space

  • Do you think you are like a star? (or: the sun, the moon, a planet?)

  • What is your favorite thing about the sky?

  • What is your favorite thing about space?

  • Do you have a favorite planet?

  • Are you like a star / sun / constellation? (or, for an older person: What does it mean to you to be named _______?)




For small children (age 6 and under)

Ask all of these questions

  • What is your name?

  • How old are you?

  • What makes you happy?

  • Do you have a favorite toy or a favorite game to play?

Ask one or two of these questions

  • If you were a superhero, what would your name be, and what powers would you have?

  • Do you know who decided to name you ________? 

  • If you had to name someone in your family, who would you choose and what name would you give?

  • What is your favorite color?

  • What is your favorite thing to do on the weekend?


Ask two or three of these questions

  • Do you know any songs about stars, the moon, or the sun?

  • What is your favorite thing about the sky?

  • What is your favorite thing about space?

  • Do you have a favorite planet?

  • Do you think you are like a star? Do you sparkle?