{"id":24490,"date":"2019-10-09T10:54:24","date_gmt":"2019-10-09T17:54:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freshcup.com\/?p=24490"},"modified":"2019-12-20T13:02:30","modified_gmt":"2019-12-20T21:02:30","slug":"the-art-of-the-competition-mixtape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/freshcup.com\/the-art-of-the-competition-mixtape\/","title":{"rendered":"The Art of the Competition Mixtape"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe making of a good compilation tape is a very subtle art. Many do\u2019s and don\u2019ts.\u201d <\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

[W]hen Rob Gordon, played by John Cusack, declared this truth in the 2000 film High Fidelity<\/em>, he was talking about curating a mixtape for his girlfriend\u2014but he may as well have been a barista riffing on the craft of competition playlists.<\/p>\n

\u201cA run-through is like a dance routine; it\u2019s choreography, and the music has to roll with that,\u201d says Michelle Johnson, better known as the provocateur behind The Chocolate Barista. She is but one of the many baristas who have agonized over their music selections as much as their sig bevs. For many competitors, the music is the tie that binds the whole routine together.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to create a fully formed experience, and music, as it does in life, helps accentuate that,\u201d says Rock Baijnauth, director of Barista<\/em> and Baristas<\/em>, two films following a handful of baristas on their journeys to the 2013 U.S. Barista Championship and the 2017 World Barista Championship, respectively. Having watched many competitors closely in their preparations, Baijnauth has seen a variety of approaches to creating the playlist, from Johnson\u2019s style to choosing the music during final run-throughs. The most successful competitors, however, have one thing in common.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ones that I\u2019ve seen that have been really successful have always flowed together,\u201d he explains. \u201cIt\u2019s not just a bunch of songs that the person likes. The songs actually tell a story in themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

For longtime head judge Nathanael May, the impact of the music is in the mood.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere has never been a single barista competitor where I haven\u2019t noticed the music,\u201d says May. \u201cMusic plays a critical component in the whole ambiance of the performance and the energy and the vibe that the competitor is bringing.\u201d<\/p>\n

And while the music can\u2019t technically affect scores (outside of explicit content [see p. 43], which the rules state can lead to docked points), May emphasizes the way it can shape the judges\u2019 perception of a barista\u2019s whole performance.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone\u2019s serving coffee, everyone\u2019s serving a milk drink, but no two competitors really have the exact same music,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s such an interesting way to present yourself as a broader and more layered human being than just a coffee professional who likes competitions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, competitions are about more than mere self-expression.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of what the baristas are doing is recreating, in their own small way, a caf\u00e9 experience for the judges,\u201d May explains. \u201cThe judges are ideally supposed to be the best customers you\u2019ve ever had.\u201d<\/p>\n

And as any barista knows, caf\u00e9 experiences are anything but dull. The best routines evade feeling like a science or agriculture lesson. They\u2019re not \u201cdry\u201d or overly \u201ctechnical,\u201d to use Baijnauth\u2019s words. Instead, they transport you to a place where coffee is once again a beverage potent with possibility. It\u2019s like rediscovering your favorite caf\u00e9 for the first time. And the music is often the subtle soundtrack for this transformation.<\/p>\n

But what does it look like to make the mix? Three competitors shared how they do it.<\/p>\n

\n

The Bridge<\/h3>\n

Hannah Craig | Full Stop Station | Louisville, KY <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

When Hannah Craig was preparing for her first competition run\u2014the 2017 regionals in Knoxville, Tennessee\u2014the music wasn\u2019t first on her mind. The mechanics of her routine, finding the right coffee, and developing her signature beverage consumed her attention.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Hannah Craig. Photo by Bryan Schiele<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Her coach was thinking about it though, and would make suggestions along the way\u2014but nothing was quite connecting.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time I presented with it, it just didn\u2019t feel like me,\u201d recalls Craig. \u201cI just didn\u2019t have any other ideas.\u201d What she was looking for, but didn\u2019t realize it at the time, was a bridge\u2014something that would serve as a link from the coffee to both her routine and her personality.<\/p>\n

Then, just two weeks before competition, her husband offhandedly suggested they try Shakira. They cued up \u201cHips Don\u2019t Lie,\u201d and they knew they had found the right groove. The music of Colombia\u2019s most famous pop singer synced perfectly with the Colombian coffee Craig had selected for her routine.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer music was so colorful and so exciting, and that\u2019s how my coffee was,\u201d she says. \u201cIt meshed well together.\u201d She ended up rounding out her playlist with three more Shakira tracks.<\/p>\n

The choice also fit her desire to make an impression as a first-time competitor, to grab attention and build yet another bridge with her presentation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was inviting the judges into a culture that was very different from ours,\u201d she explains, noting that the music achieved this in a way that was warm, fun, and hospitable.<\/p>\n

Still, she wouldn\u2019t have gone with it if it hadn\u2019t reflected her own taste. Finding a way to be true to herself and elevate her coffee and presentation proved to be a winning recipe for Craig, who advanced to nationals that year.<\/p>\n

Listen to Hannah’s playlist<\/em> here<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\n

The Downbeat<\/h3>\n

Matt Foster | Kaldi\u2019s Coffee Roasting Co. | St. Louis, MO <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Through two seasons of Brewers Cup, Matt Foster favored upbeat music, such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Justin Timberlake, to lighten up his routines.<\/p>\n

That changed in 2018, when he shifted to laid-back jazz and electronica to calm his nerves and help him focus.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Matt Foster. Photo by Isbell Creative<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI found that it helped me bring more balance to my presentation in order to rein myself in,\u201d says Foster. \u201cMy natural tempo, especially when I\u2019m on stage, is more upbeat. I get excited, I tend to talk very fast, but if I hear a more calming music in the background it sort of reminds me to balance myself out a little bit more.\u201d<\/p>\n

He took this a step further during prep for the inaugural U.S. Coffee in Good Spirits competition earlier this year. After noticing that the jazz and \u201cchillhop\u201d he was spinning didn\u2019t quite seem to harmonize with his cocktails or the elegant, refined aesthetic of his decor, Foster decided to mix it up.<\/p>\n

\u201cKind of on a lark, I pulled up a couple of Mozart songs and I put that in the background, and it really just seemed to tie together,\u201d he recalls. It proved to be the perfect backdrop for pacing his presentation and staying calm. He even named one of his drinks \u201cMr. Romo\u2019s Opus,\u201d highlighting his coffee\u2019s producer Fausto Romo as a composer in his own right.<\/p>\n

Foster rode that downbeat vibe to become the first-ever U.S. Coffee in Good Spirits champion. His victory reflects something about his mentality as a competitor. Although music might have complemented his routine, he was aiming for much more.<\/p>\n

\u201cCompetitions really are about understanding the competition itself, doing everything you can to control the variables and getting every single one of those points,\u201d he explains. \u201cSo, everything you do, including the music, needs to be honed in on\u2014\u2018Will this let me nail my routine so that I don\u2019t go over time, because it lets me keep pace, because it puts me in a good mental space?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Listen to Matt’s playlist here<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\n

The Mixtape<\/h3>\n

Michelle Johnson | Coffee Manufactory | Los Angeles, CA<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

For some competitors, the music is front and center.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think about the music before I start prepping anything for the competition,\u201d says Michelle Johnson. \u201cBecause for me it\u2019s all about setting the vibe and the energy of what the routine is going to end up being.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Michelle Johnson. Photo by Ryan Cordwell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Johnson, who has competed during three different seasons, usually builds a big mix during her prep, which she later culls down to the three or four tracks that will form the backbone of her routine. During competition, she relies on that playlist not only to support the mood and message of her presentation, but also to orient her and keep her steady.<\/p>\n

This music-first approach is not all that different from a shift behind bar, where Johnson acts as both barista and DJ at Coffee Manufactory in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s more like I\u2019m at the coffee shop where I have control over the music and the whole energy of the shop altogether, and that\u2019s where I feel most comfortable,\u201d she says. Behind bar, she lets the time of day, the clientele, and the mood of the room shape her music choices. While the criteria may be different at USBC, it\u2019s that same awareness that helps Johnson feel at ease when the pressure of competition rises.<\/p>\n

When it comes down to it, though, she says she tries not to let the room influence her too much. Her ultimate goal as a competitor isn\u2019t to dazzle the crowd or impress the judges.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not really thinking about anyone else when it comes to my music,\u201d says Johnson. \u201cI\u2019m not really competing for anyone else. I\u2019m just doing it for myself, and if I do ever go into competition again, that\u2019s a really strong point that I\u2019ll be making to myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Listen to Michelle’s playlist here<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\n

You Can\u2019t Always Get What You Want<\/h4>\n

As many competitors will tell you, when you\u2019ve run through a routine hundreds of times, all with the same backing track, the music begins to provide a compass to guide you to safety before the time runs out. Baristas listen along for audible cues in the songs that signal where they should be in their routines.<\/p>\n

No matter how entwined the music may become with any barista\u2019s presentation, though, it\u2019s important to maintain perspective. Baijnauth realized this during filming of Baristas, when music was prohibited during the first round at the WBC, throwing a lot of competitors off of their game.<\/p>\n

As someone who has seen many routines go wrong, May emphasizes that no one should hang an entire performance on any one piece.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many contingencies that can happen,\u201d he says, \u201cand I would highly recommend that competitors plan for that and don\u2019t let those kinds of things completely torpedo their chances at success.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, no matter the obstacles, competition music is here to stay. Getting it just right may be a subtle art, but champion baristas, much like Tom Petty, won\u2019t back down. Or they\u2019re survivors, like Beyonc\u00e9. Either way, they\u2019ll keep trying to win\u2026and craft the perfect playlist.<\/p>\n

\n

The Times They Are A-Changin’<\/h3>\n

As the SCA continues to strive toward a more inclusive competition circuit, the rules and expectations surrounding music present an interesting challenge.<\/p>\n

Rule 8.5b of the 2019 USBC rules and regulations states, \u201cMusic may not contain profanity, otherwise the competitor\u2019s score on \u2018Overall Workflow\u2019 may be penalized on the head judge scoresheet.\u201d<\/p>\n

As straightforward as that might sound on paper, the reality isn\u2019t quite so clear-cut.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s entirely up to the judges\u2019 discretion as far as the explicit content,\u201d says Nathanael May, who has been judging competitions since 2010. \u201cIf an explicit lyric exists in a song, it\u2019s not necessarily a done deal that you\u2019re going to lose points on your presentation and professionalism for that. It\u2019s kind of contextual, which I appreciate, because that allows flexibility and allows for there to be judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where there is room for judgment, though, there is room for bias. It can be difficult for competitors to know just where the lines will be drawn, or just what musical aspects of their own cultures are acceptable.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I present myself to the coffee community, I want to be able to present all parts of myself as a barista, and that includes hip-hop and R&B,\u201d says Michelle Johnson. \u201cThat has nothing to do with my coffee knowledge or professionalism, or whether my espresso tastes good or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an environment where families are present and everyone\u2019s definition of \u201cprofessionalism\u201d isn\u2019t the same, these aren\u2019t easy judgment calls to make. But they are questions that baristas and managers face every day in caf\u00e9s.<\/p>\n

As more managers recognize the need to diversify staffing in their shops, and to create a safe space for everyone in their neighborhoods, questions about music inevitably arise. In Hannah Craig\u2019s view, competition\u2014with its design to push the industry and shape better all-around baristas\u2014should be driving these conversations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re playing all kinds of different music in our caf\u00e9s, and the competition floor should be, in my opinion, more true to how our caf\u00e9s are,\u201d she says. Too many people misunderstand or write off genres that they don\u2019t understand, she adds, and competition presents an opportunity to challenge that.<\/p>\n

Since 2017, the SCA has incorporated a mandatory unconscious bias training into its instruction for judges. While it hasn\u2019t explicitly addressed music, May, who is also the National Competitions Coordinator, wonders if it should. Beyond dealing with unwarranted sensitivity to certain genres, this training could also prevent judges from favoring certain competitors simply because they liked their playlists.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy hope would be that competitors would feel more comfortable being themselves,\u201d says May, \u201cplaying the music they want to play, offering the drinks that they want to offer, speaking in a way that represents themselves and their culture and who they are, than they would if that bias training wasn\u2019t happening.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Luke Daugherty talks to Michelle Johnson, Rock Baijnauth, Nathanael May, Hannah Craig, and Matt Foster about the important role music plays during a competition routine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1151,"featured_media":24494,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"limit_modified_date":"","last_modified_date":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}},"beyondwords_generate_audio":"","beyondwords_project_id":"","beyondwords_content_id":"","beyondwords_player_style":"","beyondwords_language_id":"","beyondwords_title_voice_id":"","beyondwords_body_voice_id":"","beyondwords_summary_voice_id":"","beyondwords_error_message":"","beyondwords_disabled":"","beyondwords_podcast_id":"","beyondwords_hash":"","publish_post_to_speechkit":"","speechkit_hash":"","speechkit_generate_audio":"","speechkit_project_id":"","speechkit_podcast_id":"","speechkit_error_message":"","speechkit_disabled":"","speechkit_access_key":"","speechkit_error":"","speechkit_info":"","speechkit_response":"","speechkit_retries":"","speechkit_updated_at":"","_speechkit_link":"","_speechkit_text":""},"categories":[26,18],"tags":[12765],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Art of the Competition Mixtape - 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