An Evening of Identity, Resilience, and Sonic Storytelling: Unpacking the Vision: The Creative Journey of “Where We Come From”

On the evening of May 14th, the Create Lab at the University of Huddersfield’s Barbara Hepworth Building became a sanctuary for memory, music, and diaspora. As part of the Stories in Motion exhibition programme—a showcase celebrating the culture and everyday narratives of Kirklees—audiences gathered both in-person and online via Microsoft Teams for a hybrid experience that was nothing short of a masterclass in creative resilience.

The event, “Unpacking the Vision: The Creative Journey of ‘Where We Come From’,” was centered around a screening and panel discussion exploring the genesis of a profoundly moving project. Chaired with effortless grace and insight by Dr Claire Booth-Kurpnieks (Research Fellow for Cultures Of_), the evening peeled back the layers of how a musical track evolved into a poignant cinematic testament connecting Huddersfield (UK) and Carriacou (Grenada).

From a Musical Spark to a Cinematic Lifeline

The foundation of the evening lies in the song “Where We Come From” (featuring the spellbinding vocals of Huddersfield’s own Ruby Wood), a powerful anthem crafted by multidisciplinary artist, producer, and Saving Grace founder Savvy aka Asaviour (Nigel Cudjoe).

While the track initially began as a musical remix exploring dual heritage, its evolutionary trajectory was irrevocably altered by reality. When Hurricane Beryl devastated the island of Carriacou, the project transformed. It was no longer just a song; it became an urgent creative response, an oral history archive, and an anchor for community connection. As the excerpts of the film rolled in the dimly lit Create Lab, the audience was enveloped by an intricate tapestry of personal stories, collective grief, and an unshakeable sense of community endurance.

The Panel: A Convergence of Journeys

What made the May 14th talk so unforgettable was the sheer breadth of lived experience brought forward by the panel. Each speaker represented a distinct thread woven into the project’s fabric:

• Savvy (Nigel Cudjoe): Speaking with the wisdom of a 15-year career as a “digital alchemist,” Savvy articulated his shift from hip-hop innovator to immersive filmmaker. He explained how music and visuals serve as vital tools for honoring ancestry, transforming trauma into art, and anchoring a sense of home when geography separates us.
• Tom O’Donoghue: As a vital collaborator who captured principal footage and co-edited the piece alongside Savvy, Tom shed light on the aesthetic choices behind the lens. Known for his keen eye for street culture, Tom detailed the delicate balance of translating deeply personal, raw human emotion into striking visual storytelling.
• Emmanuel Allert: In one of the evening’s most touching moments, multi-instrumentalist Emmanuel Allert shared his life’s full-circle journey. Born to the Windrush generation, sent to Carriacou as a child, and later returning to Huddersfield to play with the likes of Thabo and the Real Deal (even performing at Glastonbury), Emmanuel spoke of how a chance encounter with Savvy following the passing of his elder brother led to him recording the soul-stirring guitar tracks for the project. His presence was a living reminder that music possesses a cosmic way of piecing broken things back together.
• Samuel Ogilvie & Majella Mark (Bringing the Grenadian Perspective): While Samuel’s background as a Venice Biennale-featured Grenadian filmmaker and musician anchored the regional authenticity of the film’s Caribbean side, Majella Mark’s insights as an oral historian and Director of International Affairs for the Carriacou Historical Society added a profound layer of gravity. Majella reframed cultural preservation not just as an act of looking backward, but as a vital form of climate resilience and future-building as the island rebuilds post-Hurricane Beryl.

A Masterclass in Dual Identity and Connection

Under the guidance of Dr Claire Booth-Kurpnieks, the discussion deftly explored how storytelling bridges global conversations on heritage and justice with grassroots, local experiences. The room crackled with emotion as the panel unpacked what it means to possess a dual identity—to feel the cold cobblestones of West Yorkshire under your feet while your soul is tethered to the paradise, and the struggle, of a small Caribbean island.

The audience was left with a lingering truth: art is at its most potent when it refuses to look away. Through the collective vision of Saving Grace, “Where We Come From” is much more than a film or a song. It is a monument to survival, a brilliant intersection of sound and image, and a blueprint for how marginalized and displaced communities can use immersive storytelling to reclaim their narratives.

For those who sat in the Create Lab or logged into Teams on May 14th, the message was clear—no matter how fierce the storm, our roots run deep, and our music will always carry us home.

Did you attend the talk or stream the event? Share your thoughts on “Where We Come From” in our instagram comments section! To support the rebuilding of the Carriacou Museum and find out more about Saving Grace’s upcoming 2026 multimedia projects, visit Saving Grace.