Openmic slam

Z&T is the duo formed by Zouz and T.A., two slam poets. For the past three years, alongside hosting several open mics, they’ve been performing their slams across Belgium and abroad—on stages such as Le 140, Le 210, Jacques Franck, the Esperanzah Festival, Maison Poème, Espace Magh, Le Delta, the Molenbeek Cultural Centre, the Cultural Centre of Walloon Brabant, and the Fête de la Musique. Both active members of the Slameke collective, Zouz and Théa met during an impromptu slam in the Brussels metro. They immediately recognized their shared realities, energies, and activism. In May 2020, as a last resort in response to sexist harassment, they released their first duo track: “Chers harceleurs, merci”. The release generated strong support from Brussels’ hip-hop and feminist scenes. Since then, they’ve continued their journey together. Z&T is also a duo working to energize the Belgian slam scene through workshops, especially with teenagers and women’s groups. On stage, they are joined by electro-acoustic musician Antonin Simon (aka Ya$ka), who creates immersive beats and soundscapes inspired by urban environments and spoken word. Their slam/rap collection Beat’ume was published by Éditions Maelström in February 2023 and their most recent collection ‘Sur le Boulevard’ was published in 2024 by Midis Poésie.

Miksi (1988) has been writing poetry since she started writing. Often in chicken scratch and strange metaphors. After studying literature in the Netherlands, she started practicing spoken word in Liverpool when she was 21 and has not stopped writing and performing ever since. But the most important part of her writing career might be the founding of SpeakEasy Spoken Word BXL in 2015, which is now a fixture at GC Pianofabriek. She also organizes regular literary events, such as poetry walks in cemeteries, storytelling in museums, and performances for the Museum Night Fever. Reaching different audiences, striking a chord with poetry, and being able to name an emotion is what drives her in her daily practice. On open mic stages as well as during her many performances throughout Flanders, the author loves to be in contact with her audience and enjoys talking to people who have been touched by an event or poem. Her spoken word practice mainly includes the following themes: processing trauma and mental health equal rights and celebrating rediscovered (female) voices music, science, and art in poetry In 2023, Miksi, together with the SpeakEasy and Slameke collective, also made a bid for the city poet laureate of Brussels. She was then part of the shortlist.