معرفی
Eric Smialek is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Huddersfield, specializing in extreme metal vocals, popular music studies, and Taylor Swift analysis. He holds a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship and is affiliated with the Centre for Research in Music and its Technologies. His research explores vocal expression, cultural meaning in metal, and intersections of music with class, disability, and LGBTQ+ advocacy.
Education:
- PhD in Genre and Expression in Extreme Metal Music (McGill University, 2016)
- Master's in Rethinking Metal Aesthetics (McGill University, 2009)
- Bachelor's from University of British Columbia (2006)
Research Interests:
Smialek’s work bridges music analysis and sociology, focusing on extreme metal’s vocal techniques, global social-class divides in metal scenes, and Taylor Swift’s cultural impact. He co-founded the European Taylor Swift Research Network and organized the 2024 Taylor Swift unconference in Amsterdam.
Awards:
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship
Advising & Collaboration:
Accepts PhD students and collaborates on projects like Extreme Metal Vocals: Musical Expression, Technique, and Cultural Meaning (2022–2025). His work has been cited in venues like Metal Music Studies and Contemporary Music Review.
Labs/Teams:
Member of the Centre for Research in Music and its Technologies, contributing to interdisciplinary studies in music acoustics and cultural analysis.
