celebrities
Music celebrities in the growing entertainment industry.
Britney Spears, An Industry Horror story
It took me several attempts to sit down and watch this documentary in its entirety because I became so emotional, so filled with nostalgia as I was about 8 years old when Britney's 1st hit dropped. If you are around my age, you remember when Britney Spears was at the top of the pop charts with hits like ‘Hit me Baby one more time” and “Toxic”. Britney is someone a lot of us girls look up to through her music so when it became more apparent that she may be in danger, #FreeBritney became trending the long-awaited discussion of how misogyny can either empower a woman or lead her to her detriment. I am glad to be living in a time where we can look back at our mistakes and address them. We stood back and watched as the world gas lit Britney and probably many other artists, but now we can see how misogyny and complacency have led to where the discussion is today. Does Britney need to be on a conservatorship? I don’t know. I don’t know her personally however I do question if she is able to work as hard as she does, I don’t know if I can question her competency. Britney came from humble beginnings which leads me to question the motives of those around her. One would assume at least one family member would try to come forward and participate in the documentary, even if it is just to provide balance and attempt to clear the family name.
By Ashley La'Donn5 years ago in Beat
"There's a Science Fiction in the Space Between You and Me"
Dear Ms. Chapman, You were my true introduction to folk music/Americana music and it has become the background music to my slow living lifestyle. I only listen to Americana because I love the style and the way it makes me feel.
By Dream Silas5 years ago in Beat
Powerful Presence And Music With A Message
For every genre of music, you will note Black artists spearheading the creation and progression. And Black women have certainly made their mark on the music industry through the centuries. The Black female musicians highlighted here were chosen based on two main factors: a powerful presence and music with a message. With so much rump shaking bordering on pornography and nonsensical lyrics of much of today’s music, it is refreshing to have a reminder of the greatness that paved the way for modern musicians. I am in awe of the barriers these women breached; standards they set; and progress they made, much during very difficult political and historic times. These lovely ladies are presented in order of when they arrived on the scene—their birthday, that is.
By Stephanie J. Bradberry5 years ago in Beat
Women in music
Music is very influential to people. It is a form of expression. It’s everywhere we go and involved in almost everything in the media. Whether it’s in the background of something or highlighting the artist making it there is no escape. Almost everybody listens to music and there are many different genres of it. The existence of music has been traced back to the beginning of civilization. There are many talented women who have made an impact with music and that have had an influence over music as its been reshaped over time. From behind the scenes to in the spotlight there are many women that have contributed to the success of the music industry we know today.
By Mystery Writer5 years ago in Beat
Women Who Rock My World
Of all the stunning black female singers in the world, the women who pull on my heartstrings the most by far are those who have also mastered instruments. As somebody with zero musical inclination, I never fail to be fascinated by anybody with the level of skill required to play with both their voices and their hands. Transcending a multitude of barriers, these women have truly blessed the universe with their unimaginable talents. While modern day black singers are all incredible on their own merit, musicians of multiple talents are, and always have been, thoroughly underappreciated for their phenomenal contributions to the arts.
By Ashleigh Harris5 years ago in Beat
The Fridge Again!!
I’m board at home, stuck inside trying to avoid Covid outside and I’m at the refrigerator, again looking for a snack. A song pops into my mind and I close the door without taking anything out. I am playing that viral song from KD French in my head and now it is stuck up there, on repeat.
By Vicky DiMichele5 years ago in Beat
All Hail The Queen
To say that Aretha Franklin was one of the greatest American artists of all time is an understatement. Her multi-octave voice moved millions around the world during an unrivaled career that spanned six decades and garnered the singer-songwriter every achievement and honor imaginable. Her reign as the Queen of Soul was a most deserved title, and one only she holds. Say outloud to ANYONE (old enough to know) "the Queen of Soul" and most will smile and say; yes, she is, was, and always will be. I first heard Aretha sing when I was a poor 13 years child growing up on the hard side of town with an alcoholic mother. I found that I could escape my life through music, and I did every chance I got! Actually let me rephrase that, I had heard her before on the radio and knew a few of her songs but I first REALLY heard her sing when I was invited to the upstair apartment to listen to music with a very sweet woman and her husband, they were known back then as lowriders, and they were quite heavy into oldies like, Mary Wells, Etta James, Al Green, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Diana Ross, The Jackson Five, Nat King Cole, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, The Platters(I idolize them), and of course the amazing Aretha Franklin. This was just a small list of the hundreds of songs I listened to in that apartment. They asked me to come up and stay in the house with thier 3 year old baby while they ran over to a friends house for about an hour. Told me to eat whatever I wanted and listen to any music I wanted that the baby would be sleeping the whole time they would be gone, to just look in on her every half hour. They must have had 300 cassette tapes of every oldies artist ever recorded. I was thrilled to babysit. They had the double cassette player so that I could put two tapes in at a time and while one played I could cue the second tape to play right after, it was the latest in technology in 1980. I remember putting Aretha Franklin's, I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You cassette in, and fell in love with her! I already loved music and I sang every song on the radio, I sang commercials, I sang anything and everything, but the Queen of Soul made me want to really sing! I started out singing Never Loved A Man, til I could sing every single note perfect! Then I asked the upstairs neighbor if I could get a copy of all of Aretha's music that she had and she said she would be happy to, I had six tapes three days later, two were Aretha and one was a mix tape of all of the songs I loved most. She would regularly invite me up to listen to music with her, and I didn't realize, until she told me one day "you know I love you like a sister, but I gotta be honest, I invite you up all the time because I love to hear you sing, your voice is badass for a kid"! I had no idea that anyone listened when I sang! I turned red in the face and smiled when she told me that. She also said she never heard a young white girl sing with so much soul. I love all of the oldies, and I am honored that when I sing Aretha Franklin in a karaoke bar, I channel my inner Aretha and I get people on thier feet. I have won several contests singing Chain of Fools, Respect, Never Loved A Man and Natural Woman, and I do them all in perfect Aretha form every single time because the Queen deserves that, and I have so much respect for my queen. I was honored in 1993 to see her at the MGM in Reno, NV with such artists as B.B. King, Elvin Bishop and Jimmy Vaughn and his fabulous Thunderbirds! Aretha was so amazing, and she was such a huge presence on stage, I felt like I had to be like her, so she taught me stage presence as well, which got me over my fear. I have continued to sing the music of some amazing black artists over the years from Etta James, Whitney Houston, Chaka Kahn, Tina Turner and many more. I am constantly being told that I am a black woman in a white woman's body. I take that as a compliment, my fans lovingly call me "Pipes" or "Lady Soul", and I am proud to say that I do have a bit of a following. I will also continue to respect the struggle black singers went through to get to the honorable place they hold in the industry today, it is so well deserved and I am proud to continue to give it a voice.
By C. M. Sears5 years ago in Beat
Erykah Badu
My #1 Pick When I was (first) notified about the opportunity to honor a 'black woman's contributions to music’, Erykah Badu was the first name in my thoughts. She influenced me as a creative artist, a musician, a writer, a singer and a free-thinker. I’d be remised if I didn’t nominate Erykah Badu on this platform—where being 'VOCAL' is an admirable characteristic. I didn’t need to look any further for a woman who encapsulates divine femininity and whose name wreaks of honorable principles. Erykah Badu is not just one of my biggest influencers, when I found out she's keeps a low-key second career as a Doula (and more recently, as a certified midwife). I was blown away. She's even known to her clients as "Erykah Badoula". I’m a writer. My 390K-word novel series INEFFABLE is based on the natural birthing of the main character - Michelle. So much of Erykah’s energy and ethics revolve around who I am and how we should (all) see the world. Erykah Badu has always inspired me and her music is very therapeutic to me. No other artist can compare to her.
By R. L. LASTER5 years ago in Beat
'UK Hun?' A Campy, Fun 'Drag Race UK' Hit
If you haven't already, you really need to "clap for the bing bang bong." The most recent installment of #RuPaulsDragRaceUK saw the queens being told that they had to suspend filming immediately and go home due to the #COVID19 crisis. There was a seven-month hiatus where the queens had to determine other means of making money, if they didn't have a day job, before filming resumed in late 2020 with safety protocols in place. As they returned, they noticed they were one short - #VeronicaGreen, who had tested positive for #coronavirus - and had the opportunity to vote to bring one of the queens back, and #JoeBlack was the lucky winner and got to participate in the RuruVision contest. It was a parody of the Eurovision Song Contest, and the queens were split into two different groups - the United Kingdolls (#Tayce, #LawrenceChaney, #BiminiBonBoulash, and #Awhora) and Bananadrama (#TiaKofi, #JoeBlack, #EllieDiamond, and #SisterSister).
By Christina St-Jean5 years ago in Beat
First Lady of Song
The First Lady of Song, Queen of Jazz, Lady Ella: these loving nicknames have been bestowed upon arguably one of the greatest singers of all time, Ella Fitzgerald. And for good reason, too. I grew up listening to Ella’s sultry voice thanks to my music-loving father, who has a particular soft spot for the classics and oldies. Although, I never truly appreciated the importance and impact of her long musical career until I was much older. I just loved the way she sang and how her songs made me feel. It was only when we began to take an in-depth dive the civil rights movement in school did the gears begin to turn and things clicked into place for me. By every right, Ella was an incredibly talented singer; however, for her to have such a successful career during the late 1930’s through 1960’s takes her to a completely different level of powerhouse.
By Emily Scott5 years ago in Beat
