Pop-Culture | Posted by Julie Z on 03/10/2013
Support Women Artists Sunday: Angel Haze
Raykeea Wilson (born 1991), better known by her stage name Angel Haze, is an African American , Native American rapper and lyricist signed to Universal Republic and Island. She was born in Detroit, Michigan and grew up in the Greater Apostolic Faith.
She released her EP Reservation online in July 2012. She is planning a collaboration with Azealia Banks. She lives in Springfield, Virginia. In 2012, she took part in the BET Hip-Hop Award’s Cypher. She was also featured on Funk Volume’s artist Dizzy Wright’s mixtape “SmokeOut Conversations” on the remix track for “Can’t Trust Em’.” The song also featured on the track now Funk Volume artist Jarren Benton. On Angel Haze’s 2012 mixtape Classick, she recorded a version of Eminem’s song, “Cleanin’ Out My Closet”. Earbuddy’s John Downey wrote …
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Creative | Posted by Julie Z on 02/24/2013
Support Women Artists Sunday: Rebecca Ferguson
People used to tell Rebecca Ferguson her life was ruined. A teenage mother of two children, dreams of becoming a famous singer seemed far-fetched. Motivated to fulfill her lifelong wish, Rebecca signed up for the tenth season of the UK’s X Factor, and pushed through emotional breakdowns to perform almost every week. Adored quickly by harsh critic and judge Simon Cowell, Rebecca wound up being the show’s runner-up and began crafting songs for her debut album, Heaven, soon after. Coming from a struggling single-parent household, there wasn’t enough money for Rebecca to follow her passion for singing, so at 14 she got a job in a clothes shop to pay for singing lessons. Performing Arts college followed, despite her mother’s attempts to keep her from anything but Christian music. “I …
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Pop-Culture | Posted by Ruth L on 02/20/2013
Judy Chicago at the Ben Uri Gallery
Judy Chicago is one of my favourite artists. So, when I heard she was exhibiting in London for the first time since the 80s, well, I was rather excited. The Ben Uri Gallery in London seemed like the perfect place for her return to the country, having 1300 works in their permanent collection by women artists. Many of these works are currently focusing on themes such as autobiography, erotica, feminism, the nude and issues of masculine power.
Which is precisely what Chicago is most well known for. During the 1970s, she founded the first feminist art program in America, aiming to incorporate these themes into the realm of art. This was a time when the personal was truly political and Chicago encouraged and inspired her students to create feminist artworks …
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Pop-Culture | Posted by Julie Z on 02/3/2013
Support Women Artists Sunday: KALEN
Singer-songwriter Kalen’s six-song debut EP, Falling From The Sun, is rock noir. The bruised beauty of her lyrics, her dark and shimmering compositions, the haunting expressiveness of her singing, and her dynamically cinematic producing skills imbue the music with a visual layer of intrigue. It is a moody blend of blues, trip-hop and rock with bits of dub step and world beat that’s artfully accessible.
The New York-based singer first gained notoriety fronting the avant-funk band Ladybug Stingray, a band that combined performance art with abstract dance grooves. With that band she performed from coast to coast, from NYC’s Webster Hall, to Brooklyn’s The Knitting Factory, to LA’s Whiskey A-Go-Go. She also headlined The Wassaic Project’s summer festival twice. As a solo artist, she’s channeled the adventurousness, theatrics, and dynamics …
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Pop-Culture | Posted by Julie Z on 01/27/2013
Support Women Artists Sunday: Rachel Potter
A rock ‘n roll baby, Rachel was born in New Orleans to southern parents who connected over their mutual passion for song. Potter’s earliest memory of music was at age three, standing on the steps of her Baptist church next to best friend Jamey Ray singing in her hometown of Seminole, Florida. Exposed to music from day one Rachel remembers “My dad played guitar around the house and my mom would always sing harmony to oldies in the car.”
After graduating from college she moved to New York where she got a gig singing in a wedding band. After auditioning for Broadway shows for over a year, she booked the WICKED national tour and THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Rachel was ecstatic to fulfill her dream of Broadway but still couldn’t get …
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Pop-Culture | Posted by Julie Z on 01/13/2013
Support Women Artists Sunday: Annie Dressner
Recently moving from her hometown of New York City to the UK, singer-songwriter, Annie Dressner is about to release her newest work – an EP titled “East Twenties” (release date: April 8, 2013).
Dressner’s poignant songs are delivered with such conversational ease, it often seems as if she is reading from an intimate letter or a book, set to music. Her straightforward lyrical style, sharp ear for wordplay and crisp, lilting vocals offer listeners a front-row seat to her stories, as they take shape above the understated music.
Her quirky debut album, “Strangers Who Knew Each Other’s Names” (2011) was featured via iTunes. As seen in the reviews, Dressner is making a strong connection with listeners. The collection of 11 original songs at times evokes Bright Eyes, an up-tempo Mazzy …
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Pop-Culture | Posted by Julie Z on 10/21/2012
Support Women Artists Sunday: Kimbra
New Zealand pop singer Kimbra is a soulful vocalist with a bent toward jazzy R&B and indie rock-influenced dance music. Born Kimbra Johnson in Hamilton, New Zealand, Kimbra first began taking guitar lessons around age 12 and was performing live by her teens. A 2007 Juice TV video award caught the attention of the Melbourne, Australia-based label Forum 5, which signed her to a recording contract. Her first single, “Settle Down,” was released in 2010, the same year she guested on a track (“I Look to You”) by Miami Horror. In 2011, Kimbra released her debut album, Vows, via Warner Bros., featuring the single “Settle Down.” Also in 2011, she appeared on the widely popular single “Somebody That I Used to Know” with Australian-Belgian singer Gotye. A significantly reworked version …
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Pop-Culture | Posted by Julie Z on 10/7/2012
Support Women Artists Sunday: Louise And The Pins
Armed with her pin-up curls, husky tones and wistful melodies, Louise Hull is bringing a touch of classic 50s glamour to the world of the singer-songwriter.
Add to this a splash of Johnny Cash, a flicker of Americana and two harmonious backing singers – Bethan Gorman and Sara Templeman – and you’ve got Louise & the Pins; a show-stopping trio with an ear for a tune.
Louise left her hometown aged 18 and headed up to Newcastle University, where she had a place studying French and Spanish. In a simple twist of fate, she found herself surrounded by musicians and was able to hone her songwriting skills and indulge her love of folk. But where her enthusiasm for music flourished, her passion for academia floundered and she left to pursue …
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