GloRilla made sure to keep herself firmly apolitical when talking about her recent trip to the White House. Glo shut down CNN when the outlet asked her if she had been invited to the White House to endorse Joe Biden. “That ain’t got nothing to do with me. I’m just livin’ life like it’s golden,” Glo replied. Glo attended a White House function earlier this week as part of Women’s History Month. This included a semi-viral moment in which she got President Biden to say “Yeah Glo”.
Of course, Glo’s star continues to shine brighter and brighter. Last month, she linked up with LeBron James in LA. LeBron stopped to take pictures with the Memphis femcee as well as enjoying a brief conversation with her. Furthermore, LeBron was also seen singing along to “Yeah, Glo!” when it was played over the Crypto.com Arena PA and was also reportedly seen dancing to more of her music in the locker room.
Elsewhere, Damian Lillard refused to be baited by TMZ when asked about any potential relationship links to Glo. When asked if he was aware that the rapper had shot her shot with him, Lillard simply smiled and offered a “no comment”. Glo put her claim down on Lillard at the All-Star Game, posting up with the MVP and getting thirsty on main about her desire for him.
Of course, Lillard is currently a free agent in the dating realm. In October, Lillard filed for divorce from his wife Kay’La. Lillard filed the motion in Clackamas County Circuit Court and the news was first reported by the Willamette Week. The Lillards have been married since 2021 but have been together since their college days at Weber State. However, Lillard’s filing cites “irreconcilable differences” and suggests that the couple has been living apart since December 2022. The couple have three children together – a five-year-old and two-year-old twin daughters.
GloRilla posed with Joe Biden during a reception for Women’s History Month at the White House on Monday. She shared a clip of herself with the President on Instagram. Halle Berry, as well as several other public figures, were also in attendance.
Fans had mixed responses to the post. “From twerking at the red light to the white house.. i love to see black folks doing it!” one follower wrote. Another wrote: “Call it what you want I’m just happy to see a black girl make it out the hood and be able to even step foot in there.” “So prettyyyyy,” Latto commented on the post. Others said they still don’t plan on supporting Biden in the upcoming election.
Joe Biden Hosts Women’s History Month Reception At The White House
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 18: U.S. President Joe Biden looks to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris as he signs an executive order designated to the study of women’s health during a Women’s History Month reception in the East Room of the White House on March 18, 2024 in Washington, DC. The event is a part of the Biden administration’s Women’s Health Research initiative. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
At the reception, Biden signed a new executive order to improve research on women’s health and pledge $200 million over the next year to better understand sexual and reproductive conditions and more. “I’m going to make sure women’s health is prioritized across the government,” Biden told the room. Check out GloRilla’s clip with Biden below.
The reception comes as Biden continues to prepare to take on Donald Trump in the upcoming election. At a campaign event in Ohio on Sunday, Trump predicted a “bloodbath” if he loses the rematch. Be on the lookout for further updates on GloRilla as well as Joe Biden and the 2024 Presidential Election on HotNewHipHop.
Modern Black femme artists are reveling in the spoils of dance music reentering the mainstream, not that it hasn’t been here all along. Staking claim to 1990s house music were vocalists Caron Wheeler, Robin S., Cece Peniston, and Crystal Waters, who often melded gospel tones with club-oriented production. Janet Jackson ruled the dancefloor with energetic choreography, disruptive sounds bespoke to her album-to-album evolution, and lyrics that prioritized her largely queer fanbase. Over time, Black women have seen the futurities of a genre that they shaped and, rightfully, continue to shift.
Breaking new ground for underrepresented dance communities was Beyoncé’s seventh album, Renaissance, which made the music icon the first Black woman to win a Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album. The masterpiece was Beyoncé’s first dalliance with an album concept of escapism, heard throughout its pulsating, 16-track rush. Post-Renaissance, the dance phenomenon has been ongoing, with Black women bringing the underground to the mainstream field on a grand scale.
The movement will only go further as artificial intelligence, techy aesthetics, counterculture parties and the return of true remix albums take the forefront. Renaissance was just the reintroduction, and perhaps a reawakening, for audiences to sit up and take notice of the contemporary Black female artists who’ve been on the dance music moodboard for years.
Perhaps matriarchal of the progressive Black dance culture resurgence, Kelela envisions an underground nirvana that underrepresented and queer communities can thrive in. Introduced to some as an alt-R&B vocalist who had not one but two guest features on Solange’s 2013 Saint Heron compilation, the D.C. native took shape on her cutting-edge debut mixtape, Cut 4 Me, released just one month before.
Kelela kept pushing creativity within her Warp Records collection, whether brief but potent (Hallucinogen), sexily haunting (Take Me Apart), or a masterclass in nightclub liveliness and comedowns (Raven). On the first anniversary of Raven, the LP got a remix edition, Rave:n, the Remixes, a pastiche to Take Me a_Part, the Remixes, because it isn’t a Kelela album rollout without her highlighting top-notch producers. Leading the new dance frontier with seductive vocals and sounds that bend subgenres, Kelela adventurously forms new worlds.
The music of pop and alt-R&B heroine Tinashe became enshrouded in dance-forward grooves after her 2019 split from RCA Records. Although the singer released three albums with the label, including her 2014 debut Aquarius, which featured the smash “2 On,” Tinashe had creative differences with RCA, along with inadequate promotion. Freed from depending on major label support, 2019 marked the year of reinvention for Tinashe, who channeled her early 2010s mixtape run on her first independent album, Songs for You.
The release was a salve from the choppy rollouts of Tinashe’s prior three albums, as she directly reintroduced the vibes to her fanbase, whom she affectionately calls ‘SweeTees.’ Songs like “Stormy Weather,” “Save Room for Us,” “Die a Little Bit” and “Perfect Crime” leaned on candied dance-pop and electronic, making it a hint towards the preternatural and psychedelic 2021 album 333 and the experimental LP BB/Ang3l, which dropped last year.
Embracing the latest technology – Tinashe used VR headsets in her 333 launch – and maintaining a highly-choreographed aesthetic, she recently brought viewers into her visual album and virtual performance, The BB/Angel Experience. Featured on the rapid new single “Zoom” with electronic/IDM producer Machinedrum, Tinashe’s just getting restarted, and we’re all bearing witness to her infallible ride through the dance space.
Dallas-born and raised artist Liv.e expands her radical take on R&B into hints of electronic and drum and bass on her sophomore album, Girl in the Half Pearl. From neo-soul roots (some liken her style to Erykah Badu, pioneer of the subgenre), Liv.e went from SoundCloud beginnings into groundbreaking status, with GITHP teetering between twitchy ballads and unconventional post-breakup cure-alls.
The LP was an aperture to its own electronic remixed version, GITHPREMIXEDITION, entirely produced by fellow Dallas native Ben Hixon, with Liv.e being tapped as a feature on Kelela’s Rave:n, the Remixes. Putting her own spin on dance, Liv.e makes listeners agog to hear what world she’ll bring us into next.
Overseas, noteworthy Black female artists in the UK are making a statement in dance music, essentially, due to the genre connecting to British audiences at the turn of the ‘90s. Nearly three decades later, we’ve met international sensation PinkPantheress, who found her footing on TikTok, where she hybridized garage, drum and bass, and syrupy hyperpop. Racking up fandom for her loosies on the social media platform offered PinkPantheress worldwide recognition. While she topped the charts with Ice Spice (“Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2”), she hasn’t compromised her energetic and quirky appeal.
Deconstructed club, alt-pop, and grime darling Shygirl opened the doors to Club Shy, her latest EP, where the South Londoner brought the masses into her saucily warped universe. Months before Shygirl unveiled the project, she caught the attention of Beyoncé, who gave her a spot as an opener on a London stop of the Renaissance World Tour. Apart from her Tinashe-assisted single “Heaven,” Shygirl was also on Rave:n, the Remixes, laying claim to the JD. Reid remix of “Holier,” where she traded rhapsodic notes with Kelela.
Skilled junglist, music producer, DJ, and vocalist Nia Archives touches upon drum and bass, and dancehall in her fearless works. She deejayed and freely danced alongside Jorja Smith last year when she dropped her since-viral take on Smith’s “Little Things,” and she’s kept us partying for the last five years. Since giving us a masterclass on breakbeats and global flair on EPs Headz Gone West, Forbidden Feelingz, and Sunrise Bang Ur Head Against Tha Wall, she’ll explore deeper dance terrain on her debut album Silence Is Loud, due next month.
Black women in all scopes of dance music — we’d be remiss not to mention amapiano, industrial, and Jersey club — are elevating it past its outdated boundaries. Motion in the wide-ranging genre will persist as long as we welcome diverse perspectives because the rise in Black femme-forward dance isn’t a reclamation; the space has always been ours.
We currently nearing the end of Women’s History Month. Overall, this is a time to celebrate women and all of the things they do for us. Moreover, it is also a time to reflect on the amazing progress we have made when it comes to women’s empowerment. In more fields than ever before, there is an abundance of strong women who are taking on leadership roles. Additionally, in hobbies that have typically been dominated by men, we are seeing more women enter those spaces. This is especially true with sneakers. In fact, sneaker companies are creating more and more women’s exclusive colorways to keep up with the demand. Moreover, more and more women are being included in the sneaker industry as a whole. One can just look at the contributions made by designers like Aleali May and Melody Ehsani, to see what we mean. That said, we decided to showcase some of the best women’s shoes for Women’s History Month.
Starting off our Women’s History Month list is this Air Jordan 4 “Seafoam.” This women’s Air Jordan was an incredibly strong release from Jordan Brand. Mostly, this was due to the nice mixture of colors here. From the white leather all over the upper to the black and seafoam green on the midsole, this was a great Spring sneaker. These days, the shoe is still available in a wide range of sizes, with most offerings going for $275 USD.
Ah yes, the Nike Dunk Low. This is one of the most legendary silhouettes ever, and the women’s exclusive “Rose Whisper” model definitely elicits some amazing reactions. The name of this women’s dunk sounds like some sort of fragrance from Tom Ford, although, it definitely contains that same level of elegance. The white leather and rosy overlays look amazing, and this is definitely worth adding to your collection. Sizes 5 through 12 are currently available online.
Wmns Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG “Denim”
Image via GOAT
Subsequently, we now have an Air Jordan 1 on our Women’s History Month list. Overall, you can never go wrong with an AJ1, especially when it comes in an amazing “Denim” color scheme. This shoe has some blue denim overlays that have a ripped aesthetic to them. It is a fantastic look that fans have adored since they were released. A wide range of sizes are available for a price variation between $160 and $305 USD.
Next up on the list, we have this great New Balance 550 in a “Blue Haze” makeup. This is one of the best New Balance silhouettes on the market right now, and this colorway is simply gorgeous. The white leather mixed with the soft light blue makes for a colorway that works incredibly well in the Spring and Summer months. You can get yourself a pair online for an average price of $125 USD.
Wmns Air Jordan 3 Retro “Lucky Green”
Image via GOAT
One of the greatest sneakers ever is the Air Jordan 3, so you know we had to include it on the list. Above, we have the “Lucky Green” color scheme which is set to be released soon. Overall, this combines white leather, grey elephant print, and some popping green on the midsole. Moreover, there is even a flash of red on the Jumpman logo, for good measure. This is an incredibly solid offering that is available in all women’s sizes for around $330 USD.
Wmns New Balance 574 “Moonbeam”
Image via GOAT
New Balance has proven to be quite a theme here on our Women’s History Month list. It is easy to see why given how great the brand is doing. This New Balance 574 “Moonbeam” is an example of how subtle neutrals can make for an amazing shoe. Additionally, the materials are of superior quality, which makes this a great offering for the Fall and Winter. Numerous sizes are currently available online, so be sure to scoop up a pair.
Wmns Nike Air Zoom Vomero 5 “Photon Dust Metallic Silver”
Image via GOAT
Nike has been in the midst of going hard with some of its more peculiar offerings. The Nike Air Zoom Vomero 5 is an example of that. In terms of women’s color schemes, you also cannot go wrong with the “Photon Dust Metallic Silver” version. The shoe has some amazing silvers that contrast well with the “Photos Dust” overlays. It is an unconventional shoe, however, it just works. You can currently find these online for an average price of $245 USD.
Wmns Converse Chuck Taylor All Star High “Embroidered Hearts”
Image via GOAT
Lastly, we have this gorgeous Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star High in an “Embroidered Hearts” colorway. The shoe is covered in pink canvas with some red lips that go all the way down the side. Moreover, we get a white toe box and midsole that is bolstered by a bit of black for contrast. This is an amazing color scheme that can currently be had in a wide range of sizes for an average of $160 USD.
Let us know which of these sneakers are your favorite, in the comments down below.
Though Megan Thee Stallion spent much of early 2023 away from social media and the public eye, the Houston native has been outside with a vengeance lately. Not only did she make her red carpet return at the Vanity Fair Oscars After-Party, but she also announced that her first performance of the year will be taking place in her hometown at the end of March. Clearly, she’s feeling much better now that Tory Lanez has been found guilty of shooting her in the foot several years ago.
Aside from the glamorous parties (one of which found her smoking weed with Seth Rogen) she’s been attending as of late, Thee Stallion also has a few wholesome activities on her calendar. This weekend specifically found the “Big Ole Freak” hitmaker taking a trip across the country to Washington, D.C., where she and Vice President Kamala Harris spent some time together in celebration of Women’s History Month. Megan shared a photo dump from her vacation on Saturday (March 18), revealing some of the fun the two had together.
To begin her carousel, the 28-year-old showed off her outfit for the event, for which she kept it (mostly) conservative. Thee Stallion donned a calf-length black and blue skirt with a matching button-up sweater, which markedly dipped down her chest with a sweetheart neckline to reveal plenty of cleavage. In the second image, she and VP Harris snapped a selfie together. Megan sticks out her tongue to expose perfectly white teeth while the politician grins from ear to ear with excitement over the special moment.
Other photos from the IG post include a better look at the multi-talent’s full fit, including her Birkin bag and kitten heels. Elsewhere, Megan Thee Stallion continued her tradition of showing off her ever-unique nail designs, this time posing her hand beside a latte with “Women’s History Month” carefully written out across the top. According to Daily Mail, the meeting in D.C. was “an opportunity to discuss economic empowerment of women and focused on paid family leave as an investment in the future.” Check out MTS’ wholesome pictures above, and read all about her recent bikini thirst traps here.
Chelsey Wilkins does everything with style and grace. The New Jersey native epitomizes fearlessness in order to achieve fulfillment. A maven, in the digital marketing median of entertainment culture, Wilkins has held distinguished positions at MTV, Pernod Ricard, Columbia Records and now Coca-Cola.
Her journey began as a Fashion editorial intern at ESSENCE, while attending Boston University. At the time, Wilkins viewed the lifestyle publication as her “dream internship.”
“ESSENCE was important to me because I grew up in a predominantly white area. I was always the only Black girl in my classes, and I really wanted to be uplifted by women who looked like me.”
While grateful for the experience, she quickly decided that it was not a long-term stay.
“Just because you love fashion doesn’t mean that you’ll like working in it,” she says.
After a few more internships while completing her bachelor’s program at Boston University, she took her style and work ethic to the house that Quincy Jones built, Vibe Magazine as a freelance writer.
Wilkin’s editorial experience would land her a role at Viacom’s (now ViacomCBS), MTV Networks. From flagship award shows to overseeing digital production, her tenure at the network proved her savviness for digital production and marketing.
In 2016, she transitioned from MTV to assume the role as Digital Content Manager at Columbia Records after attending an event where the label’s Digital Marketing head was a speaker. While many attendees asked questions pertaining to artists, Wilkins stood apart from the pack by asking questions pertaining to the role of digital marketing.
One of her proudest moments stemmed from her contribution to Solange’s career defining project, A Seat at The Table. The project was released within a three-week period. Wilkins details her experience of working with Solange.
“Hearing the music and working with her team, I noticed how dedicated she was to complete her vision. It showed me that when you’re truly passionate about something you are going to push through. It was really a powerful moment in my career.”
The album’s lead single, “Cranes in the Sky,” earned Solange her first Grammy win and nomination. In 2020, the album was listed in Rolling Stone’s 500 greatest albums of all-time.
She later rose to the occasion once again when Pernod Ricard sought out someone with music industry experience to assure their brand would appear in the culture’s most relevant spaces.
“I felt very confident with my experience in that world. There were so many synergies….. artists have partnerships with spirit brands, liquor brands are typically festival sponsors as well.”
Wilkin’s expertise would help Pernod Ricard grow their digital footprint in social media due to her content creation experience for artists at Columbia. Each previous experience was preparation for the next.
“I always seek environments where I can feel free to create,” she says.
At The Cocoa Cola Company, North America, where she leads Influencer and Music partnerships, Wilkins wants to assure that Black content creators not only have a seat at the table but are aware of their value once the seat is taken. Although she works to carry out the objective on a daily basis, she is more intentional about balance now more than ever.
“For a long time, I chased a title, more money and I thought success was working more. Now I’m intentional about defining my purpose and what makes me happy,” she says.
She prides herself on an audacious demeanor to trust her instinct when making the next move. Wilkins not only credits her instinct, but her core circle, which includes a combination of close friends and family.
Success for her now means, “family, friends and good health.”
As far as recipes for success, the Harlem based executive keeps it short and sweet: “work extremely hard and enjoy the transitional process from where you are now to where you want to be.”
For Chelsey Wilkins, she carries out her recipe with a dash of chic style.
Charm La’Donna is a woman of many talents and she’s ready to let them all unleash. She’s an all-in-one creative outfit who can write a good song and a choreographed routine to go with it. Looking for visual creative direction? Charm can handle that too.
In fact, some of the biggest names in the industry have put their faith in her abilities such as Selena Gomez, Rosalía, Madonna, and even once opened up for fellow Compton native Kendrick Lamar. The greatness only gets greater, though. More recently, Charm choreographed Dua Lipa’s electrifying Grammy performance with DaBaby and she also was the woman behind The Weeknd’s prodigious half-time performance at this year’s Super Bowl.
In between all of that, somehow she also has found time to create for herself in the midst of the pandemic. Her track “So & So” is one of the first songs she’s released and the video features cameos from some of her closest friends including Selena Gomez (of course), Meghan Trainor, and Fulani, among others, lip-syncing the words to the catchy number.
Following the release of her track “Queen” and its captivating video, Charm talks to Uproxx about her barrier-breaking music career and what it was like once being a dancer during a Super Bowl half-time show with Black Eyed Peas to choreographing The Weeknd’s for this year’s performance.
Philip Cosores
Tell me about the single and the creativity behind your video for “Queen.”
“Queen” stems from me wanting to have a song that felt empowering, that embodied strength and everything of where I’m from. The visuals as well. It’s literally being taken a journey through all of my endeavors, everything that I love. I threw it all in “Queen.” The culture, my culture, where I’m from, how I feel now, how I felt growing up, it’s all in there.
What are some things to you that maybe you included in the video that represents being a queen? What’s a queen to you?
A queen is someone who is powerful in their own right, who is strong, who is also vulnerable, who exudes greatness and follows whatever that is for themselves. One thing for me, I could even say in the video, I love gold. I’ve always loved gold and I love bamboo. So I decided to do something and play with that in the visual and the video. It’s how I rock my bamboos in a way. You see the gold on the dresses and the bamboo and how I rock them and just me being in a swap meet top type of situation. It shows where I’m from and how I grew up, to how I live now. Also, getting my hair braided is very important.
How would you say a queen moves in life and in this industry?
A queen… It’s about being yourself. Being yourself and not compromising your morale and who you are and going after everything you want. Going out to everything you want and people say wearing many hats, I just say wearing many crowns.
That’s kind of my next question because you do so many things. I know you did the Super Bowl choreography for The Weeknd. You’ve done choreography for so many people. You’ve opened up for Kendrick Lamar and all of that. I noticed this industry is dominated by men. It’s so much testosterone. How do you maintain your crown in a room full of men?
Myself, knowing where I come from, knowing who I am as a woman and not compromising that and believing that I can do anything that anyone else can do.
Do you ever feel intimidated or were there ever times where you did feel intimidated and had to make yourself come out of that or evolve out of that?
I don’t think I’ve ever felt intimidated. I felt more-so nervous. When you embark on something new or you try something that people are not known, they don’t know you for trying. You get a sense of maybe nervousness. There was never any form of intimidation though because I come through. I feel like I’m a strong woman and I’m raised by a bunch of women. I don’t think I’ve ever felt intimidated.
How involved are you with your visuals and the creative?
I’m heavily involved in my business. I do my creative. I do my choreography. I’m hands-on with styling. I’m hands-on.
How do you find time? How do you balance it all?
Oh, with a great team. Very great. To be honest, as I am now putting out music I’m still choreographing, I’m still creative directing for different artists as well as myself. It’s just balance; it’s just balance and structure in the best way, but my team has been amazing in helping me do that.
Now, how many more singles do you have coming before you drop a full-length project?
I think I have one more single coming and then I’m going to drop a project.
Philip Cosores
During this journey of you creating your project, creating the visuals for it, and also in between doing choreography for other people, how has that been while making it a priority because I’m pretty sure you have had to do some readjusting, right?
It organically happened for me in the past year. Due to staying at home and with COVID, I kind of took a pause with the world as well. Then when I took that fall, I had my music. It was a time for me to continue being creative and put my stuff out. To not be nervous, not be afraid, even in a time of the unsure, put my stuff out. That was the beginning of the push. As of right now, I have a great balance. I’m able to help others when I can, and there hasn’t been any controversy or any stipulations with it. It’s been cool.
What artists did you grow up listening to that inspire you?
My inspiration of course are a lot of the artists I work with and I’ve been able to collaborate with. I also find inspiration like my mom and my family, friends. I’m inspired… It sounds super cliche to say but I’m inspired by literally just… I intake a lot of energy from different places. I’m inspired by multiple things.
You said that you were raised by mostly women. Who were those women?
My mom, my god-mom my aunt, my grandma, women, all my past teachers, my mentor Fatima Robinson. All these women have played a role in my life.
What could you say is something that… In what way do they support you? Maybe when you need encouragement or if you need somebody to talk to. In what way and how do they support you?
My mom has encouraged me always to follow and follow my dreams. Hard work, push yourself and you’ll be able to conquer whatever it is that you want. Each woman, I think, played a different role. I’ve learned in the industry from Fatima Robinson. My aunt has always been there to encourage me to continue on because I’ve missed growing up, so many family things.
They never made me feel as if though one thing was more important than the other. They were always supportive of me and my dreams and what I wanted. I think that’s important because my grandma is just always been my rock, always been my rock. Even hearing stories of how she grew up and my grandmother’s 95. Those stories have also inspired me and pushed me to be the best I can be.
Is anybody in your family into music, that you looked up to as well?
My brother, he was a writer and a rapper back in the day. That’s where I kind of got my music. That’s where I got the itch to start rapping and getting in the studio with him when I was younger.
What was that like? Were you like little sister following big brother around or just watching him?
Yeah, it really was. Exactly. He would pick me up from school because my mom was working and I would go to the studio with him before dance class or after dance class until it was time for me to go home. It started off just me doing my homework in the studio and then me getting in the booth and rapping. Now here we are.
I did kind of want to talk about just Super Bowl a little bit, because that’s huge. You choreographed The Weeknd’s half-time performance.
Well, that, from that experience, if you want me to be honest, what I don’t think people know is that we did this literally in the middle of the pandemic. I don’t think people know that. So I say this to say, it’s like the journey, and what it took for us to get this was beyond. I was having Zoom rehearsals because safety is always a priority. I’m trying to keep people away for as long as possible, but the overall experience, I wouldn’t change for anything. I got to choreograph the Super Bowl with amazing people.
It’s crazy, because for me, I danced at a Super Bowl. Fatima choreographed it and I was a dancer, so then you fast forward now I’m choreographing.
Wow, that’s huge. Which Super Bowl was that?
I danced with the Black Eyed Peas at their Super Bowl. I danced at that Super Bowl and then I choreographed this one. It was just a surreal situation. Even with everything going on, all the preparation we had to do. It still is an amazing accomplishment, I think for everybody. I think we delivered a great show in the time and the space that we were allowed to.
Then also I want to talk about the “So & So” video. I thought it was so cute. I know you had some of your friends in there. Tell me how you put that video together.
I dropped something, actually on my birthday last year and at the beginning of a pandemic. They’re trying to figure out what was going on. What I did was I’m calling all my friends asking can you guys sing some of the lyrics to my song, I want to put it in a video. I thought about doing it with my friends because of the songs, a lot of them… actually everybody in the video had already heard it and they loved it anyway.
It was such a girl-empowering kind of a song. It just made sense. Everyone was still everywhere and was trying to adjust to what’s happening in the world. I was very grateful that they, still came through and did it for me because it just was such a difficult time for everyone.
What is it that you love the most about being a music artist?
I think what I love the most is the different form of expression. Me being able to tell my story with words. Me being able to create visuals to go along with my story. Me being… I basically perform this music. I think that’s what means the most to me.
When we first met Jazmine Sullivan, she was just a young woman figuring life out. Now years later, she arrives with a fresh perspective on her first project in over five years, Heaux Tales.
The thing that was missing back then from now, as Jazmine simply puts it, is grace. Grace is such a wonderful thing because it allows one to stop, breathe, think, and experience emotions that otherwise could never be bothered to be dealt with. Thoughts and feelings that are “swept under the rug” so to speak, because who has time for…feelings? (LOL) Heaux Tales unapologetically unveils what every woman goes through when that pause is taken and an honest conversation is had with the self about sex and the reality of relationships — and there’s power in that.
The stories Jazmine sings are inspired by close friends and family within her circle. She beautifully narrates the kind of freedom to be had on the other side of self-love and self-care, such as “Lost One” or everything Ari Lennox discloses on “Ari’s Tale.”
In a conversation with Uproxx, Jazmine further divulges on the meaning of Heaux Tales, shares the women in her life who inspire her the most, and also tells us what it was like performing at the Super Bowl with H.E.R.
Jazmine, we missed you and you dropped Heaux Tales during a pandemic after years of silence. Was there any hesitation about releasing this project considering everything?
We wanted to be sensitive obviously with everything that was going on so we did have talks about when to put the project out when was the best time to release music. We decided on the beginning of this year and I’m happy. I’m happy with the time that we came out. I feel like it was a good time. I feel like people were home and they kind of want it. They were able to listen in a way, because of the pandemic that maybe if we were all out and about, people may not have had the attention span to do so. I felt like it was good for that reason.
Considering Heaux Tales and everything that you learned from the relationship you went through during the second album at 24, what would you tell your 24-year-old self now?
I would tell my 24-year-old self to love yourself enough to let go of any situation that’s not making you better. And also, not to take it so hard on yourself that you don’t know everything. I think when you’re younger, you kind of beat yourself up. You think that you’re supposed to know things and honestly, you don’t really know until you grow and go through it. Now that I’m older, I definitely have a lot more grace for myself. The things that I don’t know where I mess up at, I have grace.
Do you remember the first time you gave yourself grace and allowed yourself to breathe for a second.
It’s really been during the process of Heaux Tales because it’s hard not to beat yourself up. Especially as a woman, because we feel like we have to do everything perfectly and just be perfect. We have the world on our shoulders normally anyway so we feel like we have to live up to a certain standard and, as a woman growing up, I always felt that way. This process and making the project helped me to do that by listening to the tales of other women, my girlfriends, and older women. And, just knowing that we’re human and we don’t have to be perfect and just allow ourselves to figure things out.
Do you think that men and women can be more honest about their relationships and what they want nowadays?
I think men have been honest and could be honest about everything in their lives because society doesn’t judge men the way that they do women. But I do feel like now there’s a movement with women where we are not being ashamed of our experiences and in fact, proud of them. Because now we’re realizing that without those experiences, we wouldn’t be who we are today. I feel like women are kind of taking up space and being bold about who they are and what they’ve done and what they’ve learned and come through. I just wanted to add to that movement by adding these stories.
Who are some of the women that inspire you?
Definitely my mother, she’s amazing. She is perfect… darn near at everything. She’s so creative and she’s the reason that I sing. I watched her battle cancer and go through chemo so gracefully. She’s just amazing to see. Also, my girlfriends, watching them grow from when we was 14 and 15 to now in our early thirties has been a pleasure and an honor, and they’ve taught me so much as far as being a woman. Mothers and partners and stuff like that. So I definitely just look up to them as well.
I’ve noticed you and Drake don’t have any songs together, but I feel like…
You noticed that.
Yes! And I was just thinking, back when you came out, I feel like you and Drake were out around the same time. I remember I was in college and I think it was just a really big moment in music.
I’ve never met Drake. I love Drake. I love his music and I definitely would do something if he wanted to. I actually haven’t even thought about a particular song, but I think that would be dope.
I feel like “Lost One,” just lives in the same energy as…
Him or maybe Frank Ocean. Either one.
Speaking of Frank, you were on his Endless project. Tell me about your relationship with Frank.
Oh, I love him. I’m such a super fan. When he calls me, I’m always down to go work with him. I really just want to go and listen to his music before it comes out. I will literally be like, okay, what you going to play me to hear? But he’s amazing and he’s a freaking genius. We enjoy working together. I would love to actually do a full collaboration one day because most of the time I’m just singing background vocals and stuff like that. I would love to do an actual song with him.
The streets need it! I also want to talk about your relationship with Issa Rae, because you sang “Insecure” with Bryson Tiller for the Insecure soundtrack. I also saw that tweet where you said you wanted to work with her on something for Heaux Tales. Is there an update on that?
We have been in communication through texts. I believe she’s working on some things now. She’s definitely busy doing so many projects. I think it’s just about schedules and trying to see if we can actually get together to come up with the body of what we want to do. We both love each other and respect each other and what each other does. Hopefully, we get the time to actually create it.
We’re still thinking about that. I definitely would love it to be visual. I want to bring the characters to life. I think that people actually seeing these women talk about their tales and talk about their lives would just enhance Heaux Tales and what it means to women to see themselves. So maybe a short film, maybe episodes of the women.
Let’s talk about Super Bowl because I thought that that was so dope. I’ve been waiting for people to just recognize you. I feel like Super Bowl was that moment like, yes, that’s Jazmine Sullivan. Tell us about you getting that call to go do Super Bowl and the feelings that you were feeling when you were performing.
I was super shocked. First, to get the call, I had never even thought that my career would take me to the Super Bowl. I thought it was cool to blend the two sounds with Eric Church, being a country singer, and me being a soul R&B artist. I had never heard him before we actually did the song, but I definitely thought, he was a good country artist and I thought it’ll be nice to blend our sounds together. I actually wasn’t nervous until I started singing. I didn’t realize how huge the impact was until I opened my mouth to sing. Then I was like, “Oh my God, it’s millions of people watching me right now.” It hit me right at that moment and then I got super nervous. So, it was amazing. It was a once-in-a-lifetime accomplishment. I was just so happy that my parents were there to see me do that. They put so much energy and effort into me being a singer and the fact that we all got to share that moment meant everything.
What did your mom and dad say when you told them, “I’m about to perform at the Super Bowl.”
Oh, everybody screamed. My dad doesn’t scream, but he screamed on the inside. Everybody was super excited because I just put my project out maybe two weeks before I got that call. I wasn’t thinking about that at all. I just wanted people to enjoy my work. Then I got such an overwhelming, great response for the project and then that opportunity came. It was blessing after blessing. We were all just super grateful.
H.E.R. was also there performing at the Super Bowl too and y’all collab a lot. Tell me about your relationship with H.E.R. and how it felt to do Super Bowl with her.
We’re, first of all, are just fans of each other first and foremost. When I was on my hiatus, I was just watching H.E.R. dominate and was just amazed, like everybody else, at just how gifted she was. All the instruments she plays and how well she sings. When I was making my songs, she was the first person that kind of came to my head to do the collaboration. I called her. She loved the song and finished it so quickly. Our relationship just grew from there. We’re always just trying to text each other and just encourage her and let her know, just how amazing she is.
It was definitely a moment to do that with her because we’re two Black women. She’s in her early twenties and I’m in my early thirties. We just out here representing for women in general and Brown women and doing our thing and try to bring, real talent, vocals, with her instruments. You’re trying to bring that to the forefront. I love so much that she did “America The Beautiful” first and then I did the “Star-Spangled Banner.” It was a moment for us.
I love that for you guys. The song “Girl Like Me” you two have, I feel like a lot of women feel that way. Is that something that you guys have sat down and talked about with each other?
I had started writing a song, some time ago. I wrote maybe the verse and the hook and the bridge, and I was like, it needs something. I just thought about it real quick and H.E.R. just kind of popped up in my head. I was nervous to actually send it to her because I knew I had been away from the industry for a minute. I just didn’t know if anybody would even care to work with me. When she responded so quickly, I was so happy that she did. She added her part and it just elevated the song so much.
It basically highlights her relationship with the media and fans. As a kid, I didn’t realize how awful the media treated her and just women period. For you, when you started and you entered the business what can you say about the pressure of being in the industry back thing? I feel like today, there seems to be a little bit more empathy and an emphasis on mental health. It was just very, very misogynistic. I didn’t realize it back then.
I have to look at the documentary. I would say that I was sheltered from a lot that was going on in the industry because my mom was so protective of me and my energy and everything that happened around me. She protected me from really knowing exactly what was going on, but definitely, there’s a different pressure with women than there has been with men historically. I can definitely imagine that for a pop artist, especially as big as she was, that there was so much pressure for her to be and act and look a certain way. It takes a toll on you as a person. I just pray for her. I know that the pressure, especially at her level was, it was too much. That’s why I’m an advocate for taking breaks. My breaks are a bit excessive.
But I’m an advocate for taking a break when you need it for your mental health because the world and the industry could be so cruel to people and they just don’t care. If you giving them something, they feel like they can make money off of it or exploit you in any way and they will and not care about you as a person. And so sometimes you have to take a second away from whatever it is that’s doing that to you. It could be a relationship. It could be your job. It could be social media sometimes. You need to take a break when you need to.
Absolutely. It’s hard. Especially if you’re a workaholic. It’s hard. Sometimes I feel guilty for taking breaks.
It’s a catch 22. It’s hard. It’s hard being a woman, man. You just feel like you got to work extra hard to be seen, but then at the same time, you have to, sometimes you know you need to take a break for yourself, but then you don’t feel like you can. So you’re just stuck in the middle of that cycle. So it’s hard.
Megan Thee Stallion sampled your song for her song “Circles” and she’s around the same age you were when you came out. She’s kind of going through her own thing that we’re all witnessing.
I know that it’s hard for her to do what she’s doing, but she’s doing amazing. Just stay focused, don’t let anybody come to take you off of the path that you’re on. Definitely keep God first.
Missy Elliott gave you a shout-out recently and told us a story about Whitney Houston that whenever you were 15, she was like, she didn’t believe that that was you singing.
I have never heard that story, first of all. So Missy probably got a thousand stories of people that we don’t even know about.
She has to write a memoir at some point.
Yes.
I read that you actually — I don’t know if it was a text message or was it a phone call — that you actually got a chance to speak with Whitney?
I was at dinner with Kim Burrell and somehow Whitney came up. She was like, have you ever talked to her? I was like, no. She’s just like, Oh, let me call her. I’ll get her on the phone. I was like, huh? So she got on the phone and we spoke for literally a second, but it just made my night to hear from her. Everybody knows what Whitney means to music and it was amazing to be able to hear from her and actually speak to her.
Do you remember what you guys talked about for that brief moment?
I don’t. I think she may have said that she heard me sing or something like that. My mouth probably dropped and I probably stopped listening. I probably was in shock, to be honest.
I would probably react the same exact way. What song can’t you wait to perform live with an audience when we open up?
I think “Bodies” will be cool to perform live and see people sing the lyrics to. Probably “On It” because I’m seeing so many people who love “On It.” It definitely would be different for me because I don’t really do a lot of sexy songs. I think it’ll be fun to do that live.
Let’s talk about that song. You said you don’t do a lot of sexy songs, but what made you switch it up for this with Ari Lennox? I think we’ve all been waiting for that one to drop!
The project was about women being free, especially around their sexuality and not feeling the shame. That was definitely a song where there was no shame attached to it. Ari is a fellow Aries sister, she might be a little spicier than me, but it naturally fit in with her tale and what she was talking about with her tale. I just thought I needed that moment of being super sensual and sexual and doing it confidently.
