Speaking to The Guardian newspaper, songstress Estelle expressed her views on what she described as the blindness to black talent here in the UK. Taking aim at some of the artists at the forefront of the ‘White Soul Invasion’, the 28 year old singer, whose song ‘American Boy’ is currently #1 on the Official Singles Chart, laments on the lack of press attention paid to black singers over here: Singling out Adele and Duffy, who she knocked off the number one spot at the weekend, she says:
“I’m not mad at them, but I’m wondering – how the hell is there not a single black person in the press singing soul? Adele ain’t soul. She sounds like she heard some Aretha records once, and she’s got a deeper voice – that don’t mean she’s soul. That don’t mean nothing to me in the grand scheme of my life as a black person. As a songwriter, I get what they do. As a black person, I’m like: you’re telling me this is my music? Fuck that!” {Continue reading…}
Granted I feel music is one of the few ‘universals’ that exist today, I definitely see where Estelle is coming from – especially as a black person who lives here in the UK.
Your thoughts?
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I do agree to a certain extent because there are a lot of singers I enjoy such as Syleena Johnson and Angie Stone who don’t get the commercial success they deserve and have much more talent and ‘soul’ than people like Duffy and Adele.
However, I do feel that Estelle is playing the race-card rather dangerously here. No one has really classed Duffy and Adele as soul whereas Amy Winehouse obviously is but has the talent and the songs to prove it. There’s a part of me that thinks “people get their shine and some don’t it’s sad but it’s life” and I would say to Estelle “it has nothing to do with race girl, you got your shine, some singers whether black or white do and don’t too, just enjoy your f****** success and stop making this a race issue! “American Boy” is hardly the most ‘soulful’ song is it?!”
Peace and love among everyone, black, white or whatever! I think we have one of the most interracially happy societies in England, especially compared to others across the world, lets just celebrate it and not make issues where none exist!
YOU SEE THAT WHATS WRONG WITH AMERICA! WE SEEM TO THINK THAT BLACK PEOPLE ONLY HAVE SOUL! NOT SO! ITS JUST THAT BLACK PEOPLE ARE KNOWN FOR SOUL! JUST LIKE WHITE PEOPLE ARE KNOWN FOR POP, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL BLACK ARTIST SINGING POP! SO ESTELLE DONT GET INTO HATE MODE.. DONT LET THE # 1 SPOT AFFLICT YOU! IF MORE BLACKS WOULD START STEPPIN UP TO THE PLATE AND STOP JUMPING ON EVERYBODY ELSES BAND WAGON, MAYBE OTHER RACES WOULDNT HAVE TO PICK UP THE SLACK!!!
AND P.S. I AM AFRICAN AMERICAN!
This is nothing new.
Blacks, worldwide, have long been true innovators, in terms of, pretty much, everything; but rarely, do we get to reap the benefits.
I mean, I can just imagine how limited it is, for blacks to be recognized, over in the UK.
But, realistically, whites are the majority. Therefore, another white person will, ultimately, be the one who’s plastered all over the place.
I mean, as long as that white person can carry a tune; swivel their hips, a little bit; and is decent-looking, they will be rich and/or famous.
Bullsh*t – I have never heard Estelle hate like that before – I don’t care if there is a 2″ tall asian man singing soul music, as long as it comes from the soul…
“IF MORE BLACKS WOULD START STEPPIN UP TO THE PLATE AND STOP JUMPING ON EVERYBODY ELSES BAND WAGON, MAYBE OTHER RACES WOULDNT HAVE TO PICK UP THE SLACK!!!”
——————————–
Wow, who are you talking about?
The few blacks, worldwide, that you get to hear on the top radio stations or watch on MTV, BET, and VH1, are the ones who had to conform in order to get that recognition.
These record labels, and top stations, don’t care about real talent. If you got a pretty face, nice body, or a sob story, you got some recognition.
So, please don’t think that the entertainment industry is not strategical. Like I stated before, it’s about what the mainstram consumer can relate to. And mainstream, equals white, suburbanites, for the most part.
What they like is either seeing themselves or a fantasy.
They don’t care about:
* Syleena Johnson
* Jill Scott
* Goapele
* Angie Stone
* Musiq Soulchild
* Bilal
* Raheem Devaughn
* The Roots
* Tamia
* And the countless other black entertainers who are nearly non-existent on television and radio.
Oh, and let’s not forget the “sometimes” artists, a.k.a artists who can only get shine, when they do a pop record or hook up with the Hot artist of the moment: Common, Erykah Badu, Mary J. Blige, Fantasia, etc. etc. etc.
Its completely true and i agree with her.
I do like Adele though
We have some good talent here in the we just dont support our own
Even when Cleo was releasing her single Feelin Like This no blogs including this one tut tut really gave her a chance to shine.
She is amazing and should be featured
xxx
I think it’s just stupid to bring race into it. What other GOOD black female british artists are there anyway? –> seriously think about that question and the last I heard Jamelia did get into the limelight when she was around and so did Alesha….estelle just needs to shut up.
This is just a chance for black people to say ‘ooohh we invented music but never get noticed’ -that’s just too ego-tistical for me..sorry.
B**** above dont go there. or youll open up another can of words! gay b****!
I always wondered how black people feel in the UK, because being a Black person in America, it just seems like they are completely ignored over there. But, I agree with the fact that record companies are out to make money, with a few people within them that do actually care somewhat about the music. No reason to go right out and say it’s a black and white thing, which I feel like is always somewhere in the mix in any racial relation no matter what, it’s just the current society we live in. It does seem like she’s calling people out though.
I am a black british…but soul has no race. Dusty Springfield, one of the best soul singers of all time was white. But i have to agree that the UK music labels don’t promote black artists very well, and that all our successful black artists of present had to go to the states and come back with a more American sound eg. Estelle, Craig, Taio Cruz even Leona.
Check these people on youtube to see real black UK talent…Beverley Knight (best british voice imo) would love her to appear on That Grapejuice, Keisha White (great voice, classic R&B), Terri Walker and loads more…
Estelle is a bitter b****.
She is basically saying only black people can make soul music. Which just isn’t true.
I agree with bajan_princess. Sad that it takes a trip to the states to make it in the music industry as a black artist.
I feel really upset about this comment because i didnt know Estelle was so bitchy!
Are you telling me that if a black singer came out with Rehab or Mercy she would be ignored.
No not at all. Half the people in the UK thought Rehab was by a black soul singer. Amy Winehouse didnt get recognised because she was white. It was because she is one of the best singers to come out of the UK in a long long time so why cant people just be proud that the UK is producing some great talent. Adele, Duffy and Amy Winehouse are coming out with some amazing songs as is Estelle. Its these type of comments that create a divide between races which in my view doesnt exist in the UK. People need to grow up and learn that its about the music. And im an Estelle fan (or was) but if she could sing like Amy Winehouse she’d be walking away with those grammys. Please dont play the race card to make up for what you lack vocally.
I dont hear white people attacking Rihanna and Beyone for going down the dance root and the reason for that is that they’re doing it well and making good music.
I need to think twice about buying this girls album. Think she’s spent too much time in the US where race seems to be a bigger issue. No offence.
She is just being a d*ckhead! sorry, but thats the way it is. Just cos she got to number 1 she is all high and mighty all of a sudden wtf…p*ss off b*tch!
The only major black soul artist here is Lemar. The rest (along with the British R&B industry) has vanished.
Last time i checked Corinne Baily Rae was doing big things.
Real talent deserves to be noticed. I have no time for people that b**** to get noticed.
i have reply because of what luke said because when i saw saw a ad promo for duffy they called her a soul artist which made me think wtf now Joss stone has a soul vibe & as for teri walker do you remember what happened to her when she got that record deal i mean whoopsy daisy how pop was that and she did state that they were trying to make her the british beyonce & what happened when they changed her & her records failed she was dropped like a hot potato
Let’s see here. She has an album coming out. She needs to make some stir. She decides the best way to do it is to be a stupid B****. Well, mission accomplished, Estelle. You have your buzz and now you’re a B****!
I wouldnt say Lemar was Major and he seems to have vanised as well. He’s not had a proper hit in forever
I see Kanye’s arrogance is rubbing off on this chick.
Lemar is recording a new album right now.
That’s total racial discrimination right there! So, white people can’t say stuff about black people… but black people can say stuff about white people? Come on! Pffft!
Music is music. Sure, “soul” may have originated with african-american singers, but nobody OWNS a particular genre. Music is a world-wide lifestyle among people! Singers can produce whatever kinda music they want! Jebus…
that is a stupid comment to make
is a white person said that black people should stop making pop music there would be charges and everything
So white artist can sing soul (R&B)music, why should it matter. Well it matters because noting has changes since the days of “Real” Jazz and “REAL” Rock and Roll. When the word Jazz is written or mentioned it’s followed by names like Glenn Miller. When the word Rock and Roll is written or mentioned it’s followed by the name Elvis Presley. Please readers open your eyes, this has to stop. Black artist still doen’t receive the type of notariaty they fully deserve. Louis Armstrong to Little Richard and James Brown, they were not just pioneers they were creators, they’ve giving us modern music. Now don’t get me wrong, music has no colour only sound and good music makes for good sounds. I like white artist, Joss Stone to George Michael, but as soon as a white “good-looking” artist comes on the seen and they can sing a little bit, they’re then catapolted into stardom. Wow, if James Brown were white he’d probably have a state named after him by now. So maybe 20/30 years from now it’ll be white artist credited for music they had no part in creating. Yes of course the race card shouldn’t be played, yeah right, how politically correct that is when it really has to do with race. I’m simply saying when it comes to music be fair don’t judge with your eyes only with your ears. “This is only for the Americans” you know who you are