Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Beat.
The Eternal Billie Holiday
The first time I heard of Billie Holiday was embarrassingly watching a 90’s guilty pleasure movie. The rich white kid gets into his nice car, puts on the radio and asks the blonde in the seat beside him, ‘Do you like Billie Holiday?’. She replies, ‘I love him.’ I didn’t get the joke. It took me nearly ten years to realise what an insult this is and to realise that I'd been hearing her for years. 'I'll be seeing you' in one of my favourite movies, The Notebook, 'Blue Moon' in Grease and some of her music even featuring in episodes of The Vampire Diaries. Songs I knew the lyrics to and would hum for a few days after I heard them.
2000 - 2020: 7 epic female artists
These are the sounds of seven gifted black female artists that left a footprint in music. They have so many influential hits in a range of genres and are artists that have been in my favorites list on my Spotify account from the moment I have heard them.
Anastasia SPublished 3 years ago in BeatThe 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.
Vicky DiMichelePublished 3 years ago in BeatBest Speakers for Classical Music
Absolutely, a classical music enthusiast will just have ears for the noise of the highest quality, and as much since the classical music itself necessitates solid, clear speakers, there are a number of special speakers designed to deliver high output using a superior degree of clarity by their aura of noise adjustment. If you fall into this category of such eagerness to see music, then getting yourself one of the speakers will probably be reviewed within this guide may be the next best move. Creating classical music having an everyday home music system could be near impossible due to this extremely wide dynamic range of the genre of music. For this reason, you may require for sure the effective use of specially dedicated speakers designed for classical music efficient vibes. The greatest classical audio speakers are going to be portrayed here using their interesting demonstration of classical exceptionally sophisticated form.
Richard S. SelzerPublished 3 years ago in BeatAll 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.
C. M. SearsPublished 3 years ago in BeatDear Love, I Hate You
It’s only fitting that a holiday that’s supposed to be all about love occurs during the darkest, harshest, and most desolate season of the entire year. Winter means a lot of things to a lot of people, and so does love. When I think about love, I think about disappointment, self-loathing, betrayal, unrealistic expectations, advice from people who have zero idea what they’re talking about, among many other things. I will say that I was not considered a ladies’ man growing up, and while my luck with women has been marginally better since I’ve gotten to college, I am still here, counting the ways and examples that show me I am destined to die alone. As music has been a massive comfort to me over the years, I have become somewhat of a expert on songs suitable for when you’re in a corner hating yourself. There are many songs that deserve mention on a list like this (WAY too many to list, in fact), but I managed to create a list that I feel perfectly encapsulates what it means to hate love, and what it means to hate Valentine’s Day.
Garry MilesPublished 3 years ago in BeatBlack Women in Music
Black people in general have contributed so much to music. Black people have given their lives in the name of music. Black entertainment is a whole vibe, you hear me? If you go to other countries, you see our influence. People emulate our (I am a black person) style of dress, our hairstyles, our bodies. Where do you think full lips and big butts came from?? We inspired rap. We inspired the beats. All that bass you hear? That's drums honey! We move our hips and pout our lips to the rhythm. Y'all see us!
Latoya GilesPublished 3 years ago in BeatBessie Smith, Billie Holliday, Etta James and Tracy Chapman The Bluesy Black Women that I Love
Bessie Smith, Billie Holliday, Etta James and Tracy Chapman The Bluesy Black Women that I Love By Kami Bryant My love affair with the blues began one day when I was fourteen sitting at Southern Illinois University of Carbondale’s library listening to scratchy songs on vinyl. My mother was attending SIU Carbondale pursuing her bachelor’s degree. I would spend hours in the library while she was in class. I didn’t finish eighth grade because I came down with a debilitating illness called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome when I was eleven years old. I spent most of the next five years completely bed ridden. My mother took me out of school and decided that I should be home schooled. When not lying in bed reading as many books as I could get my hands on, I would go to the library. The university library was a treasure trove and a holy place to my fourteen-year-old book worm’s soul. I would spend all day at the library reading books. I then discovered not only could I read books, but I could listen to music too. So, with big can headphones on, I discovered ladies who sing the blues.
Kami BryantPublished 3 years ago in BeatDance to the Beat of Your Own Drum
Ahh…Valentine’s Day - The holiday where we as a culture are both brainwashed and conditioned to believe that in order to feel and celebrate love, we must be in a “relationship” with a significant other. This day can be tremendously daunting and challenging for those that are single and buy into this belief. I know this because this was my reality for many years. As the day approached, I can remember feeling alone, depressed and ashamed that I didn't have someone "special" to share it with. When you don't have a solid inner connection to yourself, the hype of this holiday can cause you to want to crawl under the covers and pretend the day doesn't exist.
Denise SimonePublished 3 years ago in BeatHickory Dickory Dock
Everything begins with an ending. ~ A blank page. A new start. That is what I desired most. You know how the saying goes: be careful what you wish for. You never truly understand it until you find yourself living what should have been the most wonderous dream but has instead become your worst nightmare. Wow, I’m already getting side-tracked can you believe that when I began with such a clear purpose in mind. It has become muddled and dreary like the cold September morning which cloaks this godforsaken world. Even now my fingers are faltering on the keys, trying to find the right ones to play you their story in the dark.
Powerhouse Black Female Singers
Ok, so I didn’t grow up WITH THEM. But I grew up listening to them and I wanted to share my memories about them along with some quick research I did as well...because I realized I didn’t really know a ton about their personal lives. (Ok, some more than others depending on their age...like, I remember when Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon got married and I thought that was the most bizarre marriage, sorry Mariah, you’re a bombshell beauty with an enchanting voice that can attract all the children of Salem, you can do better. Side note: That was a Hocus Pocus reference in case you live in the dark ages)
Vanessa R. PowellPublished 3 years ago in BeatSongs I love that reminds me just how lovesick I am
I’ve never been in love with anyone in my life. At least, I don’t think I have...If I have, it’s probably been with someone who doesn’t even know I exist, and it’s been a long while since I’ve even deeply connected with another human being, romantically or not, outside of my own family who I see everyday, and am constantly amongst, EVERY SINGLE DAY. I know, pretty sad, huh? Well it’s not like I don’t love my family, because I’m pretty sure I’d die for them. It’s just that I have reached this certain point in my life where I’m extremely tired of being alone, even when there are frequent times when I actually enjoy it. The thing is, I’d tell myself I’m happy, and that I’m perfectly fine with not having friends, or a boyfriend, when in all actuality, I want it more than anyone could ever imagine and I’m crying because I believe that I would never find it, or have it find me.