Woman of the moment Jessie J sang an acoustic version of her smash hit single Do It Like A Dude at Vivienne Westwood’s LFW (London Fashion Week) party on Friday night.
Jessie J it seems can do no wrong at the moment. Yes she can sing but I still don’t see what all the hype is about. It’s not like we haven’t heard other female singers (underground and mainstream) exhibit the same level of vocal ability before.
Jessie J has the might of the Universal Music machine behind her while a brilliant artist like Vula Malinga who has been on the scene for YEARS and can sing her BACKSIDE OFF still continues to be ignored.
There seems to be an even more blatant trend within the UK music scene at the moment, whereby decisions are being made based on race and marketability. If you’re a Caucasian female artist with really soulful vocals and making black music, the label will go in to overdrive to ensure that you get the best marketing, promotion and coverage so that within a year you have the number 1 album in the country, and get the opportunity to collaborate with the best producers and artists stateside.
But if you’re a black female artist here in good old Blighty, you’re either ignored because you’re not seen as “marketable” and not considered “special”, or you end up like Alexandra Burke, forced to release lacklustre bubblegum and poorly produced tracks.
It’s cool for Jessie to sing about the “mandem” and “do it like a dude” for a mainstream audience and then go top ten, but if the likes of Alexandra were to record the exact same track chances are there would be no label backing.
People within the industry have a tendency to pretend as if none of the above is happening and try to sweep it under the carpet. But I’m too old for that game. Sorry nothing against Jessie but this is just the reality of what’s happening behind the scenes and the mindset of your average major label executive when dealing with particular individuals.
If you don’t believe me then just ask Estelle.
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MAD NEWS UK 
Janice shoots and scores!!!
I watched this Reggae Britannia thing and Ali Campbell of UB40 was talking about how they were blowing up and The Police and Culture Club and a guy from Steel Pulse and Aswad were commenting on this kind of thing that happened in those days,
Ali Campbell said something about a record exec telling him that “people buy themselves” so I guess it’s the same principle that drives these labels, they sell artists like Jessie J harder because they are white and are more likely to rake in the money and won’t take a risk on a Vula who is in my opinion more vocally talented. Especially in this digital age when generally labels are not making as much as they were making before.
Ah well……….
Applause Janice. Not sure what label Jessie J is on but I’d guess the same man who discovered Amy Winehouse signed her – a black man. A black man also put n dubz on the map. Black men have dominated the UK charts only Bashy has featured a black female singer. We don’t buy ourselves in the UK music industry.
Thanks 🙂
Jessie’s signed to Universal Republic
bang on the button.. i appluad your honesty…. here what i dont like about it…….. the artist that are benefiting from this bias.. seem to be ok with it…. seem to be ok to only have the spotlight on them and feel no need to fight for their other peers… … some will say why should they? why shouldnt they…. look at what dussty springfield achieved by being brave and saying YO … DUSTY SPRINGFIELD IS A LEGEND IN MY BOOK BECAUSE SHE IS ONE OF THE ONLY WOMEN IVE SEEN THAT ACTUALLY PUT HER FOOT DOWN … and put her power and money where her heart is.. and forced the uk to showcase black singers as well as herself.. via her tv show….. i SALUTE THAT!!
The only thing black artist are battling against is the constant social commentary that their race has part to play their lack of success compared to their white counterpart. It’s also a shitty to claim white artists who perform black music (broad term!) are only more successful because of their race… horrible mentality to have. Though I’m not denying that racism doesn’t exist in the world but there’s no conspiracy against every artists.
Also, this image that label executives are fat cats keen to exploit black artists and eager to push white artists is a bizarre thought which was perhaps more true in American 20th century. Let’s give some credit to the successful black business men and women working the music industry now.
MadNews, I’m not discrediting your view on this, as your augment is just as valid as mine. BUT! – MelissaDelicious comment is the kind thinking I can’t stomach. The bitterness towards successful black artists and black industry heads for working with non-black artist – I fear that outlook is racist. Why should a black artist feel obligated to work with black artists over white (or vice versa)? I don’t look at skin colour when listening to music, why should they?
Peace & love.
i wish jessie j all the luck in the world…..
am not mad at their success…. i just wish these ARTISTS HAD THE BALLS to stand up the hypocrisy…… but i guess theres only so much you can do!!!…
@Dour, I hear your argument, but Melissa Delicious has a valid point. You may find what she said harsh, but there is an element of truth to it.
As someone who works in the industry, I myself have heard conversations amongst notable black males within the industry, and they have a preference of working with white female artists, simply because of what they deem as white female singers being more “marketable” than black female singers. They see this as key to aiding black male artist to becoming a success.
Its an argument thats used time and time again, and a pointless argument. Nonetheless, its fully believed that this is the only road for cross over success.
I find this argument laughable, as the majority of the buying public are white, if white people were so concerned about skin colour being used as a tool to make black music more palatable for them, then there would be alot of broke rappers, singers, actors, models etc. There are faces are used as a selling point for the work they do, so why would a white audience be so appauled by seeing a black female next to a black male in a music video, or a black female singing on the hook for a black male artist?
I think its more of a case that some black people within the industry are so worried about not making any money, that they are quite prepared to brush a black female to the curb to do so.
Jessie J, Joss Stone, Teena Marie, Sheena Easton, Dusty Springfield, Adele, Eminem, Duffy, Lisa Stansfield are all incredible artists in there own right, but lets not be naive in thinking that there race isnt part of there selling point (used shamelessly by there PR team and Zane Lowe in the case of Eminem!)
Its a fascination that has been seen as a positive for white artist, you can look as far back as the 1950s(Blues music in particular, Elvis, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones etc)
As Ty said, there have been a few notable white artist who have admitted that black artist do NOT get the same shine as white artist, so I find it quite bemusing that black males within the industry cant admit to something which is quite obvious to all. You only need look at the amount of music created by black males that feature white artist today, to know that this clearly is the case (just flick onto MTV, VH-1, Kiss, The Box etc). Maybe we should ask the question, has the talent from black people really dried up? or is the current trend of white artists performining black music a sure fire way for labels to make money?
bitterness…. my sentiment is not bitterness dour….
balance….
this
shooots and scores the winner of the cup final…..!!!!! jamnice!!! woman of the match!!
To be successful in the UK as a black female artist you need to do what Floetry and Estelle did and emigrate to the usa and be sold back to the UK as the brits abroad. The same applies for black actors and actresses
@SoFrolushes
I totally agree with you. That’s exactly what’s been happening over the past 5/6 years.
so fro lushes also with and over head zico brazilain skills goal to add to the melee….
dear dour….. your opening line….. THE ONLY THING BLACK ARTISTS ARE BATTLING AGAINST….ETC ETC ETC…. IS KILLER!!! KILLER INCORRECT..!! . but you are also entitled to your opinion….. peace
I totally agree Janice!!!
I wonder if the lyrics should be ‘DO IT LIKE A BLACK CHICK!!!!’????
bring back the 291 club!!!
LOL
As I read all of this I can just have these few words. Jesse J in my opinion is just ok. I don’t see anything amazing about her. But with that being said….you have to know the record ex…would push her to the front. Come on people you can’t be in that much denial about how things work in this world. As I stated I don’t see anything really special about her. But hey if you can make it…do your thing. But I will say that everything in this world is about color or shall I say race. You can sing that it is not until the cows jump over the moon….but it is. Now some say they don’t see color when they listen to music… Well I don’t totally believe that. But I love music no matter who makes it…as long as it is pleasing to my pallet. But I recognize if it is a Black person singing… You can’t go through life thinking that things aren’t as they appear. Jesse James will make it because she is a white girl doing Black music. Yes I said it…she will make it just because of that. And I’m not saying she is not talented…but on that alone…she will make it. I’m in no way disillusioned by how things work in this world. If people and the things in the world were so fair and honest…we would all be on an even playing field. But we are not…there will always be some that will have to work 10 times harder to get what they want. Then there will be people who get it easier… Is my views racist I think not…I’m just keeping it real. And yes everything is about the almighty dollar. Those Black executives look at how fat their pockets will get. They really don’t care about anything else. And they will say no one wants to really hear a Black RnB singer. As if they know what other Blacks want to hear. As if they are in my head…. For at least the last 15 years the record industry has exploited the Black woman and the Black man to the point that it’s ridiculous. It’s degrading to say the least…but you have some of our rappers selling out to have the big bucks. They think nothing of our communities and us as well. As long as we make them rich they could give a f@*k! But back to Jesse J hey she should do her…but don’t think for a moment that it has nothing to do with her being White and doing Black music… Oh and I bet she will get so many awards this year….just watch. I look at it like this she is not doing anything better than a lot of Black female MC’s. I’m sure she got a better deal than some Blacks did… That is what they do… If we keep believing that race is not a factor in everything we do…we are fools!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Because it does….just that simple…it has always been that way…and probably will continue to be…
Dour is long.
It is incredibly naive to not acknowledge the cynicism of the carcus that is the current popular music industry. And it is also stupendously naive to not consider what would be deemed as acceptable to the buying majority white buying-public may be a product that they feel more familiar with. ie. their own.
These are facts, not opinions as many of us on tnis forum work in and or around music in the UK to know this. As it stands a lot of hard-working,talented black artists are relatively broke yet are widely acknowledged and respected by all colours within the credible music industry behind closed doors. It is what it is. I tire with people who want to ignore the white elepohant in the room for fear of having to accept the awfulness of the truth. And it is awful, because the only basis of this is racial.
Is this is an angry rant about the man? No.To know this doesn’t mean that you personally can’t live a happy and positive life, but accept that the SITUATION IS REAL.
Ofcourse it is real. what is not real about it? A talented white person will be pushed into the limelight with all the added hype and ‘greatness’ to cream it up, but an equally talented or even better black artist, who can play an instrument, write their own lyrics and pobably do the whole lot i don’t know about, will be sidelined. I am not even an artist, a consumer. But i see it. and how do i know this? Just look at X factor, and the way it works. I mean the mainstream music is full of -+mediocrity, and if i happen to see any real music or that which comes close to it, it is some white artist or something. Or promoting some sh*y black folks who have no talent and could care less, but what they get out of it, like fame and money(the biggest bait or worst temptation as we all know). I am very choosy when it comes to music, and no way in hell am i buying most of this stuff put out in mainstream. For starters, it comes off as FAKE, my eyes hurt from the exaggerated visuals that make no sense, as for the LYRICS sometimes i just switch off automatically because i have no patience with most of them.
But anyway, to cut a long story short, i refuse to buy most of the mainstream music today because i know underground music is better, which i hardly know about sadly. So i have really got into the habit of collecting old artists’ music, beacause i know where to find it since i was once exposed to it, so i know what i am looking for. But also, since i have once been exposed to good music and i kind of know the legacy that has been left behind by many black artists, when i hear a good song from artists today, i know it is good and know what makes a song a good song.
The legacy that was left behind by those artists who worked their behinds off and gave the best during some of their worst times( i am talking about black artists), and were exploited at the same time, will always live on and cannot be denied. Sometimes when i hear some white folks talk about music being the only way out as the saying goes, i laugh out loud not, because music was a tool for so many things back in the day especially during times of suffering. so for me, music is not just music, it is the stories and the driving force behind it, call it a way out if you want. Great success was achieved in the middle of discrimination/racism. When you see some white folks jump on the bandwagon and try to redifine the genres and portray themselves as being the reason those genres are so successful or the reason those genres are going to blow up*roles eyes*, don’t you wonder? They are doing a good job of putting black folks behind and putting white folks ahead to make them look like they are the only ones who are good at it. tbh, it has been done before and better, and that foundation will never be touched.
Anyway, where do we find this underground music? That is the problem. But they are doing a good job of tuning us out especially the young ones, who know little.