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EW was on the scene at last night’s taping of VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul (airing tonight at 9 p.m. ET). In addition to talking to the Divas — including repeat performers Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Jill Scott, Kelly Clarkson, plus Jessie J and Florence + the Machine’s Florence Welch — we narrowed down exactly why the 13-year-old institution is still worth checking out. Below, five reasons to tune into tonight’s special. READ FULL STORY »
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Divas, make way! VH1 has added a bevy of other ladies — and, yes, some dudes, too — to the line-up for its annual special VH1 Divas, including Chaka Kahn (pictured here), Erykah Badu, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Estelle, Marsha Ambrosius. The non-diva entities –i.e. those who have a Y chromosome — added include Boyz II Men and Travie McCoy.
The seven new acts join the previously announced divas, which include Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige, Florence Welch, Jennifer Hudson, Jessie J, and Jill Scott. The Roots will serve as the house band for the engagement.
VH1 Divas will celebrate soul this year, honoring so-called “soulful cities” — Chicago, Detroit, London, Memphis, and Philadelphia — that inspired the participating divas and their art. The special airs Monday, Dec. 19, at 9 p.m. on VH1.
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Read more:
‘VH1 Divas’: See Kelly Clarkson’s promotional poster — EXCLUSIVE
Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige, Florence Welch, and Jennifer Hudson to headline this year’s ‘VH1 Divas’
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Every couple of years the same question is asked of R&B music: “What happened to it?”
The inquiry is made as if the genre is dead or has mutated into something grossly unfamiliar. Sure, top-tier artists like Usher and Beyoncé seemingly have both feet firmly planted in pop music. But essentially, they are rhythm and blues singers.
The problem is, to me at least, that what R&B purists are looking for—soulful, non-Auto-Tune–assisted voices sans European club-inspired bass lines and obnoxious synths—is hard to find. Or maybe folks just aren’t looking hard enough.
Last night a capacity crowd piled into New York City’s Irving Plaza to catch two oh-so-talented yet not-so-famous R&B songstresses, Universal Motown’s Melanie Fiona and J’s Marsha Ambrosius, for BET’s Music Matters tour. READ FULL STORY »
