Genuine, generous and gifted with a down-to-the-bone level of soul: before there was a Duffy, an Adele or an Amy Winehouse, there was the incomparable Christine Marie Brockert, a.k.a. Teena Marie. A porcelain-complexioned, green-eyed wisp of a woman that drew … Read the rest
For Keyshia Cole (Gibson), there’s a delicate balance that must be maintained: being in love and happy as a wife and mother, yet not forgetting the tortured tales of love gone wrong (and the ‘Mommie Dearest’-esque mayhem) that catapulted her … Read the rest
Thanks to those estrogen-fueled anthems, a soaring soprano and that around-the-way attractiveness and accessibility, Alicia Keys has firmly entrenched herself as a force to be reckoned with as far as longevity and artistic flair. For three consecutive releases, the native … Read the rest
Before the movie, back when she was fresh off American Idol and getting her solo career off the ground, I interviewed the sweet and personable new winner, Jordin Sparks (2007): even then, I could tell she was sweet, well-grounded and … Read the rest
Although hopes were dashed and spirits were crushed when the women of Floetry parted ways in 2007, the couplets-creating part of the duo, Natalie “Floacist” Stewart, forged ahead with her mission to continue dropping melodies on the masses with … Read the rest