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The Curious Case of Kelly Rowland

1/29/2013

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The Times Magazine, 2011
A career analysis.
A few weeks ago, Kelly Rowland released “Kisses Down Low,” the latest single to be featured on her tentatively-titled upcoming album, “Year of the Woman.” The track is about what the title implies; oral sex. Ever since the success of Rowland’s urban hit “Motivation” with Lil Wayne, sexually suggestive tracks have become a central piece of her repertoire. Comments from Twitter users seemed to be all in the same vein of “She’s too talented for this,” “It’s the same old stuff” or “We don’t need a female Trey Songz.” I found the comparison to R&B heartthrob Songz, who isn’t even Rowland’s contemporary, most telling. Songz rose to mainstream fame with sexual club-friendly ditties, but after about 3 albums full of them, audiences seemed to become fatigued and unimpressed. Dedicated fans who believed in his talent were disappointed that he all but reduced himself to a sex symbol. Likewise, Rowland seems to be receiving the same reaction. It’s been touch-and-go for the former Destiny’s Child; she just hasn’t hit her stride as a solo act. It’s all quite puzzling really. Kelly Rowland is beautiful, can actually sing without auto-tune and went through the same success boot-camp as megastar Beyonce`. If anyone would know how to follow the yellow-brick road to Beyonce`-like Oz, it should be Kelly Rowland. So what gives? Let me tell you. With Kelly’s career, for every problem that’s solved, another one arises.

Rowland was all set to be a thriving solo star; the launch from Destiny’s Child was carefully planned. In preparation for an eventual 2005 disbandment, DC briefly separated at their “Survivor” prime in 2002. Going after their interests and musical strong suites, Michelle Williams returned to her gospel roots, Beyonce` was scheduled to follow Williams’ release with an R&B record and lastly, Kelly-pop with alternative influence. The schedule got rearranged, however, when Rowland’s collaboration with Nelly, “Dilemma,” became a huge hit and ultimately garnered 2 Grammy nominations and 1 win. In trying to keep up with the single’s heat, a rush job was done on Kelly’s solo debut “Simply Deep,” resulting in mediocre tracks that would fail to chart. Quality material wasn’t the problem for 2007’s “Ms. Kelly;” sassy, personal, smooth and catchy, it was possibly one of the best R&B albums of that year, but it was very poorly promoted. Convinced the material was to blame, Columbia Records released a deluxe edition and an EP entitled “Ms. Kelly: Diva Deluxe” with several new tracks, but it didn’t help. In my opinion, scanty promotion combined with the wrong single choices killed the album’s chances. Where was “Still in Love with My Ex”? It was relatable and contained juicy gossip (the song was reportedly about Rowland’s broken engagement to football player Roy Williams)! Where was the ridiculously sexy “The Show” featuring Tank or “Every Thought is You”?!

At that point, theories swirled. Maybe Kelly wasn’t talented enough. Maybe it was the record label. Maybe it was her manager, Mathew Knowles; maybe he doesn’t know how to manage anyone else’s career well but his daughter, Beyonce’s. By the end of 2009, 2 out of 3 of those theories were taken care of; she was no longer on Columbia Records and sought out new management. Kelly was finally going to have her moment in the sun, or so many had hoped. Rowland’s new home, Universal Motown, began releasing “tester singles” in 2010. Interviews early in the recording process suggested that the new album would feature dance music and Rowland was taken with the genre and wanted blend it with R&B cuts. Like other up-tempo tracks released by the singer, “When Love Takes Over” & “Commander” performed well in Europe and with techno boiling over in the U.S., this seemed like a promising direction. Then “Motivation” happened. The sheet-warmer single shot to #1 on the Billboard R&B chart and #17 on the Hot 100. The upcoming “Here I Am” was about to change from a dance record to an mostly urban sexapalooza and Rowland was going to sell the image for dear life- topless magazine covers, sultry interview details and all. Despite the hard sell, it didn’t seem like many bought it. The sudden image and material change came off like an obvious ploy to move units; only it didn’t. Subsequent singles from “Here I Am,” albeit somewhat under-promoted, didn’t perform well and the album flat-lined. Now, here we are preparing for her 4th album and it appears the record label wants to learn the hard way. Rowland tried to create “Motivation” magic again with Lil Wayne for “Ice,” but like Nelly’s attempt to make “Dilemma” happen again with “Gone,” the songs sounded too similar and it didn’t work. “Kisses Down Low” isn’t working. When are they going to get it through their thick skulls that Kelly, the sex toy, isn’t working?!

Above all else, the central issue in Kelly’s career is that label executives don’t know what to do with her and have failed to acknowledge their missteps in shaping her career. Additionally, they don’t believe in her. From my perspective, they don’t respect her presence, nor do they realize her level of talent or potential and the proof is in the pudding. Executives could put the same effort and energy into Kelly that they do chart-toppers with less talent, but they don’t because I think, inherently, they believe she isn’t marketable. They view her as just an unneeded cast-off from a group. Rowland could better stay ahead of these pitfalls if she was also a writer and/or producer, but she doesn’t have those gifts. She needs a team and a record label that’s going to help build a sound and image that’s more organic to who she is internally. Bring in top-notch songwriters and musicians. Give us heartfelt ballads (I wish she would’ve gotten Rihanna’s “Unfaithful”) and inspiring, energizing pop or dance music. Dance music fits Kelly’s voice like a glove. Her voice just soars on tracks like “Forever & a Day” & “When Love Takes Over.” I saw a clip of her performing Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” (Kelly could benefit from doing songs like the ones Houston did early in her career) and Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy” for tributes; those songs fit her voice extremely well. As it stands now, I think Kelly’s brand is being cheapened and it’s disenchanting.
To see other "Curious Case" profiles, click Kelly Rowland's photo above.

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Interview: Hot Bloggers Tell All

1/28/2013

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These days, everyone is a blogger; logging their opinions on everything from politics to entertainment to express themselves and/or be an internet sensation. Art created one of the web’s best hubs for current music news (MadeToBeNow.com), Ronald (RonaldMatters.com) & Dio (It’s DiO!) operate as activists for the LGBT community all while commenting on pop-culture & daily life and Chike Evans is a burgeoning journalist on Blog Talk Radio’s “The Steven Knight Show” and YouTube with "Conversations with Chike Evans."  These online media personalities gave an interview to J.Says Online to reveal how they've managed to stand out and discuss the downsides of web success.

What brought you to online media and what were your initial intentions when you got started?
Art: Ever since I can remember I’ve always had a profound love for music; like an obsession. I always knew everything about everyone in the business, like the latest single, the latest video, the next album, the inspiration behind each record, I mean… I was crazy even back in the day. Then one day, I decided it would be fun to share all that. And here I am. 
Ronald: Superstar status! *throws hands up as if I see my name in bright lights* When I first started my blog, I had intentions of being the next Freddy O or Necole Bitchie. However, I discovered real quick that I would appreciate being a niche blogger more. Fame wouldn’t be all that great if the gay community hated Ronald Matters.
Dio: Online media has served as an outlet for me: my thoughts, worries and aspirations [it] has been used as a release. I was initially intrigued by the B. Scott character; he inspired me to put it all “on the table.”
Chike: My friend, now boss, Steven Knight, brought me to online media… [He] asked me to be a part of the project. There was no way that I could have said “no” to that.
J.Says: I wanted somewhere to express sometimes lengthy opinions, inform and start a dialogue with new people, especially Beyonce` fans, because I didn’t know any other dedicated fanatics.

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It's DiOOO! (Autumn Chanel Photography)
How have your goals changed over your time online?
Art: The goal was always to have the best music blog “for me”; every little piece of it, from the…design, the way of writing, color schemes, everything. The only rule is that if I like it, then it’s ok. The goal was, is and will always be to make something I like. Something I think is fun.
Chike: Now I see my dream unfolding in front of my eyes. I see the prize, so to speak, and that makes me push even harder to achieve my goals.
Dio: I wouldn’t say that I ever had any goals as an online personality. It is merely a self-therapeutic platform.
Ronald: After a while in the game, you’d be a fool to say your goals haven’t been modified in some kind of way.

What do you know now that you wish you would've known in the beginning?
Dio: I wish I would have realized then that being an online personality would make my past and present public knowledge. I’m much more reserved in “real life”.
Chike: I learned that people are really willing to hear what you have to say as long as you present yourself appropriately. After all, it is about who you know. Right? 
Art: A lot about coding and HTML, website design, writing, social media, I mean… It’s a whole world of new stuff that would have been very useful to know at the beginning.
Ronald: Content is king, always will be. Promotion is the queen. Nothing else matters. Nobody cares about your blog design; hopefully it’s minimalistic so the content can shine and won’t load forever on my slow a** phone. Learn the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) basics up front. It sounds confusing, but you will appreciate it later…and start that Google AdSense account.


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You Should Hear This: Allen Stone

1/25/2013

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A friend of mine passed along this link to Allen Stone's Conan O'Brien performance last fall just a few hours ago and I am already taken. From Washington state, Stone is a 25-year-old self-described "soul hippie." With socially conscious lyrics and stirring vocal, it's no surprise he claims Bill Withers & Marvin Gaye among his influences. Personally, he gives me a little Maxwell with his voice, but that's just my opinion. His sophomore self-titled album was released by ATO, the RCA subsidiary label co-started by Dave Matthews. Stone is on a European tour and is set to perform in America starting in May. Learn more here.

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Single Reviews: Justin Timberlake & Fantasia

1/14/2013

2 Comments

 
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Justin Timberlake: Suit & Tie
Single Review.
Whew, lawd! It’s about time Justin Timberlake remembered he’s a recording artist! After 7 years, the pop/R&B heartthrob resurfaces with Jay-Z donning a “Suite & Tie.” Holding on to his production magic with Timbaland, the track surprises with swift changes, from dark and winding to bouncy and fun. The concept is adorable as JT promises to show you how wonderful love can be, but the written execution is unimpressive. “Suite & Tie” is the first cut from the pending effort reportedly titled “The 20/20 Experience” and is available now on Itunes. Take a listen here.

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Fantasia: Lose to Win
Single Review.
Fantasia is gearing up for her 4th album release in March with the new single, “Lose to Win.” Soulfully crooning over a nice, soothing sample of “Nightshift” by The Commodores, the “American Idol” winner discusses dropping the habit of dating no-good guys to get to the good stuff. If it’s any indicator of what the upcoming record will sound like, it will be a winner. You can purchase the single on Itunes and listen to it in full below.


2 Comments

Film Review: Django Unchained

1/1/2013

3 Comments

 
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Quentin Tarantino is a popular director for a reason: he usually delivers. “Django Unchained” tells the story of a newly freed slave’s journey (Oscar winner Jamie Foxx) to find and rescue his wife (ABC “Scandal” star Kerry Washington who’s screen time is disappointingly short) after they’ve been purposely sold separately by their owner. The plot unfolds like a rollercoaster; it’s initially all very fascinating as highly unusual circumstances lead to Django’s freedom and he becomes a bounty hunter, but at the midpoint, things start to drag slightly and it doesn’t kick up again until the nail-biting end. The middle falls flat for two reasons: the length (some scenes are unnecessarily detailed) and the writing of Foxx’s encounter with Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin Candie. Promotional trailers lead you to believe that Candie is an epic antagonistic firewall between Django and his lasy love, but Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Stephen, proves to be a more delicious villain. Another con: Tarantino is known for his over-the-top exaggerations of reality, but it’s hard to believe the level of sympathy and kindness to slaves of Django’s bounty-hunter partner, Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). However, it would be hard for Django to be victorious in any way without a major help agent, not to mention Waltz’s performance is wonderfully endearing and entertaining. One of the best aspects of “Unchained” is the humor. Only Tarantino can manage to make a slavery-era film funny. The light-hearted parts off-set the darker ones, especially those provided by Don Johnson. I’m still not a fan of Tarantino’s love of graphic violence, but, all in all, “Django Unchained” is a fantastic film that will spark a lot of post-view discussion.


3 Comments

Why MTV Doesn't Play Videos Anymore

1/1/2013

0 Comments

 
My brother showed this to me and I HAD to post it; it's ridiculous the amount of truth that lies within it, despite it being satire. For those of you born before 1995: I warn you....you WILL feel ancient and slightly ashamed after watching this. You'll also realize that even if MTV were to indeed be a music video station again, they wouldn't play the stuff we want to hear or see anyhow. I read a while back that part of the reason for the lack of video play on MTV is because research indicates people are more likely to watch commercials during reality programming than videos. Reality programming that everyone complains about, but still watches somehow. The commentary on budgets is also interesting. Music piracy has more of a murdering effect than I think most realize. Just check the clip out.
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