Since its inception, Black Women’s History Month aims to shed light on exceptional women, their accomplishments, and the impact they have on those they connect with. Underground Music, the top curators of vinyl records in Kelowna, BC wants to introduce you to five powerful black female musicians to listen to this month.
Mary J. Blige
Winner of nine Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards’ and twelve Billboard Music Awards, Mary J. Blige is a popular hip-hop artist/rapper and actress who rose to popularity when she was signed by Uptown Records in 1992. She has since sold 80 million records worldwide and also has an extensive background in philanthropy and acting. Mary J. Blige can be found in the popular series, The Umbrella Academy, and voice acted in Trolls World Tour.
Beyonce
Beyonce has become a household, single-name powerhouse in the music community. Beyonce began her career in music as part of Destiny’s Child in the early 1990s. Destiny’s Child was an all-girl group who - to this day – is the best-selling all-girl group of all time. After her stint with the band, she went out on her own and her voice is recognized instantly in two of her hits, Irreplaceable and Beautiful Liar. Beyonce has also delved into acting and has appeared in Pink Panther and The Lion King. She is primarily a hip-hop singer but is not afraid to dive into slower-paced songs.
Erykah Badu
Born Erica Abi Wright, Erykah Badu is a singer and songwriter from Dallas, Texas who has influenced R&B and Hip-Hop since the early 70s. Erykah’s career began after she opened a show for D’Angelo in 1994 in Fort Worth, TX which spawned her first album, Baduizm; released in 1997. Erykah’s singing has been compared to Billie Holiday, and she is well known for her eccentric style. More recently Erykah participated in a live-streamed recording from lockdown where all proceeds of sales went to benefit musicians facing financial hardship.
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson is an American gospel singer with a 40 year career and is held as a major player in spreading gospel blues to black churches throughout the US. The granddaughter to slaves, Mahalia grew to sell over 22 million albums. Throughout her career, Mahalia was often pushed to dive into more contemporary forms of music (higher paying than gospel), but being a God-loving woman, turned them down to continue to spread the word through blues-inspired gospel. Mahalia was renowned for her powerful voice, range, and stage presence.
April is Black Women’s History Month
From stage presence to philanthropy, each one of these women brought something with them that impacted the world. Celebrate their rich heritage by checking out our shop to find records and cds by these artists and more!
