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How Lenny Kravitz captured the “human” experience after 6 years away from music

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It’s only natural that Lenny Kravitz, one in all music’s most legendary artists and entering his fourth decade in music, has seen and done all of it, got the jersey and earned enough stripes to inform the remainder of the world how he’s doing. However, at the age of 59, the rock star still feels he has loads to learn.

“I’m still a student,” Kravitz tells ESSENCE just before releasing his second feel-good single, “Man

(*6*) he explained. “Many seniors think they know everything. “This is how it is,” and think, “I’m older, so I’ll tell you how to do it.” He had the opposite approach. So he was a very good teacher who showed me the importance of remaining a disciple all the time.”

Ever the student of life and his surroundings, Kravitz took the global Covid-19 pandemic – a time that effectively calmed the world – as a chance to reflect on the energy that sustained him through all the storms in his life, ultimately transferring it to what became his twelfth .studio album, .

How Lenny Kravitz captured the

As he prepares to return to the highlight after the pandemic – his 2020 was cut short by worldwide quarantine protocols – Kravitz is feeling higher than ever. Few artists, no matter genre, can maintain a way of relevance over the a long time like a rocker can. Consistently at the forefront of favor, at all times on the big and small screens, and together with his music serving as a continuing soundtrack to the lives of Gen X, Millennial and Gen Z rock fans, Kravitz has develop into much more obsessed with creating with each passing yr.

“I am more inspired than ever. I’m hungrier than ever. I still have a great desire for this life, for creating music and art. I really feel like I’m warming up,” says the rocker in an interview with ESSENCE, preparing for the performance upcoming world tour. “I feel like everything I’ve done over the last 35 years has been a great education that I can use now to push myself into the future.”

This energy led the songbird to create his latest work on his own in his home in the Bahamas for 2 and a half years, writing, recording and operating instruments himself, with the help of his long-time collaborator and guitarist Craig Ross. The album’s release scheduled for May 24 and her worldwide tour starting in late June mark the end of the longest hiatus in Kravitz’s illustrious profession.

“It’s just because of life. It’s not like I left or anything,” he says of his extended absence. “This is my biggest break between two releases, but everything is happening as it should and everything is great.”

And while he could have easily done that, it isn’t like Kravitz just lounged in the Bahamian breeze and casually made music for six years. In addition to pouring his energy into his latest work, he starred in the 2022 Amazon Original film starring Jennifer Lopez, wrote and performed “Road to Freedom” for the 2023 Netflix Original biopic starring Colman Domingo, and basks in of their rightful ways, from a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to a nomination for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

How Lenny Kravitz captured the
American musician Lenny Kravitz poses together with his newly unveiled star during a ceremony on the Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California, on March 12, 2024. (Photo: VALERIE MACON/AFP) (Photo: VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)

Yet while having fun with well-deserved recognition, Kravitz stays aware of the spaces into which he has yet to be welcomed. In an often misinterpreted statement that spread like wildfire November 2023 featurethe singer mentioned that he just isn’t “celebrated by people who run [Black] publications or organizations” despite being “a dream and an example of what a black artist can do.”

Although many on social media and in black journalistic circles initially thought he was being dismissive coverscoverage and praise he has received over the years from the Black press, Kravitz clarified that he was specifically referring to Black awards shows that had in some way consistently omitted his invitation as a Black artist working in the Black genre.

“My comment was intended to express my concern for Black artists being recognized for their work within what is currently called ‘non-traditional’ Black music, which it is not,” he wrote in an Instagram Stories post.

“I just wanted to sit at our table because I love our table,” Kravitz tells ESSENCE. “I come from this. I grew up among black pioneers who were in my mother’s friend group, and I am deeply rooted in our black culture.”

Bigger than personal invitations to the BET Awards, the mistake, in accordance with Kravitz, comes when our people have a look at genres like Rock & Roll and do not recognize it as the black music genre it has at all times been. As genres converge in an age of organic audiences and fame gained through independent uploads, and increased tinkering and musical experimentation by kids born in the ’90s, the singer sees hope for the future and more public light shed on a history that is usually neglected.

How Lenny Kravitz captured the
photo: Marek Seliger

“Walls that were once difficult to climb are now just easier to climb to the other side, and I love that,” he says. “I love that Rock & Roll is part of the conversation and part of that connection because we have to own the things that we invented and pioneered.”

“There were times when, for instance, little black kids would stop me and ask, ‘Why are you making this white music?’ And then we would have to take a seat down and have an entire conversation about Chuck Berry and Little Richard and Fats Domino and Bo Diddley and Sister Rosetta Tharpe and so forth and so forth and so forth and make them understand where it got here from and that it’s black music.

“Everything is opening up,” he says about today’s music. “I like the way we speak about Beyoncé doing it now [for Country]. I mean, I remember my grandma telling me about country music once I was somewhat boy and telling me where it got here from. She told me, “These are all the songs and stuff I heard us singing in the fields,” and so forth. We need to grasp what we now have done and keep on with it.

“Music is for everybody. The music is colorless. That feeling. But let’s get the story.”

With his own music, Kravitz enriches the wealthy history of Rock & Roll with a message of affection, light and positivity. His latest project is an energizing expression of joy and radiating good vibes – a message that underlies Kravitz’s entire catalog.

How Lenny Kravitz captured the
photo: Marek Seliger

“From now on, that’s what I’m doing,” Kravitz says of his album’s positive vibes. “I am here to strengthen love. I talk about it in different ways, but it’s my thing. I believe in love. It is the most powerful energy that exists and is the answer to everything if we only listen.”

“This music is… I’m just an antenna. I broadcast what I receive, so I don’t do it [even] doing this. It just comes through me and I accept what comes through me.”

His second single “Human” is an ideal example of this message. The song, placed at the very center of the album, reminds us methods to be ourselves on this impermanent life.

“When spring comes, it’s an anthem that you can just run out into the street and just start dancing. It just has that feeling,” Kravitz said. “It is a statement of celebrating this human experience that we have as spiritual beings and being authentic to who God created us to be.”

While that is definitely a sensible word to live by, Kravitz says it is also the secret to his longevity – physically, mentally and musically.

“Staying true to who I am, not following trends, just being myself and being authentic,” Kravitz says about his secret to constant success. With his sixtieth birthday looming on the horizon, coinciding with the release weekend of his latest album, the rocker is prepared for whatever comes next, and he hasn’t lost a step.

“I feel great where I am,” he says. “As human beings, we deal with age and what to do, at what age and when to stop, and so on. As for me, I’m here to say it doesn’t matter. You can be 30 years old and worn out and old, or you can be 80 years old and young and full of energy. It depends on you. I feel like I’m just getting started.”

As he prepares for fans to listen to his latest offering and as he prepares to hit the road and establish “communion with the people who bring your music to life,” Kravitz says he hopes that anyone who opens up and listens to his work will they’ll open their hearts to whatever personal message they get from it.

“Whatever it is, they get it [out of the music] – it’s not for me to say – but I hope they feel that spirit, love and positivity, that, as I say, they feel that feeling and just have fun with it,” Kravitz says about the message of his album. “We live in such a demanding world. We have to create our own fun. And for me this album was amazing. I don’t usually use this word, but it’s important that we have moments of fun and provide ourselves with relief and joy.”

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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An attempt to save the image of Jeff Bezos’ future wife backfired after weeks of outrage and ridicule over her skimpy outfit

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Lauren Sánchez has apparently gained a popularity for her fashion hits and misses as social media users began following her every move.

Billionaire Jeff Bezos’ current fiancée stepped into the highlight long before she met the Amazon co-founder, after years spent as co-host of “Good Day LA,” a reporter for “Extra” and host of “So You Think You Can Dance,” and he even starred in a number of movies like “Ted 2.”

She faced criticism for posting a sultry selfie in November in a negligee-inspired gown by designer Laura Basca. In October, the 54-year-old again faced backlash when she showed off her latex Halloween costume as Catwoman.

Now, weeks after being deemed “cheap” and tasteless, the founder of Black Ops Aviation has turn out to be a subject of discussion.

Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez shows off a “winter white” look, weeks after critics slammed her busty latex outfit. (Photos: @laurenwsanchez/Instagram, Theimagedirect.com via Page Six)

On December 5, Sánchez and the business mogul attended The New York Times’ DealBook event in New York City. For the occasion, she wore a white Alexander McQueen suit and a white lace corset. The beaming bride-to-be sent two mirror selfies of her outfit, which she signed: “winter white.”

One follower particularly was stunned by the whole look he ejaculated that she was “very attractive and beautiful, gorgeous and stunning, charming and fantastic young lady, sexy, charming, charming and elegant” in the photos that Sánchez took.

Two other people swooned over the photos and wrote: “So chic and elegant!” and “You look great.” But as you would possibly expect from online viewers, not everyone was impressed.

When Page six published paparazzi photos from the trip, the critic commented: “It’s 30 degrees in New York and she gets out of the limo in a white Miami smock, her bra visible to everyone. No taste. Nothing. A cashmere turtleneck, flannel trousers and a wool jacket can be classy.

Someone else sharply asked: “Who can be the first to tell her that she looks tacky and not elegant and refined? Does she even know what sophistication means? A 3rd person noted: “She looks more like she’s wearing a bathrobe.”

Another person wrote in a comment from a licensed pilot: “White means…” possibly referring to rumors that Sánchez and Bezos are scheduled to exchange vows over Christmas. At least one person doubted the couple would have the opportunity to say “I do.” This person said: “This will be the longest engagement ever. They will NEVER get married and we all know why!!!!”

Sánchez told the “Today” show hosts that she was in the process of planning the big day last month. She didn’t comment on speculation about exchanging Christmas vows.

Renewed interest and scrutiny of Sánchez has increased as the pair have been spotted in various locations in recent months. The couple reportedly began dating in 2018. Their engagement was announced five years later, in May 2023. Their upcoming wedding can be a second journey for each of them.

Sánchez was previously married to celebrity agent Patric Whitesell, with whom she has two children. She can be the mother of a son, whom she shares with Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez. Bezos was married to the mother of his three children, Mackenzie Scott, for 25 years once they divorced in 2019.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Apart from the song with singer-songwriter India Shawn – Andscape

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India Shawn is a contemporary muse with a chilled nature, crafting love stories and heartfelt tales in smooth, charming songs. With over a decade of experience in the music industry as a singer-songwriter, Shawn has incredible strength. She was born in Los Angeles, and her musical roots reach throughout the country. Beginning her profession in her hometown, Shawn eventually found herself in Atlanta, where she immersed herself in the city’s deep-rooted R&B scene, further shaping her artistry.

“I transferred to ATL, I was in 10th grade, and that’s when my music journey really started,” Shawn told Andscape. “I met people who were trying to get by, so I ended up recording and learned what songwriting was really early on.”

Before releasing her debut EP in 2012, Shawn wrote songs and collaborated with artists similar to Chris Brown, El DeBarge, Keri Hilson and Monica. In 2013, she gained much more notoriety when Solange Knowles published her song “I’m Alive” on the Saint Heron compilationmarking her as an artist value watching.

Following the release of the single “There Must Be a God” from the Andscape soundtrack, she caught up with Shawn to learn more about the muse behind the vibes.


Singer India Shawn grew up singing in church with her family. “I feel like most of us R&B kids have that experience,” she said.

India Shawn

Name:
India Shawn

Hometown:

Los Angeles

Artistic soundscape

Airy, soft, telling a story, multidimensional, soft, mysterious, atmospheric

The oldest musical memory

Shawn’s soulful sound is deeply rooted in her upbringing, with influences drawn from her childhood memories and the musical culture of her church. “I sing with my sister all the time, and I also grew up singing behind my mom in church. She was the leader of praise and worship. So I feel like most of us R&B kids have that experience,” Shawn said. “I had these little solos in church, and I believe what made me consider in it was that after the service people got here as much as me with tears of their eyes and said, ‘You really moved me while you sang.’ “These early moments of connection with music and audiences laid the foundation for conveying depth and sensitivity through her music.

Influences

For Shawn, music, especially R&B, has all the time held a special place in her life. “Me and my sister are harmonizing in the living room, just picking some of our favorite songs, including for me Mariah Carey, Babyface, Boyz II Men and (and) Brandy,” she said of her early music memories.

Creative process

Shawn often draws inspiration from real-life experiences and relationships that influence her music. She weaves this into the authenticity and atmosphere of her songs, but she didn’t immediately recognize where her inspiration got here from. “It’s funny that it took me so long to make that connection, but I realized that I was telling my whole story and presenting my business through my music,” she said. “It took me two albums to realize, wait a minute, I’m giving people a lot to understand here… these aren’t just songs. This is truly the life I live.”

Challenges and development

As Shawn’s profession grows, so do his moments of appreciation and reflection. “I literally just thought about a very gradual progression of my career. It’s like step by step, but there are more breakthrough moments. My first tour, which was so beautiful, I just knew I could pack a room and people knew my lyrics and sang my songs to me. Those moments that make the waiting not in vain.”

Shawn has plenty of recommendation for up-and-coming singer-songwriters. Her biggest sacrifice? Collaboration is essential. “I think (cooperation) is really why I’m still here. So find your people… you’ll know when it feels right, you’ll have that freedom and fluidity, and you’ll be able to really create things and create without having to think too much.” He also shares the importance of patience. “Just be patient during the journey. This has been a theme throughout my profession. Let it develop. I feel like more things come from being in that flow and being present reasonably than forcing all of it.

Current project

There should be a God”, the lead single from Andscape , now streaming on Hulu, also serves as a teaser for Shawn’s solo album. “(This song) is such a manifestation of God’s love,” she said. “I think when you find yourself in a place of waiting, you can feel very hopeless. So when you see glimpses of God’s love again, or the fact that you know there is a higher power, there is a source that is thinking about you, has you in mind, has a perfect plan for you, it’s just like the clouds parting. And this is the moment, I understand. I understand that I had to go through all this to get here. And that’s exactly what I felt in the studio that day.”

Sheila Matthews is a digital producer at Andscape and a proud HBCU graduate. She believes “Return of the Mack” must have won a Grammy, and her Twitter mentions are open to all debate.

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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ICYMI: Tessa Thompson’s Mocha Lip, Danielle Brooks’ Updo and More – Essence

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With just a number of weeks left until the tip of 2024, the celebrities are setting the tone for the brand new 12 months this week. And although mocha mousse is anticipated to be fashionable in 2025, neutral shades in darker tones have gotten more and more popular. Paired with an array of beauty eras – from elegant Twenties updos to 2000s-style round pink, the brand new Hollywood showcases its best 12 months-end beauty moments.

Tessa Thompson and Issa Rae are the newest to debut mocha lips holiday shade near the season, and Coco Jones’ lipstick was cranberry red. Doechii’s perforated suggestions and signature face-lift tape made it probably the most avant-garde look of the week, and within the sweetest moment, Chloe and Halle Bailey’s round pink cheeks made pink cheeks a winter styling staple.

From makeup to hairstyles, Sabrina Elba and Alva Claire opted for light, coffee colours, and Jourdan Dunn’s short hairstyle proved relevant at any time of the 12 months. Meanwhile, Lupita N’yongo, Danielle Brooks and Venus Williams’ braided buns showed just how classic this style may be.

In case you missed it, take a take a look at 17 of the very best celebrity beauty moments from the week below.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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