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V-Day’s new audio performance, “Voices,” spotlights the stories of Black women

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Shannon Finney/Getty Images on V-DAY

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It’s unlucky that violence against black women has long been an issue, which is what makes movements like #SayHerName so necessary. This reality inspired the audio game, and Day V creator, V, formerly Eve Ensler, collaborated with Aja Monet, the director and composer of the show Leahann “LaFemmebear” Mitchell and producer Hollis Heath to take listeners on a sonic journey through the stories of Black women that can heal your soul.

Audio playback, which lasts roughly one hour, could be found on all pages streaming platforms, allowing you to access it from home, while traveling or wherever is most convenient for you. I used to be fortunate to listen to this moving work for the first time amongst a supportive community at the Apollo Theater as a non-public debut. Upon entering this space, I immediately felt validated by seeing other black and brown people appreciating the soulful melodies and calming aromas.

Once we were seated, we got headphones and eye masks (which I like to recommend using while listening as well) so everyone might be deeply immersed in the sensory experience and really consider the voices and stories, without distractions. These black women (mentioned in the graphic below) shared so beautifully and vulnerably their experiences with pleasure (or lack thereof), molestation and more, to perfectly chosen tunes.

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V-Day's new audio performance,

When you press play, do not be surprised for those who start laughing, crying, or each – sometimes at the same time. Definitely expect to reflect on your personal experiences. Personally, I used to be hooked from the very starting. However, halfway through the fifth track “Untitled”, written by Dalychia Saah and performed by Zonya Love Johnson, during which she felt for the first time that she was experiencing true pleasure, which she poetically in comparison with “flying a plane”, I discovered myself reduced to tears.

Why? While it wasn’t necessarily the most categorically “sad” piece in the play, Johnson’s joy during the performance moved me deeply, but additionally left me with many questions. Did I cry because I rarely hear us black women speak about pleasure in such a positive way? Was it because I, too, had some experiences where I felt like I needed to “fake it”? Have I not given myself permission to deal with my intimate experiences? The list kept growing in my head.

As the show progressed, I wavered between sadness and joy. But I didn’t leave feeling heavy and discouraged. Anyway, when the audio ended, I felt lighter, hopeful, and empowered to make use of my very own. I used to be reminded that when one of us (or on this case, many of us) speak up for ourselves and our rights, we speak up for all of us. Not only because we share similar experiences most of the time, but additionally because in doing so we give one another permission and support to inform our stories in our own way.

V-Day's new audio performance,

Monet – nominated for a Grammy for her poetry album – put it so eloquently once we spoke on the phone. “It’s an invitation to listen and learn about our stories,” she told me. “There is so much more to witness. There is much more to tell. I hope this project will create new opportunities to create more works of art like this.”

And as for the process of creating this revolutionary listening experience, which began to blossom in 2020 after the horrific murder of George Floyd, Monet said the team reached out to Black women of their communities through social media and listening tours. “We asked ourselves, ‘What communities, countries, neighborhoods, etc. are not being listened to?’” The goal was to “listen and uplift,” she said. After all, art has long been a real balm for black women. As Monet put it, “I think it is incredibly healing to live with the sensitivity and expression of another person.”

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V-Day's new audio performance,
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 31: (L-R) Hollis Heath, Anna Deavere Smith, Lafemmebear, V (formerly Eve Ensler) and Aja Monet attend V-Day Presents VOICES, a new audio performance, at The Apollo’s Stages at The Apollo’s Stages Victoria Theater at The Apollo Theater on May 31, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Shannon Finney/Getty Images for V-DAY)


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Celebrity Coverage

Latocha Scott sings through pain – essence

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(Photo Umbrella Griffin/Getty Images)

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Latocha Scott allows music to talk for her. The singer Xscape has just dropped the emotional form of Freestyle to Chris Brown, turning the viral #residualschallenge into confession. In an Instagram clip, all that is established-her 30-12 months-old marriage with Rocky Bivens has passed, rumors about his infidelity are associated and the pain cuts deeply.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o9nrz5DMVC

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“I read comments, I say he has a child on the way,” he sings. Fans quickly approached the severity, implied betrayal, regret loss of affection that was once unwavering.

But it isn’t nearly Rocky. Scott also extends his hand – in public – to repair the fences along with his sister and member of XScape, Tamika Scott. They have each been alienated for years, and their once current bond crashed after Tamika accused Latocha and Rocky of theft $ 30,000 in tantments from her.

Fallout played in real time, the Reality Bravo 2023 series, which after two legendary R&B groups tried to mix again on a joint concert tour. In one of the explosive moments of the Tamika series with tears, she confronted with Latocha, claiming that she had receipts proveing ​​that the missing license checks were deposited on Rocky’s account. Latocha, surprised, denied the allegations, but her refusal to directly take care of claims meant that fans questioned the reality.

The situation increased from family dispute to full madness, and the Tamika doubled interviews and posts in social media, claiming that she was forced to silence to guard the group’s image. Meanwhile, Latocha maintained her innocence, but gave up farther from Xscape, transferring her concentration to a solo profession.

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Latocha Scott sings through pain
Charlotte, North Carolina-17 July: (LR) Singers Tamieka “Tiny” Cottle-Harris, Kandi Burruss and Tamika Scott from XScape perform at a concert during Queens of R&B: XScape & SWV Tour at PNC Music Pavilion on July 17, 2024 in Charlotte, Karolina Northern. (Photo Jeff Hahne/Getty Images)

After her freestyle, Latocha also claimed that she was thrown out of Xscape – the statement that it was Kandi Burruses, a member of the group, closed quickly. While the group continues to be going forward as a trio, although at first it’s 4, Burruss explained that Latocha was never faraway from the group, but reasonably decided to go away due to continuous tensions.

Tamika Scott also weighed, calling for sharing their thoughts concerning the song. Although she admitted that Freestyle Latocha’s style was well made, she questioned her honesty, suggesting that it was a “brilliant marketing strategy for her new music,” said Tamika, leaving a spot to debate about whether the general public request was really honest or simply for attention. Nevertheless, Tamika told her sister to “drive up, let’s talk.”

Still, the web is buzzing. Some fans praise Latoch’s susceptibility, calling freestyle a master class in transforming pain into art. Others ask if public display of regret can fix the years of harm.

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Ici: Keke Palmer’s Beauty appearance and more – Essence

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Ici: Keke Palmer and Sheryl Lee Ralph's Naacp Beauty look and more

ASKRS> Keke Palmer

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Time is now for essentially the most fashionable moments in celebrity between Fashion Week, a season of prizes and magazine covers. Meanwhile, some glances required a full GLAM team once we finished a month and Valentine’s Day, sleeping hair and romantic manicures are still strong.

For example Black flexible headband. With an analogous volume Honey Afro Janet Jackson was entwined with a red gel manicure to enhance the golden accents. Then the model Alva Claire attended Baft in a fragile UPDO, which combined her curved, thin eyebrows and a blue-winged insert.

Makeup Artist Dee Carrion was chargeable for the golden lips and teeth in the quilt. Then Coco Jones’s hair was soaked in water – glass lids and lips added to the appearance. As for TEMS? The shiny French manicure was cherry on its siren and hot chocolate gloss.

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And those that participated within the NAACP rewards didn’t come either. Keke Palmer has turn into viral not only due to touching speech of “Artist of the Year”, but additionally due to her to knock out beauty: elegant red hair and gothic makeup makeup.

Sheryl Lee Ralph was on her “suit and draw” that night. Saisha Beecham Saisha Beecham worked on shiny magic, as she put it, “Sixty Fine” within the years. Finally, the hair artist Larry Sims gave the Gabrielle Union museum by some means Bobów. He wrote within the signature “It gives a film star”. And we couldn’t agree more.

If you missed this, take a look at the very best moments of beauty from the week.

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Cosmetic school: Expert for additional long nails – essence

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“At that time we only had acrylic,” Angie Aguirre says Essence, who puts ESPY-Jones in the primary episode. “We didn’t have a number of things we have today.” Starting the series, in honor of the Black History of the month, Aguirre, nail artist Sha’carri Richardson, resembles a black story for extremely long nails-at the identical time spreading techniques from the past.

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From memories of curved acrylics on Flo Jo of the Eighties to the red manicure in Donn Summer, and even the nail of Stiletto from the Nineteen Thirties about Queen Nenzim from the Democratic Republic of Congo, manicure for construction has a wealthy history hidden behind every decorating extension.

Using the attention shadows as a substitute of the airbrush machine (which within the Nineteen Nineties was a big, loud pedal machine), she recreated one of the vital popular styles that has since appeared today as a preferred look.

Often appropriated in popular culture long, loud nails are historically called “ghetto” as an offensive statement after they wear black women. Meanwhile, they are sometimes seen as fashionable after they wear white celebrities.

“We usually set up trends [and] People kick, “says Aguirre within the film while painting about traditional nail art visible within the Nineteen Nineties.” When pop culture gets it, they change what they want to be like that. ” However, “black women wore these nails long before social media.”

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Now that the nail industry is to succeed in USD 36.27 billion until 2032Aguirre explains the influence that black women have on beauty and what the longer term of those historical manicures will seem like. “Nail game has become very innovative,” he says, with latest products reminiscent of Gel-X. “[It’s] It is very different from what was during the day. “

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