Estelle attacks 'blindness to black talent'

Esther Addley and Alex Macpherson
Friday March 28, 2008
The Guardian

She is at number one in the singles charts and will shortly release what has been described as a must-have album, but the singer Estelle has hit out what she sees as blindness in the British media and music industry to black talent. In today's Film and Music, the 28-year-old, originally from west London, questions the promotion of an overwhelmingly white generation of young British singers, even those performing "black" soul music.

Singling out Adele and Duffy, who she knocked off the number one spot at the weekend, she says: "I'm not mad at them, but I'm wondering - how the hell is there not a single black person in the press singing soul? Adele ain't soul. She sounds like she heard some Aretha records once, and she's got a deeper voice - that don't mean she's soul. That don't mean nothing to me in the grand scheme of my life as a black person. As a songwriter, I get what they do. As a black person, I'm like: you're telling me this is my music? #$% that!"

Estelle had a breakthrough hit in 2004 with 1980, a gritty, inventive and acclaimed account of her upbringing. "There is a fashion for YWFs - young white females," said Paul McKenzie, editor of the urban music magazine ("Urban" - aint that in ironic.....and telling) Touch. "They are the ones who are given the money and the time, and most importantly, people are patient with them. Duffy, if she hadn't had this hit, would have been given a second chance, and a third. Estelle wasn't. The people who hold the purse strings are looking at trends rather than talent. If you're not a young white female - in other words if you're black - I can imagine that is incredibly depressing.

BlaqueKnight said:

I totally agree. Her style caters to the "black hipster" set.

You know those who try to hard to be different, like those dudes that rock those scarves that are in now, and those chicks that are fake models. Talking about they "listen to that underground shit". But it really be that pretentious shit.

But she does makes some valid points.
[Edited 3/30/08 22:31pm]

lyecry said:

Those are what we call "Hypebeast" They're the fake version of hipsters

bboy87 said:

I didn't know that they had a term for them. I will be using it for now on.
Thank You

Just a quick question.... what percentage of the British population is "black"? And is that number in line with the number of black artists on the charts and on TV there? I'm really curious. I have no idea.

Raze said:

According to wikipedia, blacks make up 2% of the population. I'm not sure if that's reflected in the charts or not.

What a stupid cow she is. She can rightly have a go at industry execs about this but why have a go at white singers? It would help if she could sing - and she can't. She's far from soulful and is bloody lucky that she got another deal. Roberta Flack she ain't. At least Adele can sing. Duffy is shit, though.

BlaqueKnight said:

AGREED! The truth hurts..but her material lets her down sorry Estelle..she far from the best UK soul/RnB acts out their ..in fact she really lucky to be signed to John Legends label cuz.. their are UK "black" singers out their that could have her for lunch... let alone "white" singers like Amy..

Yes, tell it like it is, Estelle!

Personally, all the Soul singers in my collection are Black. Simply because I think they sound better and their delivery feels real to me.

I don't find any soulfulness in Amy Winehouse's Rehab song. What's deep or soulful about feeling proud of being a drug user?