dJJ said:

What are you talking about?


She is pretty famous.


She chooses not to be mainstream.

So, she is not mainstream famous.


But in her own league she is well known.

"She chooses not to be mainstream"

Really?

And there are some current female stars who don't appear half naked everywhere

She hasn't got the best tone either.

Azz said:

dJJ said:

What are you talking about?


She is pretty famous.


She chooses not to be mainstream.

So, she is not mainstream famous.


But in her own league she is well known.

"She chooses not to be mainstream"

Really?

And there are some current female stars who don't appear half naked everywhere

Yes, fortunately you´r right.

What is your question?


Janelle her music does not fit in the current mainstream. But she might get picked up. She just released her second album, right? Maybe in a few years she will be mainstream.

And she performs at the major festivals.

So, imo she is famous.


However, the teenagers don't wear glowing wrestbands with her name on it.

If that is a standard for succes in stardom, than, no, she is not.


Is that a bad ting?

Graycap23 said:

Lammastide said:

You're correct. And this speaks to my point. Janelle is very much the explorer on an intellectual/aesthetic front. But her stuff simply hasn't (yet) hit folk in the gut, which is key to broad appeal.

Now, again, whether she'd want such a thing is uncertain. Should be interesting to watch her trajectory.

Her style is NOT 4 mass consumption and there is nothing wrong with that.

Of course there's nothing wrong with it (unless Janelle, herself, thinks so). But that's besides the point of the OP's question.

With respect to Janelle -- and all artists -- it stands to be said that all criticism isn't necessarily disparaging. Sometimes it's simply analytic. It also stands to be said that even when criticism is disparaging, it wouldn't necessarily equal "hating on" an artist. Adults need to get over this all-or-nothing approach to art (and most other things), IMHO.

For the record, I happen to dig Janelle. But I can still name the substantive reasons why the whole world doesn't... at least yet.

[Edited 6/5/13 16:26pm]

Lammastide said:

Graycap23 said:

Her style is NOT 4 mass consumption and there is nothing wrong with that.

Of course there's nothing wrong with it (unless Janelle, herself, thinks so). But that's besides the point of the OP's question.

I dig but it seems like folks think everyone should be number 1 on the charts.

It simply doesn't work that way.

for the ones saying she isn't so great at singing sorry but you couldn't be more wrong imo..a lot of her recorded material doesn't show her true full potential in the singing department.. she is amazing LIVE at least in recent years she is ...also with an entire orchestra recently her voice wasn't overshadowed...

mjscarousal said:

Graycap23 said:

Her style is NOT 4 mass consumption and there is nothing wrong with that.

Ive just come to the conclusion that people are going to like what they like. It doesnt matter how creative or artistic an artist is, It doesnt matter how mediocre an artists music is and so forth and so forth. People will come up with reasons to like or dislike them.

and pJanelle is one of the best LIVE female singers/performers out today people who just want to hate on her... let them. I dont take folks who want to talk about Rihanna, Bieber, Beyonce, Perry all day long but want to trash an artist who strives to be artistic and creative.

you' right

dJJ said:

Azz said:

"She chooses not to be mainstream"

Really?

And there are some current female stars who don't appear half naked everywhere

Yes, fortunately you´r right.

What is your question?


Janelle her music does not fit in the current mainstream. But she might get picked up. She just released her second album, right? Maybe in a few years she will be mainstream.

And she performs at the major festivals.

So, imo she is famous.


However, the teenagers don't wear glowing wrestbands with her name on it.

If that is a standard for succes in stardom, than, no, she is not.


Is that a bad ting?

the electric lady will be realeased in september..it's not out yet...but of course she is famous I think the point of this thread was to find an answer why she isn't famous like adele, beyonce, rihanna...

I have no idea why she isn't so famous.

But I also have no idea why she would be. To my knowledge, I have heard her voice in only one context, the fun. track, and I can't even remember actually noticing it there, even though I really liked the song. I know she's been talked up like crazy here, but I haven't heard her music. I probably should, but I haven't yet.

I'm guessing that the reason she's not famous has been correctly identified, though. Great music can be great music without hooks, but it rarely becomes incredibly popular without them. If she doesn't have hooks, she doesn't have hits, and if you don't have hits, you don't become "so famous" (and to become "Beyonce/Rihanna/Adele" famous those hits have got to be on the pop charts).

I find all the talk about her not sexualizing herself and stuff kind of funny, though. I know her style might be unusual, but it can't honestly be all that off-putting. I never hear her, but I SEE her every single day when I go to my local Wal-Mart, right there next to all the huge pictures of other women whose faces are used to sell make-up (in her case, it's some Cover Girl product). It feels like she's as famous as Beyonce and Pink, whose faces are right there with her. And if Wal-Mart's using her to sell make up in Bentonville, Arkansas, then she's got to at least look pretty mainstream.

I guess with just two albums, I should catch up with the music.

EddieC said:

I have no idea why she isn't so famous.

But I also have no idea why she would be. To my knowledge, I have heard her voice in only one context, the fun. track, and I can't even remember actually noticing it there, even though I really liked the song. I know she's been talked up like crazy here, but I haven't heard her music. I probably should, but I haven't yet.

I'm guessing that the reason she's not famous has been correctly identified, though. Great music can be great music without hooks, but it rarely becomes incredibly popular without them. If she doesn't have hooks, she doesn't have hits, and if you don't have hits, you don't become "so famous" (and to become "Beyonce/Rihanna/Adele" famous those hits have got to be on the pop charts).

I find all the talk about her not sexualizing herself and stuff kind of funny, though. I know her style might be unusual, but it can't honestly be all that off-putting. I never hear her, but I SEE her every single day when I go to my local Wal-Mart, right there next to all the huge pictures of other women whose faces are used to sell make-up (in her case, it's some Cover Girl product). It feels like she's as famous as Beyonce and Pink, whose faces are right there with her. And if Wal-Mart's using her to sell make up in Bentonville, Arkansas, then she's got to at least look pretty mainstream.

I guess with just two albums, I should catch up with the music.

her music is way better than we are young...that featuring was her lowest point in my book..try to listen to her music but let me say she has hooks in her songs but her whole artistic persona is not mainstream like a rihanna, beyonce, pink,adele...from the way she thinks to the way she presents herself

Azz said:

She hasn't got the best tone either.

Yeah, she's pretty enough conventionally to sell makeup for Cover Girl, so her looks are great.

So, what is it?

It's this: http://www.youtube.com/wa...OE#t=0m22s

While I'll agree that she doesn't dance 1/2 naked and that she certainly has a functioning brain, I just don't feel her music. I DO LIKE "Queen" tho! Slammin' track with Ms. Badu!

JM doesn't fit the mold, like Graycap said.

JM doesn't have a certifiable hit song, like Blaque said. (I thought "Locked Inside" could have been a great hit, but that's another story.)

No artist really needs to sell records to be viable OR famous, for that matter. Fame is more "relative" than it's ever been before. Artists who don't sell records get great buzz and endorsement deals.

JM may have a carefully crafted image, but doesn't get to the point where she tries "too hard." To me, artists like india.Arie or Avril Lavigne try too hard to look earnest or edgy.

JM's persona has a bit of self-awareness, knowing that she's thumbing her nose at what "R&B singers" should look like, dress (or not dress) like, and sound like. I don't think she's all that serious with it. She knows she has the type of coalition that the Dirty Mind/Controversy-era Prince did, which can take care of her just fine.

She has enough fans to keep doing her thing, and that's all that she or her listeners can ask for. The other endorsements are just gravy. Being a critical darling is nice work if you can get it.

[Edited 6/6/13 13:27pm]

cindymay said:

EddieC said:

I find all the talk about her not sexualizing herself and stuff kind of funny, though. I know her style might be unusual, but it can't honestly be all that off-putting. I never hear her, but I SEE her every single day when I go to my local Wal-Mart, right there next to all the huge pictures of other women whose faces are used to sell make-up (in her case, it's some Cover Girl product). It feels like she's as famous as Beyonce and Pink, whose faces are right there with her. And if Wal-Mart's using her to sell make up in Bentonville, Arkansas, then she's got to at least look pretty mainstream.

Glad someone else sees what I see.

whitechocolatebrotha said:

While I'll agree that she doesn't dance 1/2 naked

and that she certainly has a functioning brain,

I just don't feel her music.

There's a reason: http://www.youtube.com/wa...OE#t=0m22s

Cinny said:

whitechocolatebrotha said:

While I'll agree that she doesn't dance 1/2 naked

and that she certainly has a functioning brain,

I just don't feel her music.

There's a reason: http://www.youtube.com/wa...OE#t=0m22s

I tried, but I couldn't sit through 10 seconds of that....smh.

shorttrini said:

Cinny said:

There's a reason: http://www.youtube.com/wa...OE#t=0m22s

I tried, but I couldn't sit through 10 seconds of that....smh.

Exactly.

Thread topic answered!

shorttrini said:

Cinny said:

There's a reason: http://www.youtube.com/wa...OE#t=0m22s

I tried, but I couldn't sit through 10 seconds of that....smh.

It certainly is an acquired taste.

She has talent. Talent scares the goblins in century city. Something in da venom.

2freaky4church1 said:

She has talent. Talent scares the goblins in century city. Something in da venom.

But she's also got an image that she subleases to Madison Avenue on the side. And good for her. She may not make money in the wash, but she profits from the rinse.

[Edited 6/7/13 9:54am]

[Edited 6/7/13 9:55am]

[Edited 6/7/13 9:56am]

DereKH

this worths a new whole thread... Check it out.

[Edited 6/7/13 10:16am]

Azz said:

She hasn't got the best tone either.

If that was the case of why ...a huge number of pop stars would be flipping burgers.

Lammastide said:

Graycap23 said:

Her style is NOT 4 mass consumption and there is nothing wrong with that.

Of course there's nothing wrong with it (unless Janelle, herself, thinks so). But that's besides the point of the OP's question.

Every single person I have turned on to her are wondering why they have not heard more. Back in the day you had DJs that helped sort it out. Not anymore.

[Edited 6/7/13 10:24am]

People don't relate to her lyrics about aliens and androids and shit. The only thing she's known for is always wearing black and white. She did that to herself.

MidniteMagnet said:

People don't relate to her lyrics about aliens and androids and shit. The only thing she's known for is always wearing black and white. She did that to herself.

http://www.youtube.com/wa...OE#t=0m22s