The Beyonce Effect

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

To say I appreciate great entertainment is an understatement. As a young child into my early 20’s I lived on the stage. The performing arts were always my safe space. Whether I was dancing, singing, or modeling in my childhood living room or performing to sold-out audiences at Constitution Hall, a large music venue in my hometown of D.C., I gave you everything I had. And I loved every minute of it. While at some point I decided to cultivate other talents and pursue different dreams, the love of performing arts never left me.

My girl group Visions circa 1998, around the time Destiny’s Child released their first album.

That’s why from the first time I was introduced to Beyonce as a teenager, a member of a girl group myself, I held a lot of respect for her. Whether or not someone likes her music or her as a person is and always will be subjective. What can not be debated is the fact that she is one of the greatest entertainers of our time. And her most recent Renaissance tour proved that fact.

The final numbers are still coming in from her tour, which just ended last week, but it has already surpassed previous tours in revenue. Ultimately, it is projected to be the highest-selling tour in history…perhaps by anyone. But beyond revenue generated from actual ticket sales and Beyonce branded merchandise, the economic impact of her mere presence in each city she visits is nothing short of phenomenal.

From the moment Mom and I touched down in Houston, Beyonce’s hometown, the Beyonce effect had already taken hold. As the flight attendant welcomed all of us from D.C. to Houston, nearly half the plane erupted in cheers. On our journey to baggage claim, we were met with lifesize cardboard versions of Beyonce. Of course, her fans could not resist snapping photos and videos in front of them. This was only minutes into our trip. I’m certain non-Beyonce fans were already sick of us.

I’m familiar with how entertainment can impact the economic development of a city having served as communications director of the Film Office in D.C. for several years. It was the very point of the agency’s existence – to attract film and TV projects to the nation’s capital in order to bring valued dollars into the city by way of productions spending time there patronizing restaurants, hotels, and basically anywhere you spend money.

Renaissance was on a whole other level. 

Couldn’t resist snapping a photo in front of this cool mural in the Galleria mall.

On our first day in Houston, we ventured out to Houston’s Galleria Mall, which happens to be the largest mall in Texas. On any given weekend the mall is no doubt bustling with shoppers. However, the way the checkout line at Sephora was wrapped around the entire store you would have thought it was Black Friday. In each store we went to, shoppers were either eyeing, trying on, or buying out all the silver items in the store. (If you hadn’t heard, in late August, Queen Bey requested that all her fans wear silver to all her remaining shows in honor of Virgo season.) The restaurants had wait times of at least an hour. 

Speaking of restaurants, be sure to visit Lucille’s while in Houston. The food was delish!

What impressed me most, however, was Houston’s BeyHive homecoming party “HOU Run the World” on Avenida Plaza on Saturday night. Mom and I were thankful we had tickets to Bey’s Sunday night concert so we could attend. Let me tell you, Houston knows how to throw a party for their girl! 

The night included a local DJ, an amazing hour of old-school and new-school tunes from The Drywater Band, and a dope 15-minute fireworks and drone show that featured more than 400 Beyonce-themed drone displays. Even the mayor of Houston Sylvester Turner gave opening remarks. The show, mostly geared towards Beyonce fans who couldn’t attend her concert, brought out thousands who were dressed in their Bey-inspired gear and purchased signature cocktails and other refreshments. Restaurants along the plaza, like Pappadeaux where we dined that evening, extended their hours to accommodate all of the diners who were hungry after the free show. You know what that meant for the city of Houston. Cha-ching!  

The drone show featured everything from the signature silver Renaissance horse to the single ladies’ ring.

I know it goes without saying that the show was amazing in every way. No doubt you’ve seen the millions of videos on social media since the start of her tour confirming as much. For me, what was almost as fascinating as the show itself, was how her fans showed up. The effort and energy that the Bey Hive put into their costumes and making an experience out of attending her concerts was mesmerizing. The people-watching was entertainment in itself. People of all ages, sizes, colors, genders, sexual orientations, and any background you could think of came out to slay.

My mom was ready…isn’t she the cutest?!
Mom and I waiting for the show to start!
I did NOT buy a silver outfit…Beyonce is not the boss of me lol! But I did wear silver earrings in solidarity. 🙂

In the opening line of the trailer for a movie documenting the Renaissance Tour experience Beyonce proclaims in her signature breathy tone, “When I am performing, I am nothing but free. The goal for this tour was to create a space where everyone is free.” As I watched each fan express themselves uniquely and confidently in their Bey-inspired gear throughout the weekend, whether they went to the concert or not, it was clear that Beyonce crushed that goal. 

Throughout history, there have been many artists to sell out stadiums and attract visitors to cities sparking economic development on their tours. But from my vantage point, there is no one who has done that quite like Beyonce.

For more golden life ventures visit www.goldenlifeventures.com.

La Traviata

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

It was only my second time at the opera, and it was even more magical than the first time. La Traviata, an Italian love story. As a hopeful romantic (I rebuke the term hopeless) and a lover of all things Italian, I immediately accepted the invitation from my opera-buff friend for an afternoon at the Kennedy Center. When she shared that it was the opera featured in one of my favorite movies of all time, Pretty Woman, I immediately envisioned myself as Julia Roberts in her striking red gown adorned by six-figure jewels, and got even more excited.

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Even though my friends and I attended the closing matinee show at the Kennedy Center in our hometown of Washington, D.C., we decided to play dress up and pretend like we were at the MET. We stood out like a sore thumb lol, but we got compliments literally all afternoon and we felt like royalty.

As a lover of music and the arts in general, I live for moments like these at the opera. This particular piece, La Traviata, was the full entertainment experience. Everything from the wistful, dramatic and at times spiritual tones of the music, to the captivating staging and scenery, and the superb acting and singing all left me co-signing my audience-mate’s sentiments “Brava!” in my head at the end of every scene, particularly the lead character Violetta’s arias.

In a nutshell, La Traviata tells the story of a young woman, Violetta, who is suffering from a serious illness, yet catches the attention and ultimately heart of a man named Alfredo. After initially rejecting him, Violetta falls deeply in love with him and they get to live happily for a short period of time until outside forces, over which neither have any control, threaten their relationship. Ultimately though, love prevails and they are reunited shortly before her [SPOILER ALERT] untimely death.

Yes, La Traviata means “the fallen woman” and she does die at the end. However, the entirety of the production leaves you feeling more joyful and peaceful than the title, or even synopsis suggests. Violetta’s arias alone left me absolutely mesmerized. And I don’t know if it was the fact that my friends and I attended the closing show at the Kennedy Center or if I was just caught up in my Julia Roberts moment, but I found myself with the rest of the audience jumping to my feet for a standing ovation, wildly applauding the cast with tears in my eyes at conclusion of the performance.

Opera may not be your thing, but if you ever decide to step outside your comfort zone and give it a try, I recommend La Traviata. There is a reason it is the most frequently performed opera of all time. Even if you aren’t a hopeful romantic like I am, I believe this love will win you over.

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Review: Brass-A-Holics

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They had me at World-Famous Go-Go Brass Funk band. Being a D.C. native, I feel a sense of pride when musicians respect and appreciate the DC-bred music art form enough to adopt it into their sound. But, I assure you the New Orleans-based Brass-A-Holics has a sound all their own that transcends any type of categorization or boundary you try to place on them. That’s why after hearing them for the first time a few nights ago, it was no question what I was going to write about next. If you are a lover of live music like myself, or just music period, trust me you will want to have the Brassaholics experience.

And it was just that…an experience. Aside from the 15- or 20-minute intermission, from 8 pm to 10:30 pm, it was nothing but a straight party. Playing every genre of music imaginable from funk and R&B to a little bit of jazz, hip-hop and pop, the Brass-A-Holics had the dance floor completely packed and everyone in the room young & old and every ethnicity imaginable in a groove. There was no one excluded from getting caught up in the experience.

Their versatility, I think, is a huge part of what makes them so dynamic and special. We found the band in any given moment flow from Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together to Lil Duval’s Smile (Living my Best Life) to Katy Perry’s Dark Horse to Chuck Brown’s Bustin’ Loose and of course the traditional New Orleans-style brass band music, keeping us on our toes wondering what would come next. Not only that, the band’s three horn players doubled as vocalists and rappers, effortlessly switching back and forth between talents even mid-song throughout the night. We might have even seen some choreographed dance moves here and there as well.

The other thing that makes them so special, is simply their energy. With each song they played you could feel them give a piece of themselves to the audience. It is evident that these talented musicians genuinely love what they do and that is delivered through their unique sound and energy. Hence, by the end of the evening you had even the most chill and laid back of audience members playing along shouting back to the band their iconic chant, “Feeling that band, what they call it? Word on the street, it’s the… Brass-A-Holics!”

Needless to say, the Brass-A-Holics have made an official fan out of me. I would even go so far as to say this was certainly in my top 10 of live band experiences, which is saying a lot coming from a fellow artist and live music aficianado. If you are planning to head down to New Orleans or if they are heading to a city near you, I recommend making it a priority to have the Brass-A-Holics experience. You’ll be glad you did! You’re welcome.

Brass-A-Holics collage

I’ve Been Gone For Too Long…

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As I contemplated what to write after more than three weeks of being absent from Golden Life Musings, my brain cells took on a life of their own as they pumped the hook to Ciara’s “Gimme Dat” soundtrack in my head, and there has been no releasing it ever since. Have you ever gotten that one song in your head and no matter what you do, including playing other music, you cannot let it go? Yep, that’s me right now. But for me, as catchy as the song lyrics and beat are, it’s the feeling of what those song lyrics mean for me that’s taken a hold of me.

I grew up on stage and around music. From the time I was four, twirling around in my first tutu (See Beyond the Barre), into my late teens singing in a local girl group, I lived on the stage and I loved it. I also loved to write songs, some of which actually earned me some recognition in a couple of songwriting contests. And then life happened. We can also call it the realities of adulthood setting in. Sure, there are plenty of people who have pursued professional music careers into their adulthood; in fact, my two friends are some of them. However, the sad reality is many of us have done a dangerous thing with passions like this. We’ve set them off to the side and filed it away in the “someday I’ll get back to it” category and unfortunately, many never do. I’m a culprit of this and I did it with my music, a self-professed passion.

A little over a week ago, I appeared on stage again in a reunion tribute concert with that girl group I mentioned above, Visions, which was comprised of me and two of my childhood friends who performed together professionally in the D.C. area in the mid to late 90’s. Until that night, the three of us had not performed on stage together in 18 years. I can’t even believe I just wrote that. Now I’ve sung since then, even on stage, backing up both of those friends at various shows over the years, but not in a featured role. Admittedly, I had been hiding behind my some day until I finally became intentional about my someday becoming right now. All it took was a decision. I said to my girls, let’s do this…and we did.

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It felt good up there. As I was singing I started to wonder, why has it really been that long since I last performed? I offered up a bunch of excuses in my head, but after contemplating more on that after the performance, the only thing that made any sense for me was fear. Have you ever noticed, in general the older we get, the more fear we have? The fear of being judged, rejected and perhaps most of all, failing is so powerful. I wonder how many unrealized dreams, including my own, have been stopped by that one powerful emotion (See Why Won’t We Be Great).

The reality is as much as I love to sing and write music, I’ve done very little of that as an adult…until now, that is. In the words of Ciara, I think it’s time to bring it back…

See a link HERE of the Visions Reunion on May 19.

Visions

She Slays

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

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To slay (verb): killed it, succeeded in something amazing. I can always count on the Urban Dictionary to come through in a pinch. Well, Beyoncé has indeed slayed again with her new album Lemonade and Formation Tour and she is showing no signs of stopping here. She is unapologetically killing the game and continues to slay nearly two decades into her career.

Last week I attended the opening show of Formation in Miami and it was for lack of a better word, magical. I’ve been to more Beyoncé concerts that I can keep track of, but this one was special. I believe all of her tours had sold out before but this time she sold out stadiums, as opposed to concert halls and arenas. After performing her newest single Formation, for which her tour is named, she expressed a genuine excitement and giddiness about the fact that as a little girl she had dreamed of this day… the day she would perform at a sold out stadium full of fans that had come to see no one but her. I caught the magnitude of that and found myself almost tear up 5 minutes into her show. Now before you judge me, I should clarify that I’m not one of those crazy people who cry or faints at just the sight or sound of their favorite artist. This was an inspiring moment for me. I too have a big dream that others might deem impossible and I long for that feeling of having big dreams realized.

You may not like some of Beyoncé’s lyrics or how much skin she shows or even perhaps the sound of her voice, but there are a few things you have to respect about her. She is a brilliant business woman with a stellar team behind her and she is one of the hardest working entertainers out there period. Her work ethic and drive towards her purpose are undeniable. Even after by all traditional standards most people would say she’s “made it,” she continues to push envelopes and break barriers in the entertainment industry and beyond.

I don’t want to ruin it for those who may be attending her show, and have paid big bucks I might add, but I do want to point out some critical things that stuck out for me. One, just as any Beyoncé experience, and that is just what it is… an experience, you will get nearly two hours of nonstop entertainment. As an entertainer, I study and appreciate other entertainers. I don’t believe I’ve seen anyone perform like she does for nearly two hours – dancing (full-out), singing (and not that lip synching many entertainers resort to because, granted it’s hard to both sing and dance full-out, sorry J-Lo and Janet), and enduring six costume changes and making it look easy. I know for a fact, it isn’t.

Two, there are no other brands advertised but hers (or her hubby’s), and there are many. If I could earn a dollar for every time I saw the branding for her new Ivy Park fashion line, I would be rich. Hey, I can’t knock the hustle. As my mom and I were heading to our seats, we noticed they were selling t-shirts that said “Boycott Beyoncé”. We both looked at each other with these puzzled looks on our faces like who would ever sell a t-shirt with such a negative message against their brand? Later we heard on a radio station that when police officers were threatening to boycott Beyoncé because of perceived negative messages against the police in her Formation video, her brand team said if this is going to be a thing, let’s profit from it. That’s gangsta! Lol again, you’ve got to respect the hustle.

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Last but certainly not least, I was mesmerized by the fact that she could drop an album on Saturday and by Wednesday, her fans knew literally all the lyrics to the songs that hadn’t even been released on the radio yet. Beyoncé herself was even taken aback by how loyal her fans are, which by the way spanned across multiple ethnicities, ages and sexual orientations. The look of amazement and gratitude on her face when she pointed her golden mic towards the audience and heard them singing her words back to her was priceless.

If you’re one of the tens of thousands of people who have invested in seeing her Formation experience, you will not be disappointed. I assure you Beyonce makes good on her promise to always slay.

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Check out Beyonce’s cool Purple-themed tribute to Prince HERE

 

Winning in DC

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

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On Sunday I had an opportunity to attend the very first DC Music Summit, hosted by Accelerate with Google. Thanks to fellow Washingtonian and artist/entertainer Ashley Brown, who founded the summit, aspiring and current artists got to come together, network and learn more about the music business. I can’t tell you how beneficial this was for my hometown of Washington, D.C., which is sprawling with talent, but for some reason has never quite been able to establish itself as a destination for thriving musicians and entertainers. A lot of talent is born here, but it’s not too long before our fellow homegrown artists are forced to pack themselves up and ship off to lands of greater opportunity – aka New York and LA and now to a certain extent, Atlanta – to find success.

As I listened to the phenomenal panel on the “Music Industry A to Z” that featured a range of industry experts as diverse as the District’s music scene, I found myself both encouraged and mystified at the same time. There was a lot of great information shared by the panel, which was comprised of The Washington Post‘s pop music critic Chris Richards, Future of Music Coalition CEO Casey Rae, Grammy-nominated producer Rich Shelton, The Growth Group’s Alexis Kimbrough and Listen Local First co-founder Chris Naoum. Even audience members, which represented such local organizations as the DC Chapter of the Grammy’s and the District Government’s Entertainment Office shared valuable information on how to “make it” here in DC. Which begged the question, if we have so much talent and we have all these resources and tools to support success at our fingertips, combined with the changing music industry in our favor, why aren’t we as our generation now calls it, WINNING in DC? [Side Note: There is a subset of artists that have been able to make a good living out of their craft in DC and I applaud them, but I’m talking about winning in the music industry on a grander scale as a culture.]

When I say the changing music industry is in our favor, I mean we are moving more and more every day to a completely digital society driven by independent and label-owned artists alike, which should mean location matters less. As long as you can get your music to the Internet, you are good right? Well, not so much if you don’t know how to market your music online and monetize the growing online sources of music like Pandora, Spotify and Youtube. That’s the area in which I believe many local artists are suffering and where the Summit hit the mark – offering information on how local artists can maximize those online marketing and exposure opportunities.

As an artist myself and part owner of a family-owned local music production company and DC native, I have a vested interest in seeing the local music scene flourish. I applaud Accelerate with Google and Ms. Ashley Brown on bringing this important and necessary platform to the District. I hope to see other projects like this follow suit. In the meantime, whether you are an artist yourself or you just appreciate good music, be sure to support the talented group of musicians, singers, rappers, songwriters, producers etc. that live and work in our great nation’s capital. Little by little you can help DC become not just a breeding ground for homegrown talent, but a place where they can live and WIN.

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The Summit was held at Mousai: Young Artist Coalition

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Local Group Prinze George performs at DC Music Summit

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Me with Angela of the DC Entertainment Office

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Music Industry A to Z Panel

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Audience Members at Music Industry A to Z Panel

Beyond the Barre

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

Once upon a time there was a little girl who had a dream of becoming a ballerina. She put on living room performances for her family in between rehearsing and performing three to four times per week and nothing pleased her more than to express herself through dance. Then that little girl grew up. In addition to realizing her flat feet and crooked back did not make her an ideal candidate for a professional ballerina, she noticed the ballerinas who had “made it” didn’t really look like her. And like most little girls who dream of becoming a ballerina, she eventually went on to find another dream to pursue.

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Circa 1986, Laverne Reed Dance School

My story is not much different from many little girls whose dance careers start at three or four when their parents enroll them in dance school to teach them how to be graceful or get them to socialize and be outgoing or perhaps get them out of their parents’ hair for a few hours a week. The reality is the dance world is tough and most who pursue the art form as a career don’t succeed, and for those who do, there’s often times a short shelf life. One thing that struck me as I attended my alma mater Jones-Haywood Dance School’s 75th anniversary last night was that no matter whether those little ballerinas defy the odds and grow up to become professional ballerinas or they go on to pursue another dream, there are lifelong lessons that stick with them and help them to excel in life well beyond the barre.

As I looked around the dance studio that seemed so much smaller now as an adult, all the memories that have shaped me into the woman I am today suddenly came rushing back to me. I focused in on my spot at the barre where I remember Ms. Jones tapping her cane at me telling me to “pointe those toes and stand up straight”! I remembered the place where I fell to the ground, breaking my wrist after slipping on those glistening hardwood floors while trying to master a tap routine. I can still hear Ms. Jones say “get up, you’re ok”! My most vivid memory took me to Ms. Fortune-Green studying my back and telling me I should go see a doctor because she believed I had scoliosis. [Side note: Though I was prescribed to wear a back brace for four years, which I absolutely hated, that early discovery allowed me to escape back surgery.] It was in those moments I learned about and developed grace, endurance, poise, self-confidence, persistence, discipline, tenacity, an overcoming spirit, and most of all, the ability to smile through pain.

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Gettin’ down in Laverne Reed’s Beary Merry Christmas lol

I applaud and honor the women I “grew up with” in the dance world like Brandye Lee, Karen Niceley, Dionne Figgins and the late Tiffany Glenn who were all able to make a living out of their passion of dance. And I would be remiss if I did not offer a special word of praise to Misty Copeland who kindly accepted the invitation to be a special guest last night. She offered humble words of gratitude for being honored by Jones-Haywood for her outstanding achievement of becoming the first African-American woman to be promoted to principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, one of the three leading classical ballet companies in the United States. That is huge! Ever since reading her book Life in Motion, I’ve been mesmerized by her and her story and it was an honor to be in her presence.

I also want to applaud the countless other women you may never hear of who’ve gone on to pursue other dreams but have utilized the skills, disciplines and lessons learned in dance schools all around the world to propel them forward in their respective professions. I’m grateful to be one of them.

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