Rachel Brown | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Genres | Pop, Soul |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
Years active | 2012–present |
Website | www |
Rachel Brown is an American musician, singer and songwriter best known for her song "Bumblebee". [1]
Rachel Brown was born and raised in New York City. She is the daughter of Ethiopian born mother Amsale Aberra [2] who was an famous American fashion designer and executive Neil Brown, a New Jersey native with Bermudian and South Carolinian roots. [3] After graduating from Hunter College High School in New York, Brown purchased a guitar and taught herself to play and write songs. [4]
Brown attended Harvard College, developing her passion for music in her spare time, graduated cum laude , and was selected as one of Harvard's “15 Most Interesting Seniors” by The Harvard Crimson . [5]
In 2009 while visiting family in Bermuda, Brown found herself at an open mic night called Chewstick. That night lead to her return to Bermuda later that year to perform at their annual musical Beachfest, which in turn led to her performing later that summer at the Bermuda National Stadium opening for Robin Thicke and Mary J. Blige and at the Bermuda Music Festival opening for John Legend and Quincy Jones. [6] In 2010, Brown was the recipient of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Foundation Robert Allen Award selected by ASCAP membership staff. [7] The following year Brown was a recipient of the Songwriter's Hall of Fame Abe Olman Award for Excellence in Songwriting. [8]
Later in 2011, Perez Hilton selected Brown's cover of David Guetta’s “Without You” as the winner of his “Can You Sing?” competition. [9]
In 2012 Rachel Brown released her debut EP Building Castles. Glamour.com wrote, “Her sensually soulful vocals carry the EP's captivating mélange of sounds – from Caribbean to hip-hop and world fusion – with uncanny ease, while conveying joy.” [10] Building Castles includes the single, “Bumblebee,” which was featured in a Robbins Brothers commercial and by Jay Leno in his opening monologue on the Tonight Show. [11]
In 2013 Brown was asked to contribute to Lennon Bermuda, a tribute album, book and concert inspired by John Lennon’s visit to Bermuda. The album includes Brown's cover of “Watching the Wheels” alongside contributions by Yoko Ono and Maxi Priest. [12] Fusing pop, soul, Caribbean, world and hip-hop, Rachel's unique style of music has garnered the attention of stars such as Beyoncé, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jaden Smith, and more. [13]
In 2015, Brown released The Band EP, recorded live at the Bunker Studio in Brooklyn, NY. The Band received praise from Vanity Fair, [14] The New Yorker, [15] InStyle, [16] BlackBook, [17] OkayPlayer, [18] WWD, [19] BBC, [20] and more, and features the single “You Got Me,” which was accompanied by a music video starring Brown and a capuchin monkey, [19] and a stripped-down acoustic guitar rendition of Whitney Houston's “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.” [14]
Brown has opened for several artists, including John Legend, and Quincy Jones. [21] and has often performed live with Wyclef Jean, [22]
Vanity Fair is an American monthly magazine of popular culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast in the United States.
Condé Nast is a global mass media company founded in 1909 by Condé Montrose Nast (1873–1942) and owned by Advance Publications. Its headquarters are located at One World Trade Center in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan.
Bon Appétit is a monthly American food and entertaining magazine, that typically contains recipes, entertaining ideas, restaurant recommendations, and wine reviews. Owned by Condé Nast, it is headquartered at the One World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York, and has been in publication since 1956. Bon Appétit has been recognized for increasing its online presence in recent years through the use of social media, publishing recipes on their website, and maintaining a popular YouTube channel.
"I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" is a song recorded by American singer Whitney Houston for her second studio album, Whitney (1987). It was released as the lead single from the album on April 28, 1987, by Arista Records. It was produced by Narada Michael Walden, and written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, of the band Boy Meets Girl, who had previously collaborated with Houston on "How Will I Know". At the 30th Annual Grammy Awards, "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" won for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, marking Houston's second win in the category.
"Hips Don't Lie" is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, featuring Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean, released by Epic Records in 2006. "Hips Don't Lie" is a reworking of Jean's earlier single "Dance Like This", therefore it features additional composing credits by Omar Alfanno, Duplessis, Luis Días, and LaTavia Parker. The song was released as the first single from the reissue of Shakira's seventh studio album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, and second overall. Shakira and Jean wrote the lyrics and jointly composed the music with additional co-writing by Shakira's percussionist Archie Pena. The song was produced by Shakira and Jean with additional co-production by Jerry Duplessis. The song incorporates samples from "Amores Como el Nuestro" written by Alfanno, and "Carnaval " written by Días.
Self is an American online magazine for women that specializes in health, beauty, and style. Part of Condé Nast, its print edition had a circulation of 1,515,880 and a total audience of 5,282,000 readers, according to its corporate media kit in 2013. Self is based in the Condé Nast U.S. headquarters at 1 World Trade Center in New York, NY. In February 2017 the magazine became an online publication.
Amsale Aberra was an Ethiopian American fashion designer and entrepreneur. Her main field of design was in couture wedding gowns, and her flagship store is located on Madison Avenue in New York City. In addition to her flagship location, Amsale gowns are also sold at couture bridal boutiques such as Saks Fifth Avenue, and Neiman Marcus. She was a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and a Trustee of the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Trace Dempsey Cyrus is an American musician. The son of country music singer Billy Ray Cyrus and brother of recording artists Miley Cyrus and Noah Cyrus, he was the backing vocalist and guitarist of the band Metro Station. In 2010, he began providing vocals and guitar in the pop rock band Ashland HIGH. He also owned the now defunct clothing company From Backseats to Bedrooms.
The Futuristics are a Grammy nominated American songwriting and music production duo consisting of Alex Schwartz and Joe Khajadourian. The duo formed after they met interning at Atlantic Records during the summer of 2005 and are based out of Los Angeles. The Futuristics launched Treehouse Records as a way to continue growing and expanding their business and passion for music.
Edgar Fitzgerald Gordon, born in Trinidad and Tobago, was a physician, parliamentarian, civil-rights activist and labour leader in Bermuda, and is regarded as the "father of trade unionism" there: "he championed the cause of Bermudian workers and fought for equal rights for black Bermudians, thereby laying the groundwork for much of the political and social change that came about after his death". He was president of the Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) 1945–55. Gordon has been described as "perhaps the only black charismatic leader to have emerged in the island's modern political history", and as "Bermuda's most dedicated Pan-Africanist".
Arantxa King is a Bermudian athlete competing in the long jump.
Dame Flora Jane Duffy is a Bermudian professional triathlete. She won a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Bermuda's first gold medal. She also competed in the Beijing, London, and Rio de Janeiro Olympics. In 2018, she won gold in the women's triathlon at the XXI Commonwealth Games in Australia. She also won gold in the same event at the XXII Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022.
Lennon Bermuda is a tribute album and book inspired by John Lennon’s visit to Bermuda in 1980, where he wrote a portion of his Double Fantasy album. The Lennon Bermuda boxed set comprises two discs by various artists with a connection to Bermuda, including Yoko Ono, covering Lennon songs. There is also a book by author Scott Neil, illustrated by artist Graham Foster, describing Lennon’s stay on the island.
Cristian Cabrerizo, better known by his stage name Cris Cab is an American singer-songwriter. Cab has released a number of EPs, and has become well known with his 2013 international hit "Liar Liar", produced and written by Pharrell Williams. He was signed to Island Def Jam Records and Island Records. His songs are a fusion of pop, reggae, and soul.
Meghan Elizabeth Trainor is an American singer-songwriter and television personality. She rose to prominence after signing with Epic Records in 2014 and releasing her debut single "All About That Bass", which reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold 11 million copies worldwide. Trainor has released six studio albums with the label and has received various accolades, including a Grammy Award, four ASCAP Pop Music Awards, and two Billboard Music Awards.
All Your Fault: Pt. 2 is the third EP by American singer Bebe Rexha. It was released on August 11, 2017, as the follow-up to her second EP released in February of the same year, All Your Fault: Pt. 1. It features guest appearances from Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz, Lil Wayne, Kranium and Florida Georgia Line. The EP's lead single, "The Way I Are ", was released earlier on May 19, 2017. The second single, "Meant to Be" released on October 24, peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, and at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Same-sex marriage is currently not recognised nor performed in Bermuda, a British Overseas Territory, but it was legal between 2017 and 2022. However, marriages performed during that period remain valid.
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody is a 2022 American biographical musical drama film directed by Kasi Lemmons, from a screenplay by Anthony McCarten, based on the life and career of American pop icon and actress Whitney Houston. The film stars Naomi Ackie as Houston with Stanley Tucci, Ashton Sanders, Tamara Tunie, Nafessa Williams, and Clarke Peters in supporting roles.
Yolanda Edwards is an American writer, editor, and media executive. She is the former creative director of Conde Nast Traveler magazine, and is the founder and publisher of Yolo Journal. Edwards was also the former executive editor at Martha Stewart Living, Travel and lifestyle editor at Cookie magazine, and a photo editor at W magazine. Since leaving Condé Nast, her byline has also appeared in Domino magazine.
My mother was a strong Amhara woman