Is It A Matter Of Race? The Rise In The Popularity Of The Mixed Race Female Pop Stars

This decade, the music industry has seen a new trend,  the rise in the popularity of the mixed race female pop stars. Beyonce , Alicia Keys, Leona Lewis, and Rihanna are all mixed race women they have exploded in popularity in pop culture. Of course, Beyonce, Keys, Rihanna, and Lewis all have talent. However, it would be ludicrous to ignore the politics of race, gender, and sexuality, and how this relates to the real picture. The music industry is all about making money, and the key to making money is reaching as many demographic markets as possible.

I am not suggesting that Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Rihanna or Leona Lewis do not deserve  their success, because they obviously worked very hard for their fame. I believe all four of these young women are very talented and definitely are doing well because of their strong work ethic. I am suggesting though that their “Eurocentric appearances”, does have something to do with their popularity. It isn’t just a stroke of luck that there is the trend of the rise in popularity of the mixed race female pop stars.

The mixed race female pop stars are unique, they are “kind of black” yet also “kind of white”, meaning they can appeal to both markets and make the record companies even more money. Why would record companies bother hiring darker skinned black female singers when it is considered tougher to market these women to mainstream audiences?

The mixed race women also of course have  the background stories around the “struggle” of being mixed race . You will read the recycled stories about how the light skinned women got it tough because they are so “pale”. It is the typical “tragic mulatto woman” story that Halle Berry has explotied for decades to boost her career. Yes, according to the music industry, “only” light skinned mixed race women struggled in this world.

The media constantly recycle these stories about the dilemmas the mixed race girls went through in their lives. It’s all gimmicks and marketing tricks. The record labels will do anything to sell records.

In the 1980s and 1990s darker skinned black women such as Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, and Mary J Blige were able to appeal beyond the R&B market due to talent,determination, and hard work ethic. Of course Houston, Jackson, and Blige are very attractive women but their success was largely due to their talent.

Clive Davis marketed Whitney Houston as an adult contemporary singer not as an R&B singer although Houston does appeal to black audiences as well. Janet Jackson is considered more of a pop artist then as an R&B singer. In the last four years Janet Jackson’s sound has changed to a more urban sound. Mary J Blige is an example of a black woman that overcame the odds of a tough life and become a legend. Blige is called the “Queen of Hip Hop Soul” and she has crossed over due to her talent.

It is obvious this decade music executives don’t seem to be that willing to spend the  money to market and develop  dark skinned black female artists.

The only   darker skinned young black women that have achieved success in North America this decade are Fantasia  and Jennifer Hudson.  However, Jennifer and Fantasia got popular due to the  television show American Idol. Where would Jennifer and Fantasia be if American Idol did not exist? It is obvious Jennifer and Fantasia have a lot of talent but they are also “darker skinned” black women they are not mixed race.

American Idol allowed unknown talents such as Fantasia and Jennifer to have a “chance” when they probably wouldn’t of broken through in the   racist music industry. Fantasia won the third season of American Idol her debut album sold 2 million copies, she was the lead in the Broadway play “The Color Purple”.

Jennifer Hudson did not win American Idol, but she won the war. Hudson’s rise in popularity is truly a stunning example of determination and hard work. Hudson beat over 780 other young women for the role of Effie White in Dreamgirls. Hudson just wanted the job she did not expect to become an acclaimed actress. Hudson was able to to win the Oscar for best supporting actress for Dreamgirls and overshadow Beyonce.

Remember Dreamgirls was supposed to the movie that made Beyonce a Hollywood movie star but she got overshadowed by Jennifer Hudson.Hudson also appeared in the successful film “Sex & The City The Movie” and “The Secret Life of Bees”. Hudson debut album has reached gold status. Would Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia make it if it wasn’t for American Idol though? Would a record company really give Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia a chance? I doubt it.

In the music industry it isn’t just about talent promotion is required, a  gimmick such as a background story is crucial to an artist’s success.

Some people will argue that Beyonce isn’t “mixed race” but Beyonce isn’t just black either. Beyonce’s mother is “creole” and her father is an African American. Beyonce looks like her mother, if Beyonce looked like her father, I doubt she would be so popular. Beyonce also has the classic Eurocentic features the light skin, the thin nose, she also wears platinum blonde weaves to have a more European appearance.

Some people will say that Beyonce has a “right” to wear blonde weaves and of course she does it is her choice. My argument is Beyonce’s “blonde weave” is an example of whiteness it is a way to appeal to both black and white markets. It is not a stroke of luck that Beyonce wears a wig to appear more European.

Leona Lewis is being marketed as the new “Mariah Carey” not just due to her talent but also due to her apperance. Lewis is mixed race she has white and black heritage. Just like Mariah, Leona Lewis also has a great voice and she is very attractive. Rihanna is mixed as well her father is biracial. Rihanna also has extremely light skin, the thin nose,  and she can appeal to the white teen market.  Rihanna’s third album “Good Girl Gone Bad” has sold over 6 million copies worldwide she now has reached the adult market as well.

Will darker skinned black women be able to “make it” in the music industry? Or will the trend continue of the  mixed race women dominating the pop charts?