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1970s Throwback, Lenora — Helping Fans to ‘Relax’ with her Music

NNPA NEWSWIRE — By every definition, Lenora is a throwback. For “Relax,” she introduces an alter-ego, “Suga’ Love,” an afro-wearing “Foxy Brown” like character whose looks underscore the fad-happy decade of the 1970s. “I’m a ’90s baby, but at heart, I’m like a child of the ’70s. That era of music heavily influences me,” she notes. (Photography, beauty and styling by RIOT MUSE)

Published

4 years ago

November 12, 2019

Oakland Post

For “Relax,” she introduces an alter-ego, “Suga’ Love,” an afro-wearing Foxy Brown-like character whose looks underscore the fad-happy decade of the 1970s.

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Chelsea Lenora White – simply Lenora to her family and fans – is proving herself to be one of the most exciting rising singers in the music industry.

The Houston-based crooner has released, “Relax,” a smooth tune with a languid feel that gives listeners a carefree, letting go, sensual experience.

Unintentionally reminiscent of Diana Ross’ “Love Hangover,” Lenora’s “Relax” counts as a throwback to the 1970s with enough appeal to make lasting impressions throughout the next decade.

“Just relax,” Lenora sings on the track. “You could do it if you put your mind to it.”

When asked about the connection to Ms. Ross, Lenora said she’s a fan, and “Love Hangover” happens to be a song she loves.

“It probably was subconscious for sure,” Lenora says of the similarity the opening of “Relax” has to “Love Hangover.”

“When I work with producers, I always will give them something that I have listened to and something that I like, and ‘Love Hangover’ is a song that I like,” she stated.

The single contains a bass guitar riff that is also a nod to Marvin Gaye’s, 1976 hit, “I Want You.”

By every definition, Lenora is a throwback.

For “Relax,” she introduces an alter-ego, “Suga’ Love,” an afro-wearing Foxy Brown-like character whose looks underscore the fad-happy decade of the 1970s.

“I’m a ’90s baby, but at heart, I’m like a child of the ’70s. That era of music heavily influences me,” she notes.

While the ’70s is known for the lack of boundaries, Lenora understands that modern-day artists are under more of a microscope, mostly because of social media.

“I’m cautious. I love that era of music, but it always has to be fresh and new,” Lenora stated.

“Even with the cover art we use for the single, I thought was tasteful.”

In the cover art, Lenora is in her underwear, but unlike the penchant today to photograph sexy women in thongs and G-strings, she’s decked out in full bottom briefs. She’s also facing away from the camera, so only the back of her bra is revealed.

It’s just another way in which Lenora gets her message across for people to “Relax.”

“I draw a parallel between blue cheese and ranch,” Lenora stated regarding the line she chooses not to cross when displaying such sensuality in her music.

“A lot of people don’t like blue cheese, but I love blue cheese. But ranch is agreeable to everyone. So, with ‘Relax” I was like okay; this record is like my ranch dressing. Everybody can get on board with this.”

Lenora and her team, which includes the influential Houston-based producers, Beanz n Kornbread, and award-winning songwriter Dustin “Dab” Bowie, wrote the hit single in one hour.

Lenora said she just so happened to be in the same studio as Bowie one night, and she eventually played some music for him.

It was a Saturday night in Los Angeles, Lenora explained.

A flight she had scheduled to leave two days later was delayed, so Lenora returned to the studio, and that’s where she and Bowie co-wrote “Relax.”

Already, the song has touched listeners in ways Lenora found surprising.

“I feel like music is therapy, music is escapism. I always hope my music will heal and provide therapy,” Lenora noted. “A girl told me that the song saved her life. She said that in the song, I remind people to breathe. Some people’s lives are so hectic that they want something for themselves to be able to get away even if they can’t afford to get away physically, the music can provide some of that escapism for them.”

Lenora started singing in Kindergarten and has wowed audiences from her church to local venues in Houston and on into college where she’s classically trained, and where her golden voice mastered the Opera.

It might surprise most who have heard her sing that Lenora went through a period of self-doubt and stopped performing.

“I think it was like six years that I didn’t put music out. It was 2017 when I finally started singing again,” Lenora said.

After a self-imposed hiatus, Lenora returned to the spotlight for a special performance in Washington, D.C.

She belted out another Diana Ross tune, “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” during the enshrinement ceremony of her late grandmother and former Houston Forward Times Publisher, Lenora “Doll” Carter.

The ceremony inducted Carter into the Gallery of Distinguished Black Publishers.

“I knew I couldn’t stay away from music,” Lenora stated. “But, I had management and people telling me to do things that I didn’t necessarily agree with. When I did come back out, I did a performance called ‘Motown and More,’ and it’s a huge deal. There are 40,000 people there over the weekend for that show, and I had never done it before 2017. When I did the audition, they were like, “Who are you?” “Where have you been?” And I realized that this style of music is who I am.”

With a hot new single and tens of thousands of followers on social media, Lenora is on the fast track to superstardom.

“That Motown show opened doors for me in terms of people knowing what I do. ‘Relax’ is the biggest so far for me, it’s getting a lot of radio play,” Lenora stated.

“It’s trending in the West Indies and London, and that’s crazy because I’ve never been to any of those places yet. I’m not a brand-new artist, but essentially I am a new artist because I’ve rebranded, I’ve taken a step back.”

“Relax” is available on all streaming platforms.

Download “Relax”: https://song.link/relax

Connect with Lenora:

Facebook: Facebook.com/SincerelyLenora

Instagram: @SincerelyLenora

Twitter: @SincerelyLenora

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.