Da’Shan Smith

Features2 months ago

‘Music Of The Sun’: How Rihanna Basked In Her Influences To Find Her Voice

‘Pon De Replay’ revealed Rihanna’s prowess as a hitmaker, but her debut album, ‘Music Of The Sun’, album proved she was a Caribbean queen in the making.

Features2 months ago

‘My Everything’: How Ariana Grande Proved She Was Ready To Take It All

On the genre-merging ‘My Everything’ album, Ariana Grande moved away from the fizzy pop of her debut and started coming into her own.

Features2 months ago

‘Mary’: Mary J. Blige’s Soulful Return To Her R&B Roots

No longer masking her ornate bravado with hip-hop samples, ‘Mary’ saw Mary J Blige follow her 70s muse and take a plunge into neo-soul.

Features2 months ago

How Ariana Grande Redefined Pop Music With ‘Sweetener’ And ‘thank u, next’

From a string of surprise releases to her openly revealing public persona, Ariana Grande has redefined what it means to be a pop star today.

Features3 months ago

‘Queen’: How Nicki Minaj Reasserted Her Status As Hip-Hop Royalty

On ‘Queen’, crossover artist Nicki Minaj reclaimed the hip-hop crown with her most rap-oriented album yet, and demanded fealty from the newcomers.

Jessie-J--Ariana-Grande-And-Nicki-Minaj----Bang-Bang---GettyImages-459489604

Features3 months ago

‘Bang Bang’: Jessie J, Ariana Grande And Nicki Minaj’s Powerhouse Anthem

When Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj joined forces on the powerhouse anthem “Bang Bang,” they proved three divas are better than one.

Features4 months ago

Best Ariana Grande Songs: 20 Essential Tracks

Armed with one of the most powerful voices in pop, Ariana Grande went from child star to cultural icon in no time. The best Ariana Grande songs reveal why.

Features5 months ago

‘Good Girl Gone Bad’: Charting Rihanna’s Daring Transformation

With ‘Good Girl Gone Bad,’ Rihanna liberated herself from a predictable pop career and transformed into the fierce icon we know today.

Features5 months ago

How Ariana Grande Shed Her Pop Persona To Become A ‘Dangerous Woman’

‘Dangerous Woman’ found Ariana Grande moving into edgier territory and forging a new musical identity though genre exploration.

Features5 months ago

Best Nicki Minaj Songs: 20 Essential Tracks From The Queen Of Hip-Hop

From her show-stealing verses to her genre-shifting albums, the self-proclaimed “Queen Of Rap” has earned her title. The best Nicki Minaj songs reveal how.