A fellow blogger, The Beautiful Struggler, came up with the concept of Happy Black Girl Day.  Essentially, HBGD is where we celebrate ALL black women and try to uplift each other instead of belittle, degrade, and diminish.  So I am taking it upon myself to help the cause of uplifting other black women.  On the 2nd Wednesday of each month, I will have some type of post highlighting and celebrating Happy Black Girl Day.  This month, as it is Black Music Month, I will be highlighting my Top 5 Favorite Black Women Singers. Now, even though you may not agree with me, this is MY list. If you don’t like them, make your own.  And I’m not saying these women are the best singers…I’m just saying they’re MY favorite!

5. Beyonce- When Destiny’s Child first came out, I was a huge fan.  But I was not a Beyonce fan.  The thing that turned it around for me was a few years back when I saw a special on E! about her life.  I realized that she and I had similar childhoods.  And while watching her on tv I saw a very humble, talented, and gracious human being.  From there, I was hooked! I purchased every Beyonce album, I watch her on tv every chance I get, and I jokingly tell my friends that I aspire to be her (via my summer body).  No matter her success, she remains that little girl from the South, which I can relate to.  Not to mention the girl can dance her tail off and she can sing.  Beyonce is just a talented performer, and I will probably be a Beyonce Stan for life.  (And I have vowed-after watching Sex and the City 2-that I will learn the choreography to “Single Ladies” by the end of the summer!)

4. Nina Simone- I first fell in love with her voice before I even knew who she was.  I first heard “Four Women” at a performance during my junior year in college, and I made it my business to find out who sang the song. From there, I found out about Nina Simone (who’s a fellow Southern girl) and listened to more of her songs.  No matter what type of mood I’m in, Ms. Nina can relate. 

3. Lauryn Hill- This girl is phenomenal…hands down!  This girl has stage presence, amazing writing talent, and she can rap AND sing.  I just really want Lauryn to come back with a bangin’ album, a bangin’ tour, something…I still blast “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” like I got it last week.

2. Brandy- Maybe it’s because I grew up listening to her, but Brandy is one of my favorite singers.  I probably know just about every lyric to each song that was released as a single.  I loved her as Danesha on “Thea” and on her own series “Moesha”.  Brandy was the good girl I could relate to, and she was talented.  There weren’t too many songs by her I didn’t like.  Some of my favorites are “Best Friend”, “The Boy is Mine” (her duet with Monica), “Full Moon”, and “What About Us”. 

1. Jill Scott- SHE.IS.THE.GREATEST. Do I really need to say more?!?! This woman is a poet, a singer, a writer…Is there anything she doesn’t do?  I love her voice, and from what I can tell, she is a great live performer.   Each and every time I listen to her live performance in Philly and she sings “You’re Getting in the Way” I sing at the top of my lungs right along with her, and I dare somebody to tell me I can’t blow.  My mother even picked on me one day as “A Long Walk” came on the radio, and I knew EVERY lyric.   Even though I’ll miss her performance in DC next week :(, I anxiously await her new album “The Light of the Sun”, which is set to be released later on this year.

Honorable Mention: Aaliyah and Faith Evans

So, there you have it, my Top 5 Black Women Singers.  Who are you favorite Black women singers?  What are some of your favorite songs by Black women? Until next time, I’m just a Southern girl…in the city.