Takeover Magazine 1st issue april 15th 2016 | Page 54

DOES ADELE STANDS UP TO THE TITLE
SOUL SINGER?

You will get no argument from me about the plight of the contemporary
R&B artist. A number one R&B album on the Billboard 200 here and
there does not rule out how much the deck is stacked against them in this
climate—particularly if you are a black woman (yes, even Beyoncé).
Even so, I believe in aiming your grievances in the appropriate direction,
which is why I’m already cringing at what lies ahead in Adele season.
People are frustrated that black singers very rarely get to enjoy massive
success doing distinctly black music as they did decades prior.
However, Adele is not the best example of how a white face can sell more
with a black sound.
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