Sisters are doing it for themselves!
Now there was a time when we used to say that behind every great man, there had to be a great woman.
This song by Annie Lennox and Aretha Franklin is my inspiration this week, for 2 reasons.
1. I just heard that Cardi B became the first female rapper since Lauryn Hill in 1998 to go to number 1 on the Billboard hot 100 with her debut single Bodak Yellow.
Why I am telling you this?
She started out an exotic dancer (yes, a stripper). And I read that “While she was working as a dancer, she was posting fuzzy, hilarious rants on Instagram and Vine. At first, she was just another Internet character, but, slowly and organically, her bottomless supply of witticisms drew thousands to follow her account. (As of today, she has more than ten million followers.)”.
She is a new music phenomenon and she knows it.
“Cardi B turned the strip club into a site of feminine ingenuity. (“I don’t dance now, I make money moves,” she raps in the haughty hook of “Bodak Yellow.”)”. I love how she used something like her stripper background and completely turned it into a positive thing (before any media could for instance oust her). Her honesty and realness is what girls want now, her famous Instagram hashtag is NO FILTER. If you listen to her lyrics, you know she ain’t lying. She builds her brand on her own story. No matter what you might think of it. And that takes guts!
2. Have you heard of Latifah? No? Well, she just broke records on the Dutch album charts this month. She is one of the few female rap artists in Holland and her album entered at #4. This means something, ladies. She is the first female artist to do this in Holland since Caro Emerald did in 2010 with a debut album.
These sisters are doing it for themselves. And they are breaking records! All by believing in themselves and staying authentic. And… by sharing their own story.
This week 20 of us women are working on ourselves during Renew Yourself Week here in Spain. This is something that I really believe women should always do. Think about who you are and who you want to be. Then write it down. Is this who you want people to see? Is this something you can live with? If not, you too can renew yourself. Just remember Cardi B. From exotic dancer to #1 in the Billboard music charts. And believe anything is possible.