Women Chune Wednesdays EP.4

Women Chune Wednesdays with YJTheRuler

“The focus of Women Chune Wednesdays is on taking the adoration of women on Wednesdays i.e #WCW, and placing it on women in music. 3 amazing projects (song or tape) by female artistes from any time period in music will be shared weekly. Look out for your favs!” - A lover of women & music.”

Nina Simone & Florence Welch - #WCW EP. 4 / amped illustration

Nina Simone — Sings the Blues (1967 & 2006)

Nina Simone is my undisputed queen of blues. She released this album on March 1st 1967 and a version containing new bonus tracks reissued in 2006. She was backed by guitarists (Eric Gale and Rudy Stevenson), a bassist (Bob Bushnell), drummer (Bernard “Pretty” Purdie), organist (Ernie Hayes), and harmonica player who doubled on saxophone (Buddy Lucas). Her boozy singing on Do I Move You gets the album rolling in the right direction. She’s more subtle with sexual cravings on popular ‘I Want a Little Sugar In My Bowl’. She was vocal about political issues and on Backlash Blues she’s in protest mode against the system. Nina Simone’s music transcends time. She had so much of an impact you hear her voice splashed as samples across major rap records from Jay-Z, Lil Wayne & Kanye.

Critical Reception

Nina Simone Sings the Blues is a hallmark recording that endures; it deserves to be called a classic — Thom Jurek (AllMusic)

Florence + the Machine - Ceremonials (2011)

Not a lot of voices in music are as distinct, grand and powerful as the band’s lead singer, Florence Welch. On Cermonials, producer Paul Epworth’s instrumentation complements her voice to create some ethereal melodies that she describes as chamber soul (a mixture of chamber pop and soul). Her shiny vocals gives a celebratory feel to Spectrum. She leads a full pop orchestra on Remain Nameless and is folk pop queen on Heartlines. Florence is big on dark melodrama and her vocal grandeur helps her pull it off on Seven Devils and across the entire album. Speaking about the album she said “I wanted to make an album that sounded like the soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet, the violence mixed with the classical Shakespearean drama mixed with the pop and the pulp, extreme neon stuff.”

Critical Reception

Entertainment Weekly‘s Kyle Anderson praised it as a “confident, unflinching tour de force”, commenting further; it’s a baroque cathedral, bedecked with ornate tapestries made of ghostly choirs, pagan-rhythmic splendor, and a whole lot of harp.”

Joyce Olong — Merci Beauté (2017)

Baby’s Got The Blues off Olma records PGM compilation was an introduction for Joyce Olong. Since then she’s collaborated with contemporaries like Tim Lyre, Odunsi, Goldkeyz, DOZ & Muyiwa. There’s a sentimental streak about the music on Merci Beauté. She offers words of encouragement to anyone going through dark times on PTSD. She celebrates sisterhood on Sister Sister. Sisterhood that extends past blood or fsmily relationshi. Speaking on the album: “Every

song is for the women I’ve reached a hundred percent relationship with and this is my way of telling them thank you for bringing me out of a dark place.” Merci Beauté, which translates to ‘thank you beautiful’ was an astounding first offering for the newcomer.

Critical Reception

“…she invites all into her world and shares personal experiences, one can sense that every song means something special to her and with her exquisite delivery, she sucks you into being a fan rather than a critic as the music plays.” —  Ehis Ohunyon (The Soul-ciety).

Listen to this week's playlist on Apple Music:

Women Chune Wednesdays links:

WCW EP.5 - Teyana Taylor, Beyoncé & Davina Oriakhi

WCW EP.3 - Lady Donli, Nicki Minaj & Solange

WCW EP.2 - Amy Winehouse, Bebe Rexha & Amaarae

WCW EP.1 - Dami Oniru, Rapsody & Kali Uchis