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MUSIC: Estelle, Academy 1, Fri 28 Nov
David Sue26/11/2008
WHEN you feel underappreciated, there’s only one action to take – go where people will welcome you. That, in a nutshell, is the success story of 28-year-old Brit-soul star Estelle Swaray.
Although a mainstay on the British R&B/soul scene – she released her debut album back in 2004 – Estelle had struggled consistently to break through to the mainstream in her homeland.
Her response? To head to America, where she knew her talents would be much more gratefully received. It was in Los Angeles, where she hooked up with giants like Kanye West and John Legend – both of whom helped to finally put her on the map. When her awesome song American Boy recently topped the charts on both sides of the pond, it was a moment of vindication for one of British soul’s most under-rated stars. Estelle’s second album, Shine, has further cemented her place as a British soul great, but she’s not been afraid to kick back against her home nation.
In a newspaper interview earlier this year, she criticised the way white singers such as Adele and Duffy have been promoted as icons of British soul music while black artists get less exposure.
It was a controversial rant, but one with plenty of valid points. Nevertheless, with the world at her feet and megastars queuing up to work with her, Estelle is too busy to get bitter about the past.
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