http://blogs.independent.co.uk| Blogs from the Independent newspaper - news, views and features from the world's most free-thinking newspaper| Sat, 18 May 2013 20:54:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2| en hourly 1 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/11/05/ne-yo-if-you-don%e2%80%99t-give-yourself-the-option-of-failure-then-it-won%e2%80%99t-find-you/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/11/05/ne-yo-if-you-don%e2%80%99t-give-yourself-the-option-of-failure-then-it-won%e2%80%99t-find-you/#comments Mon, 05 Nov 2012 10:30:34 +0000 Anna Nathanson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=29646 In the past six years, as well as selling 23 million of his own singles, hit maker Ne-Yo has written songs for artists including Beyonce, Celine Dion, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey and Rihanna. With the release of his fifth album R.E.D today, Ne-Yo gives Anna Nathanson an insight into his music-making processes and mindset.]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/11/05/ne-yo-if-you-don%e2%80%99t-give-yourself-the-option-of-failure-then-it-won%e2%80%99t-find-you/feed/ 1 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/10/10/nas-five-minutes-with-a-legend/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/10/10/nas-five-minutes-with-a-legend/#comments Wed, 10 Oct 2012 01:00:08 +0000 Anna Nathanson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=29038 Widely hailed as the greatest rapper of all time, it wasn’t exactly an everyday occurrence when Nas announced that he would be doing three intimate UK shows recently. More used to playing huge Arenas and touring with collaborators like Jay-Z and Damian Marley, the set of three London dates at a selection of tiny venues were a rare treat for fans of the icon, ahead of his O2 Arena show in March next year.]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/10/10/nas-five-minutes-with-a-legend/feed/ 38 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/10/03/dr-rohan-weerasinghe-why-the-recession-has-boosted-the-self-help-industry/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/10/03/dr-rohan-weerasinghe-why-the-recession-has-boosted-the-self-help-industry/#comments Wed, 03 Oct 2012 11:47:31 +0000 Anna Nathanson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=28870 Described as one of the UK’s most inspiring speakers, Dr. Rohan Weerasinghe travels the world and trains audiences in areas such as wealth creation, property, health and relationships, something that he has been involved in for the last 20 years. Anna Nathanson sits down with the entrepreneur and hears his thoughts on the self-help industry.]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/10/03/dr-rohan-weerasinghe-why-the-recession-has-boosted-the-self-help-industry/feed/ 7 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/09/24/lianne-la-havas-stevie-wonder-left-a-voicemail-singing-back-my-song/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/09/24/lianne-la-havas-stevie-wonder-left-a-voicemail-singing-back-my-song/#comments Mon, 24 Sep 2012 09:58:21 +0000 Anna Nathanson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=28626 It’s been one hell of a year for Lianne La Havas, from Adele comparisons, a show stopping career-clincher and endorsements from some of music’s most respected figures. Anna Nathanson checks in with the British starlet to find out how she’s taking her newfound success…]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/09/24/lianne-la-havas-stevie-wonder-left-a-voicemail-singing-back-my-song/feed/ 7 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/07/19/the-voice-newspaper%e2%80%99s-olympics-snub-raises-important-questions-around-diversity/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/07/19/the-voice-newspaper%e2%80%99s-olympics-snub-raises-important-questions-around-diversity/#comments Thu, 19 Jul 2012 10:27:06 +0000 Anna Nathanson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=26535 This week The Voice, Britain’s biggest and longest running Black newspaper, became the subject of headlines itself after their request to access the Olympic Games was denied.]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/07/19/the-voice-newspaper%e2%80%99s-olympics-snub-raises-important-questions-around-diversity/feed/ 48 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/07/05/frank-oceans-brave-decision-in-the-macho-world-of-urban-music/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/07/05/frank-oceans-brave-decision-in-the-macho-world-of-urban-music/#comments Thu, 05 Jul 2012 08:53:07 +0000 Anna Nathanson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=25972 In the uber-macho and hetero-centric world of urban music, particularly in hip-hop, coming out as gay or bisexual isn’t exactly an everyday occurrence. So Frank Ocean’s decision to publish a heartfelt open letter on his Tumblr site this week revealing that his first love was in fact a man has significant implications.]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/07/05/frank-oceans-brave-decision-in-the-macho-world-of-urban-music/feed/ 18 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/05/14/nearly-one-in-four-people-were-sexually-abused-as-a-child-why-is-it-swept-under-the-carpet/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/05/14/nearly-one-in-four-people-were-sexually-abused-as-a-child-why-is-it-swept-under-the-carpet/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 09:16:46 +0000 Anna Nathanson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=24139 A predominant focus in the recent case of the sex gang found guilty of abusing teenagers in Manchester was on “Asian men” preying on “vulnerable white girls”. Yet last month, the alarming statistic from the NSPCC that a child is subjected to a sex crime every twenty minutes in the UK went shockingly under-reported, in one tabloid relegated to a tiny box on page twelve, as if it wasn’t even worthy of being considered news.]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/05/14/nearly-one-in-four-people-were-sexually-abused-as-a-child-why-is-it-swept-under-the-carpet/feed/ 138 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/05/08/the-rise-of-afrobeats/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/05/08/the-rise-of-afrobeats/#comments Tue, 08 May 2012 10:54:39 +0000 Anna Nathanson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=23945 Many in the UK are only now getting acquainted with charismatic Nigerian musician D’Banj, through the heavy rotation of his quirky dance floor anthem 'Oliver Twist'. His first major label release, the song has etched its place on the consciousness of British popular music fans thanks to its inclusion on some of the nation’s biggest playlists, including the A-List at Radio 1, a feat which has come to signify guaranteed chart success in this country.]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/05/08/the-rise-of-afrobeats/feed/ 1 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/05/03/mitch-winehouse-if-you-want-to-stop-taking-heroin-there%e2%80%99s-very-little-help-available/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/05/03/mitch-winehouse-if-you-want-to-stop-taking-heroin-there%e2%80%99s-very-little-help-available/#comments Thu, 03 May 2012 03:02:47 +0000 Anna Nathanson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=23706 “Nobody should know what it feels like to bury a child”, Mitch Winehouse states ruefully. “The natural process is that you bury your grandparents, your parents, but to bury a child…” he trails off, before composing himself and adding that Amy was in fact cremated. “Everybody has to deal with it in their own way. Some people deal with it positively and some people deal with it negatively.”]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/05/03/mitch-winehouse-if-you-want-to-stop-taking-heroin-there%e2%80%99s-very-little-help-available/feed/ 28 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/03/26/andrea-martin-30000-songs-and-counting/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/03/26/andrea-martin-30000-songs-and-counting/#comments Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:24:38 +0000 Anna Nathanson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=22685 New York singer/songwriter Andrea Martin is a real legend within urban music, responsible for penning some of the most memorable R&B classics of the 90s and beyond. From monster smashes like En Vogue’s “Don’t Let Go (Love)” and Leona Lewis’ “Better In Time”, to fan favourites such as “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” by Angie Stone, the hit maker is now signed to Roc Nation and recently collaborated with UK-based DJ Switch. Here she reminisces about her career, revealing how she’s written 30,000 songs and why En Vogue almost never released their iconic global hit.]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/03/26/andrea-martin-30000-songs-and-counting/feed/ 0 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/02/24/stooshe-i-think-we%e2%80%99re-just-three-lucky-girls/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/02/24/stooshe-i-think-we%e2%80%99re-just-three-lucky-girls/#comments Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:46:14 +0000 Anna Nathanson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=21833 “It’s really surreal,” muses Courtney of StooShe, when asked about their newfound success. In under a year, the South London girl-band have gone from unknown hopefuls to the coolest new kids on the block. A few months after forming, the trio hit London hot spot Brick Lane and shot a colourful low-budget video entitled ‘Fuck Me’, complete with expletives aplenty.]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/02/24/stooshe-i-think-we%e2%80%99re-just-three-lucky-girls/feed/ 0