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23 | THE VOICE JUNE 28 - JULY 4, 2012
POSTER BATTLE JAY-Z V KANYE WEST
THANK YOU MAMA! The women behind the stars
TWITTER BEEF: Jade Ewen blasts Rita Ora!
PW From London with love
24 THE VOICE MARCH 7 - 13, 2013
THANK YOU MAMA! In honour of Mother’s Day we take a look at some of the influential women behind some of our most-loved stars.
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Beyoncé and mum, Tina Knowles
Chris Brown and mum, Joyce Hawkins
Rihanna and mum, Monica Fenty
J Cole and mum, Kay Cole
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Halle Berry and mum, Judith Berry
Usher and mum, Jonetta Patton
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Jermain Defoe and mum, Sandra Defoe
Wiz Khalifa and mum, Sherry M. Thomaz
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Ashley Cole and mum, Sue Cole
Nick Cannon and mum, Beth Hackett
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Monica and mum, Marilyn Best
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Trey Songz and mum, April Tucker
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Kalm Paul-Christian
Tia and Tamera with mum, Darlene Mowry
Jay-Z and mum, Gloria Carter
Kalm Paul-Christian is on top of the world, and rightly so. He, along with 50 per cent of the Target Oxbridge participants who applied for places this academic year, has recently received an offer from St Hugh’s College, Oxford to read History in October 2013. Fresh from his appearances on five BBC local radio stations and on Colourful Radio, Kalm is now preparing for the “culture shock” that awaits him in the new chapter of his life. He says: “I had a culture shock coming from my east London state school to a middle class grammar school, but I think going to Oxford will be an even big-
ger leap. But at the end of the day we are all people; it’s just about being openminded.” He adds: “At secondary school I was more of the golden child. I was expected to do well and all of my teachers supported me and pushed me to be the best. “They told me I could do anything. I believed I could do anything.” Target Oxbridge is a free programme that encourages and prepares bright, black state school-educated pupils for Oxbridge applications. * www.rarerecruitment.co.uk
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Alexandra Burke and mum, Melissa Bell
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Alicia Keys and mum, Teresa “Terri” Augello
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Will Smith and mum, Caroline Smith
youngvoicesmagazine
@youngvoicesmag
MARCH 7 - 13, 2013 THE VOICE 25
www.voice-online.co.uk/entertainment
UK rapper PW talks to YV’s Dionne Grant about making his mark on the industry, inspiring a generation and his interest in criminology
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E’S TOURED with N-Dubz star Dappy and UK singer C o n o r Maynard, sold-out his first oneman show in north London’s The Garage, but the mother of UK rapper PW wants nothing more than her son to go back to education. “I heard that she was telling everyone at The Garage that she wants me to go back to university,” the 20-year-old laughs coyly. “She hasn’t said anything to me yet though,” he adds. But despite longing for her son to return to the books, PW admits that she has been nothing more that “supportive,” following his decision to put his studies (a degree in criminology) aside to pursue music. “When I asked my mum what she thought about me taking a
gap year and potentially doing music for a year she said, ‘I will support you in any decision’ and in that gap year, I got a whole lot done.” From Paris to New York, the young rapper’s music has taken him all over the world and seen his breakout single Not Thinking About You and follow-up tracks Single and On My Way playlisted on popular TV music outlet, Channel AKA and notching up plays on BBC 1xtra and Choice FM, firmly cementing his place on the UK music scene. “The last 12 months have been very, very good,” he says. “We’ve had tours with Dappy, Conor Maynard and [US boyband] Mindless Behaviour and we’ve had releases. I’ve been travelling a lot. I went to New York, Copenhagen and done a lot of soul searching. I think travelling helps with my writing and with my music. Going out
there and seeing what other people listen to, seeing other cultures, architecture and fashion, really enhances my knowledge.” Despite the roar of thousands of fans at the aforementioned arena concerts, PW, real name Akheim Allen, says his highlight, despite a smaller number of fans “has got to be my first headline show.” “That has beaten all the tours,” he says. “Nothing was bigger than that for me. It wasn’t the biggest venue, but people came to see me. All these people came out to see me and they were singing my songs. I still can’t get over that right now. I’m ready to get back on the stage.” PW, who hails from Edmonton, north London, started emceeing at 14 in a bike shed with friends and would
often record his music at a family friend’s studio after school or at the weekends. “It was good because I wasn’t on the streets, I wasn’t doing anything bad. [Our family friend] would say, ‘I’d rather you be here and around me, than on the streets getting involved in foolishness.’ From there I started taking music seriously.” His first track, W.I.N.N.E.R, earned the rapper 100 views on YouTube in the days following its posting, but this sobering number didn’t deter the young musician. “I was like ‘Yay!’” He lets out a celebratory laugh. “It eventually got more hits, but it was a start. I then met up with Garbz, who is my label manager [and UK producer] right now and I played another one of my tracks called Sensible. It was a track that I had done with three of my friends, and he was blown away.” He released debut mixtape NKOTB to rave reviews and critical acclaim. Later this year PW will release his pre-album, From London With Love, which he hopes will inspire and mobilise a generation of young music fans. “[Over the years] my sound has matured. I always try and put positive messages in my music. If you listen to records like On My Way, I’m always saying something that is inspiring or motivating. The tongue is strong, so I have to think about what I’m saying. I have a little
brother and cousins – I have all these kids listening to my music. What are they getting from it?” And that, he says, is what makes him different from other rappers out there. “I’m trying to bring emotion back to music, back to the urban scene.” Cue his latest release, the love-themed EP, From P With Love. The “single” lothario said: “It was Valentine’s Day and I didn’t have a Valentine so I came up with this concept. It’s a cohesive body of work that goes from when you meet a girl, to being a relationship, to ultimately breaking up. I’m older now, I’ve gone through a lot of things. Right now I’m just constructing my sound.” And if we talk in five years, would he have accomplished all
JANET JACKSON:
The singer confirmed that she married her Qatari billionaire boyfriend, Wissam Al Mana in a secret ceremony last year
he set out to do? “Of course,” he laughs. “I would have just sold out my first arena tour, my album would’ve gone platinum, I’d have a few awards, including a BRIT. That’s what I’m striving for. I will get it, I’m not going to say hopefully, hopefully means I have doubts, but I will because I believe in myself and I know I can do it.” And how about revisiting education, once his musical ambitions are fulfilled, of course – for mum? He laughs. “I talk about it everyday with my friends. A lot of my friends are graduating and I feel kind of left out, but everyone has got their different paths and I’m happy in the direction I’m going in” From P With Love is out now.The single Here Is With You is released on April 29. Follow @PW_Artist on Twitter or visit www.thisispw.com for more information
NICOLA ADAMS:
The Olympic boxer was awarded an MBE at Buckingham palace, alongside fellow Olympian, Jessica Ennis
OR BUSTED? F F U B Dear Kat,
My friend passed away recently and I’m having trouble going on without him. We were inseparable and his death came as such a shock to all who knew him, but I’ve taken it particularly hard. I haven’t gone to college in weeks or spoken to friends in ages. I know my family are worried about me, but there is little they can do to make me feel better right now. I do want to feel better, but I just don’t know what to do. My every thought is consumed by thoughts of him and I cry every time I remember he’s no longer around and will never come back. Help! Anon, 18 BOBBY BROWN:
Dear Anon,
Thank you for your message. My thoughts are with you at this sad time. Death is one of the only certainties in life, but it doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. Right now you’re grieving and this process is different for every individual so don’t beat yourself up by thinking that you should “feel better” by now. I guarantee you that your family understand how you are feeling and wouldn’t want you to feel guilty about how your grief is affecting them. You’ll need to speak with someone at your college and explain your situation to them. It’s important that they be made aware. Maybe they can provide you with some work that you can complete at home? I will say that sometimes going out with friends and loved ones can help the grieving process, even if it’s only momentarily. Draw comfort in knowing that this feeling will get easier. You will never forget your friend, but you will learn to smile again.
KANYE WEST:
The troubled singer was jailed for 55 days following his drink-driving arrest last October
BUFF
BUFF
Fans at the US rapper’s London concert were subjected to a foulmouthed rant during his set
TWEET OF THE WEEK Sugababes star Jade Ewen accused fellow singer Rita Ora of “sleeping her way to the top” after Ora apparently mocked Jade’s appearance on Eurovision and reality TV show, Splash in a recent interview.
NAOMIE HA Sophisticated
RRIS:
, sexy, golden
“Easy to mock when you’re enjoying success. Eurovision and splash? Proud of both. Some manage to sleep their way to success some have morals”
KELLY ROW LAND:
Flawless, effo rtless, simple Jade Ewen
CHRISTINA MILIAN
26 THE VOICE MARCH 7 - 13, 2013
LE T T A B R E T POS Z ST and JAY-
KANYE WE
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