Smith narrates the book and her emotions at times were so raw, it made a deep impression on me, causing me to really think about how personal this journey was for her. I used two formats with this book- a digital copy and the audio version- switching back and forth between the two mediums. The personal recollections would have felt more impactful, perhaps, if I had been more familiar with the author’s work before reading this book- But that said. Still, it was the history and the featured artist that commanded my attention, as this was what drew me to the book in the first place. One area distracts from the other, leaving both areas weakened- but this book managed to meld the two with much more fluidity, so there is more balance and fewer distractions. For some reason the combination just does not work for me. Danyel Smith shares moments in her childhood that coincide with the featured artist and songs, many of them difficult, as she recalls an abusive upbringing- but there were also some charming and nostalgic recollections in there as well.Īll that said, I have struggled in the past with the duality of non-fiction and personal memoir. The songs we grew up listening to can conjure up various memories- sad, hard, poignant, and bittersweet times- but also fun and humorous thoughts we had as children. I enjoyed reading about many of the performers I listened to growing up and hearing details about their personal lives and careers I had not heard before. This is a well-researched history of Black women in pop music, as well as a personal memoir by the author. Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop by Danyel Smith is a 2022 Roc Lit 101 publication. Shine Bright is an overdue paean to musical masters whose true stories and genius have been hidden in plain sight-and the book Danyel Smith was born to write. Smith’s detailed narrative begins with Phillis Wheatley, an enslaved woman who sang her poems, and continues through the stories of Mahalia Jackson, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, and Mariah Carey, as well as the under-considered careers of Marilyn McCoo, Deniece Williams, and Jody Watley. But as a music fan, and then as an essayist, editor (Vibe, Billboard), and podcast host (Black Girl Songbook), she has been living this history since she was a latchkey kid listening to “Midnight Train to Georgia” on the family stereo. Smith has been writing this history for more than five years. This is their surprising, heartbreaking, soaring story-written by one of the preeminent cultural critics of her generation.Ī weave of biography, criticism, and memoir, Shine Bright is Danyel Smith’s intimate history of Black women’s music as the foundational story of American pop. American pop music is arguably this country’s greatest cultural contribution to the world, and its singular voice and virtuosity were created by a shining thread of Black women geniuses stretching back to the country’s founding.

Shine bright by danyel smith