Michael Jackson - analysing an enigma and legend

Ever since Michael Jackson's death on Thursday afternoon, I have been seeing clips of this video on various news broadcasts about Jackson's life. I saw it so many times and the few moments were so captivating that I had to go find it for myself.

It is a clip of the Jackson Five performing on the Ed Sullivan show in 1969 when Michael would have been 11 years old.

To me, it shows what we have really lost with MJ's death. But then again, we seemed to have lost that joyous, smiling, confident little showman from years ago, long before Thursday, June 26, 2009.

The King is dead. Michael Jackson 1958-2009

What can we say?

The King of Pop is dead.




There was so much said about Michael Jackson during his life - good, bad and outrageous.

We really don't think there is anything we can add to all that has been said. We all know the story - the dizzying heights of fame and success, the bizarre depths of trials and surgeries.


So let us just add our own personal feelings. An era has ended. Some may say it ended long ago for Michael but everyone harboured hopes that he would make a comeback and be the phenomenon we had all grown up with.




And that is the essence of Michael Jackson. He is the phenomenon we all grew up with. From the late 60s until today, Michael has always been with us, shaping popular culture. His own life seemed to be lonely and deeply unhappy but he brought happiness to billions. Yes, billions.





Generations grew up with him in different incarnations from the adorable, afro'd child star to the moonwalking, crotch-grabbing Thriller. He touched all our lives.

And that is all that needs to be said.

Chris Brown cops a plea

And so, finally... maybe this whole sorry saga is over.

Chris Brown pleaded guilty a short while ago to one count of felony assault on islandista pop star Rihanna. He will be sentenced to five years of supervised probation and six months of community service.


It was expected that Ri-ri would have testified against Brown today but at the last minute, Brown entered his plea before a preliminary hearing so she didn't have to testify after all.

Spectacle avoided.

Interestingly enough, the judge is putting some extra space between Ri-ri and her former (?) boyfriend.

According to the Associated Press:

After Brown left the courtroom, Rihanna entered and was addressed by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg, who explained to the Barbados-born singer that she had issued a stay-away order.


Rihanna had not been seeking a stay-away order, but the judge imposed one. The order requires that Brown and Rihanna stay at least 50 yards (46 meters) from each other, except at industry events when the distance is reduced to 10 yards (9 meters).

The judge also told Rihanna it’s not a one-way order and she will be in violation if she gets closer to Brown than the order allows.

Hmmm... y'all see that last line?

CFW pics- woo-hoo!

It's been a few days in coming but photogs have finally cleared out their discs and we have pictures from Caribbean Fashion Week.  Hurr-ay!

The folks at Jamaican party site Socia Lingua have posted the pics from CFW 09 on their Facebook page   and despite the bite of the recession, fabulousness was on display as usual.

Take a look at some of our favourite outfits and moments from CFW below.

 

[caption id="attachment_1146" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="All photo credits: Socia Lingua"][/caption]

  Sisters Tessanne Chin and Tami Chyn performed and I found their outfits (especially Tessanne's on the left) were so hot, they deserved a place among the fashions of the night.

Islandistas at the CFDA Awards - shades of grey

The CFDA Awards were held earlier this week and two of fashion's favourite islandistas, Zoe Saldana and model Arlenis Sosa were in attendance.

Interestingly enough, they were both wearing dresses in shades of grey, as was one of the only other brown bodies pictured there, the always fabulous Kerry Washington (let me find out she has a Caribbean granny or something! It would be on like boil corn!).

While Zoe was gorgeous in her ethereal, gauzy Calvin Klein collection dress in gun metal grey, we were ... less sure about Arlenis' nipple-baring Emanuel Ungaro outfit - a gauzy long-sleeved blouse with a high-waisted silvery grey skirt. She didn't seem too sure about it either, judging from her awkward stance.

And Kerry was radiant and glamourous as hell in her sparkling doo.ri dress with the low v-cut bodice and full skirt.

Take a look below.

 



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Sneak peek: exclusive Vashtie Kola interview!

Islandista and multi-talented artist Vashtie Kola granted us an exclusive interview this week and she has a lot to say!

Look out for the full interview later on this week where she talks about her time at Def Jam, her decision to step out on her own and pursue her own dreams, how she and her best friend Oscar created one of New York City's hottest party phenomenons, 1992 and what is was like growing up Trini in Albany.

Until then, here is a quick clip:

... I grew up with mostly American black kids. There were also some West Indian families- mostly Jamaican or Guyanese but no Trinidadians. So growing up it was kind of me doing a lot of research to understand what it meant to be Trinidadian.

[Trying to explain her Trini heritage growing up] It was a little confusing for them and it was confusing to me as well. I looked Indian but I wasn’t Indian. Trying to explain the culture - you knowI eat curry chicken, my mum is Hindu but my dad is Christian. ...trying to explain all those different elements.  I tried to get away from it when I was younger. When I was a kid I definitely tried to be more American – I didn’t want to be Trinidadian. As I got older and started to understand my culture and my heritage, I grew to appreciate it more.

Islandista on the rise: VV Brown

Islandistas, have you heard of VV Brown?

If you haven't, you probably will soon.

The British-born soul rocker of Jamaican and Puerto Rican parentage has only been on everyone's Hot List for 09.

Seriously.

The Guardian, the Daily Mail, the LA Times, the Independent and BBC all placed her on their lists of ones to watch in 2009. 

Her musical style is a bit vintage, like that of other female stars of this new Brit invasion such as Amy Winehouse, Duffy and Adele.

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 However, unlike them, VV draws more on  more up-tempo, 50s and 60s era doo-wop and rock, as heard in her breakout hit Crying Blood which is easily the most cheerful sounding song about a heart-wrenching break up that we have ever heard.

If that is not enough for you, VV (real name Vanessa) is well set to take her place among the ranks of other islandista it girls such as Rihanna and Vashtie Kola, whose sense of style is so quirky, fierce and yet independently theirs, that fashionistas are falling over themselves. 

Baje & Power X 4 unveil their costumes

They're baaaaack!

Barbados' two biggest bands, Baje International and Power X Four both unveiled their costumes on Friday in different ways.

Power X Four sent an e-newsletter to their mailing list with a 'sneak peek' of their costumes while Baje International had their official media launch at Red Rock at the end of the Gap.

Here is a look at some of our favourite sections from each band. Px4's presentation this year is entitled '15 years of Love & Revelery' while Baje is 'Fire & Ice'.

 



[caption id="attachment_1105" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Power X 4 - Blue Skies"][/caption]

 



Love, love the sky blue colour for this  and the bra piece is just gorgeous and lavishly decorated! Check out more costumes when you read on.

T&T Fashion Week wrap up

Fashion is in the air and blowing like a hurricane from south to north in the space of a fortnight!

Even though Fashion Week Trinidad & Tobago wrapped up on June 2, there is still so much to show and tell from that long weekend of fabulous Caribbean fashion.

This is all the moreso because the folks at our new favourite fashion blog, CF Style have been working... hard! I am exhausted just looking at the amount of photo footage and interviews they got out of FWTT - it is an impressive show of dedication to Caribbean fashion.

Anyhow, here are a few of our picks from FWTT.

Pelau post - Fay-Ann's post-baby body, D'Angel's bad luck & Lorna getsher own

We are just bursting with news of all things islandista these days! Between all the various summer carnivals, stage shows, parties and two big fashion weeks back to back, we are so busy it's hard to know where to start.

So, to make a dent in all the suss, we're going to hit you with another pelau post - or a pepperpot post if you will - it real mix up but it spicy and good!

First let's start with news of one of our favourite islandista mamis, Fay-Ann Lyons, who has been taking full advantage of her biggest year in soca to date.

As we reported back in May, her first post-pregnancy performance was in Toronto at Dr. Jay's I Love Soca.

We have seen the pics from the event and can we say... Fay-Ann's post baby body is just... unnecessary! How is it that a woman who just had a baby two months ago (and was round like an English pound as the fellas would say) could already be slimmer than chicks who are not pregnant at all?

More costume bands from NYC to Bim

Week by week, Barbados' Crop-Over festival is heating up with more bands launching.

Small and mid-size bands such as Wednesday 2000, Jump and Ooutraje have all launched recently.

Our initial reaction to Wednesday 2000 was ... mehhhh. A lot of the costumes just were not cutting it, like these two selections below.

What's going on here? Did they spend all the money on the (admittedly nice) headpiece and just decide to forget about getting a waistpiece or decent leg bands or some appliques or someting to take de shame off the gold lame sports bra?

Kadooment band launches- Contact is here!

The music has been out for a while and now Crop-Over is finally getting into full swing with launches of some more bands, including some of Barbados' largest and most popular bands.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="206" caption="Amber - photo credit: contact.bb"][/caption]

Contact launched on Friday with a wicked, wicked launch party and the pics of their 2009 presentation 'Firestones' are already up. Check out some more of our faves from the band when you read on...

Islandista It Girl: Vashtie Kola

Who is this Vashtie Kola? That is the question gossip folks and entertainment people have been asking for a while.

 



[caption id="attachment_1056" align="aligncenter" width="320" caption="Photo credit: Amy Rollo/ Honey Magazine"][/caption]

 



Vashtie, like other islandista 'it girls' is one of those chicks that always seems to be on the scene - at all the hottest, edgiest parties, friendsing with the most popular musicians, actors and designers and of course, wearing the cutest outfits.

It would not be quite right  though to say she has that certain je-ne-sais-quoi - after all, it is easy to pinpoint when and how she came to semi-public attention, as she dated rapper/producer Pharrell from 2003 to 2007.

However, even after that relationship faded, she has still managed to stay in the spotlight. Both Honey magazine and Giant magazine are profiling her this month so she must be doing something right.

So... who is Vashtie Kola?

Well to start with, she is an islandista by descent. Of course! Or else, why would we care? lol...