![]() Smith’s encyclopedic knowledge as a self-made pioneer in music journalism combines with extensive interviews, and behind-the-scene stories of some of the biggest cover stories of her era at Vibe to produce an essential and effervescent text for music lovers. Journalists are trained to leave themselves out of the story-but as the subtitle suggests, Shine Bright is a lovely and refreshing exception to that rule. Smith has said that Shine Bright is the book she was born to write, and her shimmering, witty language is proof that she’s right. Smith reflects on the songs and the women behind them as she reveals how they inspired her to grow from an ashy-kneed, Huffy-riding rebellious girl to become the first Black person and the first woman editor-in-chief of Quincy Jones’s groundbreaking hip-hop culture magazine, Vibe, at the height of the genre's global ascent. It features several mini-biographies of the most influential and underrated Black women in American culture, from the poet Phillis Wheatley to opera star Leontyne Price the Dixie Cups, who gave pop music “Chapel of Love” and “Iko Iko” to disco queen Donna Summer. It is also the overdue singing of a Black girl’s song, with perfect pitch. ![]() Danyel Smith’s Shine Bright: A Very Personal Story of Black Women in Pop is an entertaining blend of memoir, music history and journalism. ![]()
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