Just as Fitzgerald’s career was taking off, jazz was under attack for its purported connection to drug culture. If she wanted to become a mainstream superstar, she needed to make a choice.
Children with difficulty singing can be labelled as ‘nonmusical’ by parents, teachers and pop culture. This toxic idea of ‘talent’ can deprive people of music’s benefits for the rest of their lives.
In the 19th century, critics and audiences thought blacks were incapable of singing as well as their white, European counterparts. Greenfield forced them to reconcile their ears with their racism.
On the surface – and when compared to the Oscars – the 2016 Tonys looked like a groundbreaking moment for diversity in entertainment. But when it comes to inclusion, Broadway has a long way to go.
If we listen to the songs of displaced Syrians, just as we listen to the songs of victims of the Holocaust, we connect to displaced communities’ creativity, ingenuity and imagination.
The carol ‘Silent Night’ has been translated into 140 languages and renditions have been sung by everyone, from Bing Crosby to Chewbacca. This is the story behind its success.