Carnival of Soul

Auntiechella. That’s what folk are calling the latest Verzuz battle between soul legends Gladys Knight and Patti Labelle (with a special appearance from Dionne Warwick). Though, their reunion felt more like a celebration of two living legends who paved the way and laid out the blueprint for future generations of not only Black women in music, but popular artists across genres, gender and race.

Iconic hip-hop producers Timbaland and Swiss Beatz created Verzuz TV via Instagram Live to entertain millions of both hip-hop and R&B fans with a DJ battle soon after quarantining and social distancing for Covid-19 was mandated in the U.S. Starting with these two producers, two artists who are contemporaries in skill, talent and genre would team up to give fans a musical experience that would take them on a journey through their catalogs and evolution as artists.

Fans went down memory lane with: R&B singer-songwriters and producers Babyface and Teddy Riley, popular ’00s hip-hop artists Nelly and Ludacris, forever R&B princesses Brandy and Monica, and more. Verzuz is doing it for the culture—Black culture, which is popular culture.

Hence, Knight and Labelle’s Verzuz “battle” was a jubilation of Black woman legends who stood with them in paving the way. Starting with these two legends, here they are with their sisters who broke down barriers in the music industry—shaping popular music and influencing the artistry of Black women, women in general and yes, any or every popular artist in subsequent contemporary music eras. Yep, you heard it right. All of these Black women listed below inspired generations of artists to come after, while remaining relevant themselves.

Patti Labelle, Godmother of Soul

Patti Labelle has had quite the trajectory from girl groups Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles in the ’60s and Labelle in the ’70s to a rising solo career in the late ’70s that blew up in the ’80s. She is known for her powerhouse vocals as well as her hits like “Lady Marmalade” (with Labelle), “If Only You Knew,” “New Attitude” and “On My Own”—just to name a few. From her stage presence to her vocal prowess, she has inspired many of today’s R&B/soul powerhouses—like Fantasia.

Notable Hits:

Gladys Knight, Empress of Soul

Gladys has said “I can’t be no Pip!” Can a Pip be her though? She’s the Empress of Soul who fronted her own group—Gladys Knight & the Pips and joined Motown Records in the ’60s—scoring mega hits like “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” before continued success throughout the ’70s with the chart-topper “Midnight Train to Georgia.” She is known for her distinctively soulful contralto voice.

Fun fact: Many know the Marvin Gaye version of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” which was released in late October 1967, but Gladys Knight & the Pips originated the song, which was released in September of the same year. While Gladys Knight & the Pips’ original version peaked at no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, Gaye’s version topped the chart. Both soulful versions are iconic and distinctive, right?

Notable Hits:

Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul

Franklin is the undisputed Queen of Soul. While Dionne Warwick broke barriers in pop music, Franklin helped shift soul music into mainstream popular music—crossing over to the pop chart with hits like “Respect,” “Think” and more. She was an unrelenting soul queen who endured for decades—winning multiple Grammys and inspiring singers of today like Jennifer Hudson (who is starring as the Queen of Soul in an upcoming biopic).

Notable hits:

Dionne Warwick, Queen of Smooth Pop

Dionne Warwick did the unthinkable in the ’60s—she became the first Black female pop star, make purely smooth traditional pop music unlike many of her counterparts like Franklin. Her smooth voice yet powerful vocals, vocal control and ability to read music only catered to her success—inspiring artists like her cousin and pop icon Whitney Houston a.k.a. The Voice.

Notable hits:

Miss Diana Ross, The Boss and Queen of Motown

It’s her house and we’re just living in it. Miss Diana Ross, The Boss is one of the first Black female pop stars. While Dionne Warwick was a solo pop star in the ’60s, Ross was the lead singer of The Supremes (or Diana Ross & The Supremes) and their success was only rivaled by The Beatles in the ’60s. During her tenure with the groundbreaking girl group, they scored 12 no. 1 Hot 100 hits, and they are ranked at no. 6 on the Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Women Artists chart.

Ross kicked off her solo career in 1970, eventually scoring an Oscar nod for starring as Billie Holiday in “Lady Sings the Blues” in 1973, scoring six of her own no. 1 Hot 100 hits between the ’70s and ’80s, and

Notable hits:

Tina Turner, Queen of Rock

It’s no secret Tina Turner endured a lot of abuse at the hands of Ike Turner for 16 years while fronting their band. In the mid-70s, she broke away and divorce him before launching what would be known as one of the most legendary pop, soul and rock careers ever. She is known as the Queen of Rock and the Queen of Rock and Roll—scoring hits like “Proud Mary” and “River Deep, Mountain High” in the band and many more like “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” “Typical Male” and “The Best” as a solo artist. Revered as one of the greatest performers ever, entertainers like Queen Beyoncé followed in her high-energy performative footsteps.

Notable hits:

Donna Summer, Queen of Disco

The Queen of Disco may also be the Queen of Electronica. Summer revolutionized powerhouse vocals with dance music in the ’70s before the boom of house music, especially with “I Feel Love” being known as the first electronic dance song. That’s not all. She survived the Disco Demolition Night in July 1979 after turning out hit after hit since 1975, starting with “Love to Love You Baby.” She continued to make dance hits well throughout the ’80s with “She Works Hard for the Money” and “This Time I Know It’s for Real.”

Summer decided to step away from being a sex symbol in the ’90s. Though, Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland cite her as a mega influence. Queen Bey even samples Summer’s “Love to Love You Baby” on one of her early hits “Naughty Girl,” while R&B/dance star Rowland has mirrored Summer’s style and aesthetic.

Notable hits:

Chaka Khan, Queen of Funk

Some might know, but “Ain’t Nobody” is a hit billed under Rufus and Chaka Khan—not solely Khan herself. She was the lead singer to the funk band for over a decade in the ’70s into the early ’80s, while also experiencing her own solo success. She scored own hits like “I’m Every Woman” and even helped pioneer hip-hop soul with “I Feel For You.” The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul Mary J. Blige cites Khan as an influence, as she does many of the women on this list.

Notable hits:

Roberta Flack, R&B/Jazz Legend

Roberta Flack is revered for being the only artist to win the Grammy for Record of the Year twice for chart-topping hits “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” in 1973 and “Killing Me Softly with His Song” in 1974. With a total of three no. 1 Hot 100 hits in the ’70s, her music has been covered by a variety of R&B/soul artists like D’Angelo and Fugees who famously covered “Killing Me Softly with His Song.”

Notable hits:

Natalie Cole, R&B/Jazz Legend

Let’s face it. Cole can pretty much sing anything. From her vocal range to her ability to capture fans across genres, she scored mega hits like “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)”—which has been featured in movies, on TV and in an eHarmony commercial. She won the Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1976, breaking Franklin’s record-breaking eight consecutive wins in the category, starting in the inaugural year of 1968.

Let’s not forget “Unforgettable,” a duet version with her father, which he initially made iconic. Their duet won the Grammys for Record of the Year and Best Traditional Pop Performance in 1992.

Cole passed away from congestive heart failure on Dec. 31, 2015. Though, she’s truly unforgettable.

Notable Hits:

Notable hits:

Minnie Riperton, Queen of the Whistle Register

She passed away from breast cancer at the age of 31 in 1979, but not without building a legacy first. Riperton scored hits the chart-topper “Lovin’ You” in the ’70s. The Songbird Supreme Mariah Carey, and R&B singers like Deniece Williams and Shanice cite Riperton as an influence. While her life and career were cut short, she is still known for five-octave coloratura soprano range and for her whistle register, becoming revered as the Queen of the Whistle Register.

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