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Braids are certainly one our favorite and most versatile protective styles to rock. So, it’s no wonder that now that the weather is warming up a bit and summertime continues to inch closer, ladies are ditching their natural hair or weaves to rock cool braided styles. Just a few years ago, every girl was rocking the same full, individual braids Janet Jackson wore Poetic Justice, and then it was the fun remix of cornrows with varying sizes.
Now, an older style one of our favorite R&B divas once rocked is being recycled and praised by all. Braids and beads, anyone? Yes, this style is certainly a throwback to our younger days but ladies are loving the style and giving them a test run. And remember when it was Alicia Keys signature style?
While Keys told PEOPLE earlier this year that she didn’t think “wearing braids was something revolutionary or iconic; that was just how I loved wearing my hair,” her look that created a empowering statement for women of color has inspired many, including us.
We noticed a few ladies on Instagram rocking the braided style and doing it justice, and it’s got us thinking about trying it out for old times sake. What do you think ladies? Would you still rock this style? Continue scrolling to see some fly ladies who have tried it out for themselves.
The post This Braided Style Alicia Keys Used To Rock Is Now Trending appeared first on MadameNoire.
Since the beginning of the Magicians I’ve taken a special interest in Fen. Her story has deviated greatly from the novels, and it’s been interesting to note the differences in the televised version. The show however has grown on me. This is due in part to the innocence Brittany Curran brings to Fen’s character.
Her situation has been difficult to say the least. She is trapped in a loveless marriage to High King Eliot (Hale Appleman), with her questionable ally Margo (Summer Bishil) who shares a closeness with her husband that Fen has not been able to crack. Also, her husband likes men…and they’re having a child. Complicated to say the least.
Fen has a tough road ahead. As revealed a few episodes back, before her marriage she was part of a rebel group called the Fillorian United, whose goal was to have a Fillorian on the throne. During last week’s musical number, “One Day More” (Les Miserables) I realized how much Fen’s situation is like the character Eponine. She too had unrequited love and felt left behind by the character Marius.
I had the privilege and opportunity to ask Brittany Curran questions about her portrayal as Fen. She had some wonderful insights as you will see below.
What was your reaction upon learning that you will be singing in [last week’s] episode?
I was so psyched! The only thing was, I’d never actually sung professionally before, but had taken lessons here and there. So basically all I knew was that I could carry a tune, I just didn’t know how elegantly that tune would carry. One of our producers, Mitch Engel, emailed me and asked me on a scale from 1-10 how good of a singer I thought I was. I said 6.5. Needless to say, I really surprised myself when I showed up to the recording session a couple weeks later. In that time leading up to the recording, I was back in LA for a week and worked with a vocal coach, Laura Dickinson, a couple times and would practice on my own for hours every day. She really brought my voice out, I never knew I could sing like that.
Do you think “One More Day” from Les Miserables was a good one for the battle to come?
It was perfect. The lyrics encompassed the love triangle between Fen, Margo, and Eliot so well, while also highlighting the imminence of the upcoming battle. When we got to set the day that we filmed the musical number, it just all fell into place. Being there with Hale [Appleman] and Summer [Bishil], everything just came together. We’re living out our character’s lives to the fullest and the lyrics felt right. The heightened reality of doing a musical number really brought out a lot of the unsaid angst between our three characters that had been building up over the whole second season. At least that’s how I felt from Fen’s perspective. She feels like an outsider in her own world and this number really brought that loneliness out into the light. And for this passionate musical sequence to lead up to a great battle that’s being fought for the land Fen has grown up in, and then for Fen to not be invited, literally the only one left back at the castle, was the ultimate insult. A lot of times, music and song can express things that can’t be fully expressed in words, so being left alone in that hallway, singing the words, “I did not live until today, how can I live when we are parted?” was a particularly poignant moment for Fen, especially in light of the fact that the future of her land is currently being fought for, and she’s not there. Also, they all looked so damn fierce and fantastic marching out into the battlefield, singing their hearts out. Everyone put so much of themselves into that number and did such an amazing job.
If you had to select a song from the musical what would it have been and why if different?
I’d have selected One Day More. If not that one, then I would have chosen Red and Black. In part because I think the chorus fits our situation perfectly, and also in part because I’m obsessed with that song and listen to it over and over in my everyday life already.
Have you had a chance to see the musical live on Broadway or even the movie with Hugh Jackman?
I haven’t seen it live on Broadway, unfortunately. I’d love to though! But yes, I’ve seen the movie and I loved it. I always had a soft spot for the One Day More sequence (as I’m sure a lot of people do). When Eddie Redmayne and Amanda Seyfried harmonized during that song, it was pure magic. Fun fact, I met Hugh Jackman at my dermatologist’s office like 8 years ago. Well, not so much “met” as “he smiled at me and I almost melted.”
It looks like Margo and Eliot’s bond will be tested soon considering Margo made the deal with the Fairies. What would be the long term impact of their relationship because of that decision? Could Eliot become closer to Fen as a result?
There’s so many complicated feelings and such a vast amount of deep love involved between these three people (not saying it’s always 100% reciprocated) that makes it difficult to say. Nothing is cut and dry, but trust and feelings are definitely going to be tested.
Could Margo’s deal prompt Fen to become a rebel again?
Fen has never been one for holding personal grudges, or for acting based on emotion. For lack of a better word, Fillory is Fen’s first love. She would never let a personal dispute with Margo determine how she proceeds with such big matters concerning Fillory. Now, of course, it’s getting even more complicated, considering the recent heart-to-hearts between Margo and Fen. Fen is forming a new found respect and affection for Margo. I’ll just say it’s going to be a rough road when Fen catches wind of the deal.
If there is another musical number on the show, what play and song would you choose to do and why?
Touch Me from Rocky Horror Picture Show, because I think we all know that after all those years as an innocent farm girl, Fen is secretly a freak and needs to break out of her mold. I’m kidding. Kind of. Honestly, I’d pick a Disney princess song because I’m basically obsessed and never fully grew up. That or The Sound of Music because Fen is so positive and so filled with childlike wonder and love for Fillory. I could see her prancing around the countryside or the Flying Forest singing, “My heart wants to beat like the wings of the birds” just having the time of her life.
Thank you, Brittany! In the opinion of this humble fan, Margo needs to fix the deal she made with the fairies. Fen needs a win (Keep the baby)! I’m glad we are exploring Fen’s character in a different way, as the book version left me wanting more!
Don’t hang around Hans Zimmer if he is scoring a tense film; you’ll regret it. During an early, zippy episode of Zimmer’s new Masterclass, the iconic film composer explains just how entrenched he becomes in his creative process: “You don’t want to be around me if I am working on the Dark Knight. I do become the Joker.” He finishes the thought with what seems like a friendly smile, but might be more of a self-aware smirk. He’s only sort of kidding.
For the man behind the severe scores for films like Inception, The Dark Knight, and Gladiator, Zimmer is a remarkably jovial teacher throughout his 31-episode seminar, in which he guides you through the world of professional film scoring, offering you sage advice, technical tools, and most importantly, ridiculous jokes and anecdotes about his life. A choice moment occurs early on–he explains the idea that good music is akin to the art of conversation. He translates notes to an entire scene (watch above) that perfectly encapsulate Zimmer as a brilliant goofball whose main focus is using every implement possible to envelope you in a new universe: “When we run out of words and when we run out of beautiful pictures, we have to resort to this other language called music.”
The truth in Zimmer’s remark about becoming the Joker is exactly what makes him a good teacher and a legendary composer. He believes firmly and preaches the principle of complete immersion in the craft, perhaps to a fault. In a discussion over the phone, Zimmer admits, “I am completely unemployable at any other job. People still say, ‘What do you do?’, and I say, ‘I’m a musician.’ And they go, ‘Great, but what do you do for a living?'”
But that has not stopped him from adding a few new things to his résumé. For the first time ever, Zimmer is taking his orchestra and scores on the road, with a notable stop at Coachella later this April. After his recent, rousing performance of Planet Earth 2 music on Colbert, I assumed that he was excited and ready to finally try out the mythologized life as a touring musician. “I’m going to be just in a perpetual state of hysteria and panic,” Zimmer says, before telling me he hopes to catch Kendrick Lamar at the festival if he isn’t too distracted by his own anxiety. Though I am surprised by his nerves, I am also relieved to hear about them. Even after a lifetime of creating classic music for beloved films, Zimmer is refusing complacence, opting for the uncomfortable, and letting the world see the act of taking that risk. He certainly doesn’t want to see the world burn, but he will always light a fire under his own feet.
We were lucky enough to catch up with Zimmer recently and talked to him about his new Masterclass, why he gave up on scoring superhero films, what we can expect from his live set, and who his favorite young composers are. Check out that conversation below.
Nerdist: I read that you are done with superhero films. Can you explain why?
Hans Zimmer: The three Batman movies I did with Chris [Nolan]–it’s only three movies to people, but for us, it was 12 years of our lives. And then I added Man of Steel, and then it suddenly became Batman v Superman, and I was going, “Oh my god, now I have to go and reinvent the Batman thing because I don’t want to betray the work I did with Christian Bale as Batman.” And I just thought, “No, I just need to have a pause here.” And I actually said I’m not doing anymore superhero movies.
And then Ron Howard sort of gently said to me, “You know, Hans, you should never say you never will do superhero movies, because if somebody turns up with an amazing script, you would be an idiot not to do it.” So yes, it’s just… I do think Chris and I sort of set the tone for superhero movies for quite a while with those Batman movies. It just felt like it’s important to go and … you know, look, do some other stuff. Hidden Figures is not a superhero movie. It was great to do that. There are other things I can do.
N: So a good script would be the thing that would make you return to the genre?
HZ: Yes, exactly. In other words, a script that would break the genre.
N: In your Masterclass, you mention the desire for younger competition to be at your heels. Why is that?
HZ: Yes, absolutely. You want to have people–and I think I manage to be really good about this as well–the people who started out making coffee here now suddenly have amazing careers as song composers. There’s a duty to keep things alive, in a way, and to move things forward and to make things progress. You want to feel the pressure of the new breathing down your neck.
N: Are there any young composers that you admire particularly right now?
HZ: Well, I’m not sure how young they are, but Johann Johannson is a favorite, as is Jonny Greenwood. I think what’s happening right now is that the inventiveness, and the shackles have just been taken off. Not every score has to be a big orchestral something or the other. Hauschka, who goes and manipulates pianos and does crazy stuff like this, is sort of what I love. And it’s become more international as well. The one thing where the foreign acts seem to be okay in Hollywood is the music. Does that make sense?
N: How do you feel about Mica Levi?
HZ: She is a complete breath of fresh air. It’s just like somebody throwing a hand grenade into film composing in the best possible way, and exploding it all and making us all reevaluate how we go about telling a story.
N: When you’re watching a show or a film, do you notice the music before anything else?
HZ: No. weirdly. No, I get completely immersed. If it’s good, I’m completely taken by the experience of it. And the only time I’m taken out of it is, if it’s a particularly great cue, or it’s a particularly awful cue. My sixth sense goes up and goes, “Aw, shit. Oh god, if you had only not played that note.”
I was watching something the other day, and I’m not going to say what it was, but I kept thinking, “God, you’re always ahead of the story. You keep being ahead of the story. You keep announcing that this is going to get scary before it actually does. You’re ruining it.” So yes, I notice those things.
N: Are there any TV shows you really enjoy?
HZ: Give me anything that is dark and moody and Scandinavian, and I’m a sucker for it. You know the series Broadchurch? It’s the sparsest, but it really hits me and I think it’s really good. Peaky Blinders, not bad at all.
N: Do you listen to music or watch other films while you are writing?
HZ: I go radio silent. We did this roundtable with Danny Elfman and John Powell was there. And the interviewer asked us what film scores we listen to. And John just bursts out, “You gotta be kidding me. Why would we be listening to film scores if there’s all this other great music out there?” 
N: What is the most painstaking score you’ve ever written?
HZ: Thin Red Line. It just stumped me. Everything about it stumped me, but in a really good way. Yeah, sometimes incredibly painful, sometimes huge big arguments with Terry [Terrence Malick]. But in retrospect, the most … He kept taking the dialogue out! When I read the script, people were talking forever. And then at a certain point, he decided it should be more like images and music, and I wasn’t quite ready for that. And that’s the thing, you learn. You get better at it. And that was a year of my life, trying to get better at it.
N: You are also going on tour and playing Coachella. Is that a nerve-racking prospect for you?
HZ: I get really bad stage fright. But my first show went great, and I thought, “Well, maybe I won’t have stage fright the next day.” And it was exactly the same the next day. So I’m just trying to come to terms. This is how I’m built. And you can’t have fear stop you from doing things in life. So, look, hey, if the audience wants to come and just see a man freaking out on stage, you’re coming to the right place. Bloody hell, I mean, who would have thunk it? Song composer at Coachella. Something inherently weird about that.
N: What era of work will you be pulling from?
HZ: Oh, I’m not telling you! I’m not telling anybody.
N: Oh really?
HZ: When we started working on Dark Knight, everybody knew Chris Nolan was making another Batman movie. And we didn’t tell anybody what we were doing. We just kept our mouths shut because nobody expected it to be that sort of a Batman movie. And that’s the joy of it: you want a surprise. You want to surprise people. So no, I’m not telling you. In fact, I’m still going back and forth and up and down and sideways trying to figure that out. But hey, it’ll be a surprise for me as well. But you know what I mean? I don’t want to go and preempt it right now, you know? Let’s live dangerously. Let’s go and be experimental and see what happens.
Images: Masterclass
In addition to being hump day, Wednesday is the perfect day to reflect on everything you have accomplished so far this week as well regroup as you plan to finish the week off with a bang. It is also the day that social media users encourage one another by sharing positive messages, inspirational quotes, and meaningful memes along with the hashtag #WednesdayWisdom.
Just in case you’re in need of an extra boost of encouragement, here’s a round-up of 10 motivational memes and tweets about business, happiness, life, and more.
Remember, you’re a brand
You have to start somewhere
See the bigger picture
Be resilient
It’s how we react to our failures that makes us who we are. #WednesdayWisdom pic.twitter.com/7HTlj8XvM3
— Daymond John (@TheSharkDaymond) March 15, 2017
You are the company you keep
Happiness and contentment go hand in hand
Don’t over analyze
Over Analyses
— John McGrath (@JohnMcGrathMB) March 22, 2017
Leads to Paralysis.#WednesdayWisdom#Motivation pic.twitter.com/rC4xCcMxSF
Always keep going
Maintain your dignity
Want more #WednesdayWisdom? Click here to see more positive messages on Twitter. Also, feel free to share your favorite #WednesdayWisdom post with us on Twitter @BlackEnterprise.
Selena Hill is the Associate Digital Editor at Black Enterprise and the founder of Let Your Voice Be Heard! Radio. You can hear Hill and her team talk millennial politics and social issues every Sunday at 11 a.m. ET.
Follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @MsSelenaHill.