ESSENCE’s 2013 Black Women in Music event will spotlight music’s “It” girls Solange Knowles and Lianne La Havas.
The star-studded event takes place in Los Angeles, California on February 6 and will feature exclusive performances from Knowles and La Havas. Grammy-winning singer and 2012 honoree Kelly Rowland will co-host the event with ESSENCE Editor-At-Large Emil Wilbekin.
Already celebrated as a fashion and hair icon, Knowles recently returned to her first love—music—with the release of her EP, True, an experimental take on old-school R&B meets dance music. On top of successfully carving her own lane away from her big sis Beyonce’s shadow, Knowles is a renowned songwriter, producer, model, dancer and DJ who has released two albums.
La Havas, 23, is the latest British musical export making a big splash in America. Not only can the folk and soul songstress say Prince and Stevie Wonder are fans, her debut album, Is Your Love Big Enough, was voted the iTunes’ UK Album of the Year in 2012. She was also nominated for an NAACP Award for Outstanding New Artist and ESSENCE.com dubbed her one of the New and Next stars of 2012.
“What makes ESSENCE Black Women in Music so distinctive is that we are able to highlight the success of amazing African-American women in music who, are not only changing the game, but also creating the rules,” said ESSENCE Editor-In-Chief Constance C.R. White. “At ESSENCE, our dedication to showcasing the unique contributions of Black women runs deep—whether through the magazine or during our annual ESSENCE Festival. We also look forward to celebrating the incredible gifts of Lianne La Havas and Solange Knowles, who are each making their own inimitable mark on the industry and around the world.”