londonrain
Staff member
I was not prepared for our host to turn into the rate villain like this.
Whew a twist.
Whew a twist.
20GAYTeen the Rate: WINNER!!
- Thread starter Trouble in Paradise
- Start date
ohnostalgia
Staff member
She/her
Excuse me.
D
Deleted member 29256
Although I gave this a 8. I really think this song suffered from song choice.
Because believe me, she truly has some tens in her discography!
And just look at those video's!! Your faves could never.
Because believe me, she truly has some tens in her discography!
And just look at those video's!! Your faves could never.
He/Him
Ugh this one hurts.
He/Him
I'm sure I'm not alone in being all in my feelings about the developments around the Jussie Smollett case. As many much more eloquently explained, I do not regret standing with and believing a queer person of color, but the disappointment and betrayal still stings. I will be replacing Jussie's entry in our Queer Heroes with Camila Díaz Córdova who was a transwoman who was denied asylum in the United States and was subsequently murdered in El Salvador. The tragedy of her death is symbolic of the cruel reality of hate many of us still experience and in particular how it is the most vulnerable who are in need of the most support.
My PM's are open to more discussion as I don't wanna de-rail the thread with this conversation! Also on a more positive note please send me a PM if there's a Queer Hero you'd like to nominate! I've got a list of about 80 so I'll need a few more to get us to #1!
My PM's are open to more discussion as I don't wanna de-rail the thread with this conversation! Also on a more positive note please send me a PM if there's a Queer Hero you'd like to nominate! I've got a list of about 80 so I'll need a few more to get us to #1!
He/Him
Mother of the Blues Ma Rainey is here to introduce our next cut! Rainey was one of the first professionally recorded blues singers and an influence on generations of singers. She also sang openly about her queerness in songs like "Prove It On Me Blues" way back in the 1920's!
68. "Keisha Complexion"
By Shea Diamond
7.075
Highest Scores: 10 x 3 (@CorgiCorgiCorgi @ohnostalgia @Music Is Life)
9 x 4 (@soratami @constantino @Cutlery @kalonite)
Lowest Score: 2 x 1 (@Empty Shoebox)
4 x 2 (@happiestgirl @Verandi)
My Score: 7.75
It's funny how fast my skirt came off of my ass
If you knew me you'd gasp, I've never been so unabashed
When you say you love my Keisha complexion
And the way I ain't ever respected
Got me admiring my own reflection
It's so hot in this place
I'm quite mad at myself for underscoring this but it's definitely the type of song that is full of promise and talent but doesn't quite get there for me. I should've at least given it a full 8! Shea Diamond is giving us so much in this song: attitude, sex, body, fun, and more!
Now a quick overview of the cinematic life story that is Shea Diamond's biography. For as long as she can remember she identified as a girl and was often put down for her femininity. When singing in church, her mother would tell her to put some bass in her voice cause she was singing too high. Eventually as a teenager, she ran away from home to live more authentically. She tried to rob a convenience store to fund her transition but ended up serving 10 years in a men's correctional facility. It was in this inhuman environment that Diamond returned to music as a lifeline often singing her song "I Am Her" when put in solitary confinement (often being punished for being too feminine). Upon her release, Diamond delved straight into music and performed "I Am Her" at a Black Trans Lives Matter rally where songwriter to the stars Justin Tranter saw her performance. Tranter- despite his terrible brunch throwing abilities- has fostered Diamond's career and executive produced her EP Seen It All. I truly hope this is just the beginning for Shea Diamond cause she's a clear talent!
You know I don't speak over queer voices and every Shea Diamond interview is full of powerful quotes that are quite illuminating to a white gay boy like myself so let me share some highlights with y'all:
For example, Billboard asking the question "where did your name come from?" leads to this heartbreaking truth about life inside a prison for transwomen:
It’s because, like a diamond, under pressure I was the best. Things that made other people sad and ugly, I was still smiling through. In prison, trans people [were] alienated to the point that they’re fantasized about just as much as cis women are. The male inmates would lust over these female officers that they had to walk past every day, and they would try their best to have us [trans women], too. Even the guards would do that. So we got raped by officers as well. But we’re never considered credible. We had to go through a lot of different channels to bring some of that stuff to light. I became a member of the warden’s forum, which meant I was able to talk to the warden about inmates’ concerns, things that they felt were injustices, things that would make their unit more livable.
Talking to Variety about starting her career later in life due to the challenges of growing up trans:
“Honey, look, I have pennies older than half of the people that objectify me or feel a certain way about how I live my life. So to be a 40-year-old woman, a trans woman, to make it to that age it’s not really heard of. We get killed off before we’re 25. The only type of entertainment you want from us — no shade — is Jerry Springer. People don’t want to see the struggle of what it takes for a trans woman to survive. It’s more comfortable for people — for everybody now — for entertainment purposes to see a drag queen. That’s a person who can take it off. The trans experience is a person who isn’t doing it for entertainment purposes. Everything this person does is for survival. What does survival look like? It looks like [me].”
She explained the inspiration behind "Keisha Complexion" to the Indypendent and also confronted the bias she faces as a transwoman singer:
I'll close with another quote from Variety in relation to the struggles of existing as a transwoman of color who is dark skinned and trying to make it in the music business. It also touches on the need for allies- in this case a rich and successful white gay man - to support underrepresented individuals.
Now onto you much less articulate commentators:
londonrain Shea’s vocals are fire on this and the “look at my cheeks like apples” pre-chorus is great, but it needed more of an actual chorus than this.
untitled whew, the soul is dripping from ha delivery
The Hot Rock Nice production and fun lyrics.
Kalonite This song is the definition of feeling your oats. I stumbled across Shea Diamond a while ago, and this one's stuck with me since.
Untouchable Ace Keisha is so beautiful isn't she!
Music is Life This feels very gay, and I'm not sure why, but I love it.
68. "Keisha Complexion"
By Shea Diamond
7.075
Highest Scores: 10 x 3 (@CorgiCorgiCorgi @ohnostalgia @Music Is Life)
9 x 4 (@soratami @constantino @Cutlery @kalonite)
Lowest Score: 2 x 1 (@Empty Shoebox)
4 x 2 (@happiestgirl @Verandi)
My Score: 7.75
It's funny how fast my skirt came off of my ass
If you knew me you'd gasp, I've never been so unabashed
When you say you love my Keisha complexion
And the way I ain't ever respected
Got me admiring my own reflection
It's so hot in this place
I'm quite mad at myself for underscoring this but it's definitely the type of song that is full of promise and talent but doesn't quite get there for me. I should've at least given it a full 8! Shea Diamond is giving us so much in this song: attitude, sex, body, fun, and more!
Now a quick overview of the cinematic life story that is Shea Diamond's biography. For as long as she can remember she identified as a girl and was often put down for her femininity. When singing in church, her mother would tell her to put some bass in her voice cause she was singing too high. Eventually as a teenager, she ran away from home to live more authentically. She tried to rob a convenience store to fund her transition but ended up serving 10 years in a men's correctional facility. It was in this inhuman environment that Diamond returned to music as a lifeline often singing her song "I Am Her" when put in solitary confinement (often being punished for being too feminine). Upon her release, Diamond delved straight into music and performed "I Am Her" at a Black Trans Lives Matter rally where songwriter to the stars Justin Tranter saw her performance. Tranter- despite his terrible brunch throwing abilities- has fostered Diamond's career and executive produced her EP Seen It All. I truly hope this is just the beginning for Shea Diamond cause she's a clear talent!
You know I don't speak over queer voices and every Shea Diamond interview is full of powerful quotes that are quite illuminating to a white gay boy like myself so let me share some highlights with y'all:
For example, Billboard asking the question "where did your name come from?" leads to this heartbreaking truth about life inside a prison for transwomen:
It’s because, like a diamond, under pressure I was the best. Things that made other people sad and ugly, I was still smiling through. In prison, trans people [were] alienated to the point that they’re fantasized about just as much as cis women are. The male inmates would lust over these female officers that they had to walk past every day, and they would try their best to have us [trans women], too. Even the guards would do that. So we got raped by officers as well. But we’re never considered credible. We had to go through a lot of different channels to bring some of that stuff to light. I became a member of the warden’s forum, which meant I was able to talk to the warden about inmates’ concerns, things that they felt were injustices, things that would make their unit more livable.
“Honey, look, I have pennies older than half of the people that objectify me or feel a certain way about how I live my life. So to be a 40-year-old woman, a trans woman, to make it to that age it’s not really heard of. We get killed off before we’re 25. The only type of entertainment you want from us — no shade — is Jerry Springer. People don’t want to see the struggle of what it takes for a trans woman to survive. It’s more comfortable for people — for everybody now — for entertainment purposes to see a drag queen. That’s a person who can take it off. The trans experience is a person who isn’t doing it for entertainment purposes. Everything this person does is for survival. What does survival look like? It looks like [me].”
“Keisha Complexion” is glorifying the dark complexion. The forgotten-about complexion. For so long, access to the world of beauty has only been available to light skin. So “Keisha Complexion” is revamping the word “ebony” and giving a twist to the words “ebony complexion.”
There has been like a bit of a backlash from “Keisha Complexion,” which is very surprising. The backlash that comes is: “Is that a man?” So, I would just like to address that once and for all: Trans people are who they say they are.
Why would you be so rude, why would you be so malicious, as to call a woman wearing a dress, calling herself “her” — her pronouns being “she” and “her” — why would you wait to call her “female”? Now that I’m living my truth, now why am I a man?
There has been like a bit of a backlash from “Keisha Complexion,” which is very surprising. The backlash that comes is: “Is that a man?” So, I would just like to address that once and for all: Trans people are who they say they are.
Why would you be so rude, why would you be so malicious, as to call a woman wearing a dress, calling herself “her” — her pronouns being “she” and “her” — why would you wait to call her “female”? Now that I’m living my truth, now why am I a man?
I'll close with another quote from Variety in relation to the struggles of existing as a transwoman of color who is dark skinned and trying to make it in the music business. It also touches on the need for allies- in this case a rich and successful white gay man - to support underrepresented individuals.
“How many dark-skinned artists do you see with my complexion? That wasn’t a rhetorical question. There aren’t many. If you too dark, you asked to lighten your skin. If you weigh too much, you asked to lose some weight. If you’re trans and you’re my color, trying to do anything — absolutely anything, honey — it’s not going to be an easy fight. We’re at the same place we’ve always been: If it ain’t white, it ain’t right. I was just fortunate and blessed to meet Justin for the visionary he is. Otherwise, all those songs would have died with me.”
Now onto you much less articulate commentators:
londonrain Shea’s vocals are fire on this and the “look at my cheeks like apples” pre-chorus is great, but it needed more of an actual chorus than this.
untitled whew, the soul is dripping from ha delivery
The Hot Rock Nice production and fun lyrics.
Kalonite This song is the definition of feeling your oats. I stumbled across Shea Diamond a while ago, and this one's stuck with me since.
Untouchable Ace Keisha is so beautiful isn't she!
Music is Life This feels very gay, and I'm not sure why, but I love it.
BTW the video is FIRE
ohnostalgia
Staff member
She/her
she/her
Dang, I was not expecting that to leave so early! One of my favorite extras in this rate.
Keisha Complexion has more personality than just about every other song in the rate. A self-love anthem that actually feels genuinely celebratory and fresh as fuck. It's fun and sexy and unassumingly powerful. Ugh. One of my favourite discoveries this rate.
He/Him
Probably not gonna be able to get eliminations out this weekend but I’ll give you some hints: the next song out is the last one to receive no 10’s!
she/her
I'm predicting If You're Over Me, or one of the SSION songs.
ohnostalgia
Staff member
She/her
It can't be because only extras are leaving until 60 I think.
He/Him
Fresh from a weekend stay at my best friends house filled with spa night, old school video games and finally getting my ear pierced I will start up on our next elimination!