JASMINE WITH MUSIC/MOVIE MYSTRO- BASHY AT HIS VIP FILM SCREENING FOR ‘MY BROTHER THE DEVIL’. (pic; R.Pascoe)
I like the regular things in my life. I am a Capricorn creature of habit. I like to read the daily papers, have a regular girly night with my ladies and fit in my gym classes. This past month (if you follow me on twitter) you will know that a lady called Saskia (#supersassysas) has been regularly kicking my ass. Hard. She’s my new personal trainer and has my body shook. I used to be a trained ballet dancer and have been fit all my life. My body is flexible, strong and my core strength impressive (even though I do say myself). So when I was offered sessions with Saskia I did think ‘’yeah come on then do your worst!’’ She did. My bones shake slightly every time I see her. She’s broken me down so she knows exactly what my fitness weak points are (crazy cardio) and does these exercises and nothing else. As a dancer that loves the beautiful lines and body mechanics of yoga I like graceful controlled exercise. So Saskia makes me sprint fast and high, do countless burpees (look em up), loads of frogs with my ass down (horrific!) and generally makes my body spasm and ache. Last week she made me do one-legged squats all the way down to the ground holding onto elastic bands to pull myself up- I nearly cried. I love it!
MY LITTLE 2 YEAR OLD TORNADO HOUSE GUEST WEARING ONE OF MANY OF MY SHOES! (pic; J Laurent)
Something else that made me nearly cry was my houseguests this week. My favourite Jamaican family who always look after us when we’re in the Caribbean came to stay for 10 days. Mummy, daddy and 2-year-old gorgeous daughter. 2 year old is the most gorgeous lil girl I think I’ve ever seen-with a personality to match! Like a lil tornado running on Duracell batteries she was up at 7am and asleep shattered at 3am! Being used to diving into her family swimming pool in Jamaica into the strong arms of her warrior physique shaped daddy, she throws herself around everywhere-mostly on her Auntie Jasmine. This part I love. However I should have been more child conscious before her arrival and popped my vast colourful, fancy shoe collection well out of reach because every 2 hours a different pair of my shoes were popped onto Ms Things tiny feet as she strutted into the living room to show us her latest find! – And lord does she have taste-she would always go for the designer brands! One morning I was at work when my other half text me a picture titled ‘’aw cute!’’ It’s a shot of the gorgeous lil tornado wearing my white Chanel shoes peep toes! Trying not to hyperventilate in my meeting I manage to continue talking in what I hoped wasn’t too strained a tone. I reciprocated by having her rock his numerous pairs of pristine never broken in trainers as soon as I got home. He didn’t send me any more photos like that again! The week was mega fun with activities galore (rum cruise on the river-more on that next time, Nando’s , Khans in Westbourne Grove, Richmond, Beaconsfield, Madame Tussauds, SeaWorld aquarium, London eye, London zoo, oxford street, and Primark! lol!) and it taught me a lot about how much more chilled I have become. A few years ago any of that shoe wearing action and pouring my mega expensive Jo Malone rose bath oil straight down the plughole would’ve had me taking faint and stroppy. Now I simply shrugged my shoulders and resigned myself to the fact that in 10 days it would all be back to normal! Come again tornado fam LOL!
JASMINE WITH LOICK ESSIEN AND BASHY AT BASHYS NEW FILM SCREENING FOR ‘MY BROTHER THE DEVIL’. (pic; R Pascoe)
Normal came soon in the form of Bashy who invited me to a VIP screening of his latest film. (I say normal, but he was wearing leopard print furry Adidas trainers that had an actual animal tail on the heels!) -West London swag LOL). He is obviously known as an amazing musician with lyrical skills, a conscious voice, a live performance that’s one of the best of his generation and a lovely well-mannered attitude. He’s pretty big if you know about the UK scene but honestly he should’ve been much bigger years ago. He’s always putting in his time and I know something big is around the corner for him. In the past few years many of his music videos have been mini movies- like Dame Dash used to make for Roc A Fella, or Michael Jackson used to make in his hey day. He’s also starred in real movies in small roles and is very good. His latest film is called MY BROTHER THE DEVIL which is yet another movie in the vein of London’s urban street fiction of violence. This is now a full on film genre. Shall we call it grimy movies? Shall we give Noel Clarke the credit for being the originator? Bashy plays the Mr Big Bad man. The film is gripping and depressing with a clear message for young men on the streets. Full of the usual tales of consequence and social depravity it takes a left turn twist that no one saw coming which shook the audience up, but I must salute the main family of Egyptian origin- all of them were superb!
JASMINE WITH FAZER (N DUBZ), MOBO CEO KANYA KING, TALENT MANAGER / PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD PASCOE AT THE MOBO NOMINATIONS PARTY AT FLORIDITA. (pic; Paul H)
Straight after the movie, myself, Bashy and many other TeamUK movers and shakers wandered 2 minutes up the road to the MOBO nominations launch party at Wardour Streets Floridita venue was heaving with TeamUK acts, press and wannabee’s from the scene. (You know you’ve been in the game a while when you remember all the other acts that have had parties in the same venue-Usher had an album launch here once when it was still very fab and new!) MOBO head lady Kanya King introduced and told us how excited she was about the awards being in Liverpool again on November 3rd this year on a Saturday for the first time. Radio host Gemma Cairney spoke (think she’s a bad choice at these things- she isn’t known for championing urban acts or seen regularly on the scene the way many of her colleagues are- just my humble opinion). Up and coming acts like Angel and Delilah performed very well. As usual the crowd were very rude and noisy whilst the speakers and performers were onstage. Guests included; Stooshe who looked fab with loads of hair extensions, Tulisa who was very blond and a bit albino looking-she’s much cuter as a brunette, her body did look banging though like you could bounce pennies off it, Sincere-who looks more and more like Nas every day, Angel-who I don’t think has a body part left that isn’t covered in tattoos, Preeya Kalidas in a very Amy Winehouse hairstyle, Jessie ware looked as serious and as traumatised as usual, DJ Ironik was colourful and sweet as ever, Fazer looked dashing but there were some awkward sweat patches under his armpits at one point-nerves about bumping intonex Tulia or just sweaty?, pretty Cleo Sol had a long, furry ,pink thing hanging off her all night-I was going to kill it but feared for the animal rights people, Rebecca Ferguson looked scarily like she’d tried to clone herself into a unification of Beyonce and Leona Lewis, Delilah sounded wonderful and really stood out with many commenting on what natural style she had, Island Records table looked very slick and powerful headed up by Tinchy and head honcho Darcus, Amy Winehouse god daughter Dionne Bromfield stayed close to her boss Darcus all night , Misha B resembled a very young Chaka Khan and sounded strong vocally too and DJ Swerve held it all together by spinning on the decks. A fun night!
A DOUBLE SIZED GUN AT THE LAPADA ART AND ANTIQUES FAIR IN BERKLEY SQUARE, W1. (PIC; Karen Palmer)
More formal soirees next included attending BBC head Mark Thompson’s leaving do at Broadcasting House, then to Sadlers Wells for the Sony event where head Nick Gatfield spoke proudly of his upcoming acts and positively gushed about his boy band One Direction!
Then The Earl Howe, president, and the lord Chadlington invited us to the Lapada Arts and Antiques fair in a marquee in Berkley Square, W1. (http://www.hatchwellantiques.co.uk/antique_furniture/?cat=2&mcat=1 )
When my friend Karen Palmer (formally Jet Star Records / now parkour interactive visual creative director), invited me to accompany her we both imagined an actual tent like the ones of our youth erected in Ealing Park for the local fair. This, readers, was a mansion with 3 huge ballrooms, copious amounts of champagne and mint mojitos and swarms of London’s most wealthy old money. You could practically taste and smell the good breeding. Ladies of all ages were rocking pearls, Chanel suits and sophisticated flat moccasins or loafers or classic black stilettos, whilst the men all looked like they stepped off the ralph Lauren catwalk-even really elderly gents with swish cravats and neck scarves. They all had a unified look about them. They were a community that clearly socialised together often and were comfortable in their status. There were around 200 stalls with antiques, sculptures, antique jewellery, artwork both classic and modern, furniture worth thousands- it all made sense now. I’d always wondered where the very wealthy found these old oak tables, chairs, paintings that looked like they belonged in a museum and so on. It was fascinating. I was as gripped by the attendees outfits as I was the artwork!. Elderly ladies with striking unusual neckpieces, very elegantly dressed folk who didn’t have to bling to show their sophistication. Young supermodel looking privately educated ladies who had clearly been to finishing school and did the St Barts and Monte Carlo calendars annually! It was lie being given an access all areas pass to a Jackie Collins book!
My favourite collection was called air art by Hatchwell Antiques (http://www.lapadalondon.com/art-and-antiques/d/ejection-seat-by-martin-baker/109720 ) that make furniture from old discarded aeroplane parts like propellers, engines, ejector seats and more- it was striking but way to expensive for my meagre purse. About 10 years ago Alan Hatchwell started to sell exciting aircraft items (now referred to collectively as aeronautica) that work amazingly well as decorative items, and are also sought after by collectors. Alan has a love of aeroplanes so this is an interesting way to indulge his interest and certainly added an unusual range of works to the LAPADA Fair. I felt like id really managed to get my culture swerve on- if only I were wealthy enough to buy this art. Someone famous-Andy Warhol I think- once said that art is what you can get away with, in which case I’m off to indulge in some sofa lying art!.
JASMINE’S JUICE featuring ISIS and DYNAMO!
JASMINE WITH THE VERY UNIQUE TRAIL BLAZER THAT IS DYNAMO!
My reporters at London360 are currently finishing of an all-exclusive prison special about a young offenders institute called ISIS, which rehabilitates and trains up young men in prison. Many of the young men interviewed are very lost youngsters who simply didn’t have the best starts or breaks in life and much of their surroundings are responsible for their consequent actions and life choices. Growing up in disadvantaged areas, having one parent, having bad parenting, feeling responsible for their siblings, wanting to fit into gangs as they have no family at home, being lured into gang families by local hoodlums recruiting young criminals, having a lack of hope for the future, being exposed to a positive life, having positive people in their lives. If you only have to deal with one of these facts you might get through fine with other factors involved, but mash together even just 2/3 of them and the potential for falling into the wrong side is extremely likely. If we leave these young men in prison to rot away and strengthen prison gang ties we are only creating a vicious cycle that affects us all in society. At ISIS the prisoners are trained in a wide variety of skills like barbering, media production, cookery, motor vehicle maintenance, DIY, waste management, plumbing, in house Samaritans, all academic subjects and more. Once they leave and finish their sentence they attend a resettlement program. All this leads to us having less angry, desperate men being thrown back into society and makes the community a nicer place for us all.
The TV special will be on air mid October- I’ll keep you updated!.
When I think of young men that have told me that they had a positive strong male role model in their life-I always remember TV magician dynamo. I recall him years ago telling me about his grand father who had mentored him and his magic skills to distract bullies at his Bradford school. Dynamo adored his granddad and was extremely lucky to have a positive, male man looking out for him. Dynamo continues this pro-social part of his life by giving back when he can. As well as travelling the world performing his magic for celebs and Joe public, he’s always raising money and awareness for charities like the princes trust and cancer research amongst others.
Many moons ago whilst I was at MTV he and his manager met with me to try and get a TV show. I had always admired his skill and well-mannered attitude but wasn’t sure I could justify a magician on a music channel or have the first clue about how to physically film magic tricks. I wasn’t sure I could convince my bosses or myself it was relevant over a music show. Most people say they don’t have any regrets. I think that’s crap. We all have regrets and I’m grown enough to state mine. I now regret that I didn’t fight harder to make it happen as I can see why he’s very a part of this whole new recent #TEAMUK generation. Talent is talent now whether you’re a rapper; footballer, dancer, Olympian or writer and I can see that dynamo would’ve fitted right in!
Of course dynamo being a winner persevered with his always loyal and quietly strong manger Dan and so currently they can be seen on the second series of ‘Magician: Impossible’ at 9pm on Thursdays on Watch (SKY / VIRGIN) and it’s doing pretty good. Dynamo recently sat down with me to reminisce and smile at his achievements thus far
‘’ First episode, I think we got three point seven million viewers. It’s gone a bit crazy to be honest, it’s been a mad year. You know, I went from walking across the River Thames to getting mobbed outside HMV when I did a DVD signing. SO, yeah, I’m causing magic and hysteria everywhere I go’’.
I remember seeing dynamo pop up on music acts tours whilst I was filming shows like MTV DIARY and MAKING THE VIDEO and he nods as he admits ‘’ I’ve performed magic to quite a lot of people over the years, from, royalty like Prince Charles, to hip-hop royalty like Jay-Z. Most recently in my series I’ve stepped away from performing for the celebrities so much, because I wanted to capture the essence of the real people and the everyday man. We went out to Rio and was performing magic in the Favelas and with the street kids, and these kids, half of them don’t even have TV’s, so when you perform magic their faces light up, their eyes, like they’ve seen the most amazing thing they’ve ever seen in their lives, and for me right now, that’s what it’s about, it’s about capturing that moment of wonder, not just, a-listers, because, at the end of the day, I get to travel the world, putting smiles on peoples’ faces, and amazing them, and it’s not just about the A-listers and the celebrities, it’s about everyone’’.
Dynamo always gives credit where its due and revealed that it was a charity that helped him in the first place which is why he is so charity focused ‘’Well, without the princes trust giving me money in the first place, they gave me two thousand pounds, I wouldn’t have been able to get a camcorder or a laptop to go start filming all my videos, so then you never would’ve seen my things on YouTube or on the TV show, so, for me, it started it all, and I wouldn’t be where I am without them. And I think, there are thousands of, young people out there, who need that support, who are not getting it from other places. So for me it was the most important thing that ever happened to me, and I’m pretty sure that anyone else out there who’s been helped by them would say the same’’.
When I’ve seen dynamo perform to celebs, lords, politicians or your average man on the street my favourite thing is to watch their reaction which can range from joy, wonder to shock and fear!, dynamo laughs ‘’I most enjoy the reaction when I’m performing, you never know how people are going to react, some people faint, some people run away from me scared, some people are just gobsmacked like (facially gestures) they don’t say much for a long time. it’s different every time, so it never gets boring, I think if you watch the shows or watch any of my videos or me performing, even you can appreciate why the reaction would give me a buzz, cause often, you’ll find, it’s what you find amazing about it as well’’.
Of course no chat with this young star would be complete without him mentioning his greatest role model ‘’ as you already know when I grew up, my main role model for me was my grandpa, he was a legend in my life, still is, it was actually his birthday yesterday but he’s passed away earlier on in the year and it was a sad time, but, you know, I kind of celebrate his life every year now. And without him I probably wouldn’t be a magician, wouldn’t have the confidence in myself to keep pursuing this crazy career that I’ve endeavoured on, there’s people in areas that I grew up in, who are probably serving time in jail, who are probably not really doing what they need to be doing to have a successful career in life, I was lucky to have grandpa’’.
When we spoke to dynamo about our current young offender special about prison rehabilitation he said ‘’I think it would be unfair, to let people sit there to rot, obviously each case is different, but we are all human at the end of the day, and we all do make mistakes, some mistakes are far worse than others, and I think they get dealt with accordingly, but I think that at a young age it’s very easy to get caught up in the trappings of petty crime. There are more role models out there that they see doing negative stuff, than there are in their community so they’re likely to see a way of making a quick buck, they see a quick way out of their estate and they often try to go down that path but they don’t understand the consequences it could lead them to. so I think if you go in there, and they’re given the right direction whilst they’re inside, then at least it gives them a chance to redeem themselves, but also a chance for them to come out and have a good life and do positive for the community’’.
Dynamo himself grew up without his father there and admitted ‘’I think for me, because I only really had my grandpa as the male role model, I don’t fully understand what I’ve missed, but, you know, it’s hard for me to really say what it would’ve been like to have my dad around, cause he just wasn’t there. Maybe a better sense of direction, I would’ve have been allowed to be a kid for a bit longer, and not have to do all things, like look after my mom .So I think, not having my father around, not having a positive role model early on, stopped me from having the childhood that I probably needed’’.
On that note we agreed to cherish the positive people in our lives and let them know before its too late what they have meant to us! YOLO!
JASMINE’S JUICE featuring BAD 25 and KOJO LAUNCH PARTY!
JASMINE AT THE MICHAEL JACKSON BAD 25 FILM PREMIERE WITH SPIKE LEE.(pic – Paul Hampartsoumian)
Last weekend Sony Music threw a bash to celebrate their old act Michael Jackson’s legendary album Bad and hip hop photographer to the stars Paul Hampartsoumian ,rounded up a huge who’s who list of #TEAMUK movers and shakers to enjoy the lovely Sunday afternoon matinee premiere. The event was called Bad 25- 25 years after Bad came out. The event was a film made by the chosen director Spike Lee who attended to introduce the film and partake in a short question and answer session post film. Spike was granted exclusive access to all Michael Jacksons estates footage of him over the years documenting the making of most of the Bad albums videos and songs. There were even whole sections of Michael in the studio with various singers and producers like Siedah Garrett and Quincy jones.
Footage of Michael behind the scenes is extremely rare and fascinating to watch, as he was so private.
Bad gave Michael 9 no 1 singles, it had 40million in album sales, and the tour broke all records by being seen by 4.4 mill people across 2 years. It was the first live music concert my dad ever took me to at Wembley.
Spike turned up to greet this specially invited audience at the Odeon Leicester square wearing a classic MJ tee shirt, White tracksuit top, his now classic fisherman hat, specs and sneakers.
The film speaks to all those in Michaels life from the musicians, studio session players, singers, fellow dancers and performers like Jeffrey Daniels who taught him the moonwalk, singers and song writers, writers, record label heads, his music friends like Mariah Carey and Sheryl Crow, younger acts that were influenced by MJ like Chris Brown and Kanye.
The film was interesting in so many ways. MJ refused to refer to his music videos as such and always called them ‘’short films’’. You could tell it was indoctrinated into his entourage’s minds too. The same way Mariah refers to her birthday as an anniversary. The rivalry between MJ and Prince and MJ and Stevie Wonder were documented.
One story tells of when MJ and Prince met. MJ was convinced that a box that Prince had bought along with him had a voodoo spell that would affect MJ so he avoided it and him thereafter. In another scene we see a very young Michael and Stevie persuaded to sing a duet together. They were both bemused on camera and trying to out sing each other with their respective styles to a song that someone else had written. It was a hot mess and they both seemed to know it!
The hard work MJ did spending hour after hour watching all the old classic greats like Bob Fosse etc to influence his stage routines and costumes were amazing. He wrote notes to himself that were shown in the film. Notes that said things like ‘’watch the best, work harder than them to be the best’’.
There were sad poignant moments as well as hilariously funny sections of the films such as scenes showing MJ dressing up in disguises to go out in public without drawing attention to him. He looked like he had a lot of fun dressing up as a tramp or old man. He even dressed as a Jehovah’s Witness and knocked on doors! Were you one of the people that slammed your door in his face?
The film is amazing. Its beautiful that the family and his estate have allowed the world to see more of what this fascinating humans private life was like.
RICKY NORWOOD (FAT BOY-EASTENDERS), WRETCH 32 AND KOJO AT KOJO’S DVD LAUNCH PARTY!
Comedy king Kojo threw a VIP invite only party for his DVD launch. He performed a great live show not long ago at Hackney Empire and this weeks DVD launch was the show plus extra backstage moments. The DVD was the 1hr show with extended footage from the MTV Base show. Loads of DVD’s were sold and signed on the night by Kojo. The launch night was full of the scenes movers and shakers from both the comedy and music world that Kojo straddles. It was a fun night! Attended by Wretch 32, Misha B, Mclean, Ricky (Fat Boy from Eastenders), Perri Shakes Drayton, Kyra and Loik Essien to name a few.
JASMINE WITH KOJO!
Kojo’s about to head on his first UK tour called “Special Delivery” where he’s performing in 9 cities and planning an epic show next year. So with Christmas coming if your family loves to watch comedy skewed to an ethnic urban audience this would be a great gift buy someone!
JASMINE WITH THE EVER FUN, ALWAYS POSITIVE ALAN CARR!
All this fun isn’t very fun right now as my dads still unwell and hospitalized, but it is keeping me sane and otherwise distracted some of the time. He went in with a heart attack, sleep apnea, respiratory issues and a dislocated shoulder. He has now had all those get more severe and better up and down depending on what day it is. He also caught a hospital blood infection called sepsis, which can be deadly. One day he’s alert enough to demand his coffee and daily guardian newspaper, the next he’s barely conscious and screaming in pain! So it’s a rollercoaster of emotion and exhaustion right now but I know my life has been so blessed until now, that I know life has pain to give and this is my painful time. I am accepting and dealing and embracing. My family, friends and industry family (too many to mention including Lord Paul Boateng, Kojo, the mad Alan Carr and more) have been so attentive and kind. I really can’t ask for any more. Thank you God.
JASMINE’S JUICE FEATURING WILL.I.AM AND NICOLE SCHERZINGER!
JASMINE WITH WILL.I.AM!
This week I’ve mostly been in hospital looking after my unwell, aging father – a totally exhausting, sad experience that we all have to deal with in time. So my usual fun filled life is on hold, no parties, hair appointments (hence my natural hair colour is back!), and mostly hospital nurses for company.
I’ve also been spending a lot of time in prison. ISIS young offenders prison where young men are trained and rehabilitated into society positively. My LONDON360 team are making an exclusive all access documentary on the brilliant work this institute does. Its heart breaking to see the waste of talent but inspiring knowing they have the best opportunities moving forwards positively with their lives. Many of us grow up min circumstances that aren’t the easiest but we make something positive of ourselves to leave a worthwhile legacy. The black eyed peas frontman Will could just be another gang banger after growing up in south central L.A but he knew he wanted more from life.
The first time I met Will I Am was whilst I was still an MTV News presenter in 1999 and he had come with his band the black eyed peas to MTV in Camden to tell us about their single ‘’Joints and jams’’. The group back then consisted of the 3 male members and no Fergie. Their lead lady back then was a beautiful soulstress named Kim Hill. The band was excitable, enthusiastic, giving and real. I took them to cottons for food as we talked about their music and backgrounds. Part of the TV feature saw us al doing an impromptu can-can dance kicking up our legs outside the WKD club in Camden. Back then BEP weren’t taken that seriously by hip-hop fans or the pop world. They were too different. They looked weird. They didn’t wear matching boy band outfits with a skimpy lead lady. They were unique.
2 years down the line most bands and record labels may have given up the chart challenge. Kudos to this band and their label that they persevered and developed. The hits came slowly but surely. The band worked tirelessly to perform at live festivals around the world. They volunteered to be a part of everything. Even when lead lady Kim left the group it championed on eventually finding Fergie. This was a definition within the group now where everyone knew their place, and even more importantly were happy to stay in their lanes. APL and Taboo always made it clear they were happy to be part of wills gang and all was harmonious.
A decade down the line and will is a UK household name judging reality TV shows, carrying the Olympic torch and appearing in Top Gear- truly impressive for a young black male when so many of our own British young black males cant be seen on this level-or aren’t embraced by mainstream TV in this way.
This month didn’t start well for him after his favourite super sporty, super expensive car was stolen. He wasn’t cheered up too much by his studio sessions producing new music for Britney and Nicole Scherzinger either-after all, once you’ve worked with Whitney and Michael who else matters?
But as they say, when one door closes, another opens…
Now, he’s gone clear by being the first music act to have their music played…. not in an Essex nightclub, not in a Vegas boxing match, not even the Olympics-all great feats themselves. No-wills new track ‘’Reach for the stars’’ was this past week played on Mars. The planet. The track, taken from the 31-year-old singer’s upcoming album, Willpower, is released on October 15 and was played from the speakers of the Curiosity rover which landed on the red planet earlier this month. Will said he was blessed to be a part of first song ever to be sent from another planet…mars to earth!. For four minutes and 24 seconds last Tuesday, Curiosity acted as a $2.5bn radio station, streamed as part of an educational showcase at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion laboratory in Pasadena, California. Members of the team that successfully landed the rover on Mars earlier this month will explain to students the mission and the technology behind the song’s interplanetary transmission.
Will.i.Am was present at the event, where officials announced a new partnership between the US space agency, Will’s i.am.angel foundation, and digital curriculum company Discovery Education. Will revealed ‘’ Reach for the Stars is “a new composition about my passion for science, technology and space exploration which I wrote last year, when Curiosity blasted off toward Mars’’. He added jubilantly like a kid that just beat me at chess- “My song is finally going to be beamed back to earth- how cool is that Jas!.”
The timing was made even more poignant by the death of astronaut Neil Armstrong last Saturday. Will’s song includes the words “Why do they say the sky is the limit/ When I’ve seen them footprints on the moon?” the 37-year-old sings, with strings, choir and heavy Auto-Tune. “I know that Mars might be far/ but baby it ain’t really that far.”
The event took place at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. The event was streamed on the agency’s website and broadcast on NASA TV! Now that’s not running the city-that’s running this planet-I know somewhere Jigga’s kicking himself he didn’t think of it first!
JASMINE WITH NICOLE!
Will’s friend Nicole Scherzinger is another elegant and graceful act I’ve always got time for. When she first came on the scene I was ecstatic that another brown skinned, dark haired, articulate female was representing me and all that look like me on the world stage. It’s important to have visual representations of every look in the public eye especially when it goes against stereotype. Nicole makes me proud to be an olive skinned woman of colour!
When she first came through with the PUSSYCAT DOLLS she was always the clear winner in that group. I always called her the Beyonce of the troupe. Both ladies have that tenacious winner spirit that makes them pull through and give everyday their all. Nicole would be as exhausted as her band members on and offstage but when the camera turns on she’s going to be ready to go. This is why leaders deserve all they get-they deliver when others give up. Nicole has played the game. Her way. With style. She was dating an industry bigwig years ago and now has Lewis Hamilton on her arm. Not bad for an ethnic woman who didn’t have the best circumstances growing up. Whether in the uk, Dublin or in the states when I’ve worked alongside her, Nicole has always been friendly, respectful and a joy to film. She works hard at her craft. Her dance lessons are gruelling, her vocal sessions are exhausting, and her press junkets are knocked out with ease. It’s no wonder she’s a Simon Cowell favourite. She is easy on the eye and from a TV producer’s point of view she’s easy to work alongside. She’s finishing up her new album currently working with Will, Sean Garrett and others. Can we learn from her go-getter attitude? Can you put that extra effort into your day and everything you do to join her on the winner’s podium? As Drake says ‘you only live once’. A phrase that’s been made even more poignant to me this month. Live life!