The 52^nd Grammy Awards airs this Sunday and I am pretty excited. I think this year is going to be extremely interesting considering the turns that the music industry has taken. I’m most excited about the way that top female artists have dominated the airwaves and the charts. Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, Jasmine Sullivan, Ledisi etc….It’s a women’s world this Sunday and I love it!

Below are some categories of interest:

Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Dance Recording, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, Best R&B Song, Best R&B Album, Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Album.

The categories that have me on edge are:

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. The competition: Beyonce, Melanie Fiona, Lelah Hathaway, Ledisi and Jazmine Sullivan. WOAH! Lot’s of fierceness going on over here. Biting my nails…

Record of the Year. The Competition: Beyonce, BEP, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift. Ummmm yea! What can you say. All are fierce.

Now don’t get me wrong. I am also super excited about the fellas. I see my boo Maxwell has been nominated in three different categories including: Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and Song of the Year for “Pretty Wings” and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “Love You”. It will be interesting to see how Jay-Z does up against Drake in the “Best Rap Song” Category and against his wifey Beyonce in the “Best Rap/Sung Collaboration” with “Ego” (Beyonce/Kanye) and “Run This Town” (Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye). Oh, and how about Mr. Jamie Fox with this club/radio favorite “Blame It”. Didn’t it feel like a party every time you heard that song?

Now we certainly can’t forget about all the anticipation surrounding the red carpet and the live performances. What famed designer will all the female artists rock on the red carpet? How far will Lady Gaga go both on the carpet and on stage? Who will be the best dressed? Who will have the most memorable performance? Who will win the most awards? I’ll be watching along with you all on Sunday.

I can hardly wait! Who do you want to see win?

I want to take a moment to acknowledge the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Although one day out of the year has been dedicated to his memory and work, I would be remised if I didn’t mention the infinite impact his life and legacy has had on American and the present.

I often wonder if Dr. King could have imagined the election of a black President either during his time or in the future. Many of us were shocked ourselves when Barack Obama emerged as a leading contender for the Presidency of the United States. In my mind, I believe that Dr. King saw this defining moment long before our own nation did. He always had the greatest hope for America even during our countries most challenging times.  His hope and faith was so strong that he was willing to sacrifice his own life to move our country towards peace.

Even decades after his death, his relevance continues to gain potency as we continue to heal from past wounds. He is an iconic figure for racial peace and justice in our country but I believe that his message and principles can be applied globally while the world continues to struggle with racial, religious and political unrest.

I salute you Dr. King. Thank you for being so brave, fearless and hopeful while working towards your dream for America. We love you.

My heart goes out to the people of Haiti, their families and all who have been affected by the earthquake. I will certainly do my part to aide in rescue and recovery efforts by making a donation. Haiti needs our help! To find out more about how you can get involved, log on to:

Yele Haiti

Happy New Year Everyone!

Wow! Another year gone by as swiftly as the wind, leaving us lamenting over the status of our to-do lists. It is hard to believe that 2010 is finally here. What did we accomplish in 2009? Did we accomplish enough!?!

Whenever you set goals for yourself, you are challenging yourself to accomplish them. You anticipate but you really don’t know just how intense the challenges will be. But you set them anyway because as scary as it may seem, your desire to succeed is unwavering. You learn along the way that you can’t accomplish your resolutions without addressing your own evolution.

Admittedly, there were times in 2009 where I felt like the year wasn’t going by quickly enough. But for me, 2009 year was a series of world-wind experiences that tested me in ways that will remain interesting and unforgettable. And boy do I know a little something about challenges. I released a full length, independent album project during a recession and I live in New York City! What on earth was I thinking? Even if I did realize what I was getting myself into, I don’t think I would have done anything differently. I’m a stubborn Taurus. My theme song was and still is Kanye’s “Can’t Tell Me Nothing”. I was going to put this album out no matter what.

There were times when I felt like I was a contestant on the Amazing Race, trudging my way through an obstacle coarse with subtle or no clues to help me along the way. In some instances, it was like being locked in a dark room feeling my way through the dark for a light switch. This project was the most financially, physically and emotionally taxing thing I have ever done. And yet, despite it all, there were so many triumphant moments that overshadowed the challenges.

This past year, I realized how no one challenged me more than myself and no one ever could. I saw, sought and conquered my dream of releasing my own album project on my own terms. And now that I have accomplished this goal, the sky’s the limit. The only thing left to do at this point is to aim higher and higher.

2010 is all about taking lessons learned in 2009 and applying them. Becoming better. Writing up a list of goals is step one. Being the person you want to be is a critical part of the process and will ultimately determine how effective you are with checking off your list of goals. Be prepared to evolve as you set out to accomplish your goals this year. Most of all, don’t be afraid of the eminent challenges that will come your way. They are a crucial part of your evolution. Don’t just answer the call…embrace “the process of continuous change to a higher, more complex and better state”…embrace your own evolution.

Bless, Rae.