Filed Under: “I heard it thru the grapefruit”
It’s called middle aged spread. Stop talking about these women! They look great… R&B divas (PLEASE stop using that word PR people “divas.” The next time I hear that word, I’m kicking somebody straight in the ass). Coko of SWV, Shanice and Nicci Gilbert of Brownstone stormed Japan with their “Lady Soul Greatest Hits” tour. The seven-day jaunt played 10 sold-out shows at Billboard Live venues in Fukuoka, Tokyo and Osaka.
The near-90 minute show features each singer performing their biggest hits and paying homage to the artists that have inspired them.
“Doing this tour reminded me of when Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and Dionne Warwick did ‘Sisters in the Name of Love’ back in the 1980’s. It has that same feel. Working with Shanice and Nicci felt so natural and everyone really brought their best each night,” says SWV lead singer Coko.
Despite the Japanese audiences speaking little to no English, the capacity crowds sang along as Coko belted “Weak,” Shanice sang “I Love Your Smile,” and Nicci delivered “If You Love Me.”
“The people over there really appreciate real music. They treated us really well. I wanted to take everybody from Japan and put them on our flight and bring them back to the U.S. Those people were so good. I had so much fun,” says Shanice.
With the Japanese run of “Lady Soul Greatest Hits” being such a success, the tour is now negotiating shows in London and South Africa.
“The tour in Japan was a gift from God, loaded with sisterhood, support, and real sangin’! I look forward to touring more throughout the year, sharing the stage, learning and moving the crowd with my sisters in song, Coko and Shanice,” says Brownstone front woman Nicci.
‘Lady Soul Greatest Hits’ only has international dates slated for now, they hope to play some U.S. venues as well. “We loved Japan and look forward to the upcoming shows in other countries. But, there’s no place like home and we want to play in the States as well,” says Coko.
Coko, who reunited with her SWV members to perform with Alicia Keys on the 2008 BET Awards, is heating up the charts in Japan with her Grammy-nominated inspirational CD, “Grateful.” The CD, led by the single “Clap Your Hand s,” was released in Japan just two weeks ago and is a bestseller in the country.
Shanice’s 2006 release, “Every Woman Dreams,” is newly released in Japan as well. The CD’s track, “Get Up,” is a hit at Japanese radio. The Grammy nominee recently released a single supporting Democratic nominee Barack Obama called ‘The President We Need.’
Nicci Gilbert’s solo debut “Grown Folks Music” debuted at retail outlets in Japan earlier this year. Fresh off of performing spot dates with her Billboard Award-winning group Brownstone, the accomplished singer/actress is headed back into the recording studio to record a new solo release for the U.S.
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