“I like it, I like it…” were the first lyrics I heard on the radio from newcomer (at the time) and contemporary R&B sensation, Sevyn Streeter, with her syncopated, hit song titled “I Like It,” released in October 2012. When I first heard this song, I was in my father’s car on our way to either take or pick up my brother from school, and my dad asked me who was the person singing on the radio, but I did not know. In fact, my brother knew the song before I did and said something to this sort, “Oh, yeah. It’s a girl name Sevyn Streeter. She’s a new artist.” I could not quite get the hook of the song, as in, the rhythmic progression of singing “I like it, I like it” but eventually, I got it, after listening to it on the radio, YouTube, and Pandora, a couple of times. The song grew on me, but when I saw what Sevyn looked like, I thought to myself, “Wow! She looks like me!” I was excited to see a dark skin, beautiful brown girl on television and in overall media, who was a fantastic singer and dancer, and she was glamorous. Also, her many music videos proved how much talent this chick had, which many fans and reviewers comparing her to the late and great R&B and Hip Hop singer and song writer Aaliyah, whom she was inspired by her.
And in January 2017, I had the opportunity to attend Streeter’s “Girl Disrupted Tour” with my cousin in my hometown Chicago at The Promontory on the South Side in the neighborhood of Hyde Park. Wow, how time flies! Despite the fact that I rarely get a chance to attend concerts, I had to see her perform. And I was not disappointed. When she took the stage, she performed with much zest, humbleness and exuberance. She has a natural ability to entertain her audience. And because of this, she is one my favorite singers and performers.
Amber Denise Streeter, best known as her stage name, Sevyn Streeter, was born and raised in Haines City, Florida. According to an article written by James Coulter in The Ledger newspaper, in her biography, the name “Sevyn” not only represents her birthday July 7th, but it also symbolizes a biblical concept of the number seven meaning fullness and completion. During this time, Streeter grew up singing in church and talent shows. But, she was soon discovered by the public and received her first record deal at the age of 14 with the girl group TG4 (Tom Gurl 4)- a pop, R&B group created by Chris Stokes (who also discovered R&B male groups Immature and B2K) and T.U.G. Entertainment. In 2002, the group released a single called “Virginity,” that reached number 88 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip -Hop Singles & Tracks chart. An album was recorded and released, but the group split. Streeter later was discovered by Rich Harrison, an American record producer ( for artists such as Amerie, Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Jay-Z, and Mary J. Blige just to name a few), through a popular social networking and music website Myspace, founded in 2003, and was signed onto RichCraft label as Se7en. She also was signed to Jive Records and RichCraft label in 2007 as a member of Harrison’s girl group RichGirl. The group had a four-year success with only two notable hits “24” featuring Bun B and “He Ain’t Wit Me Now (Tho).” Richgirl also toured with Beyonce’ before separating. But, during this time, Streeter came in contact with Chris Brown, who was under the same management, and she discussed writing songs for him. From there, Streeter wrote many of Brown’s most popular songs, specifically “Yeah 3x,” “Wet the Bed” and “Strip.” She also wrote for singers such as Kelly Rowland (“Keep It Between Us”), Brandy (“Slower”) and Alicia Keys (“New Day” and “Limitedless”). Streeter eventually was signed to record label Atlantic as a solo artist, and also co-wrote “The Way” for Ariana Grande which hit the Top Ten of the Billboard 100, and her own EP song “It Won’t Stop” that reached the R&B/Hip-Hop Top Ten, peaked at number 30 Pop, and later went gold (All Music, Artist Biography by Andy Kellman).
Although Sevyn is gifted as a songwriter and singer, she discussed when she suffered from depression from personal, life problems and the issues of colorism within the music industry.
“I was going through the craziest ’bout of depression… To not be able to see the fruits of your labor come to fruition — when you work tirelessly — is incredibly depressing…Had that record been another artist that did not look like me, more mainstream stations would have played it and there would have been a much bigger platform to display the rest of the music, Streeter said. Had ‘It Won’t Stop’ been an Ariana Grande record or a Taylor Swift record it would’ve crossed over,” (With ‘Girl Disrupted,’ Sevyn Streeter’s been waiting 15 years for this moment, written by Gerrick D. Kennedy, Los Angeles Times).
And unfortunately, Streeter is absolutely right. Beyonce and Solange Knowles’ father, Mathew Knowles, discusses in his latest book, Racism: From the Eyes of a Child, about growing up in Alabama and dealing with bigotry and racism; colorism from his family, and overall, within the Black community and Historical Black College Universities (HBCUs), and the music industry. In his interview by Ebony magazine, he responds to the interviewer about the music industry’s favoritism of lighter skin females.
“I challenge my students at Texas Southern to think about this. When it comes to Black females, who are the people who get their music played on pop radio? Mariah Carey, Rihanna, the female rapper Nicki Minaj, my kids [Beyonce and Solange], and what do they all have in common? [Lighter Skin]…Do you think that’s an accident?,” Knowles said, (Exclusive: Mathew Knowles Says Internalized Colorism Led Him to Tina Knowles Lawson by Jessica Bennett on Ebony.com).
And of course, it is a shame that society still does not see the beauty of dark skin people, specifically dark skin, Black women, because of mental enslavement from white supremacy that has inflicted many Black Americans for decades and still does today. And now, it is inflicting us from media. Nonetheless, Streeter did not allow this close-minded society to steal her shine and stop her musical achievements. In her song, which is one of my all-time favorite “4th Street,” a smooth, laid-back R&B song; she gives her fans and audience a glimpse about her life, family, down-to-earth personality, and the street she grew up on.
Sevyn’s other EPs were “Call Me Crazy But…” (2013), “Don’t Kill The Fun” feat. Chris Brown (2015) and “Shoulda Been There Pt. 1″ (2015), and now with her official studio album,”Girl Disrupted,” released July 7, 2017, gives a fun, sultry throwback with a R&B and Hip Hop flare, including her ballad “Before I Do,” my all-time favorite, which was number one for Billboard’s US Adult R&B Songs and number 15 for US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. Sevyn has so much success, there is no stopping this woman’s amazing musical ability. The only thing left for her to do is to discover who would be her potential mate since she and American rapper and singer B.o.B. did not work out, but that’s life. Plus, Sevyn is such a busy and independent woman, she has to have the right kind of man to step up to the plate. Who is up for the challenge!?
Besides her musical inclinations, I am happy to see a woman in the music industry who looks like me with so much to talent, beauty, and edginess. This gives me hope that one day when I become involved in the music industry or create some form of music as a singer and writer, I can say that I can do it too because I have examples of a woman like Sevyn who is not allowing the negative ills from society stop her from achieving. I am anticipating to see what else Sevyn Streeter will be bringing to the world, because she will definitely take the music industry by storm.
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For The Love of Music 
