With a beautiful yet unique voice and a multitude of other talents (including being a gifted songwriter), Elle Varner is a star on the rise. After a long year, that might not be more apparent than it is now, as according to VIBE Vixen, her LP, Perfectly Imperfect entered into the Billboard 200 at number four and has been getting rave reviews. Just see all the love she’s received from publications like New York Magazine, who ranked Elle’s piece of work as one of the top albums of 2012 (alongside everyone from Kendrick Lamar, Mumford and Sons, and Killer Mike). So now that she’s done such magnificently big things in 2012, what’s next for Varner? Niki McGloster of VIBE Vixen sat down with the starlet to discuss all that, but some of the most notable quotables came from conversations about what a true “artist” is, dealing with being someone’s idol, and also trying to resurrect a dating life that has been virtually nonexistent due to a busy work schedule, and some suspect men…

When asked if she’s okay with the reality that fame could be here one minute, and then be gone the next:

I’m more comfortable with my choices. The more I step into Elle Varner as an artist, I’m more comfortable with what I want or what I feel like I want because that’s really what being an artist is. Playing into what you think people want you to be, that’s not an artist. It is scary, but that’s why the greatest ones are the one that take the risk and just be whatever they want.

When asked how she feels about fans crying over her and idolizing her nowadays, while a little much for Varner, she graciously accepts the love, but reminds herself that she’s just like everyone else:

It’s nuts [laughs]. I feel, honestly, that you have to constantly remind yourself that you are just like everyone else because everyone is treating you like you’re not. People are making you their savior, their role model, their idol. People actually love you, and it’s crazy. They’re like, ‘Don’t change’ [laughs] but you have to in a way. There’s no way not to. But you still want to keep the part of you that is pure.

And finally, when asked about her dating life and how it will play into her sophomore album, Varner kept it real about the struggles she now faces while trying to get to know the men folk:

For me, dating is like a really different thing. I have to look at everybody and say, ‘Why are you here?’ It’s kind of messed up, but it’s true. I know what it’s like on the other side. I’m literally meeting people that just completely overlooked me and now they think that they’re just meeting me for the first time…My job is to travel the country, so I don’t have a place every day to see whoever I meet, but I think I’m more open [to dating]. I’m starting to feel more secure just as an artist and where I’m at, and now I think, ‘You might have time for a date.’

To get more quotables from the interview, you can read the full cover story over at Vibe Vixen‘s website. And here’s to hoping Varner will have as successful of a year in 2013 as she did this year. You better work!

Source: Vibe Vixen

I guess you could consider Tionna Smalls’ statement that watching “Basketball Wives” makes you dumber yet another reason not to engage in the fabricated drama. Vibe Vixen caught up with the dating guru from “What Chilli Wants” and while we’re used to her speaking her mind when it comes to men and relationships, Tionna didn’t hesitate to say how she really feels about the network that put her on and their most controversial program. Here’s a bit of what she said.

“I don’t watch ‘Basketball Wives’ anymore for the simple fact that it lowers your IQ. I watched the show because my fans loved it and to watch with them, but I don’t like anyone on that show. Everyone [on the show] plays too tough. Staring at a bunch of weak b****es all day? I don’t have time for that.”

If Tionna seems a little angrier than expected, she has reason. She told Vibe Vixen she tried to get a more positive show for women on TV but it was shut down.

“Shows like [Basketball Wives] are turning our children into wh*res. Like, I’m on a book signing tour right now, about to go back to school to be a therapist… I am doing stuff right now. I also study relationships outside of school, and I am finding that they are turning your kids in obsessive angry wh*res. What people don’t realize is that I actually sold a show to a network called “Boss Chick.” They sold it back to me saying that people don’t want to see females in bossy roles; they want to see drama. People don’t want to see women getting money; they want to see us f*** rappers and get money from players.”

Well if Tionna can’t get television networks to buy into that reality, she’ll try to make sure young women get it somewhere else. Here’s what she said young women today should be learning about instead of how to sleep with rich men and get on TV.

“Entrepreneurship, financial literacy and independence, especially financial literacy. No matter what, we don’t know everything. I want to really teach young girls how to save. I’m only 27, and I’m just learning how to save for a rainy day. Before I even got on TV, I use to spend money, I used to waste money, I use to treat everybody to dinner, but now you won’t see me waste a lot of money. In the hood, we are taught to floss, but I definitely got something up my sleeves for the young girls. I want to create a non-profit after all this is done and be a boss chick. I got some classes coming called Entrepreneurial 101 for men and women because I never do anything for the men.”

Check out the rest of the interview here. What do you think about Tionna Smalls? Would you want to see her on another reality show?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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Source: All West Everything

I don’t know that Jackie Christie is a woman I’d look to for advice, but if there’s one thing she has under control it’s her marriage. Vibe Vixen recently reached out to the craziest member of the “Basketball Wives LA” crew to get her thoughts on the ladies of the Miami cast and when they asked what she thinks about Evelyn and Chad’s relationship she said this:

“I really admire their relationship. I think they’re best friends and can act silly and have fun. At the same time, they have that commitment level that you need in a long-lasting relationship. I know they’re planning their wedding and getting married soon. I wish them many years of married bliss.”

After seeing Evelyn and Chad’s “heart to heart” Monday night, it was clear Evelyn still had a few doubts about Chad’s loyalty and he wasn’t doing much to curb her suspicions either. VV asked Jackie what advice she’d give these two to be more open with each other and she basically said they need to put each other first and block out the rest.

“Evelyn, I would tell her to ignore the naysayers. There’s gonna be a lot of them. [Chad] is an athlete; [Evelyn] is a celebrity in her own right, and there’s gonna be a lot of people saying things about their relationship. I’m sure there’s already been. She seems to really take it personal; I would just advise her to ignore it. Turn the other cheek, because I took it for 15 years. I was hearing all kinds of different things, but put him first and have him put her first, which I’m sure they do. And I’m sure they’ll be just fine. I would definitely advise them to keep the world out of their relationship, though. Do the shows, share, but make sure when it comes time for any of that hearsay or people butting in, ask them to kindly stay out.”

Jackie actually sounds like a pretty stable woman in this interview, although I don’t know how many times a woman is supposed to turn the other cheek to rumors. At some point you gotta ask what’s up.

Do you think Jackie is qualified to give out marriage advice or should she stick to controlling Doug?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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I don’t think there’s a single person who doesn’t love Tracee Ellis Ross, and she’s given us more reasons to love her in the next issue of Vibe Vixen.

Covering the December/January issue, Tracee talks what it’s like to produce and star in “Reed Between the Lines,” How her personal style differs from her beloved Joan and Carla characters, and why there’s hope for single black women.

Here’s a snippet:

On whether it’s difficult to produce and act

“I wouldn’t say difficult, but it definitely makes for a long day. But it is the kind of full plate that I adore. I adore this kind of work and it’s very rewarding. The producer role very much plays into the kind of person I am. In the evolution of my career it is a really exciting step for me because I am the kind of creative person that has a real opinion about the kind of images that I want to portray and want in the public in general.”

On the style of Tracee vs. Joan vs. Carla

“I am different than both of those ladies. I dress sexier than Carla, meaning I wear more form-fitting clothes. I have a little more edge to the way I dress than both of the ladies. And I dress down way more than both of those ladies.

“Every once in a while people say Carla is so much like Joan, and I’m like, ‘People, Tracee plays both people.’ So what you’re seeing that’s the same between Carla and Joan is not Carla being like Joan, but it’s Tracee. Tracee was Joan and Tracee is Carla. It’s so funny people don’t understand that, it makes me laugh.”

On single black women

“I don’t think anybody’s doomed if they’re single. The only thing that dooms you is if you’re not willing to stretch outside of your comfort zone to try different things.”

Love her. Are you a Tracee Ellis Ross Fan? What do you think of her cover?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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Originally distributed in print in 2004, VIBE Vixen was VIBE‘s magazine for women. It covered fashion, entertainment, beauty and more. But just as VIBE folded a few years back, Vixen did the same. Lucky for us though, following VIBE‘s comeback and showing up on stands in new and improved form recently, it’s now Vixen‘s turn to start over–this time in digital form. For the magazine’s premiere issue, La La Anthony graces the cover. In the pages, she discusses everything from her role in Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man to her reality show “La La’s Full Court Life” and LGBT issues. When discussing the show, La La says:

People are going to find the show very interesting. It documents when Melo was traded to New York which was the biggest thing ever and [shows] just exactly how a trade goes down.  And you get to see me and my friends. Whether it’s Kelly Rowland, Serena Williams, Kim Kardashian, we’re all supporting each other and being there for each other. It’s a good balance on television to see successful women supporting each other, having a really strong bond and great friendship. I think it’s necessary for people to see that too on television.

She ‘aint never lied. To read more excerpts from her interview, click over to Vibevixen.com. And be sure to check out the issue as whole when it drops September 1. Congratulations on all the hard work VIBE Vixen!