I don’t want no drummer. I set the tempo. — Bessie Smith
Bessie Smith, Empress of the Blues
Tell us a bit about Bessie Smith.
Bessie Smith, nicknamed “The Empress of Blues” was a legendary blues and jazz singer during the Harlem Renaissance. After being orphaned at 9, Bessie and her brother used street performing as a way to earn money to support their household. She was hired as a dancer and performed with the famed Ma Rainey before eventually forming her own solo act.
At the time virtually no Black artists were being recorded because white audiences didn’t typically listen to Black musicians. Black music was mostly consumed by white listeners through MInstrel shows where white performers wore blackface and portrayed Black people as lazy, ignorant, hypersexual, and superstitious. A new market emerged when Okeh Records was convinced to record a Black blues singer named Mamie. Mamie’s records became so popular amongst Black consumers that record labels couldn’t ignore the potential profit in marketing Black records. Labels soon began looking for other female blues singers to record “race records” for potential Black buyers.
Bessie eventually began recording with Columbia Records and her songs were immediate hits. With her increasing popularity Bessie became a headliner touring on the Black vaudeville circuit, where she often sold out shows. Bessie was an incredible talent with a rare, low contralto voice that captivated her audiences. The success of her records launched her fame, and she grew to be one of the most popular, highest paid Black music artists of her time. After being dropped from Columbia Records during the depression, continued sales of Bessie’s records contributed to keeping Columbia Records afloat. Bessie exuded glitz and wealth, while singing about pain and struggle. She has influenced some of the most well known artists in pop culture today. Many would call Bessie the first Black superstar.
Why did you choose Bessie Smith?
The Harlem Renaissance gave Black artists, authors, poets, and musicians the creative freedom and control over how the Black experience was portrayed. It set the groundwork for the civil rights movement, but even in times when radical shifts in political awareness were happening, women's voices were often suppressed. Bessie commanded her voice be heard. Through her music she discussed racism, sexism, prison labor, poverty, and the complicated highs and lows of love. Her songs encouraged women to explore independence, sexual freedom, and practice agency.
I chose Bessie Smith because her music was empowering to women who wanted to hear stories of our liberation. In many ways she made early protest music that challenged social norms. While certain critics labeled her as “rough”, I admire the way she didn’t soften her edges to be more palatable.
What was your vision for this fragrance?
I knew I wanted the fragrance to embody the feeling of an underground jazz club during The Harlem Renaissance. When I think of Bessie Smith I don't think of the popular Speakeasies that emerged during prohibition like The Cotton Club, where rich folks could listen to live jazz and blues. My vision was of the basement afterparty where you could find Bessie and other musicians post performance, or the underground jazz club where they’re running numbers in the back, or even the rent party where they’ve pushed all the furniture out of the way to make room for dancing.
What do you love most about this fragrance?
I’ve spent the last month or so taking myself back to a time that I never experienced. I’ve envisioned what it would be like to live in this place with people I’ve never met so I could translate that feeling to the Poesie team. So the thing I love most besides the perfect balance of sweet/smoky/boozy/ woodiness, is that when I smell this fragrance it transports me to the exact place I imagined.
What were the highlights of this process/collab?
Working with Joelle and Allie was such an amazing experience. Even now, after all is said and done I still can’t believe I was able to be a part of this process. I’ve been a fan of Poesie fragrances for awhile now, but to watch Joelle create different scents based on my ideas that at the time felt all over the place was so cool. Having a fragrance I can smell, that reflects an idea that I had, that embodies such an important woman in an important era is something I will cherish. To be able to share that with people through both the fragrance and this blog is really special to me.
Nashira
About Nashira
Nashira (pronounced na-shy-ra) is a fur mom who loves reading, and discovering new fragrances. As far back as she can remember, she’s always had a perfume collection. She loves the way fragrance is so closely tied to memory and emotion. To her, fragrance can transcend time and space. Nashira started creating TikTok videos to help with social anxiety. She says making fragrance content has helped introduce her to so many amazing people. When she started getting into indie perfume oils Poesie is one of the first brands she fell in love with; her favorites are Soft and Madar.