Raw Like Sushi

The daughter of a Swedish painter and a West African musician who took the last name from her eventual stepfather (and influential American jazz musician) was born on this day in 1964. A singer-songwriter who mixed in rap with her songs, Neneh Cherry released her amazing debut back in 1989, Raw Like Sushi and it was something cool and so different from what I had heard growing up in the suburbs of Maryland.

Today’s Throwback Thursday is a salute to this groundbreaking artist whose first single, “Buffalo Stance” was an anthem to female strength, female power and female attitude. She was a force behind the mic and on stage, trailblazing on both sides of the pond. The song was just recently covered (with backing from Cherry) by Robyn - be sure to check it out when you can.

When Cherry moved to London early in her teens, she fell into the DIY punk music while still being influenced by her dad’s amazing jazz styles. Even before then, she has vivid memories of sitting on jazz great Miles Davis’ knee at a gig in Paris and hanging in Ornette Coleman’s apartment, listening to John Coltrane rehearsing upstairs.

It was the band The Slits who took her under their wings in the UK - she sang additional vocals for the band while also DJing, experiencing so many other genres that would help shape the music she would later create. She was a major early influencer on trip-hop, working with artists that eventually would help form the amazing Massive Attack. “It was Neneh who kicked our asses and got us in the studio,” Daddy G told The Observer of Massive Attack’s 1991 debut album Blue Lines.

Ahead of releasing Blue Lines, various members of Massive Attack also contributed to Cherry’s own 1989 solo record Raw Like Sushi. The single "Buffalo Stance" eventually peaked at number 3 in the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100, and number 1 on the US Dance chart. She also found success with "I've Got You Under My Skin", a reworking of the Cole Porter song, which appeared on the Red Hot + Blue AIDS fundraising album. Cherry was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1990 in the Best New Artist category (but lost to Milli Vanilli who eventually had their award revoked). She won a Brit Award in 1990 for Raw Like Sushi.

Her second album, Homebrew, wasn’t nearly as commercially successful but spawned two amazing tracks, “Buddy X” and “Trout” (with backing vocals from Michael Stipe). The album stayed true to her love of jazz, rap and trip hop, this time adding a little more funk into the songs.

Other releases and collaborations followed but nothing that compared with her first two brilliant releases. The name might be one that makes you think hard about who she is, but when her music comes on, it’s instantly recognized and the influence on modern day artists (MIA, Lorde and many others).