There has been a lot of criticism about a new podcast series that Cheryl Cole will present to the BBC. The former Girls Aloud singer wouldn’t be the right person to do a podcast about R&B.
Cole announced last week that he will present the podcast You, Me & R&B for BBC Sounds. She said that she has always had a love and passion for this type of music. Under this post, Yasmine Evans, BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ and DJ Ace, said she found her role on the podcast absolutely amazing. The latter clarified his opinion with a short response. “Lol,” Cole wrote on Twitter.
Pop culture podcast host Ora Zulu said in an interview on BBC Radio 1 that she had questions about Cole’s selection as host of the R&B podcast. “I honestly believe that if you give a platform about R&B music to a woman, and the platform is BBC, then she should be a black musician,” she said.
“There are a lot of black British female artists who are constantly overlooked in the UK. These women are talented, know-how and experts in their field.” She cited Micah Paris and Beverly Knight as examples. “I feel once again that the voice and talent of blacks are being brushed aside and ignored. Once again a white woman is being rewarded.” The Zulu has received support from Cheryl Nosso, president of the Black Music Alliance, among others.
The BBC responded to the criticism in a statement. The BBC said: “We feature a wide range of sounds across the different genres of music we focus on. Many of our shows are led by DJs who are experts in their field, and some are hosted by passionate people.”
