Author: Danyel Smith

Danyel Smith is a journalist, author, editor, producer, and close observer of American popular music. Shine Bright combines memoir, biography, reporting, and cultural criticism to trace the foundational influence of Black women across generations of pop. The book moves from Phillis Wheatley and Mahalia Jackson through figures such as Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, Janet Jackson, and Mariah Carey, while also attending to artists whose careers receive less sustained critical attention. Smith previously led Vibe as editor in chief, served as an editor at Billboard, and created the music-talk program Black Girl Songbook. Her fiction includes More Like Wrestling and Bliss, and her wider work spans journalism, audio, documentary production, and public conversations about music history.