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Billie Was a Black Woman By cover art

Billie Was a Black Woman

By: Rebecca Carroll,Paramount Audio
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Episodes
  • Trailer: Billie Was a Black Woman

    Trailer: Billie Was a Black Woman
    Mar 8 2021

    Billie Was a Black Woman is a four-part podcast series that refracts Black womanhood through the prism of legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday - widely considered to be one of the most innovative artists of all time. In partnership with the Lee Daniels film, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, in each episode acclaimed host and writer Rebecca Carroll dives into different facets of Billie’s life and legacy, exploring what it means to defy the narrow categorizations thrust upon Black artists, Black bodies, and Black women today.

    The full series will release on April 7, 2021.

    Billie Was a Black Woman was produced by Spoke Media in coordination with Paramount Audio. 
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    2 mins
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  • Episode 1: Andra & Billie

    Episode 1: Andra & Billie
    Apr 7 2021

    Jazz legend Billie Holiday meant a lot of things to a lot of people. But at the end of the day, Billie was a Black woman. Academy Award nominated actress and Grammy-award winning singer Andra Day, who plays the iconic songstress in the film The United States vs. Billie Holiday, talks with host Rebecca Carroll about what it was like to inhabit Billie’s universe, the power of her most famous song “Strange Fruit,” and the fullness of her complicated humanity. 
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    33 mins
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  • Episode 2: Music as Salvation

    Episode 2: Music as Salvation
    Apr 7 2021
    For Billie Holiday, music extended far beyond the performance - it was who she was, what she became, and how she navigated an often hostile world. Host Rebecca Carroll sits down with multi-platinum recording artist Mariah Carey to discuss her deep affinity with Billie, and with The United States vs. Billie Holiday director Lee Daniels about the responsibility of bringing the singer’s story to life.
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    23 mins
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Interview: 'Billie Was a Black Woman' Complexifies the Legendary Jazz Artist Who Was Ahead of Her Time

Billie Was a Black Woman
'...The very first thing I thought was, This is a moment for Black women.'
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  • Billie Was a Black Woman
  • '...The very first thing I thought was, This is a moment for Black women.'

About the Creator, Writer, and Host

Rebecca Carroll is a writer, creative consultant, editor-at-large, and host of the podcast Come Through with Rebecca Carroll: 15 essential conversations about race in a pivotal year for America (WNYC Studios). Most recently, she was a cultural critic at WNYC, where she also developed a broad array of multi-platform content, and a critic-at-large for the Los Angeles Times. Her writing has been published in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Essence, the Guardian and New York Magazine, among numerous other publications, and she is the author of several books about race in America, including the award-winning Sugar in the Raw: Voices of Young Black Girls in America. Her latest book, Surviving the White Gaze: A Memoir, was published this month, and has been optioned by MGM Studios and Killer Films with Rebecca attached to adapt and executive produce for TV.

Entertainment & Celebrities
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Featured Article: The Best Podcasts by Black Creators to Listen to in 2023


Whether focused on literature, family, mental health, history, or the arts, these listens represent just a few of the best podcasts created and hosted by Black writers, thinkers, journalists, comedians, and trailblazers. Led by some of the most powerful voices in media, these can’t-miss listens demonstrate just how outstanding Black voices capture the particular challenges and extraordinary accomplishments of African Americans.

Featured Article The Best Podcasts by Black Creators to Listen to in 2023

What listeners say about Billie Was a Black Woman

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Profile Image for THATZLIFE

Very Deep!

Very insightful interview. It makes me really want to see this movie! Also the sultry voice of Andra speaking so eloquently about the history and the present day social issues was just amazing to listen to.

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6 people found this helpful

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Profile Image for Gail D.

Wonderful overview of the great Billie Holiday!

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this especially on Billie's birthday. It lenses so much to who she truly was. She has always been a favorite of mine. Thank you!

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4 people found this helpful

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Profile Image for Kendra

absolutely fabulous and enlightening!

this podcast had me riveted and hanging on the edge of my seat. I wanted to know more and more about the artist, The Legend, Lady Day! I cannot wait to see the United State versus Billie Holiday

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3 people found this helpful

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Profile Image for Delon Radebaugh Author of A Little Girl's Journey

Loved it all!

This was so thought provoking. I heard my experiences as a Black woman spoken back to me. Billie was complicated in a beautiful way. Carroll and the iconic people she interviewed gave me a glimpse into more than a legend. A black woman!

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Profile Image for carlson

I never knew the depth

I just was drawn to Billie and what these podcasts opened my mind and heart and understanding of what it is like for black woman. To be informed and understand only to a certain level because although I am not a black woman I am not white either.

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Profile Image for Doug

eye opening

I liked this podcast and am looking forward to viewing the movie.
I was aware of Billie Holiday but this perspective on her life and career made me see her in a different way.

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Profile Image for Tony Jazzyboi Tharpe

Absolutely great 💯% 😉💖👍🏾

Everyone did a wonderful job on giving their experience 2 Billie❗ Even the narrative was awesome 👌❗

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Profile Image for Aj7805

Powerful & Relatable

A powerful glimpse into the life of Billie Holiday. I already planned to watch The United States vs. Billie Holiday, and after listening to this podcast, I want to see it much sooner than originally planned. This is a beautiful overview of the strength of Billie Holiday and the role her experiences played in the music she shared with the world. A relatable examination of Billie's life as a Black Woman in the US, and an inspiration for us to continue in exerting the strength, determination, and defiance instilled long ago.

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Profile Image for Jasen

Wonderful Story Telling!

This podcast is one of the best produced and presented I have ever heard! It offers amazing insights from some of our generations artistic giants. every moment of it is exceptional!

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Profile Image for Michele

So real

I loved this Podcast about Billie Holiday. It gives me courage to fight and demand to be seen in the workforce. If she could do it during those times; I will do it and win. Thank u so much for Billie Holiday the black woman!!

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  • Julie
  • 04-24-21

So interesting

I obviously don't know how it feels to be a black woman as I am white, but I certaining understand the woman bit, It must had been so hard for black women like Billie, she was up against white people, especially in America at the time, up against people not understanding her sexuality & on top of that Men. I have always so admired her tinasity, her Amazing voice & standing up for her right. I saw the West end show The Cotton Club in 1990 in London. I was hooked.

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4 people found this helpful

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  • TheZee
  • 05-09-21

Rivetting

It's a great thing to learn the truth about the force of nature that was Billie Holiday. This podcast is a history and a celebration of black womanhood.

Absolutely rivetting!

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  • Dan Sands
  • 04-30-21

Excellent, great to listen to, 5/5, but...

This podcast investigated how Billie Holiday impacted several of the interviewees in their work (i.e. Mariah Carey, Dr Angela Davis, etc) and how she should be interpreted by history and the arts through the lense of being a black woman and all that entails.

Every episode brought a unique perspective with each of the individuals and their appreciation for Lady Day, accompanied by music and archival material of Holiday or people speaking about her, and it does a good job of promoting the new movie on Hulu which I will surely be watching the first chance I get.

HOWEVER.

There was no mention of the fact that Billie's childhood was made more difficult by the fact that her mothers mixed Irish and Catholic side of the family had historically been looked down on by their relatives.

When Mariah Carey talked about her experiences of growing up mixed race with an Irish mother this would have been an opportune moment to have brought up this fact, but it wasn't touched on.

I just wanted to highlight the fact that Eleanora Fagan/Billie Holiday can be looked at through more than just a black woman lense, and that she appeals to more persons across a wider variety of spectrums.

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  • JMD
  • 07-21-21

Tedious

Mostly laking a coherent connecting argument. Some speakers made some interesting points. Angela Davis. Others seemed just wishy washy. Mariah Carey. Overall I would rather have listened to a chronological biography with a bit of context.

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  • Michelle O'S
  • 05-28-21

Exceptional insights

Wonderful series about the iconic Billie Halliday. Great interviews that provide background to the amazing talent of Billie. Well worth listening to - just needs a soundtrack to accompany it!

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  • Anonymous User
  • 05-25-21

wonderfully told story of a beautiful woman. Canno

loved I it cannot wait to see this movie, strong, gifted, loved, woman well told good presenters

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