When reports began circulating about Mary J. Blige and Kendu Isaacs downward spiraling marriage, their finances and other marital problems were made public. But money wasn’t the only issue made public. Rumors about Kendu’s alleged affair were also circulating. For those who don’t remember the woman, in question, she was Mary J. Blige’s protege, upcoming singer Starshell; a person who was relatively close to Mary. While most people see being labeled a mistress as an unfavorable thing, apparently, Starshell has made all the publicity work in her favor. According to Digital Music News, Starshell has managed to raise a whopping $1 million dollars over the past couple months and for a very good cause. So, how did she do it? Well ironically her success is the result of a song.
‘Birthday Girl’
According to TechCrunch, Starshell’s song “Birthday Girl” has led to success on many different levels. In fact, “Birthday Girl” has become more than a song, and the publication suggests its now a movement; “something of an anthem.” If you haven’t seen Starshell’s video, check it out.
However, the song is more than just a record with lyrics over a beat. The site reports that “Birthday Girl” has opened many doors for Starshell’s Birthday Girl World website. Over the past three years, Sharshell – whose real name is LaNeah Menzies – has seen the monumental success in the digital world. The website has had impressive analytics with more than 250 million unique impressions since she launched it.
The publication also offered a breakdown of the site’s stats:
Dubbed Birthday Girl World, the website received 208,740 total visits in January. Since its launch three years ago, Menzies’ website has reached over 250 million unique impressions. Birthday Girl World has become so popular that the singer has managed to raise $1 million in financing.
Because of the impressive site analytics, Starshell managed to catch the attention of Value Investment Group. Now the site has received $1 million in financing from the investment firm reportedly founded by Rashaun Williams. For those who don’t know, Rashaun is no stranger to the investment world or the music business. In the past, he became a big name working for Nas’ Queensbridge Venture Partners fund and the global diversified holding company, Steel Partners.
The Tragedy That Led To Her Raising $1M:
So what led to the massive movement Birthday Girl has become? During the interview, Starshell revealed the song is relatively personal as she recalled the loss of her sister to suicide. “For me, I happened to lose my sister to teenage suicide,” Sharshell told the publication. “I decided to build a platform about suicide and mental health and I created a song to back into the idea of loving yourself. I created the song so I could back into the conversation.
”She went on to share how the site came about. It all started as a simple Kickstarter campaign to raise money for her merchandise line. However, many investment companies were interested in content in addition to the merchandise. So, Starshell delivered and it turned out to be a great business move. “The content side is our strongest side. Part of the content we offer are purposeful practices… helping you find your purpose; helping you live your best life,” said. “On top of that we donate a portion of our proceeds to suicide prevention and mental health.”
With the investment funds, it looks like Starshell is on track to further expand her brand. Yesterday, she took to Instagram with an interesting announcement about Birthday Girl World.:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BinDAg_gnHj
Why It’s So Popular:
Despite the rumors about her alleged involvement with Kendu Isaacs amid the Mary J. Blige divorce reports, Starshell believes technology is the real reason why her song has been so successful. “I feel like technology was the one way I could generate the most social impact,” she said. “Music was great, but it was just a song.”
In addition to the $1 million raised, Starshell is also working to close a partnership deal with the Jed Foundation to further expnd the site’s reach. “It’s an easier way to talk about mental health because it’s about celebrating you, celebrating your life and how to self-care,” says Menzies. “I was aiming from a world where every woman loves and celebrates themselves.”
