Cardi B leads the charge for girl power at Sunday’s Grammy awards ceremony and stands out even with R&B singer Alicia Keys hosting and a lineup of performers that includes Miley Cyrus, Kacey Musgraves, Janelle Monae and Camila Cabello. The 26-year-old Bronx rapper earned five Grammy nominations, including nods for her “Invasion of Privacy” debut album and record of the year. All eyes are expected to be on her live performance during music’s biggest night.
Every one of the 13 tracks on Invasion of Privacy were certified gold or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America. She became the first woman artist and one of the first artists in the digital era to set that record. When Billboard asked her what fans can expect from her album, Cardi replied, “Hood, cause I’m always hood, and a little feelings to it and something very different, something that I tried to be a little different — and they’re gonna love it.”
Cardi B has dominated pop culture for the past two years and her impact as fashion influencer and social activist continues to grow. The rapper turned down a chance to perform during the Super Bowl’s halftime show in support of Colin Kaepernick. The former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers has not been signed to an NFL team since 2017. Kaepernick protested racial injustice in the U.S. by kneeling during the national anthem before football games.
“Cardi B is a very strong woman who is in control of her career, “ said Melinda Newman. The West Coast editor for Billboard magazine told Reuters, “She is really talented and has something to say and she is just fun. She is like a breath of fresh air.”
Hit records and collaborations, including “I Like It,” “Girls Like You” and “Taki Taki” have sent Cardi’s music career skyrocketing. The performer’s personal life, including her on-and-off marriage to rapper Offset and birth of her daughter, fascinates fans.
Global fashion search platform Lyst named her one of the top 10 “most powerful celebrity fashion influencers”. The Lyst tracks each star’s fashion effect, including their influence over sales, social and search. The search platform said Cardi’s fondness for Dolce & Gabbana dresses, Tom Ford gowns and Moschino Met Gala creations have made her “definitely a tastemaker.”
Cardi B was one of the two biggest celebrity style influences on shoppers who took to the social commerce platform Poshmark last year. The other? Meghan Markle. Poshmark credited Cardi B’s partnership with Fashion Nova with increasing purchases of the viral brand’s apparel on Poshmark by 210 percent. Listings of Fashion Nova apparel also increased by 195 percent on Poshmark in 2018.
Cardi launched her first clothing collection last November with Fashion Nova, and all 82 pieces sold out within minutes after going on sale. Fashion insiders say Fashion Nova has skyrocketed from relative obscurity to massive popularity thanks largely to celebs posting images of themselves wearing the label’s inexpensive, flashy fashions.
The Grammy Awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on Feb. 10. The event is slated for broadcast live on CBS television at 8 pm ET.
