Now that's what I call a comeback

Any singer would have counted himself lucky to rediscover even a fraction of his audience after taking a lengthy seven year absence from the music industry. We all know that the comeback is a notoriously difficult feat to pull off. Only a handful of artists get it right, many fall to the sword of public disinterest and are buried in the forgotten heap of lost artists. Maxwell, however, is no ordinary musician. Not only did he recapture the hearts of his old fans but he crooned his way into the souls of a new generation.

A few short weeks ago Maxwell's comeback album 'BLACKsummers'night' was serenaded with 2 Grammy awards; 'Best R&B Album' and 'Best R&B Vocal Performance' for 'Pretty Wings'

'BLACKsummer'snight' deserved all the accolades it received and so did the man.

Maxwell is a timeless artist. His 1996 début album 'Urban Hang Suite' was a Neo-Soul classic which helped to pioneer the smooth, laidback sound which is now synonymous with the genre.

Tracks like 'This Woman's Work' encompass Maxwell's magic. His remake of the Kate Bush record became the soundtrack of lovemaking when it featured in the sex scene of the hit film 'Love and Basketball.'

His approach to the industry may be unorthodox but it is a testament to the genuine man that he is. He is often shy of the press, preferring to let his music be the driving force behind his success. At the height of his fame Maxwell took a 7 year sabbatical to re-experience life. He didn't stray from music during his time off, on the contrary, he produced enough material to delight his fans with a trilogy of albums to enjoy. It goes without saying that Maxwell is an artist whose heart is clearly in the sound.

Despite his phenomenal comeback Maxwell has stayed humble, and this is why the rewards that he is reaping are so well deserved. He is an artist who breaks every mould, even the old cliché that ' nice guys finish last.'

The quest for perfection

At the tender age of 23, -'The Hills'- star Heidi Montag has had more plastic surgeries than she has had real jobs. Her latest venture to the surgeon's office saw her re-emerge as a new woman. Mrs Spencer Pratt had a marathon 10 procedure operation in a single day. She revealed her new look less than a week before the release of her new album, rather aptly titled "Superficial"

Superficial? Yes, indeed. Does she have more money than sense? Well, yeah probably. However, any person who commits themselves to a life of plastic surgery at the age of 23 should not be dusted off and labelled as vain. They should be given the sympathy that they deserve.

Putting the wealth, the LA sunshine and the fame aside, it could not have been easy for Heidi being the self professed 'ugly duckling' of -'The Hills.'- It's not hard to see how the glamorous LA lifestyle can easily turn from paradise to hell if you are not confident in your skin.

Living in a place populated with gorgeous, 'perfect' looking individuals can make even the most secure person second guess themselves. Now if, you add a person who has endured years of childhood bullying about her looks, and throw her into an arena where she has the world's constant glare on her life, looks and style, you are opening an entirely different can of worms.

In -'The Hills'- Heidi Montag started out as the average girl-next-door, starting a new life in LA with her beautiful best friend, Lauren Conrad (LC). As the seasons progressed and the two immersed themselves into the LA culture, both the girls' looks began to change. Yet it was Heidi who went a cut above the rest.

After her childhood friendship with Teen Vogue intern Lauren Conrad began to break down, Heidi's looks began to change more drastically. She began to look towards plastic surgery to mould her image. Perhaps, Heidi's first flirtation with the surgeon's knife was an attempt to rise from under LC's shadow and become a credible star, not a nonentity known simply for being Lauren's 'ugly' roommate.

What is clear for all to see is that somewhere down the line, she passed the insecure threshold and walked the path of obsession. You can call her fake or superficial, but she is having the last. She is her own vision of 'perfection' and in her mind she's yours too. She has certainly held your attention.

The naked truth

This is the sad face of a trend that has been bubbling in the underbelly of the Black and Asian society for decades. It is an issue that is as ugly and uncomfortable to acknowledge as the bad body odour of a dear friend. The phenomenon is skin bleaching, and Lil' Kim has just become its newest, most accomplished poster child.

Skin lightening products have grown in popularity and are increasingly available at many beauty outlets. They hinder the amount of Melanin, the chemical that creates pigmentation in our skin. This causes the skin to become lighter. Melanin is produced naturally by everyone but the production varies from person to person. People with a dark complexion produce more Melanin than those with a lighter complexion. Therefore, bleachers use products such as creams gels to lower the level of Melanin in their bloodstream.

In recent times the Black and Asian community have become a large and profitable market for companies selling skin bleaching products. They have been an easy target for semi-reputable companies looking to market 'miracle' solutions for uneven skin tone and hyper-pigmentation, which are common skin complaints for Black and Asian groups. These products are designed to treat small, isolated areas and are not intended for prolonged usage. However, many consumers abuse these products, in the hopes that they can mask much 'larger' problems.

The bleaching craze, which 'took off' in the Caribbean and India, has raised strong concerns with medical professionals. Some products are thought to contain dangerous, possibly cancerous chemicals. Moreover, other products contain Hydroquinone, a bleaching agent that is banned for cosmetic usage.

On the other hand, bleachers may be doing our communities its greatest favour by literally 'bringing to light' a serious issue that has plagued the Black and Asian communities for hundreds of years. It is revealing the importance of an issue which was thought to be long forgotten.

The issue of the superior skin tone.

The notion that light skin is better than dark skin is not a new one. Many bleachers believe that in lightening their skin they will not only be considered more attractive, but also more successful, both socially and romantically.

To some this way of thinking is shocking and warped, but are bleachers simply being realistic about what they have experienced in life?

Take American rapper Lil' Kim for example. Her larger than life image is synonymous with her career. It is certainly more famous than any of the songs that she has ever made. She has built her career on risqué clothing, breast enhancement surgeries, blonde weaves, coloured contact lenses and ever lightening skin.

Yet she did not start out this way, she began her career as the only female rapper in a crew of hardened male rappers, including the late Notorious B.I.G. The business of fame is not easy. Being a young female mc in a male dominated industry in the early nineties was a tough position to be in.

Lil' Kim always wanted to be famous in her own right. She never wanted to be living in the shadow of her on/off rapper boyfriend, 'The Notorious B.I.G.' So she chose her strategy and stuck to it. Her USP (unique selling point) was going to be sex, sex and more sex. However, in an industry where black beauty is perceived as light skin and long hair, e.g. an industry which will always favour a Beyoncé to Kelly Rowland or Mis-Teeq's Alesha Dixon over Sabrina Washington, Lil' Kim took the easy route. She conformed.

She chose a route which surely increased her publicity and super stardom. Yet like all things it came with a price. Lil' Kim gained stardom and notoriety at the expense of her beautiful natural looks. In her quest for fame, fortune and acceptance Lil' Kim, like so many other bleachers, Lil Kim has lost her greatest asset of all, her identity.