Sisters For Sisters: Power Up Concert Showcases Talent, Energy & Intention To The Future
Composer, pianist Marina Arsenijevic (L) with Sweet Honey In The Rock at the Power Up Concert & Conference Event in Washington, D.C.
“Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves.”
It was a rousing musical conclusion to Take The Lead’s energetic Women’s Equality Day Power Up 2024 Concert & Conference with world-renowned pianist, composer, and musician Marina Arsenijevic, trio BETTY, and the legendary vocal group, Sweet Honey in The Rock performing the anthem to sisterhood in a sing-along with the audience.
“It was a rousing conclusion to the @Takeleadwomen #PowerUpConference with @marinainamerica , @bettymusic, and @SHoney73 performing a singalong with the audience. #womeninmusic”
Sharing a microphone along with all the performers at the close of the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater event,* was Gloria Feldt, Take The Lead’s founder and president. Together they celebrated five years of Power Up and 10 years of Take The Lead’s mission of equity across all identifiers and industries.
An anthem co-written by Annie Lennox in 1985 and performed with Aretha Franklin originally, “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves” marked a feminist vision that maintains relevance in the drive to gender and racial parity today.
Read more in Take the Lead on Marina Arsenijevic
“My musical version is fired up with lots of power,” explained Arsenijevic, whose concert, “Marina at West Point: United Through Diversity,” has had 170 million viewers in 550 showings on PBS stations across the country.
“My musical version of “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves” written by #AnnieLennox and performed with #ArethaFranklin is fired up with lots of #power. — @marinainamerica”
Performing an original version of the song at the piano, Arsenijevic led the standing and clapping crowd into a sing-along with the lyrics on the large screen: “Sisters are doing it for themselves/ Standing on their own two feet/ And ringing on their own bells…”
Read more in Take The Lead on music, creativity and the brain
With prescience, the nearly 40-year old song continues, “Now this is a song to celebrate/ The conscious liberation of the female state/ Mothers, daughters and their daughters too, yeah/ Woman to woman/ We're singing with you.”
Aly Palmer, singer/songwriter, and member of the trio, BETTY, introduced Arsenijevic and her professional accolades (which includes over a million CD sales for her work “My Balkan Soul.”) Well-versed in entertaining audiences of up to 300,000 in concerts, Arsenijevic has played Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Center, and halls throughout Europe and the world.
“Aly Palmer of @bettymusic, introduced @marinainamerica and her professional accolades at the #PowerUpConference #womeninmusic”
Performing each year at the Take The Lead Power Up Concerts for the last five years, Serbian-born Arsenijevic has received global awards for her music and ambassadorship, and is a U.S. citizen who received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2014.
Read more in Take The Lead on Marina Arsenijevic
Her original musical creation and performance of “Tesla Rhapsody,” referring to Serbian Nikola Tesla, led her to creating the Broadway musical, “The Life of Tesla,” set to open soon in New York City. “It is about his life and story,” she said.
Also performing at the concert and contributing to the rousing conclusion and call to action, were the members of Sweet Honey in The Rock: Carol Maillard, Barbara Smithe, Aisha Kahlil, Rochelle Rice, and Louise Robinson.
Read more in take The Lead on Sweet Honey in The Rock
The sisters anthem organically connected to the “Together We Lead” theme from the Women’s Equality Day Concert & Conference.
““Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves” performed by #AnnieLennox and #ArethaFranklin organically connected to the #TogetherWeLead theme from the #PowerUpConference”
In her 2024 book, Black Women’s Liberation Movement Music: Soul Sisters, Black Feminist Funksters and Afro-Disco Divas, author Reiland Rabaka writes, “…Black Musical Feminism has a long tradition of African-American women’s musical expressions of Black women’s empowerment, a Black womenfolk and Black mother wit-informed worldview, Black womanhood, Black sisterhood and Black women’s simultaneous commitment to racial justice, gender justice and economic justice.”
Before heading out, the Power Up Concert audience stood up to applaud and sing the lyrics as Arsenijevic played her original version of the song on the grand piano: “The ‘inferior sex’ got a new exterior (yeah)/ We got doctors, lawyers, politicians too/ Everybody, take a look around/ Can you see? Can you see? Can you see?/ There's a woman right next to you.”
Echoing the powerful connections that were visibly and audibly palpable, Palmer announced the proclamation earlier in the concert, “We are in this together.”
“Echoing the #powerful connections that were visibly and audibly palpable, @bettymusic announced: “We are in this #together.” #community #inspiration”
*(This performance was an external rental presented in coordination with the Kennedy Center Campus Rentals Office and is not produced by the Kennedy Center.)
