Award-winning journalist and author of "Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop," Danyel Smith brings cultural stories to life through her podcast, "Black Girl Songbook," the New York Times Magazine, and HBO’s Music Box documentaries. An advocate for creatives, and new member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominating Committee, Smith’s work continues to resonate.

Smith was a John S. Knight fellow at Stanford, an arts fellow at the Medill School of Journalism, and a 2021 Yaddo fellow. A former producer, editor, and writer at ESPN, Smith was editor of Billboard, and editor-in-chief of VIBE. She has written two novels — More Like Wrestling and Bliss, and often shares her expertise on ABC, CNN, and NPR, as well as the Library of Congress, Amazon Music, the Grammy Museum, and Yale.

Music, Media Professionals, Entertainment Industry, Broadcasting, Publishing, Podcast Hosts, Creativity, Influential Women, Women, Black Heritage, Diversity & Inclusion, Journalism, News & Media, Authors, Literary, Entertainment