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Sounds About Wright - S.A.W. | In My Opinion
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“Boz” Moves

06/07/2017 by DeAndre 1 Comment

For one whole summer, I had a West African goddess as a boss…
her name is Bozoma Saint John.

Photo courtesy of Business Insider.

I first saw her, like many Apple fan boys and girls in 2016 presenting the big UI update for Apple Music during the much anticipated WWDC. I promised myself somehow, someway – I would end up on this woman’s team. Months later, that’s exactly what happened, but this story is less about me and more about celebrating the power moves this boss chick is making while sprinkling her Black Girl Magic all over the tech industry.

Boz has had quite the track record, totally Googlable, but I have to mention how she’s contributed to some of today’s most iconic pop culture moments through collaborations with an army of A-list musicians like Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift and Drake. She’s even won multiple awards, titles, and spots on coveted tech and music industry lists to back up her growing accomplishments. She’s pretty cold.

Zane Lowe, Boz Saint John, and Larry Jackson photo courtesy of COMPLEX.

My first day on campus and the first time I’d sat in on weekly meetings, I saw this unicorn of a woman sitting tall at the head of the table. I couldn’t believe it was the same lady I just witnessed, in that bomb pink dress, rapping “Rapper’s Delight” in a room full of hipster nerds and tech geeks. Her presence was absolutely awe-inspiring and I’d never seen anything like it outside of the movies. She was brilliant, fashionably fabulous, had the most amazing flawless skin, was practically an Amazon, and a straight shooter with amazing jokes. The cherry on top…she was actually nice! I will never forget her kindness and willingness to engage the staff. Her energy just made you feel like she striving for greatness and demanded you to do the same.

Photo courtesy of Fast Company.

News broke on last Friday that she would no longer be with Apple Music and many folks were surprised. Regardless of “the signs” and her growing demand, many of us felt hopeful to see her commit a few more years to Apple and bubble her way up the music executive chain. I mean, in a pretty short span of time, she started the path as a culture changer for Apple and her star power was definitely on the rise. She was also, notably, one of the few executives from Apple to keep up a blossoming personal brand outside of the tech giant. But though all the planets seemed to align for her reign, her departure just felt inevitable. My girlfriends and I would sit and discuss the business moves of many of her colleagues. We just knew she was going to have something big up her sleeve within the next two years. Monday June 5th, two years became 6 months and the inevitable became a reality. Boz resigned from her Head of Global Marketing role to enter a C-level position as the Chief Brand Officer of Uber.

Photo courtesy of Billboard.

Now let’s talk about how major this is for a split second. We all know Uber has had a rough couple of months over the last year but they Bat-Called a Black woman to save their image and brand. She’s literally Olivia Pope-ing the technology industry one company at a time! Killing it #fortheculture! Pause…you need to soak that in. Apple Music’s subscription numbers have increased immensely while under her expertise and marketing guidance (also Googlable). Pepsi, (pre Kendell-gate) was on an all time high with epic music marketing activations and performances that further exposed the company to it’s thirsting millennial customer base. So considering what little I knew of her pretty cool career…I realized, Boz doesn’t leave dumpster fires. She leaves rainbows and butterflies with every move she makes. (You’d know exactly what I’m talking about if you ever met her.)

So while I’m sure she’ll be sorely missed at Apple, she has the opportunity to leave her biggest glitter bomb yet at Uber where they desperately need her reinvention  magic to keep them in the game. And for that, we all wish you nothing but success Boz! We’re rooting for you. Make those Boz moves girl! <3

-D.Wright

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About me

I’m a Houston Texan living in Silicon Valley as content creator and URM advocate in tech. I have a passion for creating and writing music and am a food lover to the max! Welcome to my space where I get candid about life and share my opinions on EVERYTHING.

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Thank you @hustleandhope! You all are too kind. Friends, follow these inspirational folks.
I wouldn’t change this journey for anything in the world. 👸🏾✨
Nine years ago I needed a job (and benefits) so I could fund my dreams and literally not be a poor, bum of a millennial leaching off my boomer parents...yes, you read that correctly. And I didn’t think I’d be able to use a creative bone in my body “working at a retail store,” but God apparently knew different.
Shout out to all the girls’ girls, tomboy girls, girly-girls, androgynous girls, history making girls and women, nasty women, aggressive women, ambitious women, type-a women, chill women, hype women, creative women, trailblazing women uplifting communities and moving us forward.

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Hello friends! My name is DeAndre. Welcome to Sounds About Wright— a community made for expression and conversation on music, life, news and everything in between. So with that being said-kick back, get cozy, and enjoy. We have a lot to talk about. <3

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Thank you @hustleandhope! You all are too kind. Fr Thank you @hustleandhope! You all are too kind. Friends, follow these inspirational folks. 

And for my peeps here, I’ll be back soon, there’s some amazingness I’m currently handling along with getting ready for a big move. Miss y’all and talk soon! 🖤
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Our #followfriday is @msdcwright, DeAndre Wright is a singer-songwriter from Houston, Texas who brings her eclectic perspective to #siliconvalley working for @Apple.🍎 ⁠⁠
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As one of the few #blackwomenintech, DeAndre is sought out for her for her experiences as a musician, writer, and cultural expert. 😎⁠⁠
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Nine years ago I needed a job (and benefits) so I Nine years ago I needed a job (and benefits) so I could fund my dreams and literally not be a poor, bum of a millennial leaching off my boomer parents...yes, you read that correctly. And I didn’t think I’d be able to use a creative bone in my body “working at a retail store,” but God apparently knew different.

Crazy to see how things have changed, how I have changed. I’ve gained so many amazing lessons. I’ve experienced and witnessed things I never thought I’d ever have the access to see without being in the music industry.

I didn’t miss a thing, I only saw more and learned more.

Now, I have stories for daaaaayyyyssss but just know this -from me- your path is your own. Comparison is the thief of joy, and I will never-ever-ever-ever-ever take who I am and what I’ve accomplished for myself for granted ever again. I choose joy.

I cried a lot over these 9 years, thinking I wasn’t good enough and a failure because I thought I disappointed others in my life, but God was teaching me lessons left and right that I use at this very time in my life.

People come to me now for the knowledge I’ve gained from working at Highland Village and Memorial City. People seek me out for my experiences as a musician, writer, and cultural expert. Like, what?! All from a retail store?! Yes, all from one job slinging computers and phones.

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My journey won’t stop here in Silicon Valley and neither will the desire to reach my goals. Music is still on the table, voice acting for an animation, writing, building businesses, creating is ALL still on the table. I will do EVERYTHING I’ve ever wanted to do, in God’s time. And I learned that lesson working for one of the greatest brands in the history of innovation. Watch me do it.

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