On Thursday’s episode of The Wendy Williams Show, one of the best polls in history was taken. Williams asked her audience to clap if they know who Jessie J is, but not what she sings. Robust applause ensued. The most withering robust applause imaginable.
Some context: Williams was discussing a recent interview in which Mel B called Jessie J overrated. Williams described this as “shade,” though I’d argue it’s a straight reading (on top of being inaccurate, as it implies that Jessie J is rated at all, which I don’t really think she is in 2019). Williams discussed Jessie J’s relationship with Channing Tatum, adding that her voice is “incredible” but she couldn’t remember any of her songs. Nor could her producer Suzanne Bass. Nor could a sizable percentage of her studio audience. Williams set out to describe Mel B’s shade only to cast her own. She eventually learned from another producer, Norman Baker, that Jessie J sings on “Bang Bang,” the song best remembered for featuring Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj.