Azealia Banks Is The World's #1 Stacie Orrico Stan

It may be that a broken clock is right twice a day. Or that despite all the controversy, there is often some truth to the words of Azealia Banks. Whatever the case may be, the “212” rapper and frequent internet feuder is a serious music fan, first and foremost. While it’s easy to lose tracks of her Twitter threads and Instagram stories, Banks shared her latest musings on the state of music that included a shout-out to a near-forgotten icon of the early 2000’s: Stacie Orrico.

“Sorry pop girls you all pale in comparison to Stacie Orrico,” Banks wrote in her story. “Like, each and every one of you will never reach the pop glory of Stacie Oricco’s ‘I Could Be The One.’” She also noted that much credit is due to Harvey Mason Jr., then a producer of Orrico’s work and current president and CEO of the Recording Academy.

Stacie Orrico has long been an influence in Banks’ music. While promoting her second studio album, Fantasea II: The Second Wave, Banks shared on Instagram that the house infused lead single, “Anna Wintour,” was as inspired by the prowess of the Vogue editor-in-chief as it was by Orrico’s self-titled album from 2003. According to Genius, Banks had shared on Instagram that she was inspired by Orrico’s work since she was 12-years old: “Her ability to craft songs which teeter along the lines of Gospel/Christian Pop/Pop is something that inspires me so much.” Turns out, “Anna Wintour” is about those moments where we “connect with the universe’ and “God finds you and lets you know that you are exactly in the right place…”

You might know Orrico from her radio-friendly 2003 hits like “Stuck” and “(There’s Gotta Be) More to Life.” Even if you don’t recognize her name or these track titles, if you shopped at Limited Too you’ve listened to at least one of her songs.

After releasing her debut album, Orrico spent some time touring as a supporting act for Destiny’s Child. When she returned with her self-titled follow-up album, she released Stacie Orrico, the album, at seventeen and was nominated for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards. Thern in 2004, Orrico walked away from fame to take a break, and has made intermittent returns to music ever since. Hopefully, aided with the please of Banks, we’re on the precipice of a comeback single.