Angelique
Interview 19 October 2004
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Hey
Angelique, how you doing.
Hey Mike, I’m well, thank you.
Tell
me a bit about yourself, where your from, background, family
I’m from the San Francisco Bay Area and I’m the youngest
of 5 children.
You
made your musical debut at an early age
Yes, at age four which by the way was a mere 3 years ago
(smile)
So
music was always in you?
Always
Then you headed for Hollywood and landed up at Fame. Tell me a bit about that, how it came
about and what it taught you.
Fame
was great. I was fifteen years old
and living on my own in Hollywood.
The producers of the show were looking for on-camera
musician/singers. It was a very different audition. When the casting agent introduced me to
Debbie Allen she looked at me and said I would
do. It was to be a one time thing but I
managed to work for a few months.
This was during the time that Janet Jackson was transitioning
from
actress to recording artist.
Being
around Janet and the rest of the talented, focused and committed performers
taught me a lot about being prepared, humble and
professional. There were times when I clearly didn’t
have a clue and Debbie Allen would address it head on and tell me to get it
together or
go
home. In Northern California I was
considered a “big fish in a small pond”
so I was shocked when I came to LA and singers—really GOOD
singers-
were everywhere and I could be replaced at ANY time!!!.
Then
you got a deal with a local label, Lotion. When was this, what was that like
Yes,
Lotion was a local Los Angeles label and the owners were budding songwriter/producers
George Woodall and Mike Valenzuela.
We released
the
single “Rocket in The Pocket” which got lots of local attention and sold about
15,000 units.
Then
the Nutbuddies?
The
Nutbuddies was a wonderful and challenging experience. A dear friend of mine, producer David
Snyder recommended me for the group.
After
I signed (with producers Edmund Sylvers and his partner Nikki), they told me I
would have to lose weight, change the color of my hair
and
get colored contacts! Edmund
recommended we write our own music although ultimately we recorded only songs
he and Nikki wrote. I had no
idea
Nikki was sick and just a few months later Nikki died of breast cancer and the
production company went under.
How
old were you at this point. After
this how were you feeling determined or disillusioned?
Well
I felt about 80 in dog years! For
a while I believed that I couldn’t possibly compete (on a songwriting level)
with Edmund Sylvers -
he’d
sold millions of records. On the
other hand, I knew what I liked and thought that should count for
something. So Edmund not only
helped
me
pay attention to what I wanted to say rhythmically, lyrically and vocally in a
song but also provoked me to not be discouraged or
discounted
because I was a beginner.
Now
that I’ve had experience financing the release of my own CD, I understand that
when a company is spending thousands (or millions) of
dollars
on an artist, they need to be convinced there is a potential return on their
investment and their experience with what works really
does
count for something! I’ve also
learned that as an artist, earning the respect and confidence of your record company
is a slow process—you
have
to pay your dues.
But
you went back to College – languages a strong point then
I
actually started college while I was still in high school so although I took a
break, I still graduated college 2 years earlier than my peers.
I
have always loved learning so continuing my language studies full-time when the
Nutbuddies disbanded was a welcome change of pace.
Then
you had a contract with a Motown producer – can you say who that was? And some
personal sacrifices?
Wonderful
George Tobin. I met him during an
open call. There was an ad in the
local newspaper casting for singers.
At the studio he came up to
me
and said he thought I was really talented and he liked my sound. A few days later we had a deal and he
was shopping my demo to the reps at
Motown. Well I foolishly got out of the deal
and ultimately dumped the lousy boyfriend who caused all of the grief.
Was
it at this time you started writing or is that something you’ve always done.
Well
my big sister says that when I was two, she and her husband would ask me to
sing a song and while I seemed to know the melody I would make
up
my own words. Up until this point
of my career I always followed other peoples’ vision of who I was artistically. Since I was never
really
convinced that they knew me better than me, I thought I should be writing and
producing music that I believed expressed my artistic
vision. Of course, in their defense, they knew
what labels were signing and had had commercial successes. I believe the internet has created a
wonderful
opportunity for artists who don’t look, or sing a certain way to have their
audience find them.
Who
are your musical influences and where do you draw from.
I
am a major Stevie Wonder fan. I love
his songwriting style. His musical
vignettes are intelligent, vivid, foot tapping and hummable. I
also
like the old style multi-ethnic R&B of War, the cabaret of Edith Piaf and
the vocal inflections of Patti Labelle and Aretha Franklin. I
just
love their honesty and commitment to their craft.
My
music is inspired by life experiences as well as my love of foreign language
and music. In terms of today’s
artists I’m inspired by the
music
of Seal and The Black Eyed Peas. I
also like to listen to some of today’s more popular artists as a reminder of
what not to do: not be
able
to have your live show live up to your record. I think it’s dangerous territory to have an excellent studio
record and a (vocally)
lousy
live show. I try to stay somewhere
in the middle so that people know what they hear on the record is what they’ll
hear at the live show.
Sometimes
that’s good, sometimes not so good but it’s always honest with no gimmics and
no (bad) surprises.
And
this led up to the album. Tell me
about how you put it together and the team who helped pull it off.
Well
when I returned from performing in Japan I had made a little money and decided
I was ready for a deal. So, I put
together the songs,
brought
in old and new friends and we recorded the CD. However, when I presented it at Midem I thought they would
appreciate my multi-lingual
“Neo
Soul with a touch of Funk”.
Ha!! I was told neo soul
was cool but English only hip hop was what people were buying.
It
wasn’t really planned out like it should have been. I had no intention of putting out my own CD. I thought if I demoed some songs
I’d
get a deal. When that didn’t
happen and when I performed live people wanted to buy my music, I figured I
might as well put it out for
sale.!!!!
It’s
a couple of years old now – how did it go down.
I
am really pleased with my first self-produced effort. Many professionals told me it was foolish not to have the
same musical
“theme”
throughout the CD and not to expect much.
Between internet, live show sales, licensing, on-line distribution,
indie stores,
downloads
and such I sold over 10,000 (CD/single) units without the help of a record
company using internet only promotion.
And
whats happening now – a new thrust? Are you likely to be coming to Europe,
whats the interest been over on this side. European interest?
Well
I certainly have learned lots from my first effort mistakes and with the help
of my phenomenal European-based Manager Renaud Rigart, I
anticipate
penetrating the European market in the spring. I have started writing and recording my next CD here in Los
Angeles and will do
post
production recording in London around January. This next CD will be in Portuguese, French, Spanish and
English. It will have the same
musical
flow - very funky, tasty, sexy, cool - and will include some outside producer
friends to assist on a couple of songs.
Lots
of things about you seem to filter through to the album, languages, soul 70’s
to now, reggae, jazz, your songwriting.
I
agree. I believe that the
listening public is much more sophisticated than they are given credit
for. I believe if you present good
music
with
a message they will find it AND they will buy.
What
are your favourites and which have most feeling for you. Does that coincide with the tracks
getting best reaction.
Actually,
my favorite song is Baby. The
songs getting the best reaction depend on the radio station format: In the US the R&B stations seem to
like:
“I’m In Love Wit’ You” and “Hollywood”, the Jazz/Smooth Jazz stations play: “It
Could Have Been Love”, “All I Gotta Do” and “Bossa
Nova
Hotel”, the Pop stations play: “Hollywood” and the Country (yep Country)
stations play: “No Show” and the college stations play
everything!. In Europe, Australia and Japan
“Hollywood”, “Baby”, “I’m In Love Wit You” and “Bossa Nova Hotel” seem to get
the best reaction.
Whats
your show like. Do you have a band, same people as the album?
My
live show is a shake your bootie, clap your hands, nod-your-head party. I belly dance, bring people on stage to
harass them (smile),
play
vocal games with the audience and my background singers and encourage people to
sing along and have a good time. The
musicians and
singers
are all friends that I’ve known for sometime and they’re the same people that
played on the album.
Where
have you been – I see you did Japan.
I
have performed throughout the US and Japan. I am really looking forward to performing in Europe and
Australia.
Where
you living now?
Whats
happening next, what are you working on
I’m
working on the next CD which I expect to have finished by January.
Anything
you’d like to add
I’d
like to thank you Mike, I really appreciate your support. I’m
looking
forward to doing some shows in Europe—ya got any leads? (smile)
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