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 Badnews: How did you get into the music business?
K. Michelle: I got into the music business by grinding. Basically I Preformed in China with the Chinese orchestra, came back, put my music on myspace, within a month the rapper Ma$e had flew me out here (Atlanta) and presented a situation for me, so I stayed out there and was busy cutting demos and meeting people and was just determined that someone was going to let me in the game.
Badnews: That's crazy, so you said that Ma$e actually help you out. What kind of feedback did you get from him when it came to your music?
K. Michelle: Well I don't want to give Ma$e the credit of discovering me, he actually wanted me to come to Atlanta where I met with him. He did say my music was very heartfelt and very soulful. But the man who was really responsible for signing me was MeMpHiTz because by the time I got to him, he got the kind of artist I was, and he just took it and ran with it.
Badnews: And just listening to your music, at least my opinion is that your not the poppy, bubbly artist, you know what I mean? It's not really the happy singy type of music, you really touch on on real things that go down in a relationship.
K. Michelle: Badnews thank you! That makes me feel good for you to say that because, If you like bubbly and poppy that's you, but I'm at the point of my life where I'm trying to find ultimate happiness. I didn't want to be this image I couldn't fulfill. And I know you would look at me like "she has a nice shape and she plays piano", but I can't be this bubbly girl because I ain't that... I'm not bubbly. I'm honest and I have a great time, but I wanted to speak about what I was going through, what I been through and what I might have to go through. And I just want people to understand that, and I want people to look at me and be like "Yo, I can't believe she just said that but she said what I wanted to say". I want to be the voice of the people who are scared to say the things that need to be said.
Badnews: It's almost like your a rapper. You know how most rappers can get away with the things they say, your in that rare category of R&B singers that can do the same thing. Is that the lane you feel most comfortable in and want to stay in for right now?
K. Michelle: You are really on your stuff. You are a good Journalist. I'm on tour with R. Kelly right now and Wayne Williams who found R. Kelly and signed him called me a "female Robert". I think Robert (R. Kelly) is another R&B singer who can get away with that and do whatever like a rapper, but then can do songs like I can believe I can fly. And that's basically how I want to be. I don't want to be this...made over Barbie doll, I want to be motivational for women, but I don't want to sit around crying over a man all the time. I want to be a real R&B singer, but I don't want people to get it twisted and think I can not be a live singer and give them a real show. I do want to be able to say a lot of stuff that maybe (Nicki) Minaj or Trina can say that most female R&B singers can't say and still be real.
Badnews: And it seems like it is really working out for you.
K. Michelle: Thank you.
Badnews: And another thing about you is that you write your own lyrics. What are your favorite topics to write about?
K. Michelle: I really don't have a favorite topic, but if we wanted to say a topic it would be about life. R. Kelly told me if I always write about life and not just make music, I will always have a job. And since I learned so much from him, that one thing he told me was right. When I go in the studio, I just don't sing a heartbreaking song, If I feel that way for real, then I will sing about it. I will go in and write whatever emotion is going through me then. That's basically how it works for me when it comes to writing.
Badnews: Now there are a lot of singers right now on the mainstream stage that don't really write there own material. Why is it that we don't see a lot of R&B singers out here now that don't write there own material and then sing it themselves?
K. Michelle: I think it has a lot to do with there label, or they might not be able to write. What Jive has done for me is they allowed me write but, they also brought in people to train me because I might come across like a real rapper, and people might not get my vocal ability, so they will bring in big songwriters, but they also know that you don't have to teach me how to write my own stuff. But I think for a lot of artists, there just looking for a hit. I want a hit record, but I want that authenticity. I want a hit record that is flattering to me. But those records work (for other artists). They use those records and became big stars from it so I don't knock it but, I don't think that's going to make me a star though.
Badnews: The reason why I asked that is you get the "Beyonce's" or those type of artists that can sing the type of records you talk about, but then you see them in the tabloids and there on a Yacht or there coming out of a Louis Vuittion store all glammed up. It seems to me, they probably haven't been through a lot of things there fans really went through. So how do you feel about artists that are on this mega superstar status that sing real life records that normally you would sing about? (and for the record I'm not picking on Beyonce, I was using her status as an example)
K. Michelle: First thing, I'm a huge Beyonce fan and I have respect for anybody in the game that can still entertain, you know what I'm saying? Like the people dissing Beyonce... Beyonce is the one artist that we do have nowadays that gives you a show and I always respect her. She paved the way for other artists to sing like that. But you do have other R&B singers that are out there singing, trying to be hood and saying stuff that ain't them. I always felt that you are getting rich for being like me... for being who I am. So it does bother me- I won't call any names but some people know that some of these singers out here don't have a gangsta bone in there body. And there thing is "Oh, this is selling right now, we can use this". You go from hop to being hip-hop all of the sudden. But I just say give the people the real you. If you got signed for being you, go be you, don't go be me.
Badnews: That makes a whole lot of sense definitely. Now I understand that you won a musical scholarship to Florida A&M, but decided not to pursue that as a career choice, but instead you majored in Bioligy. Why did you switch over?
K. Michelle: I switched over because, I been in music since I was a little girl from classical piano to Justin Timberlake and I who had the same same voice teacher since we were a little older who was Bob Westbrook. But I'm not beyond growth as an artist, but when I got to college-- I just like to learn a lot of different things. I felt that the musical stage I was in, I didn't really have a lot of life in yet, and I needed to live life to speak from the soul. So I didn't need to sit in the classroom with conductors, I already knew how to read music but, I wanted my music skill to be about life and also to pick up a new trade. I learned a lot from my major, but I learned a lot about life at FAMU, I went through a lot of life experiences. And that helped my (song writing) and my physical growth, So I didn't need a musical teacher in the classroom at that time.
Badnews: Now looking back at the choice you made, do you feel like you did the right thing? Because even with me, I know I back peddled and switched major to major and I'm just now feeling it is good for me. But how do you feel about your choice? Are you happy with that?
K. Michelle: Yeah, and one thing about back peddling with your major... there is nothing wrong with that because, it helps you to explore who you are. People just look at me like " oh, this little girl can sing", but I know some other stuff. So I'm grateful I did that, because that was the stuff I struggled to learn, It wasn't a natural calling for me. I fought through it and learned dedication to learn something that I knew nothing about. So I'm happy I picked up another gift and now I'm doing what I'm suppose to be doing.
Badnews: That's what's up. Now like you said earlier, you toured all across overseas, You were in Asia at one point. We know how big the hip-hop culture is over there, but how big is the R&B soul culture over there?
K. Michelle: I think it's bigger than what we know because for me to go over there and sing... I was singing popular American records. Popular American R&B records. They knew it, they loved it. A lot of them don't speak English over there, but the know the emotion of the record, they knew the sound of it. But once my career is stable here in America, I'm going to go to China and different places and just try to bring them my music. I actually want to go to one of the colleges over there and talk to them-- that was the reason why I was in China. it was was to try and recruit students for the music department, so I want to do that again when I become a established artist here, and just take our music over there because they love it, and they absolutely appreciate it.
Badnews: That sounds real big. Now what was the biggest thing you saw over there that you didn't expect to see as far as the music?
K. Michelle: Badnews... I had a big culture shock when I was hungry as hell. I'm thinking I'm getting some fried fish and they brought the fish over
with the eyeball looking at me. So that was a big culture shock for me, but as far as the music, they know it,they mimic it, and they appreciate it. I think they appreciate it more than we appreciate it. They take it way more seriously than we do over here. You know how you have something and your use to it, but when you miss it for a while, you don't know what you have until its gone? If America didn't have music anymore, people would lose there minds. We can get our music from downloading or the store, but them... they love it because it's new to them and they aren't use to it. They just have a whole new respect for the art.
Badnews: Now your signed to Jive Records, what was the more stressful thing for you, auditioning for Jive, or being already signed, and making sure you come out the gate with a hit record?
K. Michelle: I haven't put out my best record yet. You all haven't heard my real music, so it was stressful to get signed to Jive, because I actually
went to Jive twice. The first time I met with some people up there, they kind of wanted me to be poppish, and that wasn't me and the Jive staff could see through that. So the second time I came back, I had nothing to lose. And usually, you don't get a second shot over there. They didn't even remember me from the first time. But there is always going to be pressure putting out a hit record, but when I know I have greater records than what I have already presented to you, I can rest easy because I know those great records will get out to you sooner or later.
Badnews: I know that the Internet has helped you get to where you are. How important is it for an artist trying to get heard to use the Internet?
K. Michelle: It's beyond important as far as just reaching out to people. For me though It's helped me a lot, there were some producers from L.A. who worked on I love New York, flew me out, met with me about a reality show. So were just working on getting a single out and then the show. So you need that Internet. So when I get off the phone with you, I'll be putting more videos up on Youtube, and answering some people back on twitter.
Badnews: Now when you debut album from Jive drops, can we expect some "happier" music from you?
K. Michelle: You will hear more motivational, happier records, the next single is Met Your Match, it's not a motivational record it's just saying to men; what you can do, we can do too... because you done met your match (laughs). Your going to get some real records, I look forward to putting out some music that is dear to my heart.
Badnews: When can we expect the album?
K. Michelle: Met Your Match is slated for January. But I'll have a single and a video out in January or February.
Badnews: Now one thing that I did see or that stuck out of one of your Youtube videos, was that you sang the National Anthem at a NBA playoff game in Cleveland. Was that your first public appearance?
K. Michelle: It actually was, now that you say that. All that was going through my mind was "Lebron is here"! that was the only thing I was thinking. I didn't know that it was the MVP ceremony or nothing. I was just like I'm going to go sing this anthem, and see Lebronand be on the scoreboard. So it was great and we went out to eat after that, and Lebron came up to me and said I did phenomenal. That was great for me, and that was the start of me starting to sing everywhere.
Badnews: I mean, it didn't hit you after the fact that you seen all those people-- thousands of people and then millions of people possibly watching or recording you?
K. Michelle: It was all good, it wasn't a volatile situation, I love to sing when I was younger, I could never sing that song-- it was the worst thing for me to sing when I was younger, but now I'm older, I can sing the song and it went great and I know there setting some more NBA games for me to sing coming up.
Badnews: Well I'll be definitely hoping they book you out here at the Pepsi Center in Denver.
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Interviews