What’s real? How do you define being real while maintaining the rock-and-roll, glitz-and-glamour facade of the music industry?
Telling the truth. Sharing your side. Owning and living the story behind your art. That does not always come easy for many artists, but for 26-year-old Piscean, Memphis, Tennessee born-and-bred mother, and Jive Records’ newest R&B songstress, K. Michelle, owning her story and delivering truthful music is the only way to succeed.
K. Michelle is a fighter; A single mother, who lived through domestic violence, who bore ridicule from friends and family, and who overcame all of these obstacles, to win a major record deal.
Groovevolt.com Contributing Editor Justin Holmes had the opportunity to hear the true story behind her debut album Pain Medicine as only K. Michelle could tell it.
“I’m not gonna waste my platform with something that is not me…. I wanted Pain Medicine to be about my pain, Because my pain is someone else’s pain.”
Groovevolt: Who is K. Michelle, and what defines the woman and the artist?
K. Michelle: I think growing up in Memphis alone is defining. It’s a great city: but there’s a lot of heartache and hardships. I’ve always been a singer. I went to a performing arts school and had a voice teacher, his name is Scott Westbrooke. He also trained Justin Timberlake… I love country music, especially The Judds… Mr. Westbrook taught me how to yodel, and when it was time to get into college I yodeled my way into a music scholarship at Florida A&M University.
GV: What was the thought process behind getting into the music business, and what actions did you take to break into the music business?
K.M: After college it was difficult for me cause I looked around and thought, “this could not be life; I fought so hard to get through college just to sit around and work at FedEx?”. I came home crying to my mom one day and she looked at me and said: “Child, people go to work!” I just couldn’t do it. I ended up getting an opportunity to go China for a couple months to sing with the Chinese orchestra, when I got back I knew music is what I wanted to do… I put my music on MySpace… And my attorney helped me put together a demo tape. On my birthday I took my music and went to Jive Records. The people I went with at the time wanted me to do pop, but I’m so far from that, it wasn’t me, and Jive saw that. They told me no, on my birthday, it hurt. A year or two later I went back, as myself; I found who I was and was happy with it, plus by that time I was broke and had nothing to lose, this time it worked… I exemplify the benefits of being true to yourself.
GV: What were some of the difficulties you’ve faced while trying to get into the music industry? How were you able to draw from, and overcome your struggles?
K.M: Throughout my whole process, I struggled. I had to figure out how to deal with my baby’s father and the fact that he was about to marry one of my friends; seeing my peers go on to have great careers; and me a single mother, even with a degree, not able to find a good job because I’m out here on this dream. There were so many people looking down on me, like “what is she doing, she’s wasting her life, dreams don’t come true. Now even being signed, I’m not rich, it’s still a struggle. Following your dreams is always a struggle.
GV: Why was it so important that this album be an accurate representation of who K. Michelle is?
K.M: I just believe you can’t fool people. I want people to know the real me. I want fans to be with me forever. I may not sell millions of records upfront, but I want a long and steady career. I really want to teach people through my music… People listen to me. Women listen to me, men listen to what I have to say. I think this is a special voice god gave me, so I am not going to waste my platform with something that’s not me. This is my once-in-a-lifetime to speak to the masses. That’s why I wanted Pain Medicine to be about my pain, because my pain is someone else’s pain.
GV: What does your song “Shoulda Killed Me” mean to you? What message does it have for the general public?
K.M: That song means everything to me! When you are in a relationship with someone and the person you love puts their hands on you in a violent manner to hurt you, it can really break you. I felt like, who can I turn to? Who can I trust?” “Shoulda Killed Me” is an inspirational song. It’s a message to people who have tried to break my heart, body, or spirit in the past, and saying they should have killed me because I am going to raise up even stronger than before, and they are gonna have to watch me be more successful, and I know that’s gonna kill then inside. I’m a fighter. It means a lot to the fans too; I got a letter from one girl who had to face her [rapist] in court, she said this song gave her the courage to face him. Making this song helped me through a lot of things, and I hope it does help people in tough situations in the same way.
GV: What advice do you have for people who are in violent or abusive relationships?
K.M: I say it’s not even worth it… You have to look out for your own well-being. Being hurt and broken is not what God would want for you. We experience situations to learn and grow. You have to look in the mirror and realize you deserve more. You may love that person but I promise you in a few months you will see that you can love someone else too, but the main person you need to love is yourself.
GV: you draw from personal experiences to write your songs. Is that the case with “Faking It”? Do you ever worry about offending friends, family, or lovers with your songs or lyrics?
K.M: No… I use music as a weapon, and a safe haven for me. If somebody does something to me; I’m going through a bad relationship, or I’m in love, I’m speak on how I feel about it… So before you come and try to talk to me, you better listen to my music.
GV: What direction do you want to take your music?
K.M: I want to be phenomenal like my idols. I grew up listening to two people I looked up to: Whitney Houston, and Robert Kelly, and now I’m actually at the Chocolate Factory; in Robert’s house, working. It’s phenomenal To be called his protégée and I’m learning from my idol is just… It’s amazing! He is really the king of R&B, and he is teaching me. One thing I’ve learned is to write life and not music, and you’ll always have a direction, always have a job…
GV: What do you say to comparisons of you to Keisha Cole or Mary J. Blige? And what sets you apart from them?
K.M: It’s not a bad comparison. Listening to her music and you can see what she’s been through and look at what she’s become. Phenomenal. I have been compared to Keisha… Mary… Rob.. As long as they are great it’s okay to compare me to them. What sets me apart is that my music is gonna be like a box of chocolates. In Pain Medicine, you are going to get all types of different emotions. You will feel my pain and heartbreak, but I also want you to be able to laugh and giggle and get my comedy in my music. I want pain medicine to be a dose of every emotion.
Keith “Guru” Elam, a former member of the rap duo Gang Starr, is currently in a coma after suffering cardiac arrest on Sunday. DJ Premier, the rapper’s former partner called satellite radio show DJ Eclipse’s HipHopNation/Sirius to confirm the news. The rapper is scheduled to undergo surgery today in a New York hospital. Guru is considered one of the most legendary rappers.
and charged with holding a promoter in his hotel room and assaulting and robbing the promoter with the help of three others after a dispute about payment for a performance. He is currently in jail in Kitchener, Ontario, and is expected to be released Tuesday (January 12)…
After years of hard work, you have an enormous breakthrough. You achieve radio stardom. You get spotted by Timbaland. You sell nearly two million copies of your debut album. Your co-founder is also an in-demand song writer and record producer.
