Interview: Tamia, Singer and Songwriter - Page 2

How did you and Quincy Jones first meet?

Quincy was looking for someone to record "You Put a Move on My Heart." At the time, I was one of several artists signed to Warner Brothers without a great deal of work. My manager, Brenda Ritchie, approached me and said, "Quincy's looking for someone to sing this song. Why don't you go and try it out?" Well, the rest is history: I recorded the song, Quincy made it the first single off of Q's Jook Joint and I had the pleasure of touring the world with him. Everything happened really fast. What you hear on the album was my audition!

Wow! The song has fared quite well against the test of time. Looking back at your early success, how has the industry changed since then?

For one, most music labels do not invest time in artists like they did before. There are relatively few artist development-type deals. Artists are expected to hit it big on the first try and many hope to get a second chance. The belief that it takes time to cultivate a career has disappeared. Everything is expected to happen overnight and if it doesn't, oh well, on to the next. Music has become a very disposable industry.

Speaking of artist development, are there any particular artists that you keep your eye on? 

I really like Rascal Flatts. I'm a huge fan of country music because I love good stories and drama – not in real life, but in song, I do. I love tone. I am not a big fan of all that fancy stuff that people do with their voices, but a singer's tone speaks to me. Cece Winans has amazing tone—she does not have to do much but sing and the tone just penetrates you. That is what I like. I am not a big vocal gymnastics person.

Is there a particular artist you would like to work with? Over the years, you have had several memorable collaborations. Do you have any special collaborations brewing in your mind?

On More, the last album, I sort of let them happen. I collaborated with Eric Benet a while ago, and I have done collaborations with Babyface, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, Brandy and quite a few other people. I love a good collaboration, but it just has to be the right timing for both artists.

Article Author: Clayton Perry

Clayton Perry's mission parallels that of John Hope Franklin, Marcus Garvey and Carter G. Woodson. As the founder of the NUBIANO Project, Perry facilitates the design of projects that give voice to the Black diaspora, empower the Black community, …

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