|
I was listening to a song called "Your Joy." The music, produced by
the great Babyface, and the lyrics, co-written by its singer, newcomer
Chrisette Michele, come together to create one of the most compelling
melodic tributes to fatherhood that I've ever heard. But I'm convinced
that no other voice could glaze this track like Chrisette’s.
"I
Am," her Def Jam debut CD, melds a rich, timeless jazz foundation with
a modern-day urban flavor to produce a soulful encounter that's all her
own. The total artistry of the Chrisette Michele sound has me deep in
playback syndrome, even months after her debut release. No wonder L.A.
Reid got goose bumps after hearing her delivery in an audition. When it
comes to soul music, there is nobody, I say again, nobody, out there
like Chrisette Michele.
The 13-track CD project is loaded with
goodies—the mid-tempo, hip-hop touched “Let’s Rock”; the playful “Like
a Dream”; the John Legend-produced “Love is You” and much more. But
overall, it’s the lyrics on this project, all of which Chrisette
co-wrote, that are often, simply put, breathtaking…
Take
me back in the day when loving was pure / Love ain’t going away, Love
is always the cure / Life’s not always perfect but love’s always
forever / Let’s let true love commit, let’s try lasting together… /
Cause I’m ready to be like the olden days when commitment was golden.
-- from the track "Golden"
Priceless.
Where
in the world has this young talent, old soul been? Not far. The buzz
around Chrisette Michele was thick even before her debut came out, as
she collaborated on vintage hooks for rap artists Jay Z and Nas and
sang back-up on tour for nu-soul well-knowns like India.Arie, Angie
Stone, Kem, and Leela James, among others. Prior to these and other
professional performances, Chrisette had been grooming all aspects of
her musicality since she was four years old. She played the saxophone,
studied dance and later studied vocal jazz performance in college.
“I
was a studio rat,” Chrisette says of her ability to use studio
equipment as a little girl. “By the time I decided to look for
professional representation, I sent a demo to every record label in New
York City and Def Jam gave me a phone call, asked me to audition for
them, and signed me that very day,” she said. What a classic example of
Proverbs 18:16 , "Your gifts make room for you and bring you before
great men."
Chrisette Michele on her lyrics…
"My
mother was in the studio with me much of the time (while recording “I
Am”); my father was a great influence on my lyrics. And I conversed
with a lot of grown folks so that I could have wisdom when I wrote, so
that I could have life that’s been around longer than me when I
wrote."
On her musical influences and favorites…
"Billie
Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald are my favorites. Sarah Vaughn, Art
Blakey…the jazz greats really inspired me. Curtis Fuller is the first
composer whose arrangements I fell in love with. As far as contemporary
music, I love the sound of Amy Winehouse; and Beyonce is my favorite
pop star who is a beautiful human being as well, so she has inspired me
in many ways."
On her beliefs…
"At the end of
the day, I try to live by the standards of Christianity. Like everyone
else, I make mistakes and I fall, but the words that you hear in my CD
I hope would be the words of what you would want to hear a Christian
say. That’s my motive, to be a Christian in everything that I do, and
hopefully I’m accomplishing that, at least in my lyrical content."
story by VERTICAL FIXTM
VERTICAL FIXTM
is an online magazine and internet radio experience created to empower
readers while giving listeners a 24/7, constantly evolving stream of
soulful grooves anchored by lyrical content that is honest and
inspiring. www.verticalfix.com .
|
