Candice Glover Interview: New single "My Mistake", Upcoming Album, Independent and more...

My interview with American Idol season 12 winner Candice Glover to discuss her latest single My Mistake, upcoming sophomore album, going independent and more!

Terrance - Talk to me about the creation of your new single “My Mistake” and what you hope to achieve with this release.

Candice Glover - Well I know that many other people have been through situations where they fall for a friend and things are suddenly a whole different vibe between the two of you. I have been through that and this is why I think the song will reach many hearts because it is relatable. That is what I was hoping to achieve with this song. I wanted people to hear it and realize they are not alone.

Terrance - What can you share about your forthcoming sophomore album as far as musical direction, production or guest features?

Candice Glover - My album will be filled with all aspects of life including falling in love, having your heart broken, coming back from that, the crazy process of healing and other sides to my life that people don’t really know of...yet. I’ve been through a lot since my last album and I want to invite my fans in completely. I will hopefully help someone who has gone through the same thing look at me as an inspiration to get their own groove back. As of now I don’t have any features but I’m looking to collab with a few friends very soon and maybe those will end up on the album. I wanted to get my own thoughts and feelings out first before starting to involve others.

Terrance - From major to independent: What are the rewards of being an independent artist?

Candice Glover - I love the idea of getting to create from my own heart and soul... I love that nothing has to be done on a time schedule or with the idea of money being a big factor. My main goal is to connect with my most dedicated fans and keep them inspired by a small town girl like me who is living her dream. Being independent gives me the opportunity to do that without the stress or worry of being a “mainstream” artist. I love that I can write my own music, choose my own path and stay true to that.

Terrance - I know that you will be honored at this year’s Puerto Rico’s LGBT Arts & Cultural Festival. Who are you looking forward to seeing in that milestone of your career?

Candice Glover - I’m mostly looking forward to being around people who inspired me in my career such as Brandy, B Slade and more. To be included with such talent is still very surreal.

Terrance - Last year you starred in the Gospel musical The Love Shack alongside Ann Nesby and Dave Hollister, do you see more musicals or Broadway in the near future?

Candice Glover - I would love to do more stage acting in the future. It's fun to see the audience’s reaction to the comedy and music onstage... especially considering how hard we practiced to get it right! The stage is always so rewarding and fulfilling.

Terrance - Are there any plans to promote your album on tour?

Candice Glover - Yes! I've been doing some spot dates to reconnect with my fans and preview some of the new stuff that I have been working on. They have been loving it and I couldn’t be happier. I am excited to continue to do some spots dates and tour fully when the project comes out.

Terrance - Final words you would like to leave with the readers.

Candice Glover - I'm incredibly thankful to everyone who still supports me and has stood by my side. I’m excited about what’s to come!! Thank you RnB Junkie for giving a platform to people like me to spread music to other music lovers.

My Mistake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDc_GhysLMQ / https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/my-mistake-single/id1215672029

Terry Ellis Interview: New En Vogue Music | Funky Divas 25th Anniversary | Tour

 

 

My interview with founding member Terry Ellis of the Iconic trendsetting R&B/Pop vocal group En Vogue who burst on the music scene with classics such as "Hold On", "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)", "Free Your Mind", "Don't Let Go" to name a few. Back with new music Terry Ellis discuss En Vogue's upcoming seventh album, Electric Café and takes us on a trip down memory lane to discuss the 25th anniversary of Funky Divas...

Terrance - Tell me what has the journey been like thus far being part of one of the most iconic female groups of our time.

Terry Ellis - Well, the journey for En Vogue still to this day has been absolutely amazing. We’ve been blessed with a lot of success and continued success because here we are about to release our forthcoming record titled, Electric Cafe. We’re really looking forward to that and to continue to work. We can now add to this journey one of the monumental achievements thus far our dresses from the “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)” and “Giving Him Something He Can Feel” videos inducted into the American Smithsonian Museum and also the African-American Museum Culture in the Smithsonian.

Terrance - Cool. So with that being said you mentioned Electric Cafe, tell me about that project.

Terry Ellis - Electric Cafe is a project initially we started out brainstorming thinking we wanted to go the EDM route which means Electronic Dance Music and then as we were in the process of creating, the record started to morph and kind of take a life of it’s own so you still have the underlying essence of EDM in the record but it’s definitely your classic R&B music and you’re definitely going to get the classic signature En Vogue harmony. It’s very eclectic.

Our first single, “Deja Vu” which was basically a release to tell our fans thank you for waiting so patiently for us. It has this bossa nova feel to it. The whole record has this international global R&B vibe to it, that’s what I would call it and we’re really excited about releasing it and we hope you guys like it.

Terrance - Good good. So you guys performed at this year’s CIAA tournament, what was that like?

Terry Ellis - Performing at the CIAA tournament was absolutely so cool because I am proud to say that I am an Alumni of an HBC. I graduated with a degree in Marketing from Prairie View A&M University so it’s really, really cool it took me back to my school days of being at the games and watching all of the HBC schools come together and celebrate you know in the way that we do as black folks. It felt really, really good and I was super excited and we got a chance to sing the National Anthem and we were honored they even asked us to do it so it was a cool experience.

Terrance - Despite line-up changes along the way in En Vogue, the group never disbanded. Why do you think girl groups disappeared?

Terry Ellis - You know I’m not exactly sure why girl groups disappeared because I think we’re all individuals I can only speak for my group. I think at some point in time when you have a group of members together you have different goals and aspirations and you tend to grow apart. It’s unfortunate but it happens and fortunately my group we’ve been able to continue along with continued success and we wish our other group members who will always be my sisters much success in whatever their endeavors are.

Terrance - Do you see a resurgence with girl groups?

Terry Ellis - I think there’s a resurgence because I think girl groups are such a staple in this industry and I don’t think they will ever go away even when you see one girl group go away, you’re going to see another one that’s coming because I think we’re the fabric of music and the music industry and certainly in the African-American culture.

Terrance - The sophomore En Vogue album, Funky Divas, turns 25 this year. Can you share any interesting stories or fond memory crafting that record?

 

Terry Ellis - I remember us being so excited that we even had the opportunity to go in the studio and do another record and have a second chance at it, that’s my most fond memory. I remember us sitting down brainstorming and trying to decide you know, what is it that we want to say? How do we want to represent ourselves and how do we want to represent African-American women and what message do we want to put out there and how do we want to uplift? I remember that most that we wanted to be part of uplifting our culture and so that dictated what went into our songs.

Terrance - So you then embarked on a solo career with the Southern Gal album. What was that transition like and is that something you would do again?

Terry Ellis - Embarking on a solo career was kind of scary for me actually, not kind of, but really scary because I’m so used to having my support system which are my girls. I mean they still supported me but I just felt weird being out there on my own. But it was cool because once I started to get kind of comfortable I realized, Wow! This is really great being able to make decisions on my own [laughs]. I didn’t have to consult with three other people so that was really cool just

being able to say what I had to say and keep it moving. And then I felt like I started to get my sea legs although I love, love, love being with my group that’s really my preference to be honest with you. I just love being in a girl group and maybe it’s because I’m the fifth of five girls so I just love it and maybe one day I will get around to doing another record eventually one of these days but right now En Vogue is my primary focus and it’s enough for me [laughs].

Terrance - With the rise of biopics, people have been asking is there ever going to be one for En Vogue in the near future?

Terry Ellis - Well, never say never. We have been in conversations about that so I’ll just keep it there and we’ll see what happens.

Terrance - And just to wrap this up we know you guys are preparing for the release of Electric Cafe and all the good things to come and you have an upcoming tour For the Love of Music and some other appearances. Do you have any details on that?

Terry Ellis - We’re really excited about this upcoming tour that we titled For the Love of Music and we titled it that because that’s why we do what we do [laughs] and we realized that we’re blessed to have been given the opportunity to do this consistently because it’s for the love of music. And right now it’s us En Vogue, Bell Biv Devoe and SWV slated for this upcoming tour and it’s going to be right here in the States and we’re really excited and can’t wait.

Terrance - So for dates and everything people can just check out your website?

Terry Ellis - For any info on the upcoming tour you can check out our website envoguemusic.com and our social media as well. Our Instagram and twitter are both @envoguemusic.

Terrance - Is there anything additional you would like to leave with the readers?

Terry Ellis - Everyone who’s tuned into this interview I’m assuming that you’ve been supporters of En Vogue for 27 years and I just want you guys to know how much we really, really appreciate it and that we don’t take it for granted and we’re excited to share new music with you, Electric Cafe. We hope you love it as much as we loved going in the studio to record it and once again thank you so much for all the support.

Terry Ellis (En Vogue) Interview

My interview with founding member Terry Ellis of the Iconic trendsetting group En Vogue to discuss their upcoming seventh album, Electric Café, latest single "Déja Vu" and more! https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/deja-vu-single/id1132989108

Terrance - Tell me what has the journey been like thus far being part of one of iconics female groups of our time.

Terry Ellis - Well, the journey for En Vogue still to this day has been absolutely amazing. We’ve been blessed with a lot of success and continued success because here we are about to release our forthcoming record titled, Electric Cafe. We’re really looking forward to that and to continue to work. We can now add to this journey one of the monumental achievements thus far our dresses from the “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)” and “Giving Him Something He Can Feel” videos inducted into the American Smithsonian Museum and also the African-American Museum Culture in the Smithsonian.

Terrance - Cool so with that being said you mentioned Electric Cafe, tell me about that project.

Terry Ellis - Electric Cafe is a project initially we started out brainstorming thinking we wanted to go the EDM route which means Electronic Dance Music and then as we were in the process of creating, the record started to morph and kind of take a life of it’s own so you still have the underlying essence of EDM in the record but it’s definitely your classic R&B music and you’re definitely going to get the classic signature En Vogue harmony. It’s very eclectic. Our first single, “Deja Vu” which was basically a release to tell our fans thank you for waiting so patiently for us. It has this bossa nova feel to it. The whole record has this international global R&B vibe to it, that’s what I would call it and we’re really excited about releasing it and we hope you guys like it.

Terrance - Good good. So you guys performed at this year’s CIAA tournament, what was that like?

Terry Ellis - Performing at the CIAA tournament was absolutely so cool because I am proud to say that I am an Alumni of an HBC. I graduated with a degree in Marketing from Prairie View A&M University so it’s really, really cool it took me back to my school days of being at the games and watching all of the HBC schools come together and celebrate you know in the way that we do as black folks. It felt really, really good and I was super excited and we got a chance to sing the National Anthem and we were honored they even asked us to do it so it was a cool experience.

Terrance - Despite line-up changes along the way in En Vogue, the group never disbanded. Why do you think girl groups disappeared?

Terry Ellis - You know I’m not exactly sure why girl groups disappeared because I think we’re all individuals I can only speak for my group. I think at some point in time when you have a group of members together you have different goals and aspirations and you tend to grow apart. It’s unfortunate but it happens and fortunately my group we’ve been able to continue along with continued success and we wish our other group members who will always be my sisters much success in whatever their endeavors are.

Terrance - Do you see a resurgence with girl groups?

Terry Ellis - I think there’s a resurgence because I think girl groups are such a staple in this industry and I don’t think they will ever go away even when you see one girl group go away, you’re going to see another one that’s coming because I think we’re the fabric of music and the music industry and certainly in the African-American culture.

Terrance - The sophomore En Vogue album, Funky Divas, turns 25 this year. Can you share any interesting stories or fond memory crafting that record?

Terry Ellis - I remember us being so excited that we even had the opportunity to go in the studio and do another record and have a second chance at it, that’s my most fond memory. I remember us sitting down brainstorming and trying to decide you know, what is it that we want to say? How do we want to represent ourselves and how do we want to represent African-American women and what message do we want to put out there and how do we want to uplift? I remember that most that we wanted to be part of uplifting our culture and so that dictated what went into our songs.

Terrance - So you then embarked on a solo career with the Southern Gal album. What was that transition like and is that something you would do again?

Terry Ellis - Embarking on a solo career was kind of scary for me actually, not kind of, but really scary because I’m so used to having my support system which are my girls. I mean they still supported me but I just felt weird being out there on my own. But it was cool because once I started to get kind of comfortable I realized, Wow! This is really great being able to make decisions on my own [laughs]. I didn’t have to consult with three other people so that was really cool just being able to say what I had to say and keep it moving. And then I felt like I started to get my sea legs although I love, love, love being with my group that’s really my preference to be honest with you. I just love being in a girl group and maybe it’s because I’m the fifth of five girls so I just love it and maybe one day I will get around to doing another record eventually one of these days but right now En Vogue is my primary focus and it’s enough for me [laughs].

Terrance - With the rise of biopics, people have been asking is there ever going to be one for En Vogue in the near future?

Terry Ellis - Well, never say never. We have been in conversations about that so I’ll just keep it there and we’ll see what happens.

Terrance - And just to wrap this up we know you guys are preparing for the release of Electric Cafe and all the good things to come and you have an upcoming tour For the Love of Music and some other appearances. Do you have any details on that?

Terry Ellis - We’re really excited about this upcoming tour that we titled For the Love of Music and we titled it that because that’s why we do what we do [laughs] and we realized that we’re blessed to have been given the opportunity to do this consistently because it’s for the love of music. And right now it’s us En Vogue, Bell Biv Devoe and SWV slated for this upcoming tour and it’s going to be right here in the States and we’re really excited and can’t wait.

Terrance - So for dates and everything people can just check out your website?

Terry Ellis - For any info on the upcoming tour you can check out our website envoguemusic.com and our social media as well. Our Instagram and twitter are both @envoguemusic.

Terrance - Is there anything additional you would like to leave with the readers?

Terry Ellis - Everyone who’s tuned into this interview I’m assuming that you’ve been supporters of En Vogue for 27 years and I just want you guys to know how much we really, really appreciate it and that we don’t take it for granted and we’re excited to share new music with you, Electric Cafe. We hope you love it as much as we loved going in the studio to record it and once again thank you so much for all the support.

MAJOR. Interview: Early Beginnings, Debut Album, "Why I Love You" and more...

My interview with MAJOR. who rose up the airwaves with the piano-led ballad, “Why I Love You”, with a distinguishable and sophisticated vocal talent and presence that combines the past with the potent of the presence. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-am-major./id1132423926

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Terrance - Walk me through your earliest beginnings of when you wanted to share your gift to the world. MAJOR. - I was three years old when I told my mother I wanted to be a famous singer. She took my word for it and put me in music lessons immediately. My first solo was at five years old with the men's choir at church. Terrance - From idea to execution: Explain your creative process. MAJOR. - my creative process varies on the moment and season I'm in. Often an event or moment will inspire a melody and lyrics generally come simultaneously. If it strikes me strong enough, I'm off to the studio to finish recording the idea. Terrance - How do you balance musicianship and marketability? MAJOR. - Truth wins. I've found being me has always been the most attractive versus trying to be what I see others doing. People believe truth and truth carries power. Trust your truth and it'll market to the audience in need of what you bring. Terrance - Getting into your debut album, i am MAJOR, share with us what the response has been like since it’s release. MAJOR. - "i am MAJOR." is the initial conversation I've been wanting to have with the world. It's a conversation of love, hope, power, & truth all laced in dope melodies & vibes. The people seem to dig it and I'm hyped about it. Terrance - Initially did you think “Why I Love You” would make the strong impact it has been gaining? MAJOR. - I believe in myself heavily and felt whenever I was given the opportunity The World would take notice & love what I'm bringing. "Why I Love You" has done just that...and we're just getting started! I'm grateful for every bit of it. Terrance - From a vocal performance and songwriting standpoint, what was your favorite song to write and record on the album and why? MAJOR. - My Future was that one for me... it takes you one a ride like no other then flips into the trap breakdown. Crazy. I love doing that live. We get the entire audience body rockin' with me! Terrance - A lot of people say R&B is a far cry from what it used to be as far as style, content and lyrics, do you agree with that statement? MAJOR. - I'm inspired by R&B from the earliest days. Sam Cooke all the way to Stevie. That music said a lot and spoke to the condition of the times. I can only speak for myself and say I'm gonna be true to what I've learned will last. I gotta heal the land. Terrance - Is there a particular artist you hope to collaborate with in the near future? MAJOR. - Andre 3000, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, Beyoncé, John Mayer, Chance the Rapper, Adele... so many more. I love collaboration. There's power in numbers! Terrance - Outside of music what do you do to relax? MAJOR. - Sleep, Get massages, or Eat. However, at this time I can do too much eating cause I'm working on a 6pack for these upcoming tour adventures you dig?! [laughs]. Terrance - Tell me about your upcoming events or special appearances you have scheduled. MAJOR. - I have a couple tv appearances on BET & TVOne coming up as well as tour dates across the country. Be sure to check my official website for updates. Terrance - And lastly where can the readers reach out to you in social media? MAJOR. - @nowthatsMAJOR everywhere socially! FYI: MAJOR. is my real name.

Dave Tolliver (Men at Large) Interview: New Music, Men at Large, State of R&B, Gerald Levert and more...

My interview with Dave Tolliver founding member and lead singer of the platinum R&B group Men at Large. It was the signature tearjerker cut “So Alone” that put them in another stratosphere followed by “Use Me”, “Um Um Good”, “Let’s Talk About It”. Here to discuss new music, Men at Large, the Grammy's, R&B and his late great mentor Gerald Levert.

Terrance - Bring me to date with what’s been going on and what you’re working on.

Dave Tolliver - Well you know Men at Large most recently dropped a single called, “Date Night”, it went to #14 on the Urban Adult Contemporary charts and we’re still touring doing dates here and there. But for me right now personally I released an album towards the end of 2015 called Somethin’ Like the Greatest. The first single “Home” did pretty well, it got placed on Scream Queens and Single Ladies and I got nominated for a music and video award for it and I’m still pushing the album right now. The second and third singles are “Concert” and “I Gotta Know”. I have a couple of other projects I’m releasing as well. Right now I’m working on something with the lead singer of The Rude Boys and his name is Joe Little we’re going single by single, the lead single is called “I Love You” it was produced by James Worthy. I’m also working on a Gospel inspirational project called, My Story His Glory, and the first single off of that one is “Meet Me at the Church House” and that’s also produced by my man James Worthy.

Terrance - What are your thoughts on the emergence of Trap music infused in R&B?

Dave Tolliver - Honestly I’m like a bitter old man. I’m upset about it. On one hand I’m excited about it for what it’s doing for our young black kids and getting them out of the ghetto. If their doing the right thing and have the right guidance around them with their money then their grandkids won’t have to work. The other part is I won’t say that it’s the artist fault, it’s the whole cycle of people why this is happening. I mean you have younger A&R, younger people running the labels and their putting their homeboy on and doing this and that and the cycle just goes down and you have people at the radio station taking money and playing it and payola is still relevant in today’s music; whoever has the biggest project or biggest hit. And I’m also disappointed in my peers you know people that are 35, 45 and 50, somehow somewhere down the line someone figured out scientifically that if you force feed our ears something we will eventually start to like it. If you control what goes into our bodies you’re forcing us to like it. Music was brilliant all the way up until the middle to late 90’s and then everything started going down.

Terrance - And speaking of the 90’s, R&B groups were booming and then they all faded.

Dave Tolliver - I think that record companies got greedy but at the same time the sound was changing over. There’s a list of things that you can attribute like big budgets for a group. You have five kats in a group traveling so you have five flights, five hotels, then you have road managers, assistants and all that and before you know it by the time you pay for all that and the amenities and when you’re on promotion you been done spent ten to twelve thousand dollars. And then the sound also changed because it used to be tasteful so to speak, we didn’t come out and say we fu%$#@ tonight bi%$# like Trey Songz say, I’m fu%$#@ you tonight, that was sampled from a Biggie song but the ladies for some reason like being called bi%$# and hoes. When H-Town said, “When we make good love listening to some Marvin Gaye” now you’re talking about “Bad and Boujee”? It really doesn’t matter.

Terrance - There’s always much debate with the Grammy Awards over who deserves or doesn’t deserve certain awards particularly in the past few years. What’s your take?

Dave Tolliver - Well, I mean they say that’s the Grandaddy of them all. That’s the one that’s supposed to count the most because you’re judged by industry professionals and your music peers I think that’s how we got to look at it because honestly 9 times out of 10 your music peer aren’t really buying your stuff or buying tickets to your concerts and stuff like that so I think it is what it is. I know for a fact with my record we made it past the first round but we didn’t get to the final ballot last year with my single “Home” and I was very disappointed but it’s all about the campaign and with the Grammy board it’s all about who you come in contact with. It’s like running for the union office, you gotta get in with the constituents and that’s something I didn’t do on my part. But the Grammy's are what they are and I would suggest any artist out there who are mad about who gets the Grammy or doesn’t get it they need to understand the Grammy's aren’t about the people, it’s about the industry and there are so many thousands voting board members that are involved in the industry from the Execs to the writers, producers, artists so it’s not about them and I don’t think they make that clear so that’s why you hear the uproar and there are people in the media who I don’t think understand that either.

Terrance - Getting into your earliest beginnings with Men at Large. How were you discovered by Gerald Levert?

Dave Tolliver - I first started off in radio, my Uncle was one of the top programmers in the nation his name is Lynn Tolliver. He was a celebrated six time Billboard award program director winner and from those circles one of the DJ’s said they were having a concert that night we were putting out music and he had an after party at his house and after the party he invited us over and Gerald came and me and Jason used to always walk around with our Casio keyboard with tape over the back and Gerald came in there and I was like sing, sing, sing! So of course they put him on the spot and you know he was like he gonna hook us up and that was like 1986 and we didn’t see him again til like 1989 and he was like now I’m ready for ya'll faithfully as a group to put together three big dudes that can sing and dance and then we went by the studio a couple weeks later we auditioned for him, his dad Eddie and Steve Russell from Troop and Joe Little from The Rude Boys were there. Originally it was four of us and the other two guys we brought couldn’t sing and then we ended up with another guy, then we ended up falling out with him and it just ended up being me and Jason and we put out two albums on the Eastwest/Atlantic label and they did pretty well for us. We stayed together about four more years and kinda drifted apart.

Terrance - “So Alone” was a major crossover hit for you guys, tell me how that song was conceived.

Dave Tolliver - Well my mom had died, then Jason’s dad had died like nine months later and Gerald’s grandfather had just died and The Rude Boys were out doing some foul stuff, it was just a bunch of stuff going on at the time. Gerald and Tony Nicholas wrote it for me to sing to pay tribute to my mom and the rest is history and then I had to sing it for him when he died and I’ve sung it like at a million funerals so it’s one of those records that don’t die. I know last year on Mother’s day a couple people from a different city called me, they were having a countdown of the top Mother tribute songs of all times and ours came in at #1 a couple times so I thought that was kinda dope.  

Terrance - Finally, with biopics on the rise do you think it’s fitting that the Men at Large story get told?

Dave Tolliver - [Laughs] you know I put that up on Facebook and I asked, would y’all watch a story about the Cleveland music scene? You know like around the early 90’s, because it was LeVert from the late 80’s to 90’s, then there was The Rude Boys, Men at Large and then Bone Thugs-N-Harmony came and Gerald had his girl group 1 of the Girls and M.C. Brains was discovered by Michael Bivins and that’s a huge story because he was going to sign with either Michael Bivins or Ice Cube.