K Michelle Speaks Candidly In Her Exclusive In-Depth Interview With Amaru Don TV

Amaru October 20, 2012 1 Comment »

If You’d Been Through What I’ve Been Through You’d Go Crazy Too

“You can’t get mad at me for being a real person, I’m not going to bite my tongue because people are weak” affirms rebel with a cause K. Michelle in her unmistakable southern accent.

Ballsy Memphis native K.Michelle’s vocal talent is often over-powered by a notoriously confrontational persona. Upon listening to ‘Acura Intergurl’ from her latest EP ‘O Fucks Given’ brings an understanding realisation that she could be just another misunderstood and frustrated artist stifled creatively by a major label who fumbled her career.

Armed with of the advice of mentor R. Kelly to “Write about life and not music”. She released two mixtapes and one EP. K. Michelle has taken her career into her own hands. Focusing purely on consistently providing her fans with new music independently rather than putting all her faith in another major label.

K.Michelle parted ways with Jive in 2011 following a TLC inspired office highjack, demanding to know where her $2 Million budget had disappeared to. This messy divorce spiraled into the recent ugly criminal allegations of abuse that she allegedly received from a former label executive. The unraveling drama was captured by the reality TV cameras of ‘Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta, as well as the naturally outspoken voice of her EP ‘O Fucks Given’.

After all these adversities she still has no regrets and in-terms of her fans perspective why should she? Her vocal talent is still undeniable and her relentless drive admirable.

Read K. Michelle’s interview with ADTV below

First of all lets talk about Love & Hip-Hop Atlanta, how much of reality TV is actually reality?

A lot of it. I know these girls personally and they are going through a lot for things in their lives that I have been through.

In terms of the way you have been portrayed in LHHATL is that the real K. Michelle?

You get to see a piece of me but it’s not all of me.

We saw the reunion, how do you calm yourself in those situations when you feel like you’re being attacked or provoked and regulate your own actions?

I don’t regulate them, if I’m telling the truth then you can’t get mad at me for being a real person. I’m normally very to myself. I’m not usually around that many people, I’m very closed in my bubble. I keep a very close circle, I know how to deal with them and know how to deal with me. I’m not good at biting my tongue because people are weak and can’t handle it.

Where does your inner strength come from and how do you maintain it through all this adversity?

I just have to fight, I keep the same people around me and I don’t lose focus of the goal. They can’t take my God given talent.

Can you give us a brief insight into your journey as a singer and who K. Michelle really is as a person?

I came into the game four years ago, I’m an R’n’B Soul singer but my favorite genre is Country music. I’m a single mother and a real musician. I play instruments, I love to produce music and be around really talented musicians.

You say you’re a real musician how did you get into playing instruments?

My Mother, she put me into piano and guitar lessons at a very young age.

You were signed to a major label, what’s your current situation?

I’m not on a label anymore, I was able to get out of that deal.

For young women who want to come into this industry, what is it all about? It seems like a lot of smoke and mirrors.

It’s just full of bullshit. You have to know what you’re getting into and be able to deal with it. People are really full of bullshit. I have to remember the main focus is music. That’s what I love and I can’t let them take the love for music away from me.

On the new EP who are some of the people you got to work with?

I’ve worked with this guy named Swag, this guy named Zo and another writer named Blush. I wanted to do something that was very new and organic. R. Kelly is my mentor, I can easily run and work with him but I wanted fresh new people who love music.

Is there a regret in highlighting some of the issues you had in LHHATL with some people becoming more interested in the drama than your music?

No, either way they’re going to listen to the music. I’m still booking shows everywhere.

How are you with the other cast members now?

They’re cool but the focus now is on my music because so many people have hopped on the bandwagon so quickly I can’t keep up with the request for new music. I wish them the best though but for now its like why even bother.

Would you have your own reality show because you’re enough of a character to have you’re own?

People have pitched shows to me you might get something.

Has your musical aspirations altered from when you first started going from a big record deal to now almost starting again?

My aspirations have changed a whole lot. I just want to make the best music and give it to the people. I’m not placing my fate in labels because at the end of the day it’s about the people they are the ones who are going to buy the album.

What were the issues with the first deal?

I’m not going to speak on that I need to keep it moving forward. I just want the best situation for me. A lot of artists have to go through a lot of different deals to find their home.

So what’s the roll-out plan for the new music, the EP then an album in 2013?

I’m getting ready to shoot season 2 of LHHALT and I’m weighing up a few deals. I’m putting out this EP, then I’m going to do another mixtape and then I’ll be ready for an album.

Does filming LHHATL affect your musical commitments, is it hard juggling them both?

No because LHHALT will never get in the way of my music, they always have to work around it. Music is my main focus you see that in the show. This season it will be primarily focused on the music. Last season I wanted people to know who I was, what my journey was, what my struggles are but now its time to focus on moving forward. If there is ever a day when they conflict, music will always top.

Why is it that we have not seen the likes of yourself and other talented singers such as Lil’ Mo, Chrisette Michele, Teedra Moses & Melanie Fiona get to that super star level?

I think it’s politics and where you fall in terms of radio. The radio programmers only want to play watered down music and the artists that you named, I don’t see them watering down their craft. These things make me want to come to the U.K you are able to sing soulful music and it be accepted there. I really don’t like how it is here in America with the way they treat the music, so it makes me want to go and do music where it’s appreciated.

When it comes to fans over here there are people who have been following you for years. Is there a chance that we will ever see you in the U.K or a K. Michele feature with a U.K artist?

I would absolutely love it. I would even like to do a deal in the U.K. I love the music over there. I would come over there and stay if I could.

Tell me what is the best piece of advice you have been given?

It was from R. Kelly, he said to ‘write life and not music and you’ll be fine.’

You said earlier that country is your favorite type of music. What is it about Country music that resonates with you so much?

The story telling is amazing. Omg I would love to do a whole country album right now but there is so much politics that come with making an album like that.

You’ve made a marker in keeping it authentic to your own experience. What’s the best advice you can give young women coming into the music industry?

Don’t let people change you. Change so you can have growth but don’t let them change who you are. Remain an artist, remain focused and humble but humble doesn’t mean being a push over.