MiddleChild: How is everything going with you?
Tyra B: Everything is going lovely. Everything is cool.
MiddleChild: Cool. Well we know you were ready to drop a few years ago. You had your song "Country Boys" and "Get No Ooh Wee" out and then you were delayed. So for the fans who are not quite sure of what happened can you let us know what went down with that?
Tyra B: Well I was with Universal at the time with "Country Boy" and "Ooh Wee", which I don't even like to talk about. They just weren't the right label for me. They just didn't give me the right push that I needed. You know it happens all the time in the industry. I'm no different. Everybody has their turn I guess. I just didn't work out so we shopped a new label, I recorded a new album and we ended up with Warner Brothers. I'm extremely happy now. They taking really good care of me and I'm excited.
MiddleChild: Okay. So now you got this single out called "Givin Me A Rush". How did you come up with this and how you wanted to use this sample for the record?"
Tyra B: Well actually everything happened by accident. They gave me the song and actually told me they were doing the song for another artist on another label. So the guys Pretty Boy and Brad, they produced it, they came to me and told me they wanted me to flip Paula Abdul's "Rush" record. And being that I never heard Paula Abdul's "Rush" record, you know they kind of sung the hook for me so I was like "okay fine". I took it, I flipped it, I made it my own and when I was writing it I just kept hearing that one line from "Human Nature" and I told them. I was in the booth and was like I can't come up with nothing. All I keep hearing is "Human Nature" right now. I sung the line to them and they were like "that's dope. Let's use it." And this was before - production wise - Human Nature wasn't even in the song yet. So after I put the line in there, they went back and put the Human Nature in there. Nothing was really sampled. Nothing was sampled at all. They replayed everything. We brought in the live orchestra and everything just worked. Both songs just meshed well together.
MiddleChild: Just did it's thing, right? So who else have you worked with as far as writing and production?
Tyra B: Production wise. Pretty Boy and Brad. They did like 95% of the album. They're the in house team. Other than that we got some tracks from Cool and Dre, Sanchez and Kwame. Writer wise, I wrote like ten songs of the fourteen. Those other four was done by Makeba Riddick. She wrote those for me. I don't know if you're familiar with her, but she did those for me. She's really doing her thing. She actually penned my second single that's about to drop called "We Can Get It Poppin", so you'll get a taste of her writing skills. That should be dropping within the next couple of months.
MiddleChild: Okay. "We Can Get It Poppin". That sounds like a club record.
Tyra B: Yes sir. It is.
MiddleChild: Alright. So how did that one come about?
Tyra B: Well like I said she wrote that one. She came up with that one. I'm more of like the ballad, mid-tempo writer so we brought her in for the uptempos because personally I think I suck at writing uptempos although they say I don't. So I was like "let's bring Makeba in". She came in and is like really good with that joints. So I don't know. It's a club joint. "We can get it poppin til the club close down". It's a joint I can show off my dancing and people can have a good time to it in the club.
MiddleChild: So one thing that’s expected when you come up in the game is constant comparisons. I’m sure you hear hundreds a day. So what’s some of the comparisons you get?
Tyra B: I get the Aaliyah comparisons. I get the Ciara comparisons. I get Janet and I get the female Usher thing.
MiddleChild: And I know that’s kind of aggravating sometimes when a new artist is trying to make a name for themselves. How does that make you feel? How does the whole comparison thing make you feel?
Tyra B: It’s expected you know. Everybody does the same thing. When Ciara dropped she got all the heat. She got the Aaliyah comparisons. So now that she is kind of respected, I’m the new girl so now I get Aaliyah and Ciara. It’s cool. They just need more time. They need more singles. They need more proof. That’s the way of the game. That’s how it goes. Once the second single drops, they gon see. And then when the third drops, they gon see. I don’t worry about all that. I think it’s great compliments. I think they’re all great artists, especially Aaliyah. God rest her soul. So I don’t know man. I just do me. That’s all I can do.
MiddleChild: I hear you. So when you initially dropped and then had the delay, what’s the biggest change in you as a person and artist as you redid the album?
Tyra B: I’m just more aware of things and people and the whole politics of the industry. I’m more aware of that stuff now. I’m just a better person. I’ve grown as an artist and songwriter so the music is ten times better than what it was before “Giving Me A Rush”. So I think that everything “Giving Me A Rush” and up…well “Still In Love” included. I don’t know if you’ve heard that song…
MiddleChild: Oh yea. I love that one.
Tyra B: Thank you. All that stuff is included. I just think I’m more secure and confident and I’m just ready 100% ready this time.
MiddleChild: Well we know “Giving Me A Rush” is doing well right now and a lot of people I know really love the “Stil In Love” record also, but tell me the one record that’s going to make people take notice of Tyra B.
Tyra B: “Voicemail”. There’s this track on my album called “Voicemail”. The song is just beautiful man. I don’t know. I take it to a different level then what people have heard vocal wise. I don’t think people really are aware because “Giving Me A Rush” was more like I didn’t have to sing a whole lot on that song. “I’m Still In Love”, I recorded that a couple of years ago and I’ve grown as like a singer, a vocalist and a songwriter. So I think people are really going to take notice to “Voicemail”...especially women. I think I’m going to get some dudes in trouble with that one.
MiddleChild: (laughing) I’m going to have to get our back on that one then. (Tyra laughs) But it’s all good. So have you set the release date yet?
Tyra B: Spring. We haven’t really set like a set date. I just know it’s coming out like April-ish.
MiddleChild: And when do you plan to shoot that next video?
Tyra B: Well right now I’m doing some spot dates and I’m kind of booked through February, so probably the beginning of March I’ll head over to the West Coast and get ready choreography wise for the video visual. You’ll probably be hearing it on radio real soon.
MiddleChild: Well that’s a bet. So for all my people checking on Tyra B., what is the best way to get in touch with you? What sites can they check out?
Tyra B: The official site is tyramusic.com. Myspace. That’s my main joint right there. I’m always on there. I’m talking to the fans daily, so myspace.com/tyrab. I got a facebook. Just search Tyra Bolling and I should pop up and I answer the mail on there as well.
MiddleChild: Cool. Well I’ll send you a request here in a moment. So be on the lookout for that and we’ll make sure people know what’s good with you cause it’s well overdue right?
Tyra B: It’s “Past Due” baby.
MiddleChild: Past Due. That’s what’s up. Well stay out of trouble and we’ll be in touch. Have a good day.
Tyra B: Aight. You too baby.
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