Say the name “Nikki Ross,” and most people will get the Jesus-stank face and shake their heads. Their positive, albeit odd-looking response will probably be due to the musical ability– vocal and on keys– that Nikki has displayed as a guest vocalist in countless settings across the nation.

Over the past several years, Nikki Ross has become widely known as one of Kirk Franklin’s singers, but she’s been doing “music” her whole life.  She generally showcases her voice to jaw-dropped audiences who marvel at her musical ear and limitless range.

Our chit-chat has been a long time coming, but we finally connected recently and caught up on all that she’s doing.  In this interview, Nikki shares how she got started, how it’s been going, and what she’s got planned for the future (and yes, it includes the looooong-awaited solo album!).

Without further delay, I give you the incomparable Nikki Ross…

*     *     *

EJ:  Hey there!  How are ya?

NR:  Heyyyy!  I’m great!

EJ:  It’s great to catch up with you.  Thanks for taking a minute to chat with me.

NR:  No problem!

EJ:  I wanna talk, first, about how you got your start in music.  I’m sure you’ve been singing all of your life, but when did it become more than a church thing and more of a music business thing?

NR:  It became a career when I started to sing with Ricky Dillard and his choir, New G.  Ricky came to Houston and did a workshop at my home church, St. Stephens Baptist Church.  My brother was helping me with my business, and helping me to network, and he introduced me to Ricky.

That allowed me to sing a song at the workshop’s concert and from there, it took off.

EJ:  Awesome.

NR:  And I had been going to different conventions, like the COGIC Convocation, and I knew that music is what I wanted to do– that’s where my passion was.  It didn’t matter to me if I was singing lead, doing background or playing.  I just knew that music was my heart.

So, that’s where it all started.  And I had sung in groups before Ricky, like with Gary Mayes’ group.  At the time, we were called Friends In Christ.

EJ:  Whaaaaat?

NR:  *laughing*  Nobody knows that, but that was like way back in the day.  We were like “FIC!”

EJ:  *laughs*

NR:  *laughing*  Yeah, we were hard on it, too.  Everybody in our group could just SING and hold their own.  It reminds me, a little bit, of singing with Kirk [Franklin] now, because everybody who steps to the mic can literally hold their own.  That’s how it was…

Just to name a few of the singers– it was Cheryl Fortune, Nakitta Clegg, my godbrother Bryan Nelson, who’s now the pastor of a church here called Jericho City, Cedric Ballard… everybody could just hold their own.

So when Ricky came and he heard me, he said “okay, I want you to sing with my choir.”

EJ:  Even though you didn’t live in Chicago?

NR:  Yeah!  I would fly there.  It was a little bit of a concern, too, because I wasn’t from Chicago.  Everybody who was a member at the time, before it became nationwide, was from Chicago.

EJ:  Right.

NR:  So, here I am, this Houstonian, flying in to meet up with them so I can sing with them… and it took a little time.  You know how it is when a new baby comes to the family and people try to feel you out.  But once I started participating and being a part of it, the love just started showing.  I really took it as something great.

So, that’s how I got started on a national level.

NR:  Well, Myron Butler and I are really good friends.  We were friends even before God’s Property.  He made mention of me to Kirk– and Kirk trusts his musical opinion a lot.  He told Kirk about me and Kirk mentioned me to Isaac Carree as someone he was considering… Isaac seconded what Myron said… and that kinda sealed the deal.

EJ:  Wow.

NR:  Mmm-hmm… so, it was basically from me doing stuff and being around.  Myron knew what I was capable of, and his recommendation meant a lot.  I thank him to this day!

EJ:  What has it been like with Kirk?  I know I interviewed Candy West a while ago and she said it’s good, but you have to understand that it’s also business, so you don’t catch feelings if he doesn’t call on you.  And Candy vouched for his character in a big way.

NR:  You know… and I’ve been in situations like that.  Sometimes, he’s not able to take everybody and that’s cool.  When he can, he does.  And we know what it is.  There are never any hard feelings about that.

This year makes 5 years of me working with him and I’ve been working really strong with him… it’s been a blessing because this opportunity came at a time in my life when I was almost about to give up on music.

EJ:  Nuh-uh!

NR:  Yeah. *laughing*

EJ:  Really?

NR:  I know it may sound cliche, but as a person who’s in the ministry of music, it happens to the best of us.  We get to a point where we feel like we don’t have anything else to offer.  And I had a couple of other things going on with me, personally, and I was just ready to kinda give up the whole thing.

But when I got that phone call, I felt like it was God, Himself, opening my eyes to see that He had and has a lot more that He wants to do with me.

EJ:  Absolutely, He does.  That’s great.  I want to talk to you about the effect that you have on people.  If anyone goes to YouTube, they can type “Nikki Ross,” and they may see you playing keys, doing riffs–cuz you have a great ear– and a lot of times, you can barely hear Nikki Ross singing over the folks in the audience falling out, like “OH MY GOD!!!” and “OHHHH JESUS!”

NR:  *laughing*

EJ:  And I know that some people judge that, saying “they’re more impressed with her tricks than with her anointing.”

NR:  Yeah.

EJ:  What do you say about that, as a person who is able to do the tricks?  Are you throwing them out there to get a response?  Are you frustrated by people who give that type of response?

NR:  I am.  I am because, you know what, they honestly don’t understand where it came from.

EJ:  Wow.

NR:  Sometimes, I’ll even stop myself.  And not that I have to explain what I’m giving to God, because I know of my relationship with Him… what you see out in the open is what I give Him when I’m at home.

It just frustrates me a little bit because they can’t see PAST the gift.  And that’s not my M.O.  There’s a story behind everything I do, when it comes to me, musically.

EJ:  How so?

NR:  Well, for example, I trained my ear from the time that I was 7, 8 and 9 years old.  Though I was taking lessons, I was too scared to play for myself and I wasn’t really at that level, at that age, anyway.  But local churches would ask me to come to sing a solo for their program and, most of the time, the song that I wanted to sing, the musicians wouldn’t know.  So, I would have to sing the song a cappella and people would notice that I wasn’t changing keys or falling off the pitch at all.

But it seemed like– and I don’t know how crazy this might make me sound, but I don’t care– it seemed like, as I was singing the song, I would hear a piano in my head.  It was like God was playing the song for me while I would sing.

EJ:  I believe that.  Absolutely.  And people who have a musical gift can hear the chords you’re making– you’ll make a different chord with a riff.  And it’s not necessarily to dazzle people, it’s to tell people how you’re feeling that chord– it’s not just a major chord, it’s a major 7th.

NR:  Right!

EJ:  I think people get so excited by what you’re able to do– and we see it with Kim Burrell and Karen Clark Sheard, too– it’s like… you all just feel the music that way, it’s not FOR the audience, necessarily.

NR:  Yeah, it’s just how I feel it.  It’s not to impress anybody or “wow” anybody… it’s just where we came from.  Even when you listen to Ella Fitzgerald– a lot of people didn’t understand what she was doing, but it’s what she felt.

EJ:  Mm-hmm… but uhh… you DO know that “how you feel it” is killin’ the people, right?

NR:  *laughs*

EJ:  I’m just sayin’… you can go ahead and say it.  It doesn’t have to be the primary reason, but you DO know that, soo…

NR:  *laughing* Well, I guess I can produce a little ear candy every now and then.  Y’know. *laughs*

EJ:  *laughing* Alright!

NR:  But it’s nothing that I brag on because just like I can give it today, I can lose it tomorrow.  I wouldn’t want that to happen.  I honor and cherish God for even thinking of me to give me something of this capacity, you know?

To be able to hear like I hear and do the things I’ve been allowed to do– I’m a steward over my gift.  It’s not mine to own, it’s His.

EJ:  Sure.  Listen, everyone wants to know… when are you stepping out as a solo artist?

NR: *exhales* I’m doing it SOON!

EJ:  Everyone wants to know!  I asked my wife to help me with my questions and I said “babe, what do I need to ask Nikki Ross?”  She said “just ask her when she’s doing a SOLO ALBUM!”

NR:  *laughing*

EJ:  Like, I don’t have to ask you NOTHIN’ ELSE.

NR:  I am working on it as we speak.

EJ:  But how?  Like, working HOW… working like it’ll be done by the end of this year, or like “check me in 2011″?

NR:  Yeah, it’s gonna be done this year.  We’re looking at like, late summer/early fall.

EJ:  Oh, for real?!

NR:  Mm-hmm.

EJ:  Who are you working with?

NR: *pauses* I can’t say right now! *laughing*

EJ:  Ok, ok.  I understand.

NR:  I can’t, but I’ll tell you what– as soon as everything is a “go,” I’ll let you know.

EJ:  Please do.  The people need to know.  I’ve just been going to YouTube, typin’ in “Nikki Ross Total Praise” and there’s a clip from a COGIC Convocation that has been holding me until the solo project comes.

NR:  Ohhhh! *laughing*  You won’t have to wait much longer, I promise.  This is the year.

EJ:  This is the year!  Okay.  Well, lemme ask you… You’ve done a lot of guest vocal spots– from James Fortune & FIYA, Gary Mayes, Rodnie Bryant, Ricky Dillard… Do you ever fear, as you get ready to go the solo route, that people won’t receive you as a solo artist?  Like, ”she’s great for a guest spot, but not a whole album”?

NR:  I don’t really think that.  I think that what God has allowed me to do has been nothing but teasers.  People keep asking “where’s your album,” and they’ve been saying that for over 7 years.  What I thought was gonna happen– I thought they would just stop asking. *laughing*  But nobody has!

EJ:  Nope!

NR:  So, I’m excited to know that there are people out there that are waiting on a record from me.  I’ve had people to say “you did spots on everybody else’s record– we want a whole record of just you.”  I’m like “are you SERIOUS?!”

I think, once this record comes out, people will appreciate it.  I’m not going just one way.  I will have, like… maybe a medley with me just sitting at the keyboard, singing and playing.  I am gonna do that because that’s pretty much where I started.  It’s how everyone got to know who I was– this red-head chick on the keys. *laughing*

EJ:  *laughs* Right.  That’s great.

NR:  Yeah, I don’t think people just want guest spots from me.  I don’t think I’ve been dwindled to that.

EJ:  Well, how do you want to be received?  What do you want people to know about Nikki Ross, the solo artist?

NR:  I just want them to know that, first of all, I love God.  And I’m just real.  I don’t try to preach– that’s not my area. *laughing*

EJ:  *laughs*

NR:  If there’s something that God wants me to say, it’ll come out.  But for now, I just believe that God made me a psalmist and that’s what I wanna be– that’s my heart, it’s my passion… to deliver encouragement through music.  I just want to be one of the ones who encourages, who expresses the love of God, and who won’t pinpoint sin.

What I’ve learned is that everyone who’s pinpointing sin, their sin is always the one to come out eventually.  That’s not my story because I have flaws, too.  I’m not gonna judge you for yours.

EJ:  Amen.  Well, I’m excited for what’s comin’!  I’m so glad I got the chance to catch up with you.

NR:  I’m glad, too!  I really am.  And I appreciate it.

EJ:  It’s my pleasure.  I appreciate you, too, and thanks for chatting with me.

NR:  Oh, you’re welcome.

EJ:  We’ll talk soon.

NR:  Okay.  Bye!

EJ:  Bye!

*     *     *

And there you have it!  Will you be buying Nikki’s solo project???

Now, as you know, I always try to embed a lil’ video of the person I just interviewed, just to… y’know… make it official.  LOL

I nearly LOST MY EVERLOVIN’ MIND when I found this video clip and I decided “THAT’S the one.”

It’s from a date that Kirk Franklin did in Sweden, featuring a Swedish vocalist named Samuel Ljungblahd singing “Don’t Cry.”  Kirk has Nikki Ross sing WITH him and the result is simply INCREDIBLE.  Plus, the sentiment of “Don’t Cry” is PERFECT for Easter/Resurrection Weekend!  Thank ya, Holy Ghost! LOL

Check it out–

Whatd’ya think of the interview???  And whatd’ya think of the video?!

George Huff’s entrée into the music industry may have been through American Idol, but I think his latest album, entitled George Huff, confirms that he’s not just another contestant from a nationwide talent search– he’s a bona fide gospel artist.

If you haven’t heard his project, you NEED to.  It’s ridiculously good– awesome vocals, songwriting and production.

Okay, enough intro… the interview says the rest!  Here’s my dude– George Huff.

*     *     *

EJ:  Hey man!! How’s it going?

GH:  Hey!

EJ:  Thanks for chattin’ with me, I know you’re a busy dude right now.

GH:  Thank you SO much, Brother EJ, for interviewing me.  I’m so excited about this.  We’re always on your site, trying to get the latest and stuff.

EJ:  Oh, wow.  Thanks, man!  Before we get started, a random fact for you– my wife and I sat in front of you at the Stellars this year, in the first mezzanine.

GH:  I was excited to sit up there… you can see EVERYTHING.

EJ:  I know!  We all had some great seats.

GH:  And you were in front of me?

EJ:  Directly.

GH:  Oh, so y’all heard us clowning? *laughs*

EJ:  We heard EVERY BIT of y’all clowning! *laughing*

GH: *laughs* It was funny.  I can’t say exactly what we were laughing at, but I think we can all remember one thing in particular.

EJ:  Well, I can recall a couple of times, actually! *laughs* We’ll leave it alone.  Watch the tape!

GH: *laughing*

EJ:  Ok, let’s chat about your most recent project.  First, why did you title the album George Huff?

GH:  It was very difficult coming out of [American Idol] to really express myself the way that I wanted to.  It was very difficult to say “no” to a lot of things, so with the first CD, I basically let people tell me what they thought would be the best move, music-wise and vocally.  And I went along with that.

This time, I said “I just wanna sing.  I wanna sing and be myself, and not be controlled by anything or anybody.”  I really wanted to do it the way God gave it to me.  And I think that this particular CD, not just vocally, but lyrically, is more forward.  I’m really operating in who God has called me to be.

EJ:  Amen.

GH:  So, whatever the last CD was (which was an awesome CD), you got that… but this is George Huff.  Like KiKi [Sheard] says “this is me in my entirety.”

EJ:  *laughs*

GH:  There’s nothing sugar-coated, nothing that somebody else said for me.  It’s how God gave it to George Huff.  I had my hand in the whole decision-making process– the producers who’d be involved, the lyrics, the vocal arrangement… I feel like this is me, and nothing else.

EJ:  That’s great, man.  Your first project was on Word Entertainment… did you get that after Idol?

GH:  It came down to Word and another prestigious label.  I went with Word because… the offer was better! *laughs*

But I didn’t know, and no one ever knows, the issues that the label is going through when you sign.  I signed the contract and the whole regime changed.  The president and everyone else in his camp changed.  Word is known for more Christian and CCM artists, and they agreed to do things for me in a certain way.

But when the regime changed, the people who we knew could work our project were no longer there.  So, I had this mainstream CD that no one knew how to work– it wasn’t really gospel, wasn’t really CCM…

EJ:  Right, it was more inspirational.

GH:  Exactly.  One thing I’ve learned is that you have to be either hot or cold– can’t be in-between.  I was in-between.  It wasn’t gospel, and they wouldn’t play it on CCM radio.  So, I had no home.

But thank God for [the single] “Brighter Day.”  It was my saving grace– it kept me alive at gospel radio and people loved it.

EJ:  Oh, absolutely.  That was a popular track.

GH:  So, this time around, I was spent with everything I had gone through with Word and a bunch of other stuff.  I said “if this is what the industry is about, I’m ready to go back to a nine-to-five.”

I waited a while before I signed with my new label and I thought “if I do it, it’s gonna be something that I’m really going to enjoy and other people will enjoy.”

EJ:  Wow.

GH:  And you know, I would go to a church and not be able to sing anything on my CD.  Because the mood of the church– everyone was in worship mode.  So I had to come off my CD a lot.

This time, I wanted to make sure that the album was well-balanced.  I wanted to do what God was telling me to do, and what you’re hearing now is how God gave it to me.

EJ:  Well, we’re loving what God gave you, dude!  Your project features production from Aaron Lindsey, who’s brilliant, and a relative newcomer– Jamiene “J-Skills” Thompson.  Who is J-Skills and how did you hook up with him?

GH:  Well, I prayed that God would send somebody, connect me with somebody with whom I could create wonderful music.  And J-Skills saw me at a musical… you know, sometimes people just come up and say “hey, man, I wanna work with you!”  I gave him my number and said “yeah, yeah… call me!”

EJ: *laughing*

GH:  And I never saved his number, so when he called, he would leave a message and I was like “who is J-Skills?!”  One day, I went to another musical and saw him there and he said “man, I’ve been trying to CALL you!”

And I never want to be that type of person that doesn’t listen to people, won’t sit down and talk to people, so I sat there and I said “let’s hook up.”

At the same time, I was praying because I was looking for producers for the project.  There was one prominent producer that wanted to work with me, but I wanted to do something DIFFERENT… something fresh and new.

EJ:  Yeah.

GH:  So, J-Skills and I set up a time to meet up.  First, when I walked in the studio, I thought “where IS the studio?!”  I didn’t see the equipment– there was a computer, a small mixing board, a keyboard, a closet… but I was like “where’s the studio?!”.  And I thought “I KNOW this ain’t gonna work.” *laughs*

EJ: *laughing*

GH:  But he pulled a program up on his computer… basically, it’s not about how much equipment you’ve got– there are programs that house all of these huge mixing boards that you see on TV.  All of that can be housed in one program.

He turned the speakers on and the first track he played was “Grateful.”  I said “WHAT?!  WHAT IS THAT?!”

EJ:  Amazing! *laughing*

GH:  My face fell off, EJ.  I couldn’t believe the QUALITY of what I was hearing.  And, right there, I said “Lord, please forgive me for going by what I see and not believing in the things that I’ve been hoping for– quality, somebody to bond with on a personal level…”

And sure enough, when I heard that, I said “I’ve got to have it.”  The odds were against him because the label was like “we don’t know who this is…”

EJ:  Sure.

GH:  So, we just recorded the songs.  And I said “we are working with this dude, right here.”  I was already working with a tight budget, so I said “J-Skills is your best bet.  He HAS to do half of the CD because he’s awesome and I wanna work with him.”

They saw that I wasn’t bending.  And thank God for Aaron Lindsey for what he did on this project.  He saw something in me that I knew was there, but because of the people around me, I couldn’t get it out.  And he was dedicated to making sure that what he produced for me was a great representation of who I am.

EJ:  Envision with me what your life might be like if you had won American Idol– you probably would have had to debut with an R&B album, right?

GH:  Yes, I sure would’ve.

EJ:  Looking back, would you have felt fulfilled by that?

GH:  You know what?  I would have.  Only because I know that it would have been God’s Will concerning me– the Bible says that all things work together for good to them that love the Lord and who are the called according to His purpose.

Before I auditioned, I sought God.  I was struggling to pay for school, you know, and I didn’t know what I was going to do.  God put American Idol in my view and I thought “well, I don’t know how that’s gonna work, because it’s not ‘sanctified,’” you know?

EJ:  Mm-hmm.

GH:  I was so “spiritually minded” that I couldn’t see that God was going to use that platform– He will use whatever He wants to use– to get me to the desired place in Him.

So, in the end, the outcome was successful because it was something that God told me to do.  If I had won the competition, I would have done an R&B album– it wouldn’t have been degrading or anything– because that’s what God would have had me to do.

EJ:  Coming out of American Idol and into the gospel industry, were you well-received by the other artists?  Did they embrace you as one of their own, or did some of them treat you like you weren’t quite on their level?

GH:  People don’t know that I’m a church boy.  And I love choirs– name any choir song and I can sing the entire tenor part.  I can tell you who used to stand on the front row in the Thompson Community Singers.  I can tell you who stands where in Ricky Dillard & New G, and tell you what they looked like on the DVDs. [Editor's Note: At this point, George rattles off skin complexions, hair colors and facial expressions of about half of New G's soprano section! LOL]

EJ:  Wowwww. *laughs*

GH:  That’s how much of a church boy I am.  But, having been on American Idol, people saw me as THAT.  Some of the industry folks didn’t accept me right away because they wanted to know that I was ”real” before they would embrace me as one of their own.

EJ:  That’s gotta be rough.

GH:  Yeah.  And I talk to Shirley Murdock a lot.  I call her my “auntie.” *laughs* She said that it happened to her, too, and that it was kinda heartbreaking.  She said “the people that I thought would embrace me just shoved me away.”  And I’m talking about other artists.

EJ:  That’s just so ridiculous to me.  And I’ve heard stories about that, too.

GH:  They think “oh, here’s another secular artist trying to come to gospel now.”  But that’s not the truth because I could be living in L.A. right now, singing everything under the sun and they’ll love me.  Makin’ MONEY.

But my heart is with the Lord because I owe Him this.  He’s worthy of it.  When you can be healed in your body, when your needs are supplied… I owe Him my LIFE.  Because nobody else did for me what He did for me.

EJ:  Yeah.

GH:  When I was struggling in school, or living in New Orleans with my four siblings.  We had to carry buckets of water down the street… it was 2:00 in the morning because we didn’t want anybody to see that we had to carry jugs of water because our water was off.  Come on, now.

I’m not doing this “just because,” like I’m trying to prove something to someone, or because I needed something to fall back on.  This is where my HEART is.

EJ:  Wow, man.  That’s for real.

GH:  But we’ve had to prove ourselves to other artists.  They say “where is he coming from, and why is he trying to get some of our money?”

EJ:  And I’ve heard stuff like that about other artists who sang R&B, but never “left” the church, like Coko, Kelly Price or Dave Hollister.  They were attending service every week, they were tithing, they were donating anonymously… doing more for the Body than some of the “churchy” folks.

And consumers and industry folks get so skeptical of them doing gospel music, but I’m so glad that Jesus doesn’t look at us with doubt when we come to Him.  I’m glad that He always gives the benefit of the doubt, even knowing us better than anyone else.

GH:  That’s right.  It’s very unfortunate.  And we have this thing going on with us, thinking that just because we’ve been in church forever, we have a right to be so judgmental.  We make people not wanna be a part of it.

EJ:  You’re right.  Lemme ask you– I think you strike everyone as a guy who’s always gonna give a smile and a good “God bless ya.”  Every interview, every appearance, you’re just a happy guy.  Don’t you ever just feel like rolling your eyes or sucking your teeth at someone?

GH:  Yes, I do.

EJ:  *laughing*

GH:  And lemme tell you this– and I DO. *laughs*

I really do.  I think American Idol kinda set it up where I was this “smiley” guy, so coming from that, everyone was like “oh yeah, that little goofy guy.”  The image that people had of me– and yes, I try to find joy in everything– but they didn’t see a real person.

So, no, I’m not always smiling.  My family can tell you that.  I’m the same person, but when it comes to certain things, I’ve gotten a backbone.

EJ:  Amen.  And that’s necessary.  Okay, gimme some quick getting-to-know you info.

GH:  Okay.

EJ:  Fill in the blanks.  George Huff is afraid of ________________.

GH:  Oh Lord.  George Huff is afraid of… there’s one movie in particular that I will NEVER watch again because I’ve seen this particular thing happen in real life… at a church member’s house…

EJ:  You’re talking about The Exorcist!

GH:  YES!  Yes, yes, yes… *sighs*

EJ:  *laughing*  Okay.  One artist that George would love to record with is _____________.

GH:  That would’ve been Ella Fitzgerald or Luther Vandross, but… I love this lady and we’ve talked about it on many occasions… that artist would be Kim Burrell.

EJ:  Oh, that would be insane!  And I need it to happen.  When I first heard the single, “Don’t Let Go,” it reminded me SO much of the production quality and vocal agility of something from her Everlasting Life album, I thought “now, I need to hear the two of them together!”

GH:  Oh, my Lord.  Thank you so much!  That is my dream.  I’m not forcing it, but I want it to happen.

EJ:  Ok, tell me this one: If he’s not singing someplace, you’ll probably find George ___________________.

GH:  You’ll probably find me at home, sitting on the couch, watching old episodes of Good Times.  I love watching Martin… throwback sitcoms. 

EJ:  That’s cool, man.  Let me tell ya, I appreciate you so much.  Thanks for chatting with me.

GH:  Oh, I appreciate YOU for this opportunity, Brother EJ.  We love what you’re doing– giving gospel artists a place to exist, allowing people to hear our voice.  We’re always on your site, me and my little sister, like… white on rice.

EJ: *laughing*  I appreciate it, man.  And keep in touch, alright?

GH:  Alright.

EJ:  Okay.  Bye-bye.

*     *     *

That’s all, folks!  If you don’t have the project yet, GET IT.  I promise you’re gonna love it.  Check it out at Amazon.com, where you can listen to snippets of each track.

In the meantime, PLEASE do yourself a favor and listen to this track– it’s “Destiny” featuring Coko and Tasha Collins.  Mind-blowing!

And uhhhhhh… whatd’ya think of the interview?

This is one of those interviews that I simply HAD to do.  You’ve prolly seen the name “Candy West” floating around for years.  A bunch of my industry buddies are friends with her and, though we’d never met, she’s always been held in such high regard (as a person and as a vocalist).  I was sooooo excited when she agreed to do the interview!

She’s a game-changer who has worked with a bit of everybody, yet still remains as humble as can be!  In this interview, she talks about her wide range of background work, her work with the record-setting God’s Property and, now, Myron Butler & Levi… and she caps things off by talking about her long-awaited solo album!  I even managed to have her clear up some misconceptions about Kirk Franklin for us.

She’s incredibly kind, sweet and hilarious.  I give you the the one and only, Miss Candy West.

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EJ:  Heyyyy!

CW:  Hi!!!

EJ:  YAAYYY!  We’re doing an interview!  [Editor's Note: I was so excited as we were scheduling this interview that I kept ending my emails with "yaayyy"... Candy decided that she was gonna top me by saying "Double Yay"... what kinda mess is that?! LOL]

CW:  YAAYYY!!!

EJ:  I’m thrilled to be chatting with you cuz I need people to know how significant your contribution to contemporary gospel music has been.  You can sit there and I’ll toot your horn for you… I’m gonna run through a very brief list of folks that you’ve worked with and you can confirm it at the end.

CW:  Ok. *laughs*

EJ:  God’s Property, 1NC, Myron Butler & Levi, Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Yolanda Adams, Marvin Sapp, Mary Mary, Donald Lawrence, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Patti LaBelle, Dewayne Woods, Deborah Cox, Tonex, Bishop T.D. Jakes, on and on and on…

CW:  Yes!

EJ:  And this is not just session work, right?  You’ve written for some of their albums, arranged vocals, done lead vocals…

CW:  Absolutely.

EJ:  How would you characterize your journey in gospel music so far?

CW:  Umm… Let’s see.  I believe it has been a very balanced journey for me because I’ve had an opportunity to really learn so much.  Like a lot of singers that do background work, I just kinda fell into it.  Y’know?  It kind of presented itself as an opportunity.  It was nothing that I chose to pursue, it just kinda happened for me– God’s Property, then with Kirk, and one opportunity begat another.

So, for me, I was really soaking it all in because I knew that the end would probably be me becoming an artist.  I was just taking it all in, learning… not just as a singer, but as someone who’s been able to learn from some of the best writers, some of the best producers in the industry.

EJ:  That’s awesome.  Is there a singer that you wanna work with that you have not yet worked with?

CW:  In gospel?

EJ:  Either way.

CW:  There are actually a few artists that I would love to work with.  In gospel, I would love to work with someone like J. Moss, just to kinda see what our vibe is.  I love his writing and his approach!  I really feel like if I got a song from J. Moss, it wouldn’t sound like a J. Moss song.  Or, maybe it would. *laughs*

EJ:  *laughing* Right!

CW:  Umm… I would love to work with Mary J. [Blige].  I just love her spirit and what she gives.  I absolutely admire her– I’m one of her biggest fans.

EJ:  Cool.  Let’s go back to the beginning.  How did you start doing background work?

CW:  Just from singing with Kirk and 1NC and opportunities here and there, working with Myron [Butler] when he would do demo, when he was working on the Ted & Sheri project… I would do demos for him and demos for Kirk.  And that just kinda led to people asking “do you think Kirk would be okay with you singing behind me?”  I’m like “YEAH, I’m not under contract!” *laughs*  I was like, “I’ll do it!”

So, one thing kinda led to another.  I moved to L.A. for a bit, so that just opened the door for me to be free to kinda spread my wings a bit more and be afforded more opportunities to work with other people.

EJ:  Incredible how that happens!  Talk to me about the influence of your SINGIN’ mother, Ms.  Tommye Young-West on your musical career.

CW:  If it had not been for my mother, Tommye Young-West, I probably would not be singing.  I actually wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement.  I wanted to be an FBI agent.

EJ:  What?!

CW:  I really did! *laughs*  My mom had me singing at the age of 3 and, growing up in my grandfather’s church, that led to me being the choir director and a lead vocalist… Then, I worked on my mom’s albums– I did my first recording when I was 12.

EJ:  Wow!

CW:  So, she was very influential in why I am where I am today.

EJ:  That’s wonderful.  What other musical influences do you have?

CW:  You know, I grab inspiration from so many different people.

EJ:  Sure.

CW:  I have jazz influences– Ella Fitzgerald– of course, Kirk is a big inspiration to me because I kinda watched him grow from when I was a teenager.  He first came on the scene working with DFW Mass and Georgia Mass, and just seeing him grow from being a writer and a choir director to his status now… he’s been a big inspiration to me.

And I love Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder… people who just make good music.

EJ:  I hear that.  I’ve spoken with several industry people, even lately, who are saying that you changed the game as it relates to background singing.

CW:  REALLY?

EJ:  Yes!  Like, a few weeks ago, Jerard Woods said to me that you were responsible for introducing the whole “vocal cry” thing that Kirk Franklin’s background vocalists are known for now.

CW:  *laughs hard*

EJ:  *laughing* Do you accept that?  And you can be humble about it and I will make it clear for the readers that you did not volunteer that info.  But do you accept that, and if so, did you intend to set a trend in that way?

CW:  You know what?  I know Jerard Woods said that… he’s one of the people who says that! *laughs*  I absolutely love him.  But I think that I do have to own up to it.  I’m one of those people that, you know, I really try to stay humble, but looking back, it’s like “wow, I really did help to establish that sound.”  Even when I wasn’t working with him after that, it was like you could still hear me in his work.

EJ:  Right!  And he still uses that style sometimes.

CW:  Yeah, so… I can take credit for that.  But, it wasn’t something that I set out to do.  You know?  I think it’s just a part of me and I was just giving people “Candy West,” just a part of what my vocal style is.

EJ:  But why did you think to approach vocal phrasing like that?

CW:  You know… *laughs shyly*

EJ:  *laughs*  It’s just what you had to give, huh?

CW:  Yeah, you know… some people can riff and run so sweetly.  So many singers have their “thing” and I think that’s just what my “thing” was.  When I sing, I have that kind of cry, the passion… and it came out and he was like “I love that!  I love that!  Everybody do it!”

EJ:  *laughing*

CW:  When I sing, I really try to live through the lyrics and really embrace what I’m singing about.  I don’t like to just sing a song because it’s nice.  I really like to embrace the words and I think that’s where that whole “passionate cry” comes from– it’s really taking a song and trying to make it live.

EJ:  Wow.  That’s awesome.  I mean, it’s what I think of when I think of his background vocalists, you know?  I mean, even now… they still do it, so that’s tremendous to me.

Let me touch on your time with God’s Property for a minute.

CW:  Okay.

EJ:  That album is the highest selling album by ANY gospel artist EVER, in the history of gospel music.  As of 2001, it was certified triple-platinum… you co-wrote “Sweet Spirit” on that album.  Did you all know, at the time that you were making that album, that you would make history?

CW:  No.  Nobody had any idea what the record was gonna do.  For us, we were just kids that were happy to do what we loved to do.  A lot of us grew up singing in different community choirs, so for us to be afforded the opportunity… When we started working with Kirk, we sang on his Christmas album, then on Whatcha Lookin’ 4… but we never expected to have our own album.

Y’know, cuz everybody records a record… so we just felt like we had an opportunity to work with an artist that was really starting to blow up, but we didn’t look at it like “oooh, we’re gonna blow up.”  It was an opportunity to record and to do something that we loved doing and put it on wax.  When it came out, the response was PHENOMENAL, but nobody knew that it was gonna do what it did.

EJ:  That’s unbelievable.  It’s one of my classic favorites– you can put it on and it’s still as good today as it was back in ’97, y’know?

CW:  I know and the thought of that is so awesome!

EJ:  After God’s Property, you continued on with Kirk and you were a part of 1NC.  Now, let me make it clear:  you are not his spokesperson, but I do believe that you have something relevant to say about this next question.

A lot of people judge him as having been unfair to his singers in the past.  People will say “oh, well, he’s got a new group again.”  But as someone who’s worked with him on several albums, can you clear things up and speak to Kirk Franklin’s character in that regard, as it relates to you?

CW:  Absolutely.  I believe that– and I will vouch for Kirk on this– he is one of the rarest artists in regards to how he… he really does take care of his people.

EJ:  Mmm-hmmm.

CW:  And you can’t fault a person… Kirk has always found ways to recreate himself.  So, in that recreation and in the evolution of his new sound, you can’t fault him for finding a way to also re-invent the way the vocals are approached.  You know what I’m saying?  You don’t wear an old pair of shoes with a new suit… it’s like “this may not necessarily work together.”

And a lot of times, it’s hard to let go.  I’ve even been on that side of the fence as it relates to him.  On the Hero record, I did not record a song on that album.  He reached back and got me for The Fight Of My Life.  But prior to that, it was a hard transition for me because he felt like he was giving me an opportunity to be free, to express myself and do my thing… I was working with Myron Butler & Levi at that point, y’know?  And *interrupts herself* HEY SWEETIE!  I’ll talk to you in a minute, okay?  *returns to the phone* My nephew.

EJ:  Oh.  I was about to say “well, helloooo to you, too!”

CW: *laughing*  Yeah, but I think it’s just one of those things.  And, like I said, it’s hard to let go of a good thing.  When you’re in a good situation, you’re being paid well, you’re being treated well, you know… it’s really kinda hard to see yourself NOT doing.  It’s hard to be in a place where your services may not be needed for that particular moment in that person’s life.  So, I know it’s been a difficult thing for singers to deal with when he’s in transition and he decides to go to another level, and he decides that he wants to change things around him to make this next place more conducive to his dream and his vision.

EJ:  I hear that.  Thank you for speaking on that.  You’ve also worked with artists outside of gospel, right?  Like, with Brandy.

CW:  Yes.

EJ:  What was she like?

CW:  Working with Brandy was really cool.  We did a particular date with her… she’s one of those artists that’s just flawless.  You know?  Her whole approach to music is just… she’s one of those artists that will really inspire you to be creative and to be a better vocalist.  Absolutely phenomenal.

EJ:  I’m not surprised.  I should point out that a lot of gospel background vocalists, as well as major gospel artists, have worked with pop, R&B, jazz artists… how do you answer the critics who say “you can’t do that.”  You know, “if you’re in gospel, you can’t dabble outside of it in other genres”…

CW:  Y’know, I think that everybody has their own convictions about it.  You don’t tell a doctor that he can’t work on certain people because they’re not believers.  Or, because they live in a certain area or work in a certain job.  You don’t stop a doctor from helping those that he needs to help.

EJ:  Right.  Absolutely.

CW:  So, for me… you know, my mom, in the 1970′s, she had an R&B career.

EJ:  Right.

CW:  So, for us, in our household, it was different.  We grew up COGIC, but she didn’t stop us from listening to Stevie Wonder or the Doobie Brothers… my dad introduced me to jazz.  They wanted me to be a well-rounded vocalist and I just feel that sometimes, we put God in a box.  I’ve met so many R&B artists that, when I sit and talk to them, I say “you’ve got a lot of heart and it’s really unfortunate that ‘church people’ will cast you away because of the type of music that you sing, but you’ve gotta be one of the most sincere, realest people I’ve met.”

So, I think it’s about your own convictions on that, but I don’t have a problem with secular or pop artists.  I feel like, as long as it does not cause me to compromise what I believe in MY walk, then I don’t have an issue.

EJ:  Hmm… You preachin’, ain’t you?

CW:  I’m tryin’.  *laughs*

EJ:  *laughs*  Talk to me for a minute about Myron Butler & Levi.  You’re still singing with them, right?

CW:  Yessir!

EJ:  And it’s practically the same folks from God’s Property?

CW:  Absolutely.  Practically everybody that’s in the group now… we’ve known each other since we were like, 13 years old.  And for some of us, before that.

EJ:  How did the idea for this new formation of it arise?

CW:  I just believe that it was a part of Myron’s destiny to venture off and do his own thing eventually.  Y’know?  He always had a vision of doing it and, when he felt like it was time, he wanted to use this core group of people to make it happen because… it’s that SOUND, you know?  When we get together, that sound is unmatched… you can’t beat it.  It’s just a beautiful, beautiful thing.

EJ:  That’s awesome.  So you seem busy, but tell me: In reality, do most gospel background singers need a day job?

CW:  YES. *laughs*  I will not lie to you– when the work is coming and consistent, it’s fantastic, but there are those dry seasons where you’re like “you know…”  And I’ve been there so many times.  I’ve been at a place where I’ve had an eviction notice put on my apartment door, three or four times, just because I was really having a hard time just trying to make it.

EJ:  Wow.  That’s real!

CW:  Yeah, it’s like… so I’ve had to bite the bullet.  I know music is what I’m supposed to do, it’s what I was created for, but sometimes you just have to provide.  I have a son, so I not only have to take care of myself, but I have to take care of someone else.

EJ:  That’s right.  You can’t just be living out your dream at his expense.

CW:  *laughs* Exactly!

EJ:  I’m not mad at that.  That’s cool.  To say that someone is a good background vocalist, what does it take?  What’s the criteria?

CW:  You know, I’m glad you asked. *laughs*  I think that, to be a great or incredible background vocalist, you not only have to have the passion for it, but there’s definitely a work ethic that comes along with it.

Like, if I know that I’m gonna work with a particular artist, I usually try to study them, or the songs that I know they’re most likely to do, so I can kinda get a heads-up.  Once you get the music, you study.  You approach it as if it’s a job– I really have to be up on my game, knowing how this person works, so that when I go into that environment… when I’m in Rome, I will do as the Romans do.

EJ:  Yeah.

CW:  And I think that’s what makes for an excellent background vocalist.  You have to understand the art of singing BEHIND someone.

EJ:  Say that!

CW:  You know?  I mean, I’m an artist.  But I also sing with a lot of artists, so when I’m singing with them, I have to get out of “artist mode” and get into “servant mode.”  A lot of people don’t want to do the servitude, they just want the glory of being able to perform and have the platform.  So, it really does take the heart to know when to kinda bring it in and have the heart of a servant.

EJ:  Right.  FALL BACK!

CW:  Yeah, you definitely have to fall back.  Absolutely.

EJ:  From a practical standpoint, how do you prepare for a session?  What are you eating, how much rest are you getting the night before… all of that?

CW:  Well, I really try to rest.  Seeing that I don’t have a day job right now, I can kinda sleep in and take my sessions in the afternoon.  I try not to have to work too late if I can help it.  I try to stay away from sodas, cheeses, ice cream… now, if I’m not recording, I’m eating ALL of those things I just named! *laughing*

EJ:  *laughs*

CW:  It’s gonna be all about ALL of those.

EJ:  Each one!

CW:  EACH one.  Plenty of it!  *laughing*  But, you know, drinking tea and lots of water.  I really don’t like to eat before I know that I’m going to sing, cuz there’s just something about being full and heavy.  So, I really try to monitor my portions when I know that I’m going to be recording.

EJ:  Makes sense.  Now, every background artist that I’ve spoken to, I’ve asked about this– talk to me about touring in gospel music.  What’s it like being on the road?

CW:  The road, for me, and I know that everybody has their own experiences, but I absolutely love traveling.  A lot of times, you have to… I mean, I know how to tune out the riff raff and the extra stuff that comes along with it.

I love to shake hands and kiss babies, y’know?  I love to meet the people after the show is over, and just to be in touch with people.  It’s important because when people come out to hear you, they want to be able to reach you in some way.  It can wear you down sometimes– the things that come along with it, but I really enjoy traveling.  I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

EJ:  Nice.  I also ask every background vocalist to assemble a dream team of background vocalists… Now, Jerard Woods, he kinda assembled a choir.

CW:  Yes, he did!  I saw that!  *laughing*

EJ:  But who are some folks you’d have at your session?

CW:  That’s sooo hard.  Hmmm… Definitely my sister, Peaches.  Umm… Deonis Cook, he sings in Levi.  Oh, man… Minon Bolton.  Daniel Johnson.  Umm… there are so many people that I’ve absolutely loved working with.

EJ:  We can stop there and I’ll make it clear that you had a reeeallly hard time naming everybody! *laughs*

CW:  Right!

EJ:  Okay.  Now, I’ve been hearing some underground rumblings that you’re working on a long-awaited solo album.

CW:  This is true.

EJ:  *whispering* Can you tell me about it?

CW:  *whispering back*  Yes, I can.  *laughs*

EJ:  *laughing*  You mentioned you were in the studio earlier.  Is that what you were working on?

CW:  Yeah.  I’m working on my record.  Right now, it’s an independent venture, but we do have some prospects for distribution with a couple of labels and distribution companies.  But, I really wanted to work on this record and get a full body of work done so that we can have a bit more leverage and take it where we want to take it.

It’s a very versatile record.  I can’t name what it sounds like because I’m a very versatile singer and I really wanted to be able to showcase that I can holler and squall, but I can sing sweetly, I can bring out the rock side of me.  So, I think this record will definitely show that, with the different sounds– we’ve got some pop/rock, we’ve got some jook joint-type tunes, some soulful stuff, some reggae… but I think that when it all comes together, it’ll be a nice, heaping helping of gumbo…

EJ:  OH! *laughs*

CW:  *laughing HARD*  Did I just say a “heaping helping”?

EJ:  You soooo did.  I can play the tape back… “heaping helping of gumbo” is what you said.  *laughs*

CW:  Yes, I did say that.  It will be a heaping helping of gumbo once I’m done.  I want people to be able to enjoy it.  I’m trying to make it the best first record I can possibly make it, and then the next will be even better.

I think that first records are really hard sometimes because you can really try to outdo yourself and, when you do, you have a hard time doing it on the second record.  I want this one to be phenomenal and the next one to be mind-blowing, but I’m really proud of this music that I’m working on.

EJ:  Nice.  You wrote most of it?

CW:  Yeah, I wrote like 90-95% of it.  It’s a lot.  Plus, I’m also co-producing it and doing most of the vocal arrangements, which is a major task in itself.  But it’s definitely all good– it’s nothing that I can’t handle.

EJ:  How long have been working on it and when will it be DONE?

CW:  Actually, I’ve been attempting to work on this record for the past 2 or 3 years, but I started back working on it in December and I do plan on being done, hopefully, by the end of March.  I’ve been going, like… every day to the studio to make sure that I meet my personal deadlines.

Hopefully, we’re looking to do a summer/late-summer release.  I’m hoping to have a single by May.

EJ:  That’s good.  I’d love to promote on the site, if you need anything.

CW:  Absolutely!  I’ma need all the help I can get!

EJ:  Okay.  Last question.  Suzie and Tommy wanna be background vocalists– how do they get started?

CW:  *laughs*  That’s funny.  I would first say, make sure that Suzie and Tommy can really sing.

EJ: *laughing* CHECK YO’ SELF, Suzie and Tommy!

CW:  *laughs* Check yo’ SELF, first.  And check with your MAKER to see if it’s what He wants you to do!  *laughs*  But on a serious note, it’s not for everybody.  You have to have a certain heart for it, but the practical things are to network… get with people in your city, find out where the music scene is.  Go to those places, network, shake hands with people there… go to musicals, go to concerts, y’know?  Pass out cards and put yourself in position to be discovered.  No one is going to notice you without being proactive… you definitely have to be proactive.

EJ:  Wowwww.  Well, alright Suzie… Tommy… get it together!

CW: *laughing* Good luck!

EJ:  Right! *laughing*  Well, Candy, I really really really appreciate you talking to me.  And I can’t wait to post this so the people can know more about you and, hopefully, we’ll create a buzz for your solo project.  It’s gonna be insane, I know.

CW:  I’m looking forward to it.  I really appreciate you for taking the time and having the interest in interviewing me.  Thank you, EJ.

EJ:  Oh absolutely.  Quadruple YAAYYY!  I topped you.  I was gonna say “infinity yay,” but that would have ended the game.

CW:  Right! *laughs*

EJ:  I will talk to you soon.  Have a great day heading back to the studio.

CW:  Ok, have a good one!  Bye.

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Soooooooo… what do you think???

For your viewing pleasure, here’s one of my favorite YouTube clips of her. Here, she’s singing “Day By Day,” a cappella, and WOWWW!

And don’t forget to check out her MySpace page for MORE tracks and info by clicking here.