Interviews

Meli’sa Morgan is best known for her classic sexy remake of Prince’s hit “Do
Me Baby”. There is much more to this soul singer than one song. She is a
humanitarian, who thinks it important to "give back" to the community. She has
her own foundation and recently gave a concert at the Life Beat, a house for
AIDS patients. She is back on the charts with a remake of Roberta Flack and
Donnie Hathaway's “Back Together Again” with her good friend Freddie
Jackson. She recently released her CD,   I Remember… One fan of the CD is
superstar Queen Latifah , who told Meli’sa “I just bought two of your albums!
One for me and one for my mother. I love that “I Remember…!”
Meli’sa took time to talk about the CD, working with Ashford and Simpson, and
surving in the music business without compromising her art.

True Artist Entertainment (TAE) : Why do you think that you have been able
to last so long in the music industry?

Meli’sa: Because I believe in quality not quantity. I believe in ‘if it doesn‘t
touch my soul then I don‘t want to touch it’. I haven’t drown myself with projects
just get a project. I would rather work and tour. I’ve been blessed with “Do Me
Baby” that I am going to be able to work for the rest of my life.   I would rather
work and tour than put out something I think is not good not the best that Meli’sa
Morgan can do. So that is what I did so I waited until I was back with people
that believed in me Orpheus/Louann and Beau and Charli Huggins, who was with
me from the beginning with “Do Me Baby”. I didn’t have to fight for the belief in
my talent because I know they believed. It was an easy transition to say ‘Let’s
do this again.’

TAE: In the past you had to fight for what you wanted?

Meli'sa: Yes, believe me because, I am a good vocalist, I don't think I am the
best vocalist out there, but I know my craft! I can sing any genre. I've work with
Jay Z singing "Can't Knock The Hustle", Kool and Gang's James Taylor. So I can
sing any type of music. So, dealing with big record companies sometimes they
want to put you out there, but they want to put you out doing what they feel is the
hottest sound. The hottest sound is not nesscaraily the best sound for Meli'sa
Morgan.

TAE :Did you expect the remake of “Back Together Again” to big such a big hit?

Meli’sa: We expected a nice response. I was very happy that it was embraced
the way it was by radio and by the audience. But, you never know in this
business, so you don’t really expect anything.

TAE: The title of your latest CD is “I Remember”. Why did you pick that as the
title?

Meli’sa : First of all, that is one of the strongest songs on the album. It touches
my heart and my soul. I think it is something when you say ‘I remember…..’ it
something that everyone can relate to because most people can remember being
in love,falling out of love. Situations that spark joy in their eyes and stuff. We
thought it was more universal to call it I Remember...

TAE: What was it like working with Freddie Jackson?

Meli’sa: It was wonderful. I had worked with previously on my first album
because he had wrote “Heartbreaking Decision” We did some background parts
on that song, so this is really full circle. We had always wanted to work together
as solo artists and to do “Back Together Again” at this time it was right on point.

TAE: You used to sing back-up for Chaka Khan. What was that like?

Meli’sa: Wonderful. It was like being in the vocal school.

TAE: That’s what I hear. I know Vesta and Sandra St. Victor both used to sing
background for her!

Meli’sa: Actually, I took Vesta’s place! Vesta is the one who told Vesta to hire
me. There’s a cute little story in that. I was playing at a club and Vesta came and
heard me sing and she was leaving go and play with The Commodores. She told
Chaka ‘I’m leaving, but you better call that girl Meli’sa Morgan. She the only
one that could take my place quickly ‘cause she knows all your stuff ’ So, that is
how I got the gig signing with Chaka Khan.

TAE: What do you enjoy about performing?

Meli’sa: The response and being able to be one on one with people. When you
are in the studio you don’t see their eyes and you don’t feel their soul. When you
perform live you see their eyes and feel their souls. You feel their appreciation ’
cause they give it back to you. That’s very enjoyable to me.

TAE: Jaime Foxx and Mary J. Blige remade your song “Love Changes” What
was it like have it remade?

Meli’sa: You know, I haven’t heard it. You have to understand that when me
and Kashif did it was a remake. 'Cause Mother’s Finest did it first. But
obviously , when people hear it they think of me because I have been getting tons
of phone calls about it. I am like ‘ Is Mary sounding like Mary?’ (They say)
‘Yeah she's sounding like Mary, but when we hear it we think about you.’ That is
really   weird.. I love Mary J Blige. And Big ups to Jaime Foxx for the success
that he is having. I am also featured on Mary’s album track number 6 “Can’t
Keep a Good Woman Down” She sampled some of my vocals and featured me
on it. It is a good feeling that even something you did awhile ago; the music is so
real that it is current today. That is great .

TAE: Ashford and Simpson are part of your new CD how did that come about?

Meli’sa: I have been friends with Nick and Val for a very long time. They have a
club in New York called the Sugar Bar and a lot of artists go there in between
tours, between doing their records, they go up there because they have open mic
night on Thursday. We get to sing songs that we would not normally sing, and
it's like an artists comradery type of place, where you can go, and just jam and
let yourself be free for a minute, because you are around your peers. It was just
natural for me to ask them; with the respect that they have and the caliber of
songs that they have, to be part of this album. They have always beeen supportive
of me. The first gospel song that I’ve recorded (is) on this album called “He’s
the One” We co-wrote it together! I mean what an honor . To write with Ashford
and Simpson is like ‘Wow’ Val is playing piano on all the interludes.She is an
ecellent ..excellent piano player! I could only think of two people that I would
want to play those types of songs on piano for me, that's her or Aretha Franklin.
I was very blessed and fortunate that she said ‘yes’.

TAE: How would you describe this CD?

Meli’sa : It is a musical journey of Meli’sa now. I am offering you a slight insight
of who and what I am about know. It is kaleidoscope , musically, what Meli’sa
Morgan is now. The ups, the downs, the good,the bad. And a lot of it is
personal ,especially the relationship songs are personal to me. One of my favorite
songs is “I Am Your Sister” , because it is a dedication to my brother and sister
and its just me sending out love to them through my creativity, which is my voice
and let them know I love them and appreciate them

TAE: Who do you think would enjoy this CD?

Meli’sa : Everybody. There is something for everybody. It’s not a hard driven
hip-hop type of album because that is not what we were going for. If love good
music and appreciate good soul and R and B music. There is something for
everyone on there.

TAE: Are there any tours or live appearances slated for support of this CD?

Meli’sa: Yeah, February 14 I have a show with Jaheim, which is great. They
are talking about some dates with Charlie Wilson. Recently, I just did some dates
with Kem. So, there are a lot of things on the table and each day there are more
as, the single and the album are being received. I think by summertime you will be
hearing a lot more of Meli’sa Morgan.

                                   www.melisamorgan.com