Interview by Steve Burks

This holiday season, R&B vocal powerhouse Syleena Johnson launches her new album, Chapter 4: Labor Pains. While staying true to her heartfelt performances, trademark empowerment messages and frank lyrics, she manages to strike a credible balance between the true-school, classic musical styles for which she is known, and the industry’s current production trends. No small feat during an industry’s transitional phase.

HoneySoul.com contributing writer Steve Burks talks to Syleena Johnson about her new album Chapter 4: Labor Pains

HS: Why did you decide to start your own label?
Syleena Johnson: Well, it was initially my sister’s idea. I wasn’t really into it, but she convinced me of the benefit and how it was a great idea. Financially it was the smarter move as well as emotionally. As the CEO of my own company I can call the shots, so I cannot be in a predicament where I am stressed out because I can’t change the outcome of my career. It was a brave move and the road less traveled. Especially by women in our industry, and so I decided it was the right move for me. I was inspired by the struggle that I had to look forward to in doing it so I took a chance and now I am so glad that I did. It’s out and we (Aneelys Records) are winners because of it.

HS: How is this album a continuation of those that came before it?
Syleena Johnson: Well, every album is a testimony of where I am in my life and so this is just the next page of where I am in my life. There are of course deeper meanings but it that would take up at least 2 pages.

HS: How did you go about striking a balance between the old school substantive R&B approach for which you’re currently celebrated for, and the more current production styles?
Syleena Johnson: Well, I didn’t go in with a specific agenda, I just went right in and decided to record what I felt about where I was at. I didn’t care about what would be thought of me or trying to keep consistency or any of the other pressures that the industry can put on an artist. I just went on and did me. I just felt for this album I just want to do whatever I want to do. I was tired of trying to find a way to please people and then performing the songs that I made for others even though I love them all, I just feel there is more to me that I haven’t tapped into. I didn’t even try to do current production, I just picked tracks that I liked and went from there…with prayer.

HS: On “Where is the love”, you used auto tune on your voice as a real singer, how do you feel about its predominant use nowadays?
Syleena Johnson: Of course when something is new to them, they take it and go crazy with it. But let’s be clear, Roger Troutman used it before any of us so it’s really not new at all. However, T-Payne brought it back brilliantly and put his own flair on it. But that is what we all do in some form or another, like sampling, taking the old and merging it with the new. That’s keeping things fresh and learning how to make music for more than just one or two kinds of listeners. I used it because I like it and it was appropriate for the lyrical content as well as the tone for that specific song. Now do I need it? No, but I don’t think T-Payne does either. I think it’s fun and creative. Why can’t we as artist just do what we want to do?

HS: Regarding the Central concept of the album, what does “Labor pains” symbolize?
Syleena Johnson: Well I had a baby and for the first time I experienced labor pains and it was NOT cool but what came of it was beautiful. So it was the same with this album. I feel like I birthed it, and all the things that I went through to make this day, January 13, 2009 happen were the labor (work) pains that came with it.

HS: How did you come to work with the Poet Redstorm on the interlude: Domestic Lesson? It was cool that a man was allowed to speak on the project.
Syleena Johnson: Well I don’t mean to alienate men when I write but you must understand that I am a woman, so I speak from a woman’s point of view. I am not a male basher; I am happily married and know FULL well that there are EXCELLENT men out there. I just speak of MY personal experiences and of those close to me. Now, I have always known Redstorm from seeing him at a performance years back. Well we always kept in touch and I was able to be blessed with his knowledge for this project. I realize that most men DO feel alienated from my albums because I have such a strong point of view, so I thought it would be awesome for him to speak a mans mind, and his poem was dead on and uplifting. He has written so many but this one he did was perfect for what I am always trying to say. He is an awesome spirit and the world will be blessed with his talents in more ways than one coming very soon.

HS: What do you have in store for Chapter 5?
Syleena Johnson: Well…. it’s a surprise that I am pretty excited about. It’s not what you are expecting, so we will just have to wait and see.

Steve Burks is a musician and writer from Gary, Indiana, now residing in Dallas. He’s an alumnus of the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University, where his M.A. concentration was black popular music. Email Steve at steveserious @ hotmail.com

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 13th, 2009 at 11:22 pm and is filed under Interviews, New Music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Or, if you wish, you can find all the posts Honey