Lucy Diamonds: Teddy, MJ & Music
Lucy Diamonds started it it on a high note in the industry: her public battles with Hip-Hop figures earned her the moniker: Conflicts Diamonds. Feel free and visit herMySpace to (re)live her Episodes through her "bulletins". She reinvented David-and-Goliath when others talk about rags-to-riches. Different myths, different people... But keep in mind that now, Lucy focuses on her carreer and the making of her debut LP. She is part of the Buck and a Dream project and Teddy Riley is the man behind it. Lucy and Teddy are working hard on an album titled Poor Dream Redemption. After a serious car accident las august, Lucy has realized that being saved has been a message to her to go in some more spiritual direction. Her music and Lyrics will definitely reflect that. From Florida to California, from sessions with Bruce Swedien to Buck and a Dream, Lucy has diamonds in her hands that she sows on her road, to bring more light as she now takes her profesional career to the next level. Time to sit down with Lucy and talk about her life, her craft, and her ultimate inspiration: Michael Jackson.
Lucy Diamonds, little girl: what was it like? Growing up and the transition up to Lucy Diamonds.
Growing up, I was always surrounded by music, and developed a passion for writing, so I always knew they would play a big part in what I did later on in my life. Rapping was a hobby at first, but after getting the chance to work with a multi-platinum band and learn the behind-the-scenes of the music industry, I knew I was going to embrace a career in hip-hop and step out as an artist, professionally.
How did you find the name Lucy Diamonds?
In a way, the name really found me. The moment I decided to make the commitment to a career in music, I knew the next step was to get a name. "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" by the Beatles was playing in the room, so I adopted Lucy Diamonds as my stage name.
You said you met Teddy Riley on a parking lot. Did you meet other producers before and at what point was your career precisely when you saw Teddy for the first time?
Up to that point, I hadn't met any big producers. I hadn't been an artist for very long. I met someone who said they could put me in touch with Teddy to see if he wanted to take on my project. I sent him a bunch of songs and he loved the potential. Since I was over-eager back then to get something big happening, I drove from Tampa, FL to Los Angeles just to meet up with him. We went onto his studio-tour bus and he listened to the music and just felt I wasn't quite ready. I was upset back then, but looking back now, I definitely don't blame him. Those songs were terrible! But again, I hadn't been an artist for very long. I hadn't decided on my style and my sound and all those things that build artists. But Teddy has always been very encouraging. I'm glad we finally get the chance to work together now.
What are your favorite Teddy Riley productions ?
My absolute favorites are MJ's "Remember the Time" and "Dangerous," both off of MJ's Dangerous album. Buck and a Dream: What is the concept and how did you get involved in that project?
Buck and a Dream is a company designed to help artists not only get their music heard by Teddy Riley but to receive feedback and direction on it. It's something that could really help a lot of artists out there, and I think it provides the chance a lot of artists don't get- getting help from a mega producer. Pretty much anyone you let hear your music will either like it or tell you they're not feeling it and wash their hands of you. This lets artists know what they need to work on to have a better chance at being what the industry is looking for.
In the studio: Teddy and you: how did you two work? How many songs from your previous works did you finalize together?
Everything with Teddy will be new, both conceptualized and created together. We're talking through a lot of production ideas and getting a lot of that in place before we really dig in to recording.
I heard you worked with Teddy Riley and legendary sound engineer Bruce Swedien. When and how did you meet Bruce?
I met Bruce back in 2004, through a producer I was working with in Florida who was friends with Bruce. So after we recorded several songs, he brought my project to Bruce to have him mix it and get Bruce really involved overall. I would go to Bruce's home and studio estate in Ocala, FL and get to watch him work. I learned so many techniques that have helped me further develop my sound and my own process of recording, so Bruce has been incredibly instrumental in the building of Lucy Diamonds. Plus, he is one of the sweetest people I've met in the business! I even got to work on the same Harrison recording console that was used to record "Thriller."
 Teddy Riley and Bruce Swedien worked with Michael Jackson. You are a Michael Jackson fan. You recorded a cover of Dirty Diana. Can you tell us more about YOUR Dirty Diana?
I always loved MJ's intensity in that song and how he really works his vocals to portray this sort of fierceness from the lyrics. He's amazing! I wanted to portray the song from Diana's point of view. So my version is more mellow, with only slight changes to the lyrics, because it is a cover. It actually wasn't supposed to get out because it's only completed in the demo form, but it's gotten a great response just the same! The song is the complete opposite of MJ, because no one can ever really cover anything from Michael. My "Dirty Diana" sucks compared to his! I'm just being honest! But for what it is, it's cool. I wanted it to have a real 'dirty' sound too, so I used the dirtiest microphone possible, with the dirtiest effects to try to play into the character of Dirty Diana.
Why did you choose Dirty Diana?
I love the story MJ explains with the lyrics and the way he plays with select words. Plus, it has such an explosive chorus, so to see MJ carry such intensity in the verses and still be able to open up the chorus with just an immensely powerful vocal performance just blows my mind.
Dirty Diana is sure rock-oriented. What are the other MJ jams that you like?
When I was a kid, the first MJ song I remember falling in love with was "Man in the Mirror." My brother had a bunch of MJ music videos on this VHS tape he made and I nearly wore it out watching that one over and over! I loved "Black or White" too. I saw the video for "Thriller" before I heard the song, so I was blown away like, "that was a music video!?! That was CRAZY!!!" MJ's "Beat It" was my brother's favorite song for years so I'm glad I loved it too because I heard it all the time.
Do you have a message for MJ fans who will read this?
Keep supporting MJ! He is the greatest artist of all time!!! Bruce Swedien told me that Michael has NEVER done any of the things he has been accused of; MJ is not that kind of person. I love MJ. Seriously. I am almost obsessive. I went to the Neverland Ranch and waited outside to catch a glimpse of MJ. I called one of my contacts and told him what I was doing and he let me know that MJ wasn't in the US right then. So not wanting to leave empty-handed, I picked some leaves off a bush by the gate as a souvenir!! I have them saved at home, in a frame with a MJ picture!! I got LEAVES from the Neverland Ranch!! LOL!!
You recently had a car accident. What happened ?
I was hit by an 18-wheeler semi-truck on the freeway and my car rolled over several times and into a ditch in the median. The vehicle landed upside-down. The windows were all shattered and the doors were jammed, so I had to crawl out my window to get free. It was really scary because I've never been in a wreck before. It really shook me up. I had a passenger with me and even though my car was completely totaled, there we no injuries for me or my passenger aside from a few scrapes and bruises. I definitely had the Lord's favor! Female rappers: what do you think of other rappers? We've been from Queen Latifah and Salt & Peppa thing (with strong messages) to sassy rappers like Foxy Brown and Lil' Kim. On the road, we also had Queen Pen and EVE, who brought something different, with lyrics that can make you dance and think too. What do you think of them, and what do you want to bring on your own as a female rapper in the industry?
I loved Eve's first album and that's when I really started paying attention to female emcees. Unfortunately a lot of femcees just try to sell sex, both through their image and through their lyrics. That's not something I'm about, and I never have been. I love to use lyrics to tell stories and teach. I like to put on hip-hop and be enlightened because there's a truth there that no one else is putting in the public eye. A lot of emcees now just make club music and it's sad because it makes lyrics irrelevant.
Female rappers lyrics are often very deep as far as man-woman relationships are concerned. Do you get your inspiration from your life and some of your friends' lives to write songs?
Absolutely. I write what I know and what people share with me. I always wanted to use my voice to tell the stories that would otherwise not be heard. People need that connection with other people- that reminder that they aren't alone in what they're going through.
How can you describe your style musically and lyrically?
I strive for originality. I love instruments, so there's a lot of live instrumentation on the record. The production varies a lot too, it's not just a beat someone looped and I rhymed over it. I like the dynamics in music so that even the music itself could take you on a journey, lyrics or no lyrics. Hopefully the lyrics will just enhance the trip! When my album comes out, it will sound like nothing you've heard from me before!
I'd say one keyword that comes to mind regarding your sound is Laid-back and smooth. Do you agree?
Yeah. There's still a lot of energy and passion in the music, but it's not dance music, that's not what I do. My style is very smooth and I like the delivery to be that way. And while it is laid back, it's definitely not boring by any means!
What is the message you want to address to your public, especially the young?
Set your goals and go for them, no matter who says you shouldn't. No one can tell you what the Lord's plan for you is! Just make sure what you want and what God wants for you are the same thing!
What are your projects right now ?
Right now I'm putting together a book we'll be releasing shortly after the album comes out.
What is your global feeling regarding what's going on in the industry: majors cutting budgets, the mp3 revolution, the spreading of independent projects? What are the good parts of that and the risk it contains in your opinion?
Like with all things, there's good and bad in the situation. The good is there's a lot more great artists emerging and a lot more talent being developed by these indie labels. The mp3s are great for consumers who want to pick and choose what they purchase so you don't end up with a $17 album that has 4 good songs and 12 filler tracks. So with mp3 availability, the consumer can get exactly what they want. The down side is of course the toll it's taken on the majors who took too long in figuring out how to capitalize off of the mp3 revolution. It's sad when you've made a living off product and then your industry changes formats where the new format is now NO format. It's all digital. I think the majors are getting on board now though.
Do you have a final message, something you would like to say to all our readers ?
I'd like to encourage everyone to check out my myspace page for music and pics and all the latest Lucy Diamonds news! Visit www.myspace.com/officiallucydiamonds
Interview / Editing : Richard Lecocq
(c) 2007, www.mjdatabank.com
Links :
http://www.myspace.com/officiallucydiamonds http://www.buckandadream.com/
Lucy Interviewe Teddy
Lucy @ Buck and a Dream
Music:
Now That I Found Love - Produced by Jonathan Hay of Ringz & Partners Ent.
Dirty Diana (Demo) - Produced by Buck and a Dream
Photos: Lucy Diamonds / Buck and a Dream
This article can be reposted with a credit to www.mjdatabank.com |
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狗仔卡
发表于 2007-9-27 20:08:04
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发表于 2007-9-27 20:10:35
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