From Destiny's Child to gospel to theater, Michelle Williams has had a widely-varied musical career. With her new CD Unexpected due out later this year, you can add pop/dance to that cannon. Working with producers Stargate, Rico Love, and Soulshock, Michelle is going in a more dance-y direction. With remixes by Maurice Joshua, Mr Mig, Karmatronic, and Lost Daze, the lead single "We Break the Dawn" is already storming the clubs.
DJ Ron Slomowicz: We Break The Dawn is such a hot club jam, how did you come
across the song?
Michelle Williams: Well actually, that was one of two songs on my
album that was already demo-ed, and I loved the song. The beat was so
infectious and I was happy that Solange wrote the song. In the
beginning I caught myself trying to stand apart and I didn't want to
bug Beyonce or Kelly to write something on the album. I was trying to
stand on my own. Then low and behold, Solange ended up writing the
song and I'm glad.
RS: You mentioned two songs were demo-ed for you. Does that mean
you wrote most of the rest of the album?
Michelle Williams: Actually no, there's a producer friend of mine by
the name of Rico Love, who is so deep when it comes to writing songs
and yet his stuff is still relatable. When you ask him about the
inspiration behind all of these songs, he just listens to a track, and
whatever gets whispered in his ear, he'll write that song. It came
from my heart, into the air, and then to his ear. So for me right now,
it wasn't about me writing, it was just about getting great songs, and
because this was something new for me.
RS: Yes the move from gospel to the pop/dance side. What was the
inspiration for that move?
Michelle Williams: Just because I've never been one to just sit still
and just do one thing. I want to be known as one who can do it all,
you know. I'm glad I got the opportunity through Columbia Records to
do it.
RS: Well, you're definitely doing it all. You were just on tour
with The Color Purple. How is doing theater different than recording
albums?
Michelle Williams: Because every night it's live and you don't know
what is going to happen. It wasn't the same thing every night, but I
guess it's the same thing as recording because sometimes you've got to
do something over and over and over again. While doing Broadway, I was
stable and I was in one place for a long time. That's rare in the
industry, for you to be in one place for a long time.
RS: I can imagine. On this single there are several great dance
mixes – which one's your favorite?
Michelle Williams: For me, Karmatronic.
RS: Very cool. What do you like about them?
Michelle Williams: I love the extended version and I just love
hearing peoples' interpretations of what they would have done with the
song. It's good that you can do the EP and give the fans some various
remixes.
