Coming back strong
When Amerie’s debut single “Why Don’t We Fall in Love” burst on the airwaves like a gardenia-scented breeze in summer 2002, most listeners had no problem doing exactly what the leggy songbird proposed.
But after a winning guest vocal on LL Cool J’s 2003 single “Paradise,” the exotic beauty – her dad is African American, her mother Korean – disappeared from the music scene.
Now the 25-year-old is coming back strong with the go-go flavored “1 Thing,” arguably the hottest song from a female since Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love.”
In between photo shoots, The Associated Press chatted with the surprisingly petite Georgetown University graduate about her sound and her strength:
Q: It’s been a few years since your debut album. What have you been up to?
A: I was working on a BET show called “The Center.” It got the best ratings in its time slot. The full name is “The Student Center” and it deals with how to get a college scholarship, how to have a great prom, etc.
So we did that for three months and after that I did a movie with Katie Holmes called “First Daughter,” which was directed by Forest Whitaker. It was a blessing to work with such a great director. He’s an actor as well, so he knew how to get the best out of me and teach me.
I worked on the film for about three months, and after that I started working on (“Touch,” her new album).
Q: Your first single, “Why Don’t We Fall in Love,” introduced the Rich Harrison sound. Since then he’s worked with Beyonce and J.Lo. How do you feel about the comparisons?
A: Rich and I started working together five years ago in a basement. And we created the sound together. We’ve both worked with other people, but there is something that’s different when we get together, because it’s our sound. It’s like, Timbaland can work with other artists but there’s still some Aaliyah in there. Rodney Jerkins can work with another artist, but somehow you’re getting that whole Brandy vibe.
Q: When did you start singing?
A: I used to sing all the time, but it wasn’t until high school that I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life. Before then, I wanted to be an archaeologist, a lawyer or a writer.
Now, my younger sister is going to be a lawyer. I was the one with the Mona Lisa (print) hanging up on my wall and the encyclopedias lined up against the wall. And she was the one with the messy room and posters of singers everywhere. She was the one listening to music and on the phone constantly. I was the one playing with the atlas.
Q: As a child, did you feel that you weren’t accepted by some of your peers because of your mixed ethnicity?
A: We grew up in a military environment and we were around black kids, white kids, Asian kids and mixed kids. So we didn’t really feel that or get asked what we considered ourselves. But if we did, we always said we were both Korean and black. The black culture is a very inclusive culture, and the Asian culture is the same way. It was never a struggle.
Of course, growing up, you get comments from other kids and your friends sometimes … but I didn’t take it to heart. What kid doesn’t get teased? Kids will latch on to anything that makes you different. My parents were very strong in bringing us up as both black and Asian. So we didn’t have to question ourselves and be defined by others.
Q: What were the obstacles you faced in finishing the (new) album?
A: (Sony) feared the sophomore jinx. We both wanted it to be perfect. But what I thought was right and what they thought were two different things. What they thought was hot to me was very wack.
I did “1 Thing” last April, and the label wasn’t feeling it. They needed a sure thing – something that sounds like what’s already on the radio. “1 Thing” is a go-go track and it’s not like anything that’s out there. But everyone (outside the label) I played it for got it. So … we leaked “1 Thing” to radio. People started catching on, and the label saw that people liked it.
I was so tired during that process. I wanted to give up and do something completely different. But I had to make sure not to doubt myself.