Shanice #1 | Interview (2006)

Aries (UBG): How does it feel to be considered one of the women who set the standard for real female singers in R&B?
Shanice: Wow! I don't know. It's such an honor for you to even say that (laughs). I never thought about it. It's funny because last week I was in New York doing some promotion. I did an interview with a station, I forget which one. The guy said how does it feel to be one of the first teen R&B singers out (laughs). I had never thought about it, but it really was just like me, Tracie Spencer, Janet and like Debbie Gibson and Tiffany. It feels really good still be here and doing what I love to do. It's also great to see so many women doing well as a whole in this industry (Beyonce, Mariah, Ashanti, Ciara, Mary J. Blige, etc.), it's finally happening. This industry is hard.

Aries (UBG): Did you and Rahsaan Patterson work together on any new music, because you two are great live together?
Shanice: Yeah, we actually co-wrote two songs on my new album. "Chocolate" is one of them, it's about my husband (laughs).

Aries (UBG): Do you plan to do anymore shows like the Women of Soul Tour?
Shanice: Yeah I would love to. We're putting together a promo tour now. I've been gone for like six years so I have to get out to radio and things of that nature. After that we're going to put together a show, I don't know who I'll be touring with yet, it's still early.

Aries (UBG): What's your favorite song off the new album?
Shanice: My favorite? Well I love the title track, just what it's saying to women. I want women to feel good about their self. And get ahead in life and to get out of bad situations and know that something better will come. My other favorite is a song called "So Sexy" that's a song about my husband. We actually wrote it together. Flex co-wrote on "Take Care of You" and "Things In The Movies."

Aries (UBG): Tell fans about your song "Chocolate" (laughs) - "Chocolate you're my chocolate. Caramel cream filled hundred percent real chocolate you're my chocolate. Coco butter honey lover. You're like no other you're my chocolate you're my chocolate. Like hot fudge you're too much I can't get enough of you're chocolate, you're chocolate. You are my favorite candy".
Shanice: "Chocolate" is a song about my husband (laughs). I'm always saying how he is so fine and so chocolaty (laughs, is that a real word? Answer: Yes). In the beginning of the song, I'm saying how much I use to love Hershey's chocolate when I was younger. Now Flex has turned into my favorite chocolate (laughs).

Aries (UBG): How has your relationship with you and Janet grown throughout the years? I know when I came to see you in Atlanta, while you were out with *NSync, Janet was flying out the next night to see your show. While I was backstage with you I remember how the people at the venue was bugging out because they were worried where to seat her (laughs)?
Shanice: Oh yeah when she was going to come see my show. My relationship with Janet is, we're very close. I met her at age 11 and she has always been there throughout my career. She has given me some good advice. I don't know, we're just really close. I just talked to her not too long ago. I also went to her birthday party, Jermaine had a surprise birthday party for her and it was great. I have to also say, she looks so happy now and JD just makes her feel so good and it's so good to see her that happy.

Aries (UBG): If offered, would you take the opportunity to be her opening act?
Shanice: Oh yeah, I would love to. I would also love to open for Prince (laughs). I've been such a huge Prince fans since I was 10. I'm actually trying to get Prince on the remix to "Every Woman Dreams."

Aries (UBG): How have you managed to stay in the industry so long despite all the current trends?
Shanice: Prayer. A lot of prayer, just trying to always do my best and make good music. Something I've talked to you about before, this industry is so fickle, so it's hard to maintain and stay true to self. This CD is being released independently on me and Flex's label with a joint venture with Richard Nash's label. It was important for me to do what I wanted this time around. With major labels they want to tell you how to sing and what to sing, how to look, just the whole nine. So this is the first time it was all me. I didn't have an A&R, so I was my own A&R (laughs). I co-wrote, I picked who did my hair, my makeup, clothes, just everything. I'm just being myself and people will be able to see that.

Aries (UBG): Who are some of the new acts that you're feeling right now? I have to say I talked to Ciara some months back. I told her how much she reminds me of you when you came out with "Baby Tell Me (Can You Dance)" and "No 1/2 Steppin" in the videos and the music. She was so honored and showed you so much love.
Shanice: I am such a huge Ciara fan. It was so good to finally meet her, I met her at Janet's party and she was so nice and sweet to me. I was excited to meet her. She can dance and her CD is dope. Her videos are hot, I just love her. Also, I got to say Beyonce' of course. Alicia Keys, I became a fan of hers after seeing her in concert. Aries she was like playing the piano while laying down and backwards (laughs). I was like wow, she sold me because she is very talented. Usher is doing his thing and I'm happy to see that. Mariah, I mean you have to always give Mariah her props.

Aries (UBG): What are your memories of the late great Luther Vandross and your favorite song from him?
Shanice: Wow gosh, let me see. "A House is Not A Home." My memories, let's see. I've known Luther since I was 8, basically all my life. The last time I saw him, he was on his last tour and he came to L.A. Flex surprised me and took me to the show, I didn't know where we were going till we got there. When we were backstage, Luther said to Flex, I can't believe you married little Shanice (laughs), he still thought of me as a little girl. It was so cute. So now everytime I think of him, I think of him saying that to Flex (laughs).

Aries (UBG): What's next for Shanice?
Shanice: Well after this album, I want to develop some more artists with our label and keep it going. I also want to do some more acting, I've done some TV shows and Broadway, now I want to do some film.

Aries (UBG): Any last words for your fans?
Shanice: Tell them, since I've been gone so long. I appreciate them for still being here. They've been hanging in there and I really appreciate that. I get online and look at the sites and love reading what they're saying and getting all of the positive feedback from them. It feels so good.