Tamia | Interview (2004)

TMH (Josiah): First tell me about the Ladies First Tour and the story behind your experience?
Tamia: Well you know I had so much fun on the Ladies First Tour. I’ve been in this game for ten years now and I’ve done tons of shows but I never toured in terms of living on a bus for two months and touring city to city. So it was fun to be apart of an arena tour.

TMH (Josiah): I’m hearing that there are some rumors about diva feuds backstage. Did you witness any of that?
Tamia: I didn’t witness any of that. As far as I knew everybody got along. I did what I was supposed to do, so I don’t know if any of that went on but I certainly didn’t see any of it.

TMH (Josiah): A lot of the fans were saying that it would have been great if all four of the females on the Tour came on at the end and maybe did a song together. That would have been hot.
Tamia: Yeah, I think so too, I think that would have been hot but that never really came up.

TMH (Josiah): You think it was more so due to the politics with the different record labels and stuff?
Tamia: I don’t know, I think that really if they asked all of us, we all were definitely fans of each other and we would have done it. But I don’t know if maybe the time permitting or something had to do with it, but definitely I would have been down. I think that would have been great.

TMH (Josiah): Okay, Elektra records has folded and Sylvia Rhone unfortunately was given the boot. What are your thoughts and comments on that particular situation?
Tamia: Well you know I’ve been in this business for ten years and I’ve had like five or six different presidents. One being at Warner Bros., a couple at Quest and now Elektra. But it’s definitely sad to see Sylvia leave. She was such a big part of this project and my other project as well. She would call in the middle of the night and say "I have this idea", and things like that so it’s hard because one minute your so apart of a project and the next thing you don’t call anymore in terms of her not being on the project anymore. So it was definitely hurtful but I think the best thing for me to do is to really get out there and let people hear the album and promote the album, and stay positive. I don’t think it does anyone, Sylvia nor myself any good to just fault.

TMH (Josiah): What’s the current situation with the label that you’re on now?
Tamia: Umm, well you know what. It was definitely great that I was on tour while the chaos was happening. Honestly, I don’t even know if the album would have came out if I wasn’t on tour with all the chaos. I’m really hoping they get it together. I definitely think that it’s not up to par as of right now in terms of all the things that should be happening. But that’s what happens when things change in the middle of something. For me, I’m just trying to stay focused on what it is I’m supposed to be doing. While on Tour I just want to make sure that I gave the best 15 minutes that I could while I was on stage. I’m just trying to emerge myself into doing all that I can in order to make this album a success.

TMH (Josiah): You said you gave it your best with your 15 minutes and there’s actually a quote written by a journalist that reads like this: "You warmed up the evening for the big three. Your presence indicated that for every established star there’s a potential replacement of product in the pipeline. This protégé of Missy Elliot might as well have been Beyonce’s understudy. Tall, gorgeous and a big voice. Call her min-B.
Tamia: Right.

TMH (Josiah): A lot of people basically are saying that you should have had more time and that you definitely have the potential to headline your own tour.
Tamia: It’s so funny, because he said I was a Missy protégé and if you know me you know I’m not a Missy protégé.

TMH (Josiah): Exactly, I don’t agree with that part either. (Laughing)
Tamia: (Laughing) But obviously he doesn’t know who Tamia is.

TMH (Josiah): For the fans and viewers who are not aware, can you tell us about your devastating diagnosis of MS?
Tamia: Yes, but before I get to that I think that the music business is not necessarily anymore about the music. It’s gotten to be who’s dating who and things like that and I hope that it gets back to the music. Unfortunately, I’ve been doing this for ten years and I’ve seen a lot of great singers that you never hear from anymore. I think a lot of times now people sell albums more off of hype then they do talent. You know, you have people like William Hung who was on American Idol who sold like 30,000 albums….

TMH (Josiah): It makes no sense.
Tamia: And he sang on TV. And then you have artist like me who’ve been out there busting their butt for ten years that wish to have a five-minute spot on American Idol to sing. So, in that aspect it’s kinda crazy to me.

TMH (Josiah): Definitely and I mean touching on the subject of using hype to sell records; I’m sorry to say, I appreciate his music and I’m a fan of Usher’s but I don’t think he would have went platinum in one week if they didn’t have this big PR move hyping up the drama between him and Chilli, and him getting another girl pregnant, etc.
Tamia: Isn’t that crazy though.

TMH (Josiah): It’s crazy.
Tamia: It’s crazy that that’s what talented artist have to do, or feel like they have to do in order to sell records. That’s crazy!

TMH (Josiah): Do you think there is maybe a solution to this problem. Maybe some of the artist like yourself who have been in the game for a while can get together and maybe….
Tamia: Protest!

TMH (Josiah): (Laughing) Yeah, like join forces and overcome the way that the industry is turning because it’s really not turning for the better.
Tamia: It’s all become so jaded. I mean, did you watch Divas Live this year?

TMH (Josiah): Yeah, I saw it.
Tamia: C’mon. I’m saying, you mean to tell me there’s no other artist in the music business that can sing live. You know Patti and Gladys, you know they can blow! They deserve it; they should have been up there years ago. You mean to tell me everybody else, that was the best that we have to offer! But it’s all about who’s hot now. It’s not even necessarily about Divas Live. It’s about who is hot.

TMH (Josiah): And since you brought the topic up, I’m not trying to get you to bad mouth anybody but since we’re keeping it real, I’m sorry when I found out Ashanti was on that show, it really made me not even want to watch it!
Tamia: But you know what, you gotta understand that it’s about popularity. She’s very popular, Jessica Simpson is very popular. So it’s not even necessarily about Divas Live singing.

TMH (Josiah): Speaking about Ashanti, how did you feel about the song with Fabolous and when you re-layed the vocals? It was like when you relayed those vocals, everyone was like hallelujah.
Tamia: Well you know I thought she did a really good job and she was extremely popular at that time. That’s why Fab kinda asked her in the first place. But you know, even she said it, she shouldn’t have done it in the first place with a song that I co-wrote and that it was my record. But I thought she did a great job. The opportunity came to me to relay the vocals and to do a song that I co-wrote. This was a song that was one of my singles back in the day. Obviously, I don’t hold any ill will against Ashanti or whatever, I thought she did a great job. It’s not that serious. Everybody’s making it out to be, "oh what do you think?" It’s an every changing thing with music and when an opportunity arises you want to jump on it and she wanted to do the song and she did, Fab wanted to change the song and I did. It’s not that personal though.

TMH (Josiah): I definitely understand. So do you still want to comment on how you deal with your diagnosis?
Tamia: I think anytime you are a relatively healthy person and then you are diagnosed with something like MS, you have ups and downs. I think for me the thing was to stay positive, eat healthy, living healthy and that I’m taking care of myself because no one else will. I mean my family will take care of me, but it’s really my responsibility to make sure that I’m taking care of myself.

TMH (Josiah): Definitely. Those were some good encouraging words. Most singers and entertainers make the jump from singing to acting. When can we expect to see Tamia on the big or small screen?
Tamia: Well I just got finished shooting for the sitcom Rock Me Baby. So you can look for that.

TMH (Josiah): Any last words for your fans?
Tamia: Thank you for all the support. Continue to support me in the future because I’ll be here for a long time and make sure you go by the new CD.