Free
Your
Mind
So Raspy
By: luminoUS
luminoUS7@msn.com
After pulling a long 15.5-hour shift on May 12, 2008, I raced home anticipating my first interview assignment for eXcapethematriX. Nervous and excited all at the same time, I settled in with my notepad and cell phone ready for my phone interview with Dionne, local neo-soul singer best known for her raspy voice and heart felt lyrics.
Previously installing and testing out new call recording software for my Treo, I left my digital recorder tucked away in my purse figuring I would take the high tech route and record this interview via cell phone. I stuck my earpiece in my ear, activated my Bluetooth, placed the phone call, pressed record and started the interview. Dionne and I chatted and exchanged laughs for over an hour and once the interview was over, I was sure I had enough information to write a pretty decent article. I uploaded the call to my laptop and played back the tape only to the horror of realizing it only recorded me! I was devastated. Needless to say, I had to schedule a new interview.
Dionne, being a very kind hearted and understanding person, laughed at my mishap and graciously agreed to be interviewed again. So for the second go round, I ditched the high tech software, pulled out my pad, pen and digital recorder and tried again.
luminoUS: How would you describe Dionne to someone who doesn’t know her?
Dionne: (takes a deep breath) I would say, umm, intense, definitely complicated and passionate.
luminoUS: All right, intense, complicated and passionate. Yup sounds like a Scorpio. (We both begin laughing). At what age or what year did you begin taking your art seriously?
Dionne: 2003
luminoUS: Why did you feel it wasn’t necessary to have a moniker/stage name?
Dionne: I never aspired to be anything outside of myself.
luminoUS: A lot of people compare you to Meshell Ndegeocello. Who do you draw your inspiration from?
Dionne: Billie Holiday, Jimmie Hendrix, Bob Marley. Some everyday people too. Definitely Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, The Roots. The Doors… I’m quite sure you don’t need me to give you 50 bands.
We both laugh and I proceed to the next question.
luminoUS: What’s your take on the new R&B artists such as Keyshia Cole, and Rihanna to name a few? How do you feel about what they are doing as far as their art.
“You have to network and sometimes do a lot of things that you don’t really want to do just to become known.”
Dionne: I feel that they are very prolific but they are definitely caught up in the cookie cutter industry. I don’t feel like all of them are getting a chance to be themselves per say. I don’t think the creative and artistic freedom is there but they are definitely talented. It’s industry R&B.
luminoUS: So moving more into the fashion aspect. How would you describe your style?
Dionne: Part hobo, part grungy, part revolutionary with a little bit of consciousness thrown in there.
luminoUS: What is your daily motto/mantra?
Dionne: Own it!
luminoUS: Looking at yourself 8 years ago, could you have conceived that you would be where you are now?
Dionne: No, not as confident in what I’m doing and not willing to take risk and sacrifice towards it. I wanted it, you know, but I wasn’t as actively working towards it. And I could even work a little harder now, but I’ve come along way.
luminoUS: So, with the things that you have learned over the past 8 years, that has gotten you to where you are now is there any advice that you can offer towards up and coming artist? How can they cultivate their growth to get to where you are now as opposed to where you were in the beginning?
Dionne: Don’t be afraid to network. There is a lot of networking involved and if you sit there with the mentality that I’m talented and people are going to come and discover me you won’t get far. That’s not what it’s about. You have to network and sometimes do a lot of things that you don’t really want to do just to become known. You have to really do the footwork. You have to really be passionate and driven, not just through the good days but through the bad days as well.
luminoUS: So, since “Atonement” is one of my favorite tracks, can you describe the premise behind it?
Dionne: Yes, atonement, atonement, atonement. “Atonement” definitely, for me, is my take on struggle. Everyone has their own particular take on struggle and that is my perspective as to what I was going through and what I am still going through. You know, after performing it so much you forget how important your pieces are to you and where you were when you recorded it. What is most important to me about that piece is the line where it says, “$9 in my pocket,” that was a real thing. I had nothing in my bank account and I had to make that $9 stretch out over a two week time period. I even had to run out to coin star, take stuff to the pawnshop, you know. It was just really personal to me because I was trying to put what I was feeling into that song and it was a really dramatic track.
luminoUS: So, with that being said, that is my favorite track. I know that it is hard to ask any artist to choose a favorite piece, but do you have any particular piece that is near and dear to you? Does any particular piece stand out to you?
“I had nothing in my bank account and I had to make that $9 stretch out over a two week time period.”
Dionne: Actually, I am going into the studio pretty soon to record my first sexy joint, I’m pretty pumped about that. But, I think “Directions” will always be my strongest joint. Because I feel like, even with “Atonement” and “Love Elevate” there was like 50 takes just to get the songs down and the confidence that I took into the studio with each song was different. But with “Directions” it was such a personal situation to me that I went in there and made that song cry. I had to really go in and pour my soul into it. It was just in one take, straight through and I was very passionate about it. I think that passion comes across and that it’s one of my signature songs. I think that even when I’m an old woman in a nursing home, that’s going to be my signature song because that’s when people started to notice what I had going on lyrically and vocally.
We wrapped up the interview laughing about relationships and how they sometimes go wrong. Which, in general, is the premise of “Directions.” We all tend to grow, which lead us into separate directions in life, and no one can point a finger in the face of growth. Dionne’s career is headed in many directions, one of which is up. She is still working on her debut CD, but if you would like to hear her work be sure to visit her on myspace. She is also currently looking to find a manager, booking consistent gigs and freelance photography.
To find out more about Dionne visit:
http://www.dionnesphere.com