Brandy sits down and talks at length about collaborations for hew new album.
Brandy sat down with Bark and Bite and talked about working with Bangladesh, Timbaland, Monica and if there was ever a tour plan with Monica. Here is what Brandy had to say:
Bark + Bite: Tell us about the new single. How's the reception been for "Put It Down"?
Brandy: Oh my god, the reception has been amazing. The core fans are loving it, they can't believe how different it is for me. And I love taking risks in music and it's great to challenge yourself to be different. That's what I love about the song. I can't wait till it really hits the radio waves and we do the video for it and it really takes off.
Bark + Bite: It's interesting that you mentioned specifically trying something different. The trendy thing for you to do would've been to hook up with a European DJ and try your hand at a dance-pop single, as so many other R&B and hip-hop artists are doing now. What made you want to link up with Bangladesh instead?
Brandy: I try to follow my spirit and my intuition when it comes to music because intuition never leads you down the wrong path and I haven't been following it for a very long time. Bangladesh was someone that I've always admired, someone I was always a fan of and I remember before I even signed to Chameleon or RCA, I just went to the studio and hung out with him. I just listened to what he was doing and I could hear myself singing over those knockin', hard-ass beats. And I just felt it.
It organically happened, the connection with Sean Garrett and I, because Sean Garrett is one of the few writers that can write to a Bangladesh beat. So it all was in sync, and that's how I knew it was the right thing. Because it happened naturally.
Bark + Bite: So is Bangladesh doing the bulk of the album or just a few tracks?
Brandy: He definitely set the foundation for the sound of the album, but I took a chance with this album because usually I work with one producer and kind of go out a little bit just to do the fill-ins or the ballads. But I really ventured out and worked with a lot of different people this album. Rico Love is a big part of the album, Ester Dean...just different people.
Bark + Bite: Is there any chance of a reunion with Timbaland for this album?
Brandy: We're working on that. I was supposed to record with Timbaland a couple of weeks ago, but you know sometimes when you're that much of a genius, sometimes your schedule kind of goes four or five different ways so we're trying to lock him down to stay in one place so I can actually go and work with him. But I definitely don't want to let this album go out without us at least trying to let the magic happen.
Bark + Bite: You've already worked with Frank Ocean in the past, but you're said to have completed work with him for the new album, right?
Brandy: Yeah, I love Frank Ocean. I tease him all the time that I knew before everyone else knew how special he was. It's always great to work with him, he's such a young genius just coming into his own.
He gave me a great song called "Scared of Beautiful" and I think the meaning of that record is just so huge. It could be taken in so many different ways and there are so many double entendres going on in that song. Just people who are afraid to succeed, people who are afraid to love, people who are afraid of being the best version of who they are. That's how it can relate to everyone. I really hope that it makes the album, I really hope it does.
Info courtesy of BarkBite.com
