November 7, 2023 • 51 mins
We are talking musical firsts with my friend and one of my favorite music artists, Chantae Cann. Listen in as jazz and soul artist, Chantae, shares about the CD she couldn’t believe her dad bought for her, the process of making an album, and her new album and documentary debuting in 2024. To stay connected to Chantae’s music, please visit https://www.chantaecann.com/.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Oh, y'all, welcome back to her with Amita Brown. And
I'm saying this in a very particular way because I'm
very excited for us to have our guest today and
this is really long awaited. I'm very glad. I'm very
glad that this worked out. So I want you all
to welcome jazz and soul music artist Avid Watcher of
Sister Sister Yo Favorite Sanga's Favorite Sanga v Shante Can
(00:45):
in the bill in the building, y'all, Schante is my friend,
like in real life, she is my friend, like we like.
I hug her when I see her.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
You know.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Sometimes we sing like a very random ta to one another.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
On one now and color listen, listen, don't don't don't
don't leave the people to train.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Now, that's right, given the truth, That's right, my counselor Now,
did you know we have we have had some times.
We have had some moments where we had to just
hold each other up. We had to do that. And
I love me some Chante cam music as well. I
really will be at the show, Matt. And I actually
got a chance to see Chante not the last time
that you did show in Atlanta because I was very
(01:32):
cry to your sad that I was booked out of
town or Matt and I would have been there. Maybe
Matt would have had to work. I would have been there,
you know, with my my hand, you know, the concert hand.
I would have been there doing that. But your last,
your show before that in Atlanta, Matt and I got
to come. And this actually brings up other questions. I
want to ask you, who not be talking to Chante
(01:53):
for three hours? Okay, this is just a thousand things
I'm trying to.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Talk to you about.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
But we have seen you as our friend and as
an amazing music artist too, and like it was very
dope after all of the years of the pandemic for
those of us who are stage people, whether that's performing
or just loving live music, Like I just love live music.
I just love to go see people like doing their thing.
(02:16):
And to have seen you after like all those years,
and I was like, Chatte really went home during the
time of the pandemic and just got even more dope somehow,
just even more dope. Like I love that for you
and me.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Thank you, Emina, you really appreciate that. Like you already
know it's not to be here with you. It's always
a good time talking with you, whether we're be being
recorded or not, and both times are amazing and hilarious.
So thank you for having me. It's yeah, you know,
we we go back like I don't even want I
(02:54):
don't even want to say how many years because I
can't do that kind of math anymore. You know the
kids did they They are like a little shortcut.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Yeah, but if we told you all the year, it's
a long time, it's been a minute, it's been a minute.
I love that for us. I love that for us.
I'm very happy about this.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Many didn't make make it past the mark and we
are here.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Still walking in our gifts, still walking in our purpose,
to walking in our calling, and still connected in the
creative community. So that is what I am most excited
about talking with you, specifically.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
About Yes, Chante and I thought it would be fun,
y'all if Chante and I could talk a little bit
about musical firsts, because I love to talk to people
about these things. I mean, obviously depending on the person's age,
if you're talking about first album or LP or cassettes
or CD, you have all sorts of you know things,
(03:54):
but you can learn a lot about a person based
on those musical firsts. So I want to to ask
you some of these chante. Do you recall the first
CD that you that you purchased, You remember buying it
with your money, you went in the store, you ordered
it online. What do you remember that? Or first, what
(04:14):
would be in the first five of CDs that you
ever would like? I love this music so much, I
need to take my money and pay for it.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Okay. So there's there's a combination of scenarios that this
would have happened. One. I either begged my daddy to
get this for me, because you know, it was like
that in between time me having my money and me
not having my money, or me being like, ahnet so
I don't have to spend my little my little twin
dollars or whatever. So I think there was a combination
(04:45):
of those things. But okay, and this is no judgment zone.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
No, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Okay, So okay, some of them are non juddy. But
the one that I asked my dad to buy in particular,
was hilarious. Okay, Okay, let's just let's let's start with
the one that I that I got for myself, and
I remember specifically, one of them was Erica ba do.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
By Duism Yes you know, to get helling me.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Don't want to get man that that album blessed me
so much because this was news to me, but it
just made me feel so amazing. There was so many
good songs on there, and I was like, this, this
is such a unique sound. I've never heard anybody sound
(05:38):
like this ever, at least in the years that I
existed at the time. To think that the album came out,
I was like, what is this a yay yay? But
it's working, you know. And I'm saying and she learned
how to make it her own. And it was something
that either you either loved or worked or extremely ear by,
(06:02):
you know. And and there are times where I felt both.
There are times where I feel about not even however,
it's set precedent for me because I don't know, like
the live music just really spoke to me on that record.
I'm like, all these words and I'm looking at I'm
looking on the little the CD uh list with the
(06:24):
words on it, jacket word.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
If you don't have.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Those words, we're going to make up something. And I
was like, Wow, she's saying a lot of things in
here and I wasn't even like a lyrics person back then,
but just to read along and sing along to what
she was doing and how she expressed that. It really
touched me in a way. I said, well, I can,
I can get with it. I can definitely get with this.
I remember around the same time. I don't even know
(06:50):
if this was for musicality, but this is this just
what was out when I when when that was happening
one someone not talk to so miss done anyway, you
know that that single about seven oh two co two.
I think it was off like the uh the Good
(07:13):
Burgers soundtrack. I don't know, but yeah, that was a
good time back then. I think total was that was
out back then.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
That was the time for that was a time. I
thank you for bringing that thank.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
You album that I asked my dad to buy, and
I'm so surprised that he bought it for me. I
was just like, Okay, you got you. That's when I
knew he was woke for real back then, and I
was like, oh, okay, So Biggie Smalls.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Say, what should I say?
Speaker 2 (07:45):
What I think life after death or what I was like,
wait a second, or I don't know if it was
like after that it had a baby on it.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
They had the baby on it, they had the white background.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
Okakay, so maybe it wasn't that one. It was the
one dang because child. I don't know. He had like
a single one there with bone thugs, harmony.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I remember this, Okay. It was it was a black
it was ready to die or it was Life after Death.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
I think it was ready to die? Guy, what what's up?
What's the one on there where it's like, well, I
don't even want to say the words.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I'm not gonna do it, please, okay, because.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
The world is filled like black blank talk about those.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
I know, yes after death, just the one that had
the heart.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Baby by baby that's on there. I'm not I'm gonna digress.
But my dad bought it for me, and I was
really I was like, ok what else can I get
him get in the body. I was trying to figure
it out.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
To buy you the notorious Life after Death?
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Wow, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
MM.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Had I had a child in that day, I don't
think I would have done the same thing. I said,
either or he's just really woke, or he trusted me
with it, and I said, okay, well, but I don't know,
it was just something about that hip hop era that
(09:34):
that even is an influence on me now and not
necessarily all of the negative parts of it or all
of the you know, because it could go either way.
So I wasn't trying to be like this hardcore gangst girl.
But I did live in the South Side Chicago for
many years where there was lacks of gang activity surrounding me,
(09:54):
So it wasn't you know, it wasn't far feted that
was what was happening in the culture. But I was
just oh by the rhythm, and I remember Outclass came
out around that time, and I will try to like
make up the words and like what is he saying
to this little beat? It just I was influenced by
it at a very young age, and so it's still
because a part in my artistry today. So I'm a
(10:17):
moveventon to those guys.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
I really love this story. I love so much that
this is the album that your dad got for you.
I also feel that if you were growing up in
the nineties, you have at least one parental slip, Like
there's one moment that you can be like, you know, wow,
I'm not sure that my parent was supposed to you know,
let me see this or let me listen to this.
(10:40):
My mom's parental nineties slip was Jason's lyric. She was like,
we need to go see a movie. Let's go see
this movie together. And there I am in the movie
with my mama looking at Alan Pay's Harry behind and
we both were surprised both were in for a moment.
(11:01):
I think she was like, she was like, you know,
my child's a teenager. Let me take her here. You know,
we can you know, we're you know, she's not quite
an adult, but we're you know, she's getting old. Let
me take her to half this moment. And then we
both got in there and had to watch Allen Payne
and Jada Pinkett now Jada Pinkett Smith in this field
of flowers. Like that was my mom's one that I
was like, I'm not sure if that was like a
(11:22):
here I have evolved as a parent, or if she
really just didn't know right know. She got in the
movie and was like, what have I done? Why did
I bring my child to this?
Speaker 2 (11:34):
I mean, did you guys stay for the end? Yes?
When you could get it?
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Okay, Yeah, She's like, I can't make that money I
think we watched them high film, and I will say
about my mom, we're people who want to want to
really like discuss art, you know, like we'll go to
a film and like want to discuss it. So I
feel like we went and like ate some food after
that and like discussed everything except his hairy But you
know what I'm saying, like we just the whole sexy got.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Left out off the table.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
We didn't talk about that. I called my friends later
and was like, Y believe my mom took me to
see Jason's lyric and they were like Jason's lyric, Yo.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Mama, yeah, Yo, that is insane. Wow, Yeah, that's insane. Yeah.
So I and I appreciate your mom for that because
you are who you are.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Okay, I'm here, now, I'm here. I learned just a
little more well rounded, you know, a little more learned.
You know, a little more learned. So love that for me.
So my first CD that I purchased myself was either
TLC's Ooh on the TLC tip or it was SWV
(12:42):
s WV because I think their first album was self titled.
It was one of those two. Both are great, both
were great, Both had a lot of neon color involved
in the actual CD itself as well as the CD jacket. Yes, yes, nails,
lots of denim. It was. It was a lot of
loud primary colors involved.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Metric berry very much.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
That big hats on the TLC album cover condoms all
over the place. It was a time, It was a time,
It was the time. Okay, now let me ask you.
Let me ask you about your first concert. And I
know you and I both share the background of being
people who grew up in church. So I whenever people
ask me this question, I have two answers, Chante, because
(13:29):
my first concert was in church. Like, it was not
in a concert hall. It was not at a venue.
My first like for real concert was inside the church.
And so it depends on where I'm at, Chante. Are
you trying to gaze and gaze like you know, I'm
trying to gauge like who who is here in the
room that will understand me saying My first actual concert
(13:51):
was Dawkins and Dawkins, which is a Christian, a Christian
soul that you know like that. They were my first
live show. That was some real good old gospel R
and B type. MU said, really enjoyed that and then
you know, you know, we hated we love it. But
my my first actual, for real like in my mind,
(14:13):
for real concert that I could say to most people
but now not, it's Kanye West. I saw Kanye West
for five dollars.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Saw Kanye was for five dollars with a singer that
we didn't know was John Legend. It was before anybody
knew who John Legend was. It was Kanye West and
John Legend for five dollars at Centennial Olympic Park. These
were my two yeah, like for real, for real, Like
we were really like, wait, who's the singer? This is
(14:42):
amazing man, I wonder where he comes from?
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Right, Like who are these people?
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Like it's like two years later we were like get
lifted came out. We were like, we saw him for
five dollars with Kanye.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Yeah, that is unheard of. Like we don't do no
fight out of nothing, no more. I mean taxes ain't
even five.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Hours, no, not even a drink in the venue. It's fopped.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
I can't wow.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
So do you have dual stories? Do you have a
was your actual first concert in church or no? And
I would love to hear that one if you feel
so led to share. And then do you have a
concert that was outside of church that was like your
first concert experience.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Yes, so I don't even honestly, I don't even remember
my first gospel concert, like until years years later. I
was probably in Atlanta, and I was probably just Yeah,
it wasn't one of those things where like, you know,
I had to go because my parents or whatever. It
was just like whatever people I was with at the
time went to whatever gospel concert. And honestly, I really
(15:48):
don't even remember the gospel one back then. I don't.
I do know that my mom used to like go
to the Stellar Awards and she would bring me back
these little goody bags. Would takes in one of those
tastes with doggers and doggas. Girl that was a music
had Dowkins and Dawkins. I think Jay Moss was on one,
Joe l. Rosario was on a couple. That was always
(16:12):
a treat. So I was like very privy to the
Dowkins and Dokins. Yeah, it spoke to me. So, but
before that, when I was in Chicago because me and
my friends girl, we were upsets, absolutely obsessed with immature. Yeah, yes, yes,
(16:34):
it was a mess. I mean all on the walls,
all on the room, all in my notebooks at school,
invatory imagery. I mean, we were literally obsessed. And so
that was the first real concert that we went to
in Chicago. I don't even remember where it was, but
it was there.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
That was was the entire group. Did you have certain
members of the group that you were really like? Like
it when I loved the Boys, it was I mean,
I loved the boys, but I really it was Hakeen
for me. So did you have like a member of
um sure that that was like your person?
Speaker 2 (17:12):
So I'm kind of still this way, but I was
way more in this way like back in the day, Okay,
because everybody was obsessed with the pretty boy Romeo, everybody
was such with Batman. I chose to love LdB because
he was the lesser of the two. I ain't got
(17:34):
to worry about everybody being upset over him. I can
have him to myself. I ain't gonna worry about all
that energy because people ain't gonna be fighting over him.
And that's why I chose to love him.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
You wanted to give the underdog some love? Chante, I
feel that, I mean it, maybe.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
I am so maybe this has this has the traveled
with me through the ages, just displays in different ways.
But I said, I never specifically being like, oh my god,
everybody's on these these guys. I'm just gonna, you know,
and I'm gonna be okay with that. I'm gonna stay
in my lane. So yeah, we were. We had our
own little triunity of immature worship. That's what it was.
(18:15):
I was like, oh my god, I mean the daydreams. Yeah,
so it was. I even had this, Oh this is
so silly. I even had this letter that I never
sent to. I was supposed to send it to like
the fan club or somebody, but I never sent it out.
I just kept it just from my own obsessive nature,
just to look at it. I laminated with like this
(18:37):
little clear take girl, I was cutting out these little hearts,
you know, the little whole punchers that punch out hearts.
I added that to the next I was very crafty
back then. I think I got it from my grandma,
but I you know, I never sent it, but I
kept it for my own memories.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
I love this so much. First of all, thank you
for referencing a fan club, because how else could you
get in touch with artists that you love back club
like the period. I definitely sent two letters to Janet
Jackson's fan club with my school pictures. I wish that
I would have done what you did though, and kept
(19:23):
that so that I would be like, what are you
writing to her? What are you wanting her to know
about your life? Are you telling her about school?
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Like?
Speaker 1 (19:31):
I remember what I said. I just remember. I was
just like dear Janet and I me and roslid my
little my little school cut my little school picture out.
So that was the only thing you could do. You
had to put it in an envelope.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
And mail envelope with.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
The stamp to the fan club with the little lift
the stamp and the envelope. That's a lot. That was
really a lot that we were put through during that time.
That was a lot. That was a lot for us. Wow,
vive that though, generation I love that. Okay, let me
ask you about do you have a first music centered
(20:12):
movie that you loved and I'm leaving room for if
you're a person who loves musicals, it could be that,
or it could be a movie that you remember loving
the soundtrack almost as much as you loved the movie,
Or it could be a movie also I mean, I
think Purple Rain is a good example of that, right
that it's not it's not a musical, it's not a biopic,
(20:35):
but it is a movie where music is very like central.
So can you think of an early movie in your
life that you loved because of its music.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
This is very tough for me because my brain is
maybe fifty different places I could just be naming. I
kind of ran them, like wait until Exhale.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
That's a that's a very solid soundtrack there. That's a
very solid good stuff.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
I don't even think outside of Boie until til years later,
but I've definitely heard the music first count on me
through Shoot.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
And Brandy and c.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Yeah. That period period it was like okay, cool, I
see you guys, I see you guys out here. Yeah.
So that's just like a vague memory for me of
a soundtrack that I kind of listened to a lot.
There was a songboy, this girl named Billy Lawrence.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
That was on that soundtrack.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
It was like this white girl, but she was kind
of hip hoppy.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Let me find out Billy Lawrence.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
Come on, come on, because I remember one of my
best friends used to be upsets with her as well.
I think it was on soundtrack or like on like
a special edition. It's least somebody.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
But it was like, yeah, I'm gonna find out. I'm
gonna do the research because now.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
The research, that's all. That's all I got right now,
and soil something hits me like minutes later and I'm like, ooh,
I forgot about this. That's what I got for right now.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
I'm gonna think about that. I'm gonna think about that
some more. I'm trying to figure out what would I
say is the earliest. I mean, it's interesting what you
said though about Waiting to Exhale as a film, because
I feel like that there was an era between the
late eighties and mid nineties where there were soundtracks that
were either equally as big to people as the film,
(22:33):
or what you said is spot on the soundtrack reached
you younger than you were old enough to watch the
movie that the soundtrack was actually that excellent. I actually
went back and rewatched Waiting to Exhale, like as an
adult woman, because I'm pretty sure I was too young
to be watching it the first time. So I went
back and watched it and was like, this soundtrack is
(22:55):
almost like impeccable. It's just track for track the Ole Thing. Man.
By the time Whitney's Everyone Falls in Love sometime, I
was like.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Oh, man, listen, anything Whitney is gonna be a great time.
Like every It's like epic every time, epic every single time.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Really really took me to a place. Okay, speaking of albums,
as a music artist who has now made multiple albums,
you are in the process of working on what is
going to be your next album. How do you know
when you're getting the beginning of an album idea? Do
you typically have a way the album idea comes to you?
(23:39):
Or is it that the songs tend to come to
you and then as they accumulate, you start to think
this maybe is becoming an album.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Okay, So both of those things are very true and
often happen like all the time with myself especially, So
it's like I will get pieces here, pieces there, pieces here,
pieces there, and then sometimes this piece that I thought
(24:09):
wasn't going to be anything turns into a main thing
because maybe I found somebody to collab on it, or
I found an elevated track, So it's beyond what I
was originally thinking. So now I'm like, okay, you know,
let's leave no stones unturned and nothing wasted. So I
have a list of song titles in my notes on
(24:32):
my phone, and sometimes I go back to them and say,
I need to write a song called this because that's
how I feel, that's what I feel I'm being called
to express in this season. And then there are times
when I just hear dope tracks or like somebody will
send me something, or I'll be vibing with somebody musically
(24:52):
and I'm like ooh, and then I'll just start singing
or speaking or you know, flowing or whatever, and I'm
just like, you know, c that vibe in the moment
on the spot with that other individual. And so sometimes
I'll have I'll have dreams of songs in my head
and then I'll wake up and literally record of a
(25:12):
crazy behind voice memos, sound and all kind of grappling
and you're just crazy. But I'm hearing all Like I
literally hear all the instrumentation in my dream. That's what
happened with a couple of songs on this new album.
So there's a few different ways. And then as far
as like let's say the name of the album, I
really just brainstorm, brainstorm, brainstorm, and I'm like Okay, lord,
(25:37):
what what would you like to speak in this in
this season? And I'm very very led that way. And
then I just write all these words, and something made
just speak to me, just because I'm looking at all
the words and how they fit together and how they
make me feel and how they relate to my truth
and and so yeah, it's it's in a mouth aclamation
(26:00):
of all of those things that literally make up a
whole a whole piece of work. So yeah, that's my story.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
I'm always fascinated in speaking with music artists about the
process of albums because the closest I come to that
as a poet. I mean I have done albums as
a poet too, but I think I did them differently
than a lot of my friends who are music artists
described because I really just had like a backlog of
poems I sort of needed. You know, back in the
(26:28):
day when you could really make money selling CDs at
your merch table. Whoo, that was a time.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Oh my god, I remember the time.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
That was a time, y'all. I mean you could really,
you could really make a CD.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
For less just got the burning, you just got the burning, burning.
Who putting on a little putting on a little cover
in a little you had a sticker and a takes.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Boy boy, you really listen, Yeah, this is worth what
I'm charging. Cost you less than two dollars to make it.
You could charge ten fifteen dollars. We was making so
much money at the merch table is all day.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
And I wouldn't even know. I wouldn't There was no
way to tell if you're bule you're not, and if
you are helping.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Me right right, getting the word out, getting the word
out at that time, that's the thing, that's the thing
that was the time. So I was like, I made
those albums, but I didn't actually have the creative process
that you described of when you're not going there to
just need to package some merch together so you can
have merch but his thing. But you're actually thinking as
(27:32):
a creative work. You're looking at the album and thinking
about what your soul wants to say. What do you
feel like you know the work itself wants to be.
So I'm always fascinated to hear about that process. So
let me ask at the end of the process. Because
I also hear from music artists that you could have
(27:53):
way more songs then will actually make it on the
album in the end, right.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
So you can.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Yeah, So how do you know when it's done? When
the album is finished, is there typically like a feeling
that you have inside or is it sort of process
of elimination. Because you've been in the process of writing songs,
you can kind of see the idea germinating. You can
see which songs fit and which ones don't. How does
(28:20):
that process typically go?
Speaker 2 (28:22):
Okay, So in my current today outlook on that, there
are a couple of things that I am factoring in
now because society has changed, technology has changed, the attention
spans of the people have changed, So there were a
(28:44):
couple of times. Okay, so let's just take this last
album that I'm working on that I'm finishing as an example.
At first, I had maybe like, like in total, there
was a possible maybe thirteen to fifteen tracks that I
was very I felt very you know, strongly about, you know,
(29:05):
included a couple of interlals, a couple of this, a
couple of that. And so when we were kind of
shopping distribution labels and some other people that were going
to help, you know, fund some things, they were like, Okay,
this is great, Like all of this is great, this
is amazing. However, in today's society, there is a there
(29:31):
is a sweet spot of album tracks and for streaming,
they were saying the sweet spot is like ten tracks. Wow, yep,
between eight to ten tracks, because people's attention span is
very very short. And also there's something like if it's
over ten tracks, you're really not making any money off
(29:52):
of the additional two because how whatever the the bat
or the price, I don't know how to how it
works out, but yeah, there's a theory that if you
make over ten, you're really not making anything from the
extra two because they count something something, something I don't know.
So I'm kind of taking all that into consideration. And
(30:15):
so I did scale back on like a couple songs,
but it ended up working really really well. So it
just it just kind of allowed me to really give
those ten songs like and honestly, okay, it's ten songs,
but like maybe two interludes, so twelve tracks in total,
ten full songs. You know, however you want to slice it,
(30:38):
that's up to you and yours. But it kind of
just allowed me to really really fine tune those records
dedicate the proper attention that they require. That they deserve
and so yeah, even though I was like, oh, okay,
I see what you're saying, but yeah, it was like everybody,
every everywhere we went, they had that. So yeah, that's
(31:01):
kind of where I am now. I am doing a
volume one in a volume two. So anything that's not
me used boo booh, we're gonna go on the next record. Hm.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
You know what I'm saying. Mm hmm. I was wondering
about that. It's very interesting to hear you describe sort
of the especially being an artist who who cares about
the concept of your album and how the songs collect together,
that you want there to be some sense of synergy there,
and that as an artist in the market now having
(31:34):
to consider certain things that are more you know, for
us as artists that will be more on like the
business side of thought, but that you have to consider
them even in like how you may decide to make
your creative work. But it definitely was coming to my
mind thinking, Okay, if you're if you're an artist who's
in the mindset of like you're used to making albums
(31:54):
that had fifteen tracks, and it's like that would really
help you because if you're if you're my automatically right.
I'm like you have that sounds fantastic. And I will
say I will say for artists that I love and
have listened to their newest albums that have probably come
(32:17):
out in the last two or three years, I have
noticed them being shorter. But as a music fan, as
a music fan and a and a person who loves
to go to live shows, it may it puts me
in the position of want more. It puts me to
be like ooh, like oh, that was so good. I
have to see that when this person's tour comes to Atlanta,
(32:39):
I have to be there for the next you know,
part two of this album idea, And so I hope
that even though for those of us who are like
really music heads, it's hard to think that people's attentions
fans are shorter when music is amazing, like that can
be hard on me, I.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
Mean, because we could listen forever and ever and ever am.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
I'm give me, what are we doing with the songs
The Key of Life? What about that?
Speaker 2 (33:03):
I mean, that's a whole day's worth of music like.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
This was amazing, But I hope that it produces in
people who love music a desire to want more from
the artists, they love to want more of that next record,
to want more of getting to see how that shows
up in a live set to this The other thing
that came to my mom when you were talking earlier. Yes,
I want to talk also. I want to ask you
(33:27):
about how you feel you have developed what chante can't
as the performer is on stage because this and I've
seen you perform in various environments and as your music
and you have have evolved and broaden and all these things.
(33:47):
And that last show that I saw, Chante can like
the sense of I don't even know if confidence is
the right word. I want to say chante it's a
of mastery is what I think is the word that's
in my mind. More that it takes a certain something
when you're there in the writing phase and in the
(34:09):
recording part. But what is the gap between you have
finished recording this music you are now like now, I
got to get this music ready for stage, and I
got to get it ready for stage to where I
feel comfortable going in and out of it. However, I like,
what's the process of how you get yourself to that?
Because you were so comfortable up there, and that makes
(34:34):
the audience feel so at ease with you because we
know you know where you're going, So all I gotta
do is follow you. I don't have to be in
the crowd, Like, is everything okay? Is it supposed to
be like this? I don't know. So what's the process
like of recording and page and writing and how that
transforms for you on stage?
Speaker 2 (34:55):
That is an amazing question. And it's so funny that
you ask that in in this uh, in this current
season of my life, because so I just recently, not
not even at the show that you saw me yet,
but like literally within the past couple of weeks, I
(35:17):
got connected with with a artist developer, and I got
connected with somebody to who's going to help me get
into acting and film and kind of just kind of
expand my artistic nature to wherever it can go. Because
I really feel like there's something there, like there's something
(35:39):
that's pulling me to the arts. I just don't have
any for real, for real training or you know, I
just know what I know, and I know what comes
natural and I know what I feel, but I just
don't know, like you know, I haven't I haven't gone
to school for it. So there's an artist developer that
I just recently started working and with. There are these
(36:03):
coaches that kind of are have been helping me get
my live show the new show together because the old show,
you know, because I've done it forever ish forever, forever,
e I can be comfortable in that. And I and
(36:24):
it wasn't always that way, you know, as somebody who's
dealt with anxiety pretty much their whole entire life. The
stage for me, there were parts of it that were
my safety and also my safety lied in like jam
sessions with with the live music, live musicians. My safety
(36:46):
lied in not necessarily ooh, I'm performing, but it lied
in Ooh me and this musician are having this amazing
musical conversation. We're coming up with this on the spot
improv improv, improv because that was like my strong suit
and I was just like I was like just learning
(37:06):
my own voice. You know, when when I was first
coming out as an artist, so I used to do
I remember doing full shows that were all in prov
and like it was just like okay, and oh people
are still here. Okay, cool. Now I just have to
be more intentional about those moments, because yeah, it should
(37:29):
not be for the whole entire show. But at that moment,
like that is where that is what soothed me, that
is what lessen my anxiety. So I stayed there a lot,
and I based a lot of my shows off of that.
Now I do remember there being a transition where I
wanted to intentionally say, hey, let's you know, do a
(37:50):
set list. Let's make it amazing, Let's do the covers
that I love to do, Let's do it my way,
and let's do my interpretation of it. Oh, let me
be inspired by this musician here, this musician there. So
I was around musicians all the time, I was around
singers all the time. We were shedding vocals all the time, NonStop.
That really really helped me because that was my safe
(38:11):
place too. And so so getting all of that ready
for for stage and it for and for it to
be uh translated, Well, it just takes doing it over
and over and over again and walking in that confidence
that you talked about, because I still have to intentionally
(38:33):
walk in it, you know what I'm saying, Like, I
still have to be intentional about walking in that, but rehearsing,
practicing by myself when there's no singers around me, you know,
having those moments that has been so helpful to me.
It's helped, you know, keep my my vocals warm up,
It's helped keep my my my chops up or whatever.
(38:56):
My performance, my family, all the things kind of have
been preparing me to make the show what it's supposed
to be. So that's kind of things that I've been
working on subconsciously and now more intentionally with the artist
development and because I never had artist artists development like
me me with my vocal right let me you that
(39:19):
my big sister, she she was that for me, you
know when I didn't even know what that was at
the time. So yeah, there are still areas in which
I know can be improved as far as connecting and
being intentional about every single moment and looking confident and
(39:40):
feeling confident and not just let me hide, let me
hide in this, let me hide in this like you know,
like coming out of that that hiding. So yeah, I
appreciate you for for bringing that up.
Speaker 1 (39:56):
Yeah you spoke some words there because I really what
you described about your process, especially in this season of times.
I think as stage performers, there is a vulnerability to
start building the new show, Like I feel like I'm
sort of in that zone a little bit too, where
like I know, as a performer, I know this story
right here, it killed every time, so I know I
(40:18):
can throw it in. But when you're building the new set,
there's a lot you're still trying to figure out how
it works, Does it work? Do I want to transition
from this to that that way? And that can have
a certain kind of vulnerability because you're not guaranteed that
the audience will respond to it the way you may
have imagined, and some of it may take time of
(40:39):
you doing it on stage several times before you get
it to where you love it. But if you can
do that, then you have fresh material, fresh art that
an audience can experience with you. So it's worth that process,
but it is uncomfortable in some regards. And tell my god,
(41:00):
right that part. You also brought up a really excellent
point too, of being able to bring in other experts,
other people that can help broaden you, can help strengthen
some of those muscles, and you can help you to
see yourself beyond what you may know of what you
think you can do on stage or what you think
(41:21):
you can do in your profession. And it's so powerful
and that's a vulnerable thing too, like to have to
bring in other people and let them sort of look
at you from the outside looking in, and to take
in the the like not criticism, but like the feedback
that they may give you. You know, and it may not
all be how brilliant you are, how dope it is.
(41:45):
That may be like, hey, you might want to think
about this. That the third and you have to humbly
process that with the end goal being that you hope
to really put on the best that your present you
in this moment, not a past you, but the you
you you are right now. That's the goal, is to
put that, put out, put that out there, put the
(42:05):
best to you right now. But that does mean you
gotta take in some things and try to figure I
was like, oh, why you didn't just tell me I'm amazing,
Like I thought that's what our session was gonna be.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
You didn't do that anything is That's exactly what the
lady said. She was like, you know, I know you're
used to everybody telling you that you're the Besys and
you're this and this and you are that. However, however,
we we need to go higher. You know, you need
to have people around you that are gonna be give
you healthy constructive criticism, like it's our job to do that.
(42:39):
We've been doing this for years. We've been doing this
for A B and C people. That's what we are
here for. We are a safe place. We know there's
potential in you. We know that it's eating greater potential,
and we don't want you hiding anymore. And so a
lot of places where I lived was inside of my head.
And so when I'm performing for the artist's development session,
(43:00):
it's I'm in my head because it's like there's one
on one, it's like a small group. Once again, I'm like, oh, okay, cool,
because you know, if I was at a show, I
would be way more uncomfortable because that's in my element.
You know, I can hide behind the then I can
hide behind you know, the music, and I can hide
behind this. I can hide behind that. But their thing
(43:21):
was we know you can sing like that. That's not
the issue here. Where this is not a this is
not a singing class. This is something to where it
can be translated. And wherever you go, people are gonna
look at you and say she's been working on this theater.
(43:41):
People will look at you and say, oh, well, let's
get her for this musical and let's get you know, well,
she has a wonderful voice, but how is she with this?
How is she with that? So it's helping me, hone
in on those things and get outside of my head
and just be like not not concentrate on Oh I
got to hit this right no, oh I got to
hit this right now. I got to hit this right note.
(44:03):
And so I was just like, oh, okay, because you're
all in my business right now.
Speaker 1 (44:06):
Oh that's the thing. You really got a lesson people
all you you look like.
Speaker 2 (44:11):
You're trying to sing the right note.
Speaker 1 (44:14):
Okay, I'm sorry because I didn't want to look like
I was t I wanted to do it.
Speaker 2 (44:18):
I didn't want I just wanted. I mean, this is
I want to hit the right note sometimes. But they
were like, you can't think about that like that. It
was just really it helped me put some things in perspective.
So I'm excited.
Speaker 1 (44:32):
Thinking from perspective. The streets are talking that there is
a Shante can documentary in the works. Are you able
to speak to the things the streets are saying, Shante?
Speaker 2 (44:46):
Absolutely, I love the streets sometimes, you know, because they
be watching, they watching talk watching. Some streets is cool.
Some streets I'm not. I'm cool on, but these streets
I can trust right now. So yes, those streets that
you are referring too, are talking about a documentary that
I am working on. I've been Oh, it's been a
(45:10):
while since I've started. I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna
go out on a limb and say I started. This
was birthed maybe in twenty fifteen, so it's been a
long journey for it to be from there to where
it is now. So this documentary is about Huntington's disease
(45:34):
awareness and how that relates to my story, how that
relates to my life, how that relates to my my
journey as an artist, as an individual. And it is
called I can't say the name because we've we've said
it already. So it's called Beautiful Brave, which is the
name of one of the singles on the new.
Speaker 1 (45:55):
Album, Oh I Love.
Speaker 2 (45:58):
Thank You and basically beautiful Brave. Uh So I'll just
say the lyrics of the song, so beautiful Brave gotta
get up, get up and say I'm scared but I'm
gonna do it anyway. Do it afraid, gotta get up,
get up, say I'm scared, but I'm gonna do it anyway.
And so it's just kind of speaking to the craziness
(46:22):
of life that kind of ensued when I was finding
more out about Hunting's when I was dealing with people
in my family with it, when I went to go
get tested my own self. So apart, I'm bringing people
along for that journey as well as spreading awareness for
people who have no idea what Huntingtons is. But overall,
(46:44):
it's I wanted to relate to anybody across the globe,
whether you're an artist dealing with a specific thing or
somebody that you know, maybe dealing with with with something
a sickness and illness something that they is just outside
their country role like how how do you how do
you brave through it? And how how does you being
(47:06):
brave turn into something beautiful? And so that's kind of
the inspiration behind it, and we're looking to release it
sometime next year. We're kind of talking to some distribution
now but going through some first drafts and so yeah,
we're kind of in the final processes of that. So
(47:27):
I'm very excited about that.
Speaker 1 (47:29):
Oh my gosh, that sounds amazing, Chanta. So that's amazing
on a lot of levels. I mean amazing for you
to be sharing a story that's personal to you that
I know is going to mean a lot to a
lot of people to hear the journey that you have
been on like that. It's amazing in that way, and
it's amazing to embark on taking your story into your
(47:51):
own hands and to say this is the story I
want to tell, this is the way that I want
to tell it. And for us as artists, and in
particularly as black women, for people of color who are artists,
to be able to take our own stories and say
this is the way we want it to be told.
It's so powerful. So y'all make sure y'all be on
the lookout. And speaking of the lookout, Chante, people are listening,
(48:14):
they have heard the stories. They want to know. Where
can they hear this music? Where can they buy these
tickets for when you might be doing your thing in
their city? How can they follow you so they can
know what's what? Tell the people how they can access
all things Shanta can?
Speaker 2 (48:31):
Okay, yes, So for those of you all who are
interested in staying alone for the journey, and would like
to be connected to anything that may be happening in
the future, whether it's the release of albums, whether it's
the documentary. All the things will be available to you
at the website, which is shante can dot com, c
(48:54):
h A N t A E C A n n
dot com. And obviously I'm on Instagram, Facebook, anywhere music is.
That's where I am. All of the digital platforms out there, Spotify,
album Music, Amazon, all the things I am there, look
(49:16):
me up. I would love to continue to stay connected. Yeah,
that's it, y'all do that.
Speaker 1 (49:24):
And if y'all here and y'all are like, oh I'm
late to the Shantea Camp party, don't worry. You can
be late in on time. This is your time. You
can go ahead, go to there. You can connect right now.
Oh that's you know. You go ahead and catch up
on these albums before the new one come out, so
that way you'll have all those songs under your belt already.
You already got time. Shanta Can. Thank you for just
(49:44):
sharing your time with me. I appreciate this so much.
It is so good to talk with you, to talk
music with you, to talk about your process, and I
am out here awaiting. I'm awaiting this new album, the
new show, the documentary. I'm out here. I can't so
thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (50:02):
Thank you for having me. You know, anytime we are
sisters from another mister, you're you know you are and
my mom.
Speaker 1 (50:11):
That's it. That's it, because because me and Matt be
looking like Shante's parents. So whenever we go to the show,
she'd be like my parents. If you don't be looking
at me and Mad, they'd be looking at me and
Matt like, Hi, now is the math not math? Hello? Yes,
thank you so much. Chante y'all go to chantecam dot com.
(50:32):
Do all the things there, see y'all soon. Her with
Amina Brown is produced by Matt Owen for sober Feiti
Productions as a part of the Seneca Women Podcast Network
(50:53):
in partnership with iHeartRadio. Thanks for listening and don't forget
to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
Oh, y'all, welcome back to her with Amita Brown. And
I'm saying this in a very particular way because I'm
very excited for us to have our guest today and
this is really long awaited. I'm very glad. I'm very
glad that this worked out. So I want you all
to welcome jazz and soul music artist Avid Watcher of
Sister Sister Yo Favorite Sanga's Favorite Sanga v Shante Can
(00:45):
in the bill in the building, y'all, Schante is my friend,
like in real life, she is my friend, like we like.
I hug her when I see her.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
You know.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Sometimes we sing like a very random ta to one another.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
On one now and color listen, listen, don't don't don't
don't leave the people to train.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Now, that's right, given the truth, That's right, my counselor Now,
did you know we have we have had some times.
We have had some moments where we had to just
hold each other up. We had to do that. And
I love me some Chante cam music as well. I
really will be at the show, Matt. And I actually
got a chance to see Chante not the last time
that you did show in Atlanta because I was very
(01:32):
cry to your sad that I was booked out of
town or Matt and I would have been there. Maybe
Matt would have had to work. I would have been there,
you know, with my my hand, you know, the concert hand.
I would have been there doing that. But your last,
your show before that in Atlanta, Matt and I got
to come. And this actually brings up other questions. I
want to ask you, who not be talking to Chante
(01:53):
for three hours? Okay, this is just a thousand things
I'm trying to.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Talk to you about.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
But we have seen you as our friend and as
an amazing music artist too, and like it was very
dope after all of the years of the pandemic for
those of us who are stage people, whether that's performing
or just loving live music, Like I just love live music.
I just love to go see people like doing their thing.
(02:16):
And to have seen you after like all those years,
and I was like, Chatte really went home during the
time of the pandemic and just got even more dope somehow,
just even more dope. Like I love that for you
and me.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Thank you, Emina, you really appreciate that. Like you already
know it's not to be here with you. It's always
a good time talking with you, whether we're be being
recorded or not, and both times are amazing and hilarious.
So thank you for having me. It's yeah, you know,
we we go back like I don't even want I
(02:54):
don't even want to say how many years because I
can't do that kind of math anymore. You know the
kids did they They are like a little shortcut.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Yeah, but if we told you all the year, it's
a long time, it's been a minute, it's been a minute.
I love that for us. I love that for us.
I'm very happy about this.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Many didn't make make it past the mark and we
are here.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Still walking in our gifts, still walking in our purpose,
to walking in our calling, and still connected in the
creative community. So that is what I am most excited
about talking with you, specifically.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
About Yes, Chante and I thought it would be fun,
y'all if Chante and I could talk a little bit
about musical firsts, because I love to talk to people
about these things. I mean, obviously depending on the person's age,
if you're talking about first album or LP or cassettes
or CD, you have all sorts of you know things,
(03:54):
but you can learn a lot about a person based
on those musical firsts. So I want to to ask
you some of these chante. Do you recall the first
CD that you that you purchased, You remember buying it
with your money, you went in the store, you ordered
it online. What do you remember that? Or first, what
(04:14):
would be in the first five of CDs that you
ever would like? I love this music so much, I
need to take my money and pay for it.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Okay. So there's there's a combination of scenarios that this
would have happened. One. I either begged my daddy to
get this for me, because you know, it was like
that in between time me having my money and me
not having my money, or me being like, ahnet so
I don't have to spend my little my little twin
dollars or whatever. So I think there was a combination
(04:45):
of those things. But okay, and this is no judgment zone.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
No, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Okay, So okay, some of them are non juddy. But
the one that I asked my dad to buy in particular,
was hilarious. Okay, Okay, let's just let's let's start with
the one that I that I got for myself, and
I remember specifically, one of them was Erica ba do.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
By Duism Yes you know, to get helling me.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Don't want to get man that that album blessed me
so much because this was news to me, but it
just made me feel so amazing. There was so many
good songs on there, and I was like, this, this
is such a unique sound. I've never heard anybody sound
(05:38):
like this ever, at least in the years that I
existed at the time. To think that the album came out,
I was like, what is this a yay yay? But
it's working, you know. And I'm saying and she learned
how to make it her own. And it was something
that either you either loved or worked or extremely ear by,
(06:02):
you know. And and there are times where I felt both.
There are times where I feel about not even however,
it's set precedent for me because I don't know, like
the live music just really spoke to me on that record.
I'm like, all these words and I'm looking at I'm
looking on the little the CD uh list with the
(06:24):
words on it, jacket word.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
If you don't have.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Those words, we're going to make up something. And I
was like, Wow, she's saying a lot of things in
here and I wasn't even like a lyrics person back then,
but just to read along and sing along to what
she was doing and how she expressed that. It really
touched me in a way. I said, well, I can,
I can get with it. I can definitely get with this.
I remember around the same time. I don't even know
(06:50):
if this was for musicality, but this is this just
what was out when I when when that was happening
one someone not talk to so miss done anyway, you
know that that single about seven oh two co two.
I think it was off like the uh the Good
(07:13):
Burgers soundtrack. I don't know, but yeah, that was a
good time back then. I think total was that was
out back then.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
That was the time for that was a time. I
thank you for bringing that thank.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
You album that I asked my dad to buy, and
I'm so surprised that he bought it for me. I
was just like, Okay, you got you. That's when I
knew he was woke for real back then, and I
was like, oh, okay, So Biggie Smalls.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Say, what should I say?
Speaker 2 (07:45):
What I think life after death or what I was like,
wait a second, or I don't know if it was
like after that it had a baby on it.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
They had the baby on it, they had the white background.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
Okakay, so maybe it wasn't that one. It was the
one dang because child. I don't know. He had like
a single one there with bone thugs, harmony.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I remember this, Okay. It was it was a black
it was ready to die or it was Life after Death.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
I think it was ready to die? Guy, what what's up?
What's the one on there where it's like, well, I
don't even want to say the words.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I'm not gonna do it, please, okay, because.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
The world is filled like black blank talk about those.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
I know, yes after death, just the one that had
the heart.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Baby by baby that's on there. I'm not I'm gonna digress.
But my dad bought it for me, and I was
really I was like, ok what else can I get
him get in the body. I was trying to figure
it out.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
To buy you the notorious Life after Death?
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Wow, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
MM.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Had I had a child in that day, I don't
think I would have done the same thing. I said,
either or he's just really woke, or he trusted me
with it, and I said, okay, well, but I don't know,
it was just something about that hip hop era that
(09:34):
that even is an influence on me now and not
necessarily all of the negative parts of it or all
of the you know, because it could go either way.
So I wasn't trying to be like this hardcore gangst girl.
But I did live in the South Side Chicago for
many years where there was lacks of gang activity surrounding me,
(09:54):
So it wasn't you know, it wasn't far feted that
was what was happening in the culture. But I was
just oh by the rhythm, and I remember Outclass came
out around that time, and I will try to like
make up the words and like what is he saying
to this little beat? It just I was influenced by
it at a very young age, and so it's still
because a part in my artistry today. So I'm a
(10:17):
moveventon to those guys.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
I really love this story. I love so much that
this is the album that your dad got for you.
I also feel that if you were growing up in
the nineties, you have at least one parental slip, Like
there's one moment that you can be like, you know, wow,
I'm not sure that my parent was supposed to you know,
let me see this or let me listen to this.
(10:40):
My mom's parental nineties slip was Jason's lyric. She was like,
we need to go see a movie. Let's go see
this movie together. And there I am in the movie
with my mama looking at Alan Pay's Harry behind and
we both were surprised both were in for a moment.
(11:01):
I think she was like, she was like, you know,
my child's a teenager. Let me take her here. You know,
we can you know, we're you know, she's not quite
an adult, but we're you know, she's getting old. Let
me take her to half this moment. And then we
both got in there and had to watch Allen Payne
and Jada Pinkett now Jada Pinkett Smith in this field
of flowers. Like that was my mom's one that I
was like, I'm not sure if that was like a
(11:22):
here I have evolved as a parent, or if she
really just didn't know right know. She got in the
movie and was like, what have I done? Why did
I bring my child to this?
Speaker 2 (11:34):
I mean, did you guys stay for the end? Yes?
When you could get it?
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Okay, Yeah, She's like, I can't make that money I
think we watched them high film, and I will say
about my mom, we're people who want to want to
really like discuss art, you know, like we'll go to
a film and like want to discuss it. So I
feel like we went and like ate some food after
that and like discussed everything except his hairy But you
know what I'm saying, like we just the whole sexy got.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Left out off the table.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
We didn't talk about that. I called my friends later
and was like, Y believe my mom took me to
see Jason's lyric and they were like Jason's lyric, Yo.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Mama, yeah, Yo, that is insane. Wow, Yeah, that's insane. Yeah.
So I and I appreciate your mom for that because
you are who you are.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Okay, I'm here, now, I'm here. I learned just a
little more well rounded, you know, a little more learned.
You know, a little more learned. So love that for me.
So my first CD that I purchased myself was either
TLC's Ooh on the TLC tip or it was SWV
(12:42):
s WV because I think their first album was self titled.
It was one of those two. Both are great, both
were great, Both had a lot of neon color involved
in the actual CD itself as well as the CD jacket. Yes, yes, nails,
lots of denim. It was. It was a lot of
loud primary colors involved.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Metric berry very much.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
That big hats on the TLC album cover condoms all
over the place. It was a time, It was a time,
It was the time. Okay, now let me ask you.
Let me ask you about your first concert. And I
know you and I both share the background of being
people who grew up in church. So I whenever people
ask me this question, I have two answers, Chante, because
(13:29):
my first concert was in church. Like, it was not
in a concert hall. It was not at a venue.
My first like for real concert was inside the church.
And so it depends on where I'm at, Chante. Are
you trying to gaze and gaze like you know, I'm
trying to gauge like who who is here in the
room that will understand me saying My first actual concert
(13:51):
was Dawkins and Dawkins, which is a Christian, a Christian
soul that you know like that. They were my first
live show. That was some real good old gospel R
and B type. MU said, really enjoyed that and then
you know, you know, we hated we love it. But
my my first actual, for real like in my mind,
(14:13):
for real concert that I could say to most people
but now not, it's Kanye West. I saw Kanye West
for five dollars.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Saw Kanye was for five dollars with a singer that
we didn't know was John Legend. It was before anybody
knew who John Legend was. It was Kanye West and
John Legend for five dollars at Centennial Olympic Park. These
were my two yeah, like for real, for real, Like
we were really like, wait, who's the singer? This is
(14:42):
amazing man, I wonder where he comes from?
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Right, Like who are these people?
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Like it's like two years later we were like get
lifted came out. We were like, we saw him for
five dollars with Kanye.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Yeah, that is unheard of. Like we don't do no
fight out of nothing, no more. I mean taxes ain't
even five.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Hours, no, not even a drink in the venue. It's fopped.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
I can't wow.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
So do you have dual stories? Do you have a
was your actual first concert in church or no? And
I would love to hear that one if you feel
so led to share. And then do you have a
concert that was outside of church that was like your
first concert experience.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Yes, so I don't even honestly, I don't even remember
my first gospel concert, like until years years later. I
was probably in Atlanta, and I was probably just Yeah,
it wasn't one of those things where like, you know,
I had to go because my parents or whatever. It
was just like whatever people I was with at the
time went to whatever gospel concert. And honestly, I really
(15:48):
don't even remember the gospel one back then. I don't.
I do know that my mom used to like go
to the Stellar Awards and she would bring me back
these little goody bags. Would takes in one of those
tastes with doggers and doggas. Girl that was a music
had Dowkins and Dawkins. I think Jay Moss was on one,
Joe l. Rosario was on a couple. That was always
(16:12):
a treat. So I was like very privy to the
Dowkins and Dokins. Yeah, it spoke to me. So, but
before that, when I was in Chicago because me and
my friends girl, we were upsets, absolutely obsessed with immature. Yeah, yes, yes,
(16:34):
it was a mess. I mean all on the walls,
all on the room, all in my notebooks at school,
invatory imagery. I mean, we were literally obsessed. And so
that was the first real concert that we went to
in Chicago. I don't even remember where it was, but
it was there.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
That was was the entire group. Did you have certain
members of the group that you were really like? Like
it when I loved the Boys, it was I mean,
I loved the boys, but I really it was Hakeen
for me. So did you have like a member of
um sure that that was like your person?
Speaker 2 (17:12):
So I'm kind of still this way, but I was
way more in this way like back in the day, Okay,
because everybody was obsessed with the pretty boy Romeo, everybody
was such with Batman. I chose to love LdB because
he was the lesser of the two. I ain't got
(17:34):
to worry about everybody being upset over him. I can
have him to myself. I ain't gonna worry about all
that energy because people ain't gonna be fighting over him.
And that's why I chose to love him.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
You wanted to give the underdog some love? Chante, I
feel that, I mean it, maybe.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
I am so maybe this has this has the traveled
with me through the ages, just displays in different ways.
But I said, I never specifically being like, oh my god,
everybody's on these these guys. I'm just gonna, you know,
and I'm gonna be okay with that. I'm gonna stay
in my lane. So yeah, we were. We had our
own little triunity of immature worship. That's what it was.
(18:15):
I was like, oh my god, I mean the daydreams. Yeah,
so it was. I even had this, Oh this is
so silly. I even had this letter that I never
sent to. I was supposed to send it to like
the fan club or somebody, but I never sent it out.
I just kept it just from my own obsessive nature,
just to look at it. I laminated with like this
(18:37):
little clear take girl, I was cutting out these little hearts,
you know, the little whole punchers that punch out hearts.
I added that to the next I was very crafty
back then. I think I got it from my grandma,
but I you know, I never sent it, but I
kept it for my own memories.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
I love this so much. First of all, thank you
for referencing a fan club, because how else could you
get in touch with artists that you love back club
like the period. I definitely sent two letters to Janet
Jackson's fan club with my school pictures. I wish that
I would have done what you did though, and kept
(19:23):
that so that I would be like, what are you
writing to her? What are you wanting her to know
about your life? Are you telling her about school?
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Like?
Speaker 1 (19:31):
I remember what I said. I just remember. I was
just like dear Janet and I me and roslid my
little my little school cut my little school picture out.
So that was the only thing you could do. You
had to put it in an envelope.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
And mail envelope with.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
The stamp to the fan club with the little lift
the stamp and the envelope. That's a lot. That was
really a lot that we were put through during that time.
That was a lot. That was a lot for us. Wow,
vive that though, generation I love that. Okay, let me
ask you about do you have a first music centered
(20:12):
movie that you loved and I'm leaving room for if
you're a person who loves musicals, it could be that,
or it could be a movie that you remember loving
the soundtrack almost as much as you loved the movie,
Or it could be a movie also I mean, I
think Purple Rain is a good example of that, right
that it's not it's not a musical, it's not a biopic,
(20:35):
but it is a movie where music is very like central.
So can you think of an early movie in your
life that you loved because of its music.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
This is very tough for me because my brain is
maybe fifty different places I could just be naming. I
kind of ran them, like wait until Exhale.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
That's a that's a very solid soundtrack there. That's a
very solid good stuff.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
I don't even think outside of Boie until til years later,
but I've definitely heard the music first count on me
through Shoot.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
And Brandy and c.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Yeah. That period period it was like okay, cool, I
see you guys, I see you guys out here. Yeah.
So that's just like a vague memory for me of
a soundtrack that I kind of listened to a lot.
There was a songboy, this girl named Billy Lawrence.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
That was on that soundtrack.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
It was like this white girl, but she was kind
of hip hoppy.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Let me find out Billy Lawrence.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
Come on, come on, because I remember one of my
best friends used to be upsets with her as well.
I think it was on soundtrack or like on like
a special edition. It's least somebody.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
But it was like, yeah, I'm gonna find out. I'm
gonna do the research because now.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
The research, that's all. That's all I got right now,
and soil something hits me like minutes later and I'm like, ooh,
I forgot about this. That's what I got for right now.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
I'm gonna think about that. I'm gonna think about that
some more. I'm trying to figure out what would I
say is the earliest. I mean, it's interesting what you
said though about Waiting to Exhale as a film, because
I feel like that there was an era between the
late eighties and mid nineties where there were soundtracks that
were either equally as big to people as the film,
(22:33):
or what you said is spot on the soundtrack reached
you younger than you were old enough to watch the
movie that the soundtrack was actually that excellent. I actually
went back and rewatched Waiting to Exhale, like as an
adult woman, because I'm pretty sure I was too young
to be watching it the first time. So I went
back and watched it and was like, this soundtrack is
(22:55):
almost like impeccable. It's just track for track the Ole Thing. Man.
By the time Whitney's Everyone Falls in Love sometime, I
was like.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Oh, man, listen, anything Whitney is gonna be a great time.
Like every It's like epic every time, epic every single time.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Really really took me to a place. Okay, speaking of albums,
as a music artist who has now made multiple albums,
you are in the process of working on what is
going to be your next album. How do you know
when you're getting the beginning of an album idea? Do
you typically have a way the album idea comes to you?
(23:39):
Or is it that the songs tend to come to
you and then as they accumulate, you start to think
this maybe is becoming an album.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Okay, So both of those things are very true and
often happen like all the time with myself especially, So
it's like I will get pieces here, pieces there, pieces here,
pieces there, and then sometimes this piece that I thought
(24:09):
wasn't going to be anything turns into a main thing
because maybe I found somebody to collab on it, or
I found an elevated track, So it's beyond what I
was originally thinking. So now I'm like, okay, you know,
let's leave no stones unturned and nothing wasted. So I
have a list of song titles in my notes on
(24:32):
my phone, and sometimes I go back to them and say,
I need to write a song called this because that's
how I feel, that's what I feel I'm being called
to express in this season. And then there are times
when I just hear dope tracks or like somebody will
send me something, or I'll be vibing with somebody musically
(24:52):
and I'm like ooh, and then I'll just start singing
or speaking or you know, flowing or whatever, and I'm
just like, you know, c that vibe in the moment
on the spot with that other individual. And so sometimes
I'll have I'll have dreams of songs in my head
and then I'll wake up and literally record of a
(25:12):
crazy behind voice memos, sound and all kind of grappling
and you're just crazy. But I'm hearing all Like I
literally hear all the instrumentation in my dream. That's what
happened with a couple of songs on this new album.
So there's a few different ways. And then as far
as like let's say the name of the album, I
really just brainstorm, brainstorm, brainstorm, and I'm like Okay, lord,
(25:37):
what what would you like to speak in this in
this season? And I'm very very led that way. And
then I just write all these words, and something made
just speak to me, just because I'm looking at all
the words and how they fit together and how they
make me feel and how they relate to my truth
and and so yeah, it's it's in a mouth aclamation
(26:00):
of all of those things that literally make up a
whole a whole piece of work. So yeah, that's my story.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
I'm always fascinated in speaking with music artists about the
process of albums because the closest I come to that
as a poet. I mean I have done albums as
a poet too, but I think I did them differently
than a lot of my friends who are music artists
described because I really just had like a backlog of
poems I sort of needed. You know, back in the
(26:28):
day when you could really make money selling CDs at
your merch table. Whoo, that was a time.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Oh my god, I remember the time.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
That was a time, y'all. I mean you could really,
you could really make a CD.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
For less just got the burning, you just got the burning, burning.
Who putting on a little putting on a little cover
in a little you had a sticker and a takes.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Boy boy, you really listen, Yeah, this is worth what
I'm charging. Cost you less than two dollars to make it.
You could charge ten fifteen dollars. We was making so
much money at the merch table is all day.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
And I wouldn't even know. I wouldn't There was no
way to tell if you're bule you're not, and if
you are helping.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Me right right, getting the word out, getting the word
out at that time, that's the thing, that's the thing
that was the time. So I was like, I made
those albums, but I didn't actually have the creative process
that you described of when you're not going there to
just need to package some merch together so you can
have merch but his thing. But you're actually thinking as
(27:32):
a creative work. You're looking at the album and thinking
about what your soul wants to say. What do you
feel like you know the work itself wants to be.
So I'm always fascinated to hear about that process. So
let me ask at the end of the process. Because
I also hear from music artists that you could have
(27:53):
way more songs then will actually make it on the
album in the end, right.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
So you can.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Yeah, So how do you know when it's done? When
the album is finished, is there typically like a feeling
that you have inside or is it sort of process
of elimination. Because you've been in the process of writing songs,
you can kind of see the idea germinating. You can
see which songs fit and which ones don't. How does
(28:20):
that process typically go?
Speaker 2 (28:22):
Okay, So in my current today outlook on that, there
are a couple of things that I am factoring in
now because society has changed, technology has changed, the attention
spans of the people have changed, So there were a
(28:44):
couple of times. Okay, so let's just take this last
album that I'm working on that I'm finishing as an example.
At first, I had maybe like, like in total, there
was a possible maybe thirteen to fifteen tracks that I
was very I felt very you know, strongly about, you know,
(29:05):
included a couple of interlals, a couple of this, a
couple of that. And so when we were kind of
shopping distribution labels and some other people that were going
to help, you know, fund some things, they were like, Okay,
this is great, Like all of this is great, this
is amazing. However, in today's society, there is a there
(29:31):
is a sweet spot of album tracks and for streaming,
they were saying the sweet spot is like ten tracks. Wow, yep,
between eight to ten tracks, because people's attention span is
very very short. And also there's something like if it's
over ten tracks, you're really not making any money off
(29:52):
of the additional two because how whatever the the bat
or the price, I don't know how to how it
works out, but yeah, there's a theory that if you
make over ten, you're really not making anything from the
extra two because they count something something, something I don't know.
So I'm kind of taking all that into consideration. And
(30:15):
so I did scale back on like a couple songs,
but it ended up working really really well. So it
just it just kind of allowed me to really give
those ten songs like and honestly, okay, it's ten songs,
but like maybe two interludes, so twelve tracks in total,
ten full songs. You know, however you want to slice it,
(30:38):
that's up to you and yours. But it kind of
just allowed me to really really fine tune those records
dedicate the proper attention that they require. That they deserve
and so yeah, even though I was like, oh, okay,
I see what you're saying, but yeah, it was like everybody,
every everywhere we went, they had that. So yeah, that's
(31:01):
kind of where I am now. I am doing a
volume one in a volume two. So anything that's not
me used boo booh, we're gonna go on the next record. Hm.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
You know what I'm saying. Mm hmm. I was wondering
about that. It's very interesting to hear you describe sort
of the especially being an artist who who cares about
the concept of your album and how the songs collect together,
that you want there to be some sense of synergy there,
and that as an artist in the market now having
(31:34):
to consider certain things that are more you know, for
us as artists that will be more on like the
business side of thought, but that you have to consider
them even in like how you may decide to make
your creative work. But it definitely was coming to my
mind thinking, Okay, if you're if you're an artist who's
in the mindset of like you're used to making albums
(31:54):
that had fifteen tracks, and it's like that would really
help you because if you're if you're my automatically right.
I'm like you have that sounds fantastic. And I will
say I will say for artists that I love and
have listened to their newest albums that have probably come
(32:17):
out in the last two or three years, I have
noticed them being shorter. But as a music fan, as
a music fan and a and a person who loves
to go to live shows, it may it puts me
in the position of want more. It puts me to
be like ooh, like oh, that was so good. I
have to see that when this person's tour comes to Atlanta,
(32:39):
I have to be there for the next you know,
part two of this album idea, And so I hope
that even though for those of us who are like
really music heads, it's hard to think that people's attentions
fans are shorter when music is amazing, like that can
be hard on me, I.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
Mean, because we could listen forever and ever and ever am.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
I'm give me, what are we doing with the songs
The Key of Life? What about that?
Speaker 2 (33:03):
I mean, that's a whole day's worth of music like.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
This was amazing, But I hope that it produces in
people who love music a desire to want more from
the artists, they love to want more of that next record,
to want more of getting to see how that shows
up in a live set to this The other thing
that came to my mom when you were talking earlier. Yes,
I want to talk also. I want to ask you
(33:27):
about how you feel you have developed what chante can't
as the performer is on stage because this and I've
seen you perform in various environments and as your music
and you have have evolved and broaden and all these things.
(33:47):
And that last show that I saw, Chante can like
the sense of I don't even know if confidence is
the right word. I want to say chante it's a
of mastery is what I think is the word that's
in my mind. More that it takes a certain something
when you're there in the writing phase and in the
(34:09):
recording part. But what is the gap between you have
finished recording this music you are now like now, I
got to get this music ready for stage, and I
got to get it ready for stage to where I
feel comfortable going in and out of it. However, I like,
what's the process of how you get yourself to that?
Because you were so comfortable up there, and that makes
(34:34):
the audience feel so at ease with you because we
know you know where you're going, So all I gotta
do is follow you. I don't have to be in
the crowd, Like, is everything okay? Is it supposed to
be like this? I don't know. So what's the process
like of recording and page and writing and how that
transforms for you on stage?
Speaker 2 (34:55):
That is an amazing question. And it's so funny that
you ask that in in this uh, in this current
season of my life, because so I just recently, not
not even at the show that you saw me yet,
but like literally within the past couple of weeks, I
(35:17):
got connected with with a artist developer, and I got
connected with somebody to who's going to help me get
into acting and film and kind of just kind of
expand my artistic nature to wherever it can go. Because
I really feel like there's something there, like there's something
(35:39):
that's pulling me to the arts. I just don't have
any for real, for real training or you know, I
just know what I know, and I know what comes
natural and I know what I feel, but I just
don't know, like you know, I haven't I haven't gone
to school for it. So there's an artist developer that
I just recently started working and with. There are these
(36:03):
coaches that kind of are have been helping me get
my live show the new show together because the old show,
you know, because I've done it forever ish forever, forever,
e I can be comfortable in that. And I and
(36:24):
it wasn't always that way, you know, as somebody who's
dealt with anxiety pretty much their whole entire life. The
stage for me, there were parts of it that were
my safety and also my safety lied in like jam
sessions with with the live music, live musicians. My safety
(36:46):
lied in not necessarily ooh, I'm performing, but it lied
in Ooh me and this musician are having this amazing
musical conversation. We're coming up with this on the spot
improv improv, improv because that was like my strong suit
and I was just like I was like just learning
(37:06):
my own voice. You know, when when I was first
coming out as an artist, so I used to do
I remember doing full shows that were all in prov
and like it was just like okay, and oh people
are still here. Okay, cool. Now I just have to
be more intentional about those moments, because yeah, it should
(37:29):
not be for the whole entire show. But at that moment,
like that is where that is what soothed me, that
is what lessen my anxiety. So I stayed there a lot,
and I based a lot of my shows off of that.
Now I do remember there being a transition where I
wanted to intentionally say, hey, let's you know, do a
(37:50):
set list. Let's make it amazing, Let's do the covers
that I love to do, Let's do it my way,
and let's do my interpretation of it. Oh, let me
be inspired by this musician here, this musician there. So
I was around musicians all the time, I was around
singers all the time. We were shedding vocals all the time, NonStop.
That really really helped me because that was my safe
(38:11):
place too. And so so getting all of that ready
for for stage and it for and for it to
be uh translated, Well, it just takes doing it over
and over and over again and walking in that confidence
that you talked about, because I still have to intentionally
(38:33):
walk in it, you know what I'm saying, Like, I
still have to be intentional about walking in that, but rehearsing,
practicing by myself when there's no singers around me, you know,
having those moments that has been so helpful to me.
It's helped, you know, keep my my vocals warm up,
It's helped keep my my my chops up or whatever.
(38:56):
My performance, my family, all the things kind of have
been preparing me to make the show what it's supposed
to be. So that's kind of things that I've been
working on subconsciously and now more intentionally with the artist
development and because I never had artist artists development like
me me with my vocal right let me you that
(39:19):
my big sister, she she was that for me, you
know when I didn't even know what that was at
the time. So yeah, there are still areas in which
I know can be improved as far as connecting and
being intentional about every single moment and looking confident and
(39:40):
feeling confident and not just let me hide, let me
hide in this, let me hide in this like you know,
like coming out of that that hiding. So yeah, I
appreciate you for for bringing that up.
Speaker 1 (39:56):
Yeah you spoke some words there because I really what
you described about your process, especially in this season of times.
I think as stage performers, there is a vulnerability to
start building the new show, Like I feel like I'm
sort of in that zone a little bit too, where
like I know, as a performer, I know this story
right here, it killed every time, so I know I
(40:18):
can throw it in. But when you're building the new set,
there's a lot you're still trying to figure out how
it works, Does it work? Do I want to transition
from this to that that way? And that can have
a certain kind of vulnerability because you're not guaranteed that
the audience will respond to it the way you may
have imagined, and some of it may take time of
(40:39):
you doing it on stage several times before you get
it to where you love it. But if you can
do that, then you have fresh material, fresh art that
an audience can experience with you. So it's worth that process,
but it is uncomfortable in some regards. And tell my god,
(41:00):
right that part. You also brought up a really excellent
point too, of being able to bring in other experts,
other people that can help broaden you, can help strengthen
some of those muscles, and you can help you to
see yourself beyond what you may know of what you
think you can do on stage or what you think
(41:21):
you can do in your profession. And it's so powerful
and that's a vulnerable thing too, like to have to
bring in other people and let them sort of look
at you from the outside looking in, and to take
in the the like not criticism, but like the feedback
that they may give you. You know, and it may not
all be how brilliant you are, how dope it is.
(41:45):
That may be like, hey, you might want to think
about this. That the third and you have to humbly
process that with the end goal being that you hope
to really put on the best that your present you
in this moment, not a past you, but the you
you you are right now. That's the goal, is to
put that, put out, put that out there, put the
(42:05):
best to you right now. But that does mean you
gotta take in some things and try to figure I
was like, oh, why you didn't just tell me I'm amazing,
Like I thought that's what our session was gonna be.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
You didn't do that anything is That's exactly what the
lady said. She was like, you know, I know you're
used to everybody telling you that you're the Besys and
you're this and this and you are that. However, however,
we we need to go higher. You know, you need
to have people around you that are gonna be give
you healthy constructive criticism, like it's our job to do that.
(42:39):
We've been doing this for years. We've been doing this
for A B and C people. That's what we are
here for. We are a safe place. We know there's
potential in you. We know that it's eating greater potential,
and we don't want you hiding anymore. And so a
lot of places where I lived was inside of my head.
And so when I'm performing for the artist's development session,
(43:00):
it's I'm in my head because it's like there's one
on one, it's like a small group. Once again, I'm like, oh, okay, cool,
because you know, if I was at a show, I
would be way more uncomfortable because that's in my element.
You know, I can hide behind the then I can
hide behind you know, the music, and I can hide
behind this. I can hide behind that. But their thing
(43:21):
was we know you can sing like that. That's not
the issue here. Where this is not a this is
not a singing class. This is something to where it
can be translated. And wherever you go, people are gonna
look at you and say she's been working on this theater.
(43:41):
People will look at you and say, oh, well, let's
get her for this musical and let's get you know, well,
she has a wonderful voice, but how is she with this?
How is she with that? So it's helping me, hone
in on those things and get outside of my head
and just be like not not concentrate on Oh I
got to hit this right no, oh I got to
hit this right now. I got to hit this right note.
(44:03):
And so I was just like, oh, okay, because you're
all in my business right now.
Speaker 1 (44:06):
Oh that's the thing. You really got a lesson people
all you you look like.
Speaker 2 (44:11):
You're trying to sing the right note.
Speaker 1 (44:14):
Okay, I'm sorry because I didn't want to look like
I was t I wanted to do it.
Speaker 2 (44:18):
I didn't want I just wanted. I mean, this is
I want to hit the right note sometimes. But they
were like, you can't think about that like that. It
was just really it helped me put some things in perspective.
So I'm excited.
Speaker 1 (44:32):
Thinking from perspective. The streets are talking that there is
a Shante can documentary in the works. Are you able
to speak to the things the streets are saying, Shante?
Speaker 2 (44:46):
Absolutely, I love the streets sometimes, you know, because they
be watching, they watching talk watching. Some streets is cool.
Some streets I'm not. I'm cool on, but these streets
I can trust right now. So yes, those streets that
you are referring too, are talking about a documentary that
I am working on. I've been Oh, it's been a
(45:10):
while since I've started. I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna
go out on a limb and say I started. This
was birthed maybe in twenty fifteen, so it's been a
long journey for it to be from there to where
it is now. So this documentary is about Huntington's disease
(45:34):
awareness and how that relates to my story, how that
relates to my life, how that relates to my my
journey as an artist, as an individual. And it is
called I can't say the name because we've we've said
it already. So it's called Beautiful Brave, which is the
name of one of the singles on the new.
Speaker 1 (45:55):
Album, Oh I Love.
Speaker 2 (45:58):
Thank You and basically beautiful Brave. Uh So I'll just
say the lyrics of the song, so beautiful Brave gotta
get up, get up and say I'm scared but I'm
gonna do it anyway. Do it afraid, gotta get up,
get up, say I'm scared, but I'm gonna do it anyway.
And so it's just kind of speaking to the craziness
(46:22):
of life that kind of ensued when I was finding
more out about Hunting's when I was dealing with people
in my family with it, when I went to go
get tested my own self. So apart, I'm bringing people
along for that journey as well as spreading awareness for
people who have no idea what Huntingtons is. But overall,
(46:44):
it's I wanted to relate to anybody across the globe,
whether you're an artist dealing with a specific thing or
somebody that you know, maybe dealing with with with something
a sickness and illness something that they is just outside
their country role like how how do you how do
you brave through it? And how how does you being
(47:06):
brave turn into something beautiful? And so that's kind of
the inspiration behind it, and we're looking to release it
sometime next year. We're kind of talking to some distribution
now but going through some first drafts and so yeah,
we're kind of in the final processes of that. So
(47:27):
I'm very excited about that.
Speaker 1 (47:29):
Oh my gosh, that sounds amazing, Chanta. So that's amazing
on a lot of levels. I mean amazing for you
to be sharing a story that's personal to you that
I know is going to mean a lot to a
lot of people to hear the journey that you have
been on like that. It's amazing in that way, and
it's amazing to embark on taking your story into your
(47:51):
own hands and to say this is the story I
want to tell, this is the way that I want
to tell it. And for us as artists, and in
particularly as black women, for people of color who are artists,
to be able to take our own stories and say
this is the way we want it to be told.
It's so powerful. So y'all make sure y'all be on
the lookout. And speaking of the lookout, Chante, people are listening,
(48:14):
they have heard the stories. They want to know. Where
can they hear this music? Where can they buy these
tickets for when you might be doing your thing in
their city? How can they follow you so they can
know what's what? Tell the people how they can access
all things Shanta can?
Speaker 2 (48:31):
Okay, yes, So for those of you all who are
interested in staying alone for the journey, and would like
to be connected to anything that may be happening in
the future, whether it's the release of albums, whether it's
the documentary. All the things will be available to you
at the website, which is shante can dot com, c
(48:54):
h A N t A E C A n n
dot com. And obviously I'm on Instagram, Facebook, anywhere music is.
That's where I am. All of the digital platforms out there, Spotify,
album Music, Amazon, all the things I am there, look
(49:16):
me up. I would love to continue to stay connected. Yeah,
that's it, y'all do that.
Speaker 1 (49:24):
And if y'all here and y'all are like, oh I'm
late to the Shantea Camp party, don't worry. You can
be late in on time. This is your time. You
can go ahead, go to there. You can connect right now.
Oh that's you know. You go ahead and catch up
on these albums before the new one come out, so
that way you'll have all those songs under your belt already.
You already got time. Shanta Can. Thank you for just
(49:44):
sharing your time with me. I appreciate this so much.
It is so good to talk with you, to talk
music with you, to talk about your process, and I
am out here awaiting. I'm awaiting this new album, the
new show, the documentary. I'm out here. I can't so
thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (50:02):
Thank you for having me. You know, anytime we are
sisters from another mister, you're you know you are and
my mom.
Speaker 1 (50:11):
That's it. That's it, because because me and Matt be
looking like Shante's parents. So whenever we go to the show,
she'd be like my parents. If you don't be looking
at me and Mad, they'd be looking at me and
Matt like, Hi, now is the math not math? Hello? Yes,
thank you so much. Chante y'all go to chantecam dot com.
(50:32):
Do all the things there, see y'all soon. Her with
Amina Brown is produced by Matt Owen for sober Feiti
Productions as a part of the Seneca Women Podcast Network
(50:53):
in partnership with iHeartRadio. Thanks for listening and don't forget
to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
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