Kreesha Turner
August 12th, 2009 - Written by melissa—
Kreesha Turner is quickly becoming a Canadian household name thanks to her widely acclaimed first album, ‘Passion’ and its most notable single, ‘Don’t Call me Baby’- a song that most people could probably start singing simply by hearing the title. Kreesha has come a long way in her music career already, winning awards and being played very often on radio stations across the country as she continues to gain serious momentum in the industry. When she came to play the Virgin Festival in Montreal on June 19th, CONFRONT had the chance to sit down with Kreesha and talk more about her past, her present and her future as a rising Canadian artist.
CONFRONT: So how are you?!
KREESHA: I’m good! How about you?!
CONFRONT: I’m very good! How’s your experience at the festival so far?
KREESHA: The festival, well it hasn’t really started yet!
CONFRONT: That’s true
KREESHA: But so far so good! Earlier today wasn’t so good *laughs*. The airport lost my luggage!
CONFRONT: The one in Montreal?!
KREESHA: Well, the flight, the airline
CONFRONT: Oh no, that’s not fun…
KREESHA: It’s supposed to land at 3 o’clock, but they have all my stage clothing. I had to borrow make-up, hair products and clothes from my back-up singers! *laughs*
CONFRONT: That’s crazy! So you’re really just making do with whatever you have on you?
KREESHA: Yeah… But now that I hear that they found it- they found it in Chicago… It’s amazing that they’re getting it back this fast
CONFRONT: Yeah that’s definitely nice of them
KREESHA: Yeah! So other than that it’s been good so far. And I’m glad to see- I heard it was gonna rain but it seems okay now!
CONFRONT: Yeah, it’s been pouring rain here for days…
KREESHA: Awww! So we’re in luck today?
CONFRONT: Definitely! *laughs* So have you played any shows recently similar to this one?
KREESHA: I have, this is the first one this year, but we played a couple festivals last year. I played in Halifax and then in Wonderland which were both amazing, sold out, 20 000 people crowds… so it was wicked!
CONFRONT: That’s awesome! Is it your first time here in Montreal?
KREESHA: No! I’ve been here a couple times… But it’s my first official live show… But I’ve been here for press, TV, for the show ‘Star Academie’, and a whole bunch of other things. But yeah, this is my first official show. No one here in Montreal has seen me perform live yet!
CONFRONT: Oh well I hope we don’t disappoint, I’ve heard we’re a really awesome crowd!
KREESHA: See that’s the reason I always wanted to come back because every time I come here people tell me “You have to come back and play our crowds are amazing! The festivals are amazing!” So I always said that if there’s ever an opportunity in the summer to play a festival I wanted to come to Montreal
CONFRONT: For sure. Well it’s the first time that Virgin Fest is here so it’s really new for us… People seem really excited from what I saw anyways
KREESHA: Oh cool!
CONFRONT: Yeah! So, just kind of going back in time, how did your career take off? Where did everything start for you?
KREESHA: Where did everything start…? I started my adventure immediately graduating from high school which was in 2003. I started doing everything I possibly could- A lot of people don’t know but I was actually active in my local urban scene for a good 3-4 years until I won my local radio station’s (the Bounce) singing competition. Just through the course of that kind of thing I would enter every possibly competition, I’d be performing on every stage, performing in clubs… This was just another one of those competitions… But this one, that I won, my prize was 4 songs. One of those songs happened to be ‘Bounce with Me’ and it was from there- Because technically ‘Bounce with Me’ is the song that got me signed- so it all stemmed from that competition!
CONFRONT: That’s awesome! How did you know that this is what you wanted to do?
KREESHA: Well, when I was 15 I actually moved to Jamaica, my mom is Jamaican… and it was when I was living there; I didn’t start singing until I was 16- before I was actually a dancer. Before that all I did was dance. But being in the Jamaican culture, they’re very musical. Everybody is always singing, everybody is always dancing… so when I was there, a couple of my friends peer pressured me to join the youth choir at my church with them. I was like “I’m so not doing this, I don’t sing” but they convinced me and I started singing in that choir, and it was there that I fell in love with singing. Being a dancer, I still knew the power of music but I guess, singing you really feel the emotion. And then for the first time being on stage and me being the one singing- especially in a church setting where people are very responsive to the emotional music you’re singing- it was like, for the first time I was the one invoking those emotions, you know what I mean? It was a whole different level of connecting with the people… because before I just knew how it made me feel and now I was the one making someone feel.
CONFRONT: That must have been an amazing experience
KREESHA: It was insane! It was really crazy. So yeah it all came from there. Then I came back to Canada, I finished high school and when I was in my last year in high school I became the girl who sang at all the school events etc. etc.… So I was active ever since then!
CONFRONT: That’s awesome!
KREESHA: Yeah!
CONFRONT: I read on Perez Hilton that he called you “The next biggest singing sensation”… did you hear about that?
KREESHA: Yeah, I did hear about that!
CONFRONT: What was your take on that situation? Were you excited?
KREESHA: I was excited that he was nice to me! *laughs*
CONFRONT: *laughs* You never know with Perez!
KREESHA: I didn’t get anything vulgar drawn on my face… *laughs* So to me I was like… yay!
CONFRONT: Good news! *laughs*
KREESHA: I remember Jess, my manager, she was like “DID you see?! You’re on Perez Hilton!” and I was like Really?! And there I was!
CONFRONT: It seems like a rite of passage these days, you have to be there, have good news… to be really noticed
KREESHA: Exactly!
CONFRONT: That’s really cool that you were in his good books! I read it and I was like “Oh, that’s awesome!” And besides that, you’ve won “Best New Solo Artist” at the Canadian Radio Music Awards… And how was that experience?
KREESHA: Well it was my first official music award… It was fun, really good! At that particular show I actually performed my latest single, “Passion”, and I did it with a high school marching band! So I had a marching band with me on stage with their drums… Doing that song with me. The whole day was really exciting. And on top of it I won my first award- and definitely, radio is what reaches the masses, right? So it feels good to know that the radio were supporting me and playing my music and just getting that response.
CONFRONT: For sure. Just talking about being on the radio and that kind of thing, what’s your take on the whole idea that being played on the radio is very main stream? A lot of people seem to try and stay away from radio and try to find those smaller less ‘main stream’ bands…
KREESHA: Yeah, some people do. I think it also depends on what your target audience is and what you technically want to do. For me, when I set out to do this I always knew that I wanted to do pop/R&B. The reason I chose pop is simply because pop is the definition of what reaches the masses. That is the stuff that is going to be played on the radio and that you’re going to have a wide array of all ages- young, old- all that kind of stuff that is hearing your stuff. Then you also have the cool opportunities of being endorsed, being on magazine covers… and being a girl, to me, that’s one of the exciting things! I love make up, I love fashion… I got to go to New York Fashion week, Toronto fashion week… To me, as a female artist, I guess that’s why I’m completely opposite to some of the more alternative bands. That’s not what they’re trying to do- they’re not trying to be on the cover of, you know, ‘Elle’ Magazine! *laughs* you know what I mean? That’s what I want to do! So for me that is what I want, that is what I’m seeking, that is definitely the avenue that I want to pursue!
CONFRONT: Well kind of speaking about where you want to go… where do you see your career heading in 5, 10 years from now?
KREESHA: 5 years from now… Oh goodness! Well I just now that in this next year I want to start doing my 2nd album. I want to start working on it in like August-September, and to me, I feel blessed even being able to make a 2nd album because the first one I received such an amazing and overwhelming response that people feel there is a NEED for a second album! And it all just kind of stems from there, so it’s like… maybe in 5 years from now I would hope to be on maybe my 3rd or 4th album and I guess in my books I still have a lot more to do internationally. When you get a successful international album you can travel and work that album for 2 years solid. So to me, it’s like, I want to get that album where I’m going to be traveling the club… I want to just be sick of my songs! So sick of my singles! *laughs* It’s like “okay… next album!” that’s what I want.
CONFRONT: *laughs* And what’s your biggest goal, for you, in your career, what do you really hope to achieve by the end of it?
KREESHA: At the end of it, for me, I have levels… and my base ground level that I want to really achieve is to be able to live off of my music. I don’t want to have a day job, I don’t want to be going back to school or taking an office job to become an accountant… I want to provide for me, my family, my friends, solely by doing music. That in itself is a seed in it’s own. Once I accomplish that, then I’m going to start dreaming bigger. I’ve always wanted to be on… Well technically I’m almost doing it right now, but I’ve always wanted to be on the bills of international artists. I remember a couple years ago, do you remember that one in the UK for Princess Diana… there was Duran Duran, Black Eyed Peas, Nelly Furtado… everybody! All old and new, Elton John… To be on a stage like that in front of a sold out auditorium of I think it was 50, 000 people and I think millions of people watching on TV… I think that would be amazing.
CONFRONT: Yeah, like you just want to do what you love, be successful in it and happy in doing it.
KREESHA: Exactly!!
CONFRONT: So, speaking about your album, “Passion”, what was your inspiration behind it?
KREESHA: For me, “Passion” being my first album, I know that when you listen to a lot of albums these days, I feel that they’re too focused… do you know what I mean? For me growing up, even though I was a dancer, my father and my mother are both very avid music listeners. They listen to the widest most eclectic blend of music. I remember listening to everything from Leonard Cohen, to Fleetwood Mac, to the Supremes… I just remember being exposed to everything. So in my brain I hear all of that, you know what I mean? I don’t just hear one thing… So for me, when I approached making “Passion” I wanted to demonstrate my musical influences. So for example, “Don’t Call Me Baby” was very ABBA influenced, and then I have a song on my album called “Black Magic” that’s very jazz influenced… then I have my pop ones… and “Chains of Love” is very old school/soul/Aretha. I wanted to kind of be able to do that instead of just straight pop!
CONFRONT: Yeah you don’t want the whole thing to sound like the same thing… You really wanted it to just be you
KREESHA: Exactly! Yeah, exactly it. For me that’s what I wanted to do for my first album. I think I accomplished it with some of the amazing songwriters I worked with.
CONFRONT: That’s cool. Do you have a personal favorite song?
KREESHA: I think it changes pretty often…
CONFRONT: How about right now?
KREESHA: Well my favorite song to perform is “Black Magic” because I’m actually a really big jazz fan- Jazz is probably one of my ground influences… and that’s one of my favorite songs to perform… One of my favorite songs to listen to is called “My Place”, it’s kind of a more slow, even country sometimes sound… but the product is very consuming and very… I don’t know how to explain it exactly. But that’s one of my favorite songs to listen to.
CONFRONT: Okay, well that’s cool! What is the biggest lesson that you’ve learnt to-date?
KREESHA: Biggest lesson I’ve learnt to-date… Well after today’s events, it’s to bring an extra change of clothes in my carry-on!
*Everybody laughs*
KREESHA: I’ve learned so many things though. I’ve learned that if you’re not having fun then you shouldn’t be doing it
CONFRONT: For sure. It’s one of those kinds of businesses. You have to love what you do.
KREESHA: Exactly. I’ve learnt that because, I don’t know, being in the business you run into a lot of jaded people. And it breaks my heart, it really does, because to me being young and being fresh in the business I still have this exuberance, this excitement, this passion… And to me it’s like, when I see these people, I don’t want to end up like that. You know what I mean? I want to be able to feel this way forever. So to me, it’s like, a lot of people say you have to learn how to be sensible, to be grounded, to surround yourself with a solid group of individuals, and just be able to take things in stride and enjoy it as it comes and maybe not expect too much and be like “Oh my god, I didn’t get that”… just kind of enjoy it as it comes where you don’t end up jaded and bitter and all that. That’s one thing I learnt.
CONFRONT: That’s a big lesson!
KREESHA: For sure! *laughs*
CONFRONT: It’s important not to let yourself get that way. What do you think the toughest part is so far?
KREESHA: Toughest part…? A lot of it to me is pretty easy. I’m kind of a chill person in general, not much stresses me out. I’m just kind of like ‘doo doo doo…’ *laughs* I just kind of go with it! I am somebody who is fond of my sleep, so… *laughs*
CONFRONT: *laughs* Trust me, I understand that!
KREESHA: That is one thing that is difficult. I’m one of those people that goes to bed early, wake up when I’m ready… But being in the music industry especially, most people are night owls. So to me, it completely throws me off…
CONFRONT: You’re like “It’s my bedtime!”
KREESHA: *laughs* Exactly! I’m like “I’m in bed at 10 o’clock you guys! I should be in bed, getting ready for bed now!” and we like don’t even go on for another 2 hours… So it’s not a really HARD thing, it’s more of a compromise for something that I love, but you definitely have to learn how to work off 2 hours of sleep. I did that this past weekend, I got 2 hours of sleep, woke up, caught a flight, had a late night, got into Edmonton, my hometown… had an autograph signing almost an hour after I landed- so I had time to change and then I had to go and do a signing and greeting for 3 hours. Even though you’re so exhausted in your brain you still have to find that last bit of energy, wherever it is, at the bottom of your foot or whatever and you bring it out! I don’t people to have to experience me lethargic or grumpy you know what I mean? I want people to experience me at my best, how I am after a good night’s sleep or after an amazing meal… So for me it’s definitely how to learn to find that and even though you don’t think you have that energy, it’s somehow finding it and giving it to the people who are supporting you! Just being you for them.
CONFRONT: Yeah… that’s a really positive attitude! I like it! What is… well I should have asked this a little bit earlier when we were talking about your album, but what’s your writing process like?
KREESHA: When I did that, actually, because I told you I used to write and record all my own stuff, it’s like, I knew how I wrote right? So when I went in with the different writers and song producers, they always asked me ‘how do you want to do this’ and I was like ‘nonono… I want to see how YOU do this’ because you know… Let’s say my way is like a screwdriver. I already have a screwdriver… to add the arsenal of my toolbox I need a hammer, a wrench, whatever. So I wanted to experience how they approached the creative process. So I approached this last album very much as a learning process to see how they created it. From everyone that I worked with it was always different. People started off with a topic, some people started off with a melody, some people started off with a word, some people started off where the production was all there, music and everything and you had to create to the music, or you just started off completely dry and went from there. For me, this album was no ONE way. It was all the different ways.
CONFRONT: That’s great! It must really show that, those different perspectives and your take on music too. That’s really cool
KREESHA: Yeah!
CONFRONT: Well thank you very much for your time. It was nice to meet you!
KREESHA: No problem! You too!
Not only did Kreesha Turner prove to be incredibly passionate and dedicated to her work throughout the interview, but she showed exactly why she’s done so well already. Her enthusiasm was noticeable every time she spoke about her music and where she sees herself heading. Most importantly, she’s already understood what it takes to be truly successful in the business. She has learned lessons that take other artists years to understand and she has taken her fame all in stride.
Her performance at the festival was absolutely amazing as well. If you ever get the opportunity to see Kreesha Turner perform, you should definitely check her out!
If you’d like to learn even more about Kreesha Turner, visit her on her myspace at:
Or follow her on twitter at:
—
Related Articles:
Find arcitcles with similar tags: confront, confront magazine, kreesha turner, music, perez hilton, star academie, vfest, virgin festival