Chandra Simmons

Chandra Simmons

(New York, N.Y.) R&B

Armed with a sultry voice and saucy R&B sonics, Simmons' self-penned album God's Promise to Me is as polished as anything on your MTV. As such, attention is something this Brooklyn-born up-and-comer has received (BET-approved videos, collaborations with Diddy and Teddy Riley) and quite frankly expects. Don't be surprised if household-name status is just around the corner.

- Cinncinnati CityBeat

Chandra Simmons's hot single "Star Status" remixed by up-and-coming producer/remixer, Phil Ber, will be available for digital download on October 25th. "Star Status" is the lead single from the smokin' new Artemis continuous mix dance compilation (also entitled "Star Status"), which hits stores on November 15th. Check them both out! - Artemis Records

BET: THE NEXT - Chandra Simmons
by The Bet.com Staff

Who: Chandra Simmons, an R&B recording artist who's first single "Never Gonna Let You Go" was releases on Sleeping Bag Records at the young age of 16 years old. "Never Gonna Let you Go" reached the top 100 singles, which sent Chandra touring up and down the East Coast. Chandra went on to do several Off Broadway plays and toured overseas with the hit single "Destiny" off of the NU Civilization album. Chandra later hooked up with vocalist Carmen Brown to form the group Raw Stilo, the group released "Cutie" on Polygram records with the music video being added to BETs regular rotation. Chandra has now released a new album entitled "GOD's Promise to Me" Chandra definitely did a great job on this one, she wrote all of the lyrics and she Executive Produced the entire project. -discogs.com - By the Bet.com Staff

Her voice and the name maybe recognizable to some, her sound will be familiar to many. The R&B retro with the twist of hip-hop is the sound that Chandra Simmons brings to the air waves.

Chandra's history in the music industry has taken her on an excursion that started at the age of 16 with her first record deal at Sleeping Bag Records. Her single Never Gonna Let You Go reached Billboard’s Top 100 singles chart. She later teamed up with Carmen Brown from Raw Stilo and signed to A&M Records/Polygram Records to create the hit single Cutie which was in regular rotation on Video Music Box.

This down to earth and soulful Brooklyn native pops out some head shaking, body moving beats in her latest CD entitled God's Promise. She wrote and Executive produced all of the tracks on this project. Many of the songs on this thirteen track CD pertain to serious life issues. Anne Get Your Gun, “…is about a women being abused”. Lola “…is a stripper working as dancer in the clubs”. While other songs, speak on love and relationships like the serenading sexual How You Make Me Feel and All That I Am in which she asks brothers to appreciate all the things that women do. Then there is the sensual piece "about me putting black man on a pedestal and giving them their props for being a man” entitled You. One of the song’s poetic lines flows, "You a black man so in touch with his spiritual realm. You a black man the epitome of God himself in mind body and spirit."

After listening to the CD you may to question the title. I had to ask about her choice. "It's entitled God's Promise but is not gospel; it is R&B/ Hip-Hop. I had to give God the glory. Because of my experiences and where am at right now, I feel like I am being blessed. I'm a born again Christian and I am in the world. I'm going through a struggle with in, like knowing Gods word and knowing God. I know other people are going through it too! You know God, you love God but yet you’re dealing with these every day issues. That’s what it is all about. But it is also about me, personally… this is His promise to me. I always felt like I was going to be a singer. With the way things are lining up God is blessing me and doors are opening and I have the knowledge. His promise is being fulfilled."

Chandra Simmons just finished shooting her video for On & On, directed by Ralph McDaniel's (Video Music Box creator and host) and his brother's Brian McDaniel's team. "I am so blessed to have met these brothers." She is also on a promotional tour for her new CD and feels that the progress is worth the wait. "Looking back at my little experience in this business I understand why I have not reached the point that I would have like to have reached. I see the level of work and at that point I was not ready. Even if God had blessed me at that time I would not have been ready."

Over the years, she worked with some well known artists like Puffy, Teddy Riley, and Faith Evans. Her experience opened her eyes to many things that can only be learned in the music industry. "It's a business; it's nothing like all the glamour and stuff that you see. If you can understand that concept…then you gain the understanding that it's more business than anything else. It's about relationships and getting to know people and really just working it. You won't really respect it until you actually do it."

Working with "Faith [Evans] and Puffy, and just seeing some of these artists that are doing it on the level in which they are doing it, you know why they are there. It is a lot of hard work. You eat, sleep, and drink the industry and that is what it takes and people don't realize that. It is more than any 9 - 5 can be."

Her path has taught her many lessons. On her latest CD, Chandra takes these lessons, her wisdom and strength to conquer her dreams and fulfills God's Promise to her.



Contact Chandra Simmons
www.chandrasimmons1.com

Buy the album at Amazon.com - Interview & Article by Kori Raishon Edited by Ebony Washington Photographs This page Tp Left by