Tiyee

Musical style: Rock Soul
Hometown: London, England
Birthday: January 16
Current Projects: Working on debut album,
Born In London, Raised In New York and the video for the song, “Time.”

How would you describe your music? It gives me a rock/soul feel, but how would you describe your musical direction and some of your influences.

My music is rock soul. I think it’s a lot more edgier than what’s out there now. It has a London-based feel, but it also has soul, which is American. We’ve just clammed it together and called it rock soul. My musical direction is influenced by people like Marvin Gaye, Barbra Streisand. As a kid, I was giving everything to eat. Rice and peas, jerk chicken, steak and kidney pies. Everything was in the trunk. Marvin Gaye, Annie Lennox, Barbra Streisand, Lisa Minnelli, Judy Garland, Billie Holiday. They’ve all been big influences on my life. Not just their musical direction, but their personal stories too.

Do you write your own songs, and if so what inspires your work?

Yes, I write my own songs. Everything inspires my work. It could be a bad day, and I want to write about something really great. It can be a really great day and I want to write about something really sad. Most of my writing is about life and how hard it can be, and love and how hard it can be. But there’s always a way out. My songs empower people. My songs are empowering. They’re about going through the darkness and coming into the light.

How do you feel about the Black Rock movement in music? Rock and Roll is hardly new to black audiences but the new urban market may not be ready. What are your thoughts?

I don’t actually know how to describe the Black rock movement. As far as I’m concerned, I am that movement. I want my name to be at the forefront. The market is ready. Jay-Z’s proved that. Ludacris’ now working on a rock project. Anyone who’s anyone is trying to drop the rock thing. There’s definitely a market and look out, don’t be surprised if Tiyee teams up with somebody like Jay-Z or Luda. It’s going to happen.

Independent (Do it yourself) VS Major Label?

Independent would be fantastic. I couldn’t think of a better way to do it if I wanted to be that real Oprah character. Go for it. Make your dream come true. But money is the issue with independents. Independent just means you have your own money to do what you want to do. If we had the money, because we have spoke about it as a management group, we would do it. But it’s long and it’s painful and it could fail. At least with a major label you have the security of knowing that launching you is something they’ve done a million times before. They know what radio stations to take you to, how to promote you on tour. They see what market you’re going to and they flood that market with you. It’s always good to have someone who understands it, has done it before and can make it happen for you. If I had a choice, if someone said here’s the money, I’d love to do it myself, if I thought my team really could do it ourselves. We’re not as lucky as Puff. When Puff went independent, he had a lot of big names around him telling him what to do and what not to do. At this point, we’re probably going to go for a major label, but maybe in the near future we might open up an independent label.

How do you feel about Misogyny in current music? Do you think women can use sexuality in a positive way to sell music?

Yes, I do, but they don’t. I think women can, but they don’t. I think when a chick takes off too much clothes it means that she ain’t got much talent. I’ll be head to toe in my outfit and I know I’m sexier than any of those chicks in those videos – fully clothed. Cause I’m selling my talent. I’m selling my heart, because I’m giving them what I’ve got in it. And everything that’s on the stage is naturally me, but not me in a physical way, in a talented way. I think women can use sexuality to sell music. I don’t want to think I’m on the stage and I’m only selling my music. I want people to think I’m sexy too. So I think women can. I just don’t think you need to get naked to do it. I don’t think you have to put your big ass in the camera neither. It’s just not cool.

A career in music can bring with it a very hectic schedule, how do you find personal time for relationships, friends and family?

I’m waiting for the hectic schedule. I’ll get back to you!

What is your guilty Pleasure?

I can’t say. I don’t want to put that out there. I don’t want kids to be influenced by that kind of stuff. It’s definitely not ice cream, and it’s not chocolate. I don’t want to say. It’s that guilty. We’ll just say that.

Hillary Rodham Clinton is planning to run for president. Do you think the world is ready for a Female President? How will things be different?

The world has always been ready for a female President. In Egypt, it was a woman who ran it. Nefertiti was real. Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria. They did great jobs of running the country. They give Margaret Thatcher a really hard time. She wasn’t completely right, but I’ve never seen any male President who has ever been completely all right. Maggie was in power for 10 years. She did it and she had a family to take care of. I think Hillary is more than ready and if I have the right to vote, I’ll be voting for Hillary Clinton. If she’s anything like her husband, I think it can only be better. I think she will allow women to have their right to be free in their choices. I think it’s terrible we have to go to abortion clinics and have people saying “No! No!” I think she’ll give women more rights to their bodies, to empower themselves. I think America will become a lot greener. She’ll do more for the environment. I think really good natural things will come of that. Because that’s what women do. We’re… Mother Nature.

What are you passionate about besides music?

My dog, Max. I adore him. I have a pit. He’s not the stereotypical pit that everyone talks about. I think it’s in the breeding. Dogs only know what we teach them. I hope to take him all around America when I’m touring. I’m passionate about staying in and being chill. I love that. I’m passionate about cooking. Anything where something becomes something more after I finished it, I’m passionate about. - www.luv4art.com

UK Rock Chick Tiyee Rules The States
/UCWE/ - “I was born with no chains, no pain and no shame. I was born free. “—Who I Am.

Critics have compared TIYEE to Tina Turner, Tracy Chapman and Annie Lennox. Yet she is one of the only Black rock chicks on the music scene today. My sound is a blend of folk, rock and soul, the British beauty explains. “I call it R&B, rock n balls.” TIYEE is currently gigging around New York City with a professional band at Groove, Lion’s Den, Joe’s Pub, The Cutting Room and more, and is on her way to becoming a global rock diva.

In just one year, life has taken a 180 turn for TIYEE. When record labels couldn’t categorize her sound in her native U.K., she packed her bags and headed to New York City. Now living in Harlem, USA, TIYEE is more focused than ever, with dreams of performing for as many live audiences as possible and one day, designing jewelry, bags and clothing. “I can’t think of any drug I’ve done, or man I’ve loved or piece of clothing I’ve bought that has made me feel the way singing does,” the charming sensation concludes. “You’re pouring your heart out and setting yourself free. I wouldn’t give that up for the world. I’d rather die knowing they’ve written on my gravestone, ‘Died Trying,’ than never tried at all.”

TIYEE’s career came calling at the age of 12. At the audition for her secondary school’s music program, she nailed Carly Simon’s,Nobody Does It Better. I knew it had to be good because the teacher, Ms. Berry sat there with her mouth half aghast and said, You’re in. That reaction has followed TIYEE throughout her career. When she tried out for the children’s version of Live Aid for Africa, TIYEE was one of 12 kids out of 50,000 who were chosen. After that, she knew it was music all the way.

But post-school life would be filled with ups and downs. She lost her brother and sister in the span of six months. TIYEE couldn’t sing, write or even speak. After seven months, she decided to let her sadness spill out, and the songs just started flowing. Through this tragedy, my music had taken a big turn. People used to say my songs didn’t reveal who I was or what I’d been through. After my tragedy, no one asked me for my life story. My songs were more interesting, even to me.

TIYEE has appeared in the METRO newspaper, on www.theindustrycosign.com, www.luv4art.com and is currently working on her debut, Born In London, Raised In Harlem. - UCW Entertainment/Idea Rodeo

At Work with...Tiyee

Making it in NYC
Yes, there is another way (besides auditioning for "American Idol") to make it as a singer in this world - and Tiyee has certainly proved that.

Born and raised in London, Tiyee spent years trying to break into the music business. Her dream was to be the first black English rock chick, but no one in Britain took her seriously. She spebnt months working as a back-up singer in various bands before making the bold decision to sell everything she had and move to New York City.

Today, Tiyee has two managers, her own band and a very impressive schedule paying at some of the hottest spots in New York. She'll be performing at The Cutting Room later this month.

Was there a big turning point in your life that brought you to New York? A few years ago, I ran into my grade-school muksic teacher in a jewelry store where I was wroking. I was so embarrassed when she saw me there. She had so much faith in me as a singer, and i knew that she was shocked to see how i was living my life. She took one look at me behind that counter and said, "What are you doing here?" She gave me that push to get out there and make my career happen.

What has been the scariest part of your career so far? The closer I get to success, the more of a reality it becomes. There are so many people counting on me, my amazing band, my managers, my friends. I don't want to let anyone down.

Do you have a performance ritual? it may sound strange, but I like to show up at the venue an hour and a half before i go on. I like to just sit there in silence and take in the space around me. That way, when I go on I feel completely energized and ready to perform.

What do you write about? Many of my songs are about love - not necessarily all the good parts of love but more about the stuff that no one really knows how to deal with, like how to say goodbye when you still love someone.

What advice do you have for aspiring singers? Don't put all your faith in the recording companies. I let them have too much power, and somewhere along the way I stopped listening to myself and my own voice. Also, the hardest part for me was breaking into this business. Once I broke in, everything happened so quickly and so many things fell into place. It takes time and it's not easy, but eventually it will come together.

Wendy Straker
"author of Sexy Jobs in the City" - Metro (Feb. 2005)

Buzz Factor: In 1989, a pre-teen Tiyee was one of 12 kids chosen from a group of 50,000 to perform in the children's version of Live Aid for Africa. After spending her teenage years working odd jobs, she decided to refocus on her music career. In 2004, Tiyee left London and moved to the Big Apple, where she eventually signed with Major League Entertainment, a local management firm. Since then, the Afro-British Rocker has graced the stages of popular NY venues like the Cutting Room, Lion's Den, Groove NYC, and Arlene's.

Style: Often described as a female Lenny Kravitz, Tiyee's sound combines elements of classic R&B, rock, and Irish folk music. Influenced by vocalists as diverse as Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, and Barbara Streisand, she uses personal experiences of pain and joy as inspiration for her lyrical content. The reult is a roster of songs that play out like vivid scenes of her life.

Status: Tiyee is currently completing her debut album, Born in London, Raised in NYC, which is slated to drop early next year. In the meantime, fans can catch her on the New York club circuit. - The Ave Magazine Fall '05