Netta Brielle Asks You to Go With Her on A Musical Journey
The Bay Area seems to have no shortage of talent as Atlantic Records’ new R&B singer, Netta Brielle’s new mixtape “Will You Go With Me?” has been gaining quite the buzz, leaving people to wonder, “Who exactly is this Netta Brielle and where can we get more?” Inspired by the 90s, Netta seems to bring a fresh wave of air that R&B has needed, and she is only getting started.
-JT Tarpav
Where did your love for music and writing start?
Netta Brielle: Really, it started in church. I started singing in church at about 4 or 5 years old and I’ve been doing music since the day I can remember. I come from a heavily music influenced family, and everyone was all in to music. And I think music was kind of like an outlet for me growing up, along with writing, especially poetry. And I think from about 4 years old I knew, exactly what I’m doing right now, was what I wanted to do. And coming from Oakland, Bay Area, where things can get rather tough, having a dream and trying to execute it, doesn’t really always go the way you want it to go. So, being able to make it out and make it here, doing exactly what I always wanted to do since I was 4 years old is kind of surreal for me. So, music is my life and I hope to inspire my community, and my family, and reach people through my music, voice, and my story.
And speaking about the Bay Area and the long history of music and styles that have been fostered out of that location; How did that come to affect you and your music?
Netta Brielle: I always say I thank God that I was able to grow up in the Bay. I think that it’s a dope place to train and learn how to be an artist, and specifically to be an independent artist. Just learning how to get out there, and from behind the Internet, go out and meet the people, promote yourself, press up your own projects, and get your own music to radio. Like it’s really a serious independent grind out there. So, by the time I got my production company and I got to this label, I kind of already knew what I wanted to do and how I wanted to be seen with my music and my style; and that’s because the Bay Area is such a dope place to train to get to the next step.
And I’m also inspired by a lot of Bay Area artist from; MC Hammer, to En Vogue, Tony! Toni! Toné!. Just watching them, as a young girl, I was like “I know that’s what I want to do”. I remember going to my first MC Hammer concert and being pulled on stage and dancing; I remember seeing all those people in that arena and being 4 years old and just knowing, “Ok, I’m going to do this”. And a lot of acts don’t make it out of the Bay Area. A lot of people don’t know that we have so many different genres of music, and talents, and styles over there; but for some reason we kind of get overlooked. So, me having this opportunity to branch out, and get out of the Bay, and show the world what I have is so dope. It really doesn’t happen everyday for artists there. So, I’m just happy to be here and I’m ready to work hard. I know it isn’t going to be easy; It hasn’t been easy even getting to this point, but I’d be miserable doing anything else, so I’m just happy to be doing what I’ve always wanted to do.
What were some of the obstacles or adversity you faced early on in your career that lead you to this point?
Netta Brielle: Hmm, let’s see; money and being taken seriously as a female artist, and especially in a place where there is so much talent, but it’s kind of like crabs in a bucket because everyone is trying to get out and pulling each other back down. Also, growing up with a single parent. My mom knew that this is what I wanted to do at a young age, but with her being a single parent and raising three girls, it wasn’t always easy for her to get me in the best schools or the best programs. But, she would get online and do research to find different programs for me to be in or different scholarships for me. But it wasn’t easy and there was always something going on in our family and that kind of discouraged me and made me think, “What am I going to do?”. But, music seemed like it was always my outlet and it always gave me that sense of hope, like “I’m going to do this”. Even when I would listen to artists like Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Brandy, and all these other artists that influenced me, I was able to pull from each artist and I think that all makes for the artist I am today. I just kept pulling from those artists and I worked hard. And it seemed like there was always something that made it feel like I was almost there, but then I would get pulled back. Like me having the opportunity to go to Def Jam with Shakir Stewart and thinking like, “Ok, this is my big break. I’m going to get my record deal and buy my Mom a house”; but then tragedy struck and I was kind of back at square one. So, it always seemed like there was something, but that always pushed me harder, so to be here in New York, and in this building, and doing this, and thinking about what it took to get here makes for an amazing story.
And moving to your new mixtape, “Will You Go With Me?”, that’s currently available. How did the concept, the tracks, and features come together?
Netta Brielle: Well, my A&R and I sat down and talked about what kind of direction I wanted to go in and I knew that 90’s music inspires me 100%, from my style of dress to the tone of my voice. Like TLC and some of the artist I mentioned, I looked to them and was like, “Ok, you don’t half to be half-naked to get your point across or get people to listen to your music”, you can style, flavor; rock with the girls and boys, and just have dope music and be respected for that. Growing up listening to them, I knew that’s the kind of music I wanted to do. Obviously, we are still in the beginning stages, so I was like why not just do a mixtape and do some familiar songs to introduce myself in that way. We decided to go with these 90’s songs and I was able to connect with Coko from SWV and re-create “Rain”. And that was so dope, because she is one of my favorite vocalists, period.
And the, “Will You Go With Me?”, title kind of came from that “being young and having your first crush” and thinking about the first record you heard when you were in that place. It just kind of felt like it took me back in time, but it still feels young. And I like to look at myself as an old soul and a lover of traditional R&B, but I’m also still young and fun, so I’m fusing the two.
And we also have the two original tracks on the mixtape, which are “It’s the Weekend” and “More to a Kiss”. “More to a Kiss” still has that 90’s inspiration, but it still feels young and fresh. And “It’s the Weekend” is an original track, but I wanted to kind of put something else on there, so that people could have that feel-good dance record, and that’s kind of just to balance out the mixtape. We are really really excited about it and we’ve been getting a lot of dope reviews. It’s kind of like the intro to what my album will be.
And you mentioned, “Rain ft. Coko of SWV”, which is definitely one of the stand out records on the mixtape; How did the decision to cover that song and the collaboration come to be?
Netta Brielle: It was so hard to narrow down what song, because everyone loves all these songs from 90’s, so it was hard to narrow it down. But, I was like, “I got to do an SWV. Whatever we do, I’m doing an SWV record.”. So, we kind of narrowed it down to “Rain” and I was like, “Wouldn’t it be dope if we do some a cappella sh*t?”. Because I feel like music sometimes gets in the way and I want people to know that I love to sing and I can sing, and I want people to know that first and foremost. So, why not flip this record on some a cappella sh*t? And then the producer was like, “You know I’m good friends with Coko’s husband, let’s see if we can get her on” and I was like, “Yeah, right. He’s not going to get Coko, get out of here”. An hour later he was like, “She said send it to her, she’s going to cut it now” and I was like, “What?”. And she killed me on the song by the way, her riffs are incredible. But, to just be able to get on someone else’s song and a person I’m inspired by vocally was amazing. And from that day and even til now, she reaches out to me, in her interviews she mentions how she got on the track and how she thinks I’m going to do well. For me, that’s huge, because this is someone I grew up listening to and know my name is in her mouth. That’s just crazy so, I’m really excited about that song in particular, because I got to share it with her and it’s on some a cappella sh*t, and people can hear that we singing for real.
And the singles of the mixtape are “More to a Kiss” and “It’s the Weekend”; how were those tracks chosen?
Netta Brielle: Well, “More to a Kiss” is probably one of my favorites and my A&R decided to, I won’t even take the credit, he decided to go with that first. And that’s mainly because it feels so, 90’s and it feels like traditional R&B, but there’s something about it that is also young and fresh. I don’t know if it’s the bass or what is is, but it’s something that still feels young and new, but also something that we have been missing. So, we went with that first and did a great video for that. And I wanted that video to feel like love and like there is more to a kiss. The video and a kiss is not just “let’s make out in the video and kiss all in the video”, it’s about “having fun with that person and connecting with that person”, just really being with someone for real. And I think we are missing a lot of that right now in today’s music and I just want to do the music that I was inspired by. I want to be able to give that kind of music and hopefully inspire people the way I was inspired by the Coko’s, and the Brandy’s, and the Aaliyah’s of the world.
So, “More to a Kiss” was the first single and “It’s the Weekend” is the second one, which just went out last week. I’m really excited about that one, because it’s just so young and fun. And B.O.B, I’m a big fan of his, did a great job on it. It’s that record that can be played in the club, but can also be played in day-parties and get-togethers. And it’s a great record to perform, because it’s so high energy. But, those were the two originals of the mixtape, which I think really balanced out the mixtape. And everyone says, “The mixtape is so short, why didn’t you make it longer?”, but I really wanted it to be short, to build anticipation for the real album and you actually want more. It’s just enough to make you say, “Ok, can’t wait to hear your real sh*t”
So what’s next for Netta Brielle as an artist?
Netta Brielle: Everything! We’re getting ready to start promo for “It’s the Weekend” and we are hopefully going to do a video for that soon. I’m also getting ready to start performing, which I am so excited about, because I’ve been in the studio all year. I love recording by the way, but there’s something about connecting with people and being on stage. Performing is my favorite part of all of this; it’s like living for me, that’s my high. Sometimes in the studio I feel so closed in and I want to connect with the people and be around people. So, with that being said we are getting ready to start performing and doing shows. Now, is the second step with the project almost being done and the album is also almost done. So, now it’s just about getting back on stage and connecting with the people and getting the people to know me and who I am as an artist and what I stand for
And can you tell us anything about the upcoming album?
Netta Brielle: I swear I’m not just saying this, but I think the album is amazing. And what I told everyone I worked with was, when I think of “Never Say Never” – Brandy, “Confessions” – Usher, “My Life” – Mary J. Blige, that’s the kind of album I want. I want the album that is a page-turner and it tells a story that makes you feel every song, because it’s something I went through or a reflection of me. I really think we are missing those albums that we are going to be listening to 10 years from now. And that was very important to me, so they were able to pull in a lot of those musicians, writers, and producers that created some of my favorite albums, and I got to work with them on this album, which is surreal. And working with people like Ne-Yo and Pharrell; these are people who inspired me musically for many years and now I’m working with them, and they’re telling me I’m talented, and it’s so weird because I’m like, “How am I in a room with you right now?”. So, I think the album is going to be dope and it’s definitely heavily involved in that R&B space, because obviously R&B is my first love, and I feel like R&B has kind of lost its way. I’m noticing that it is kind of coming back now, which I am excited about, but I feel like we have been missing it, lately. So, I definitely want to be a part of that process of bringing R&B back to forefront.
Netta Brielle’s new mixtape “Will You Go With Me?” is available for free download on her website http://www.nettabrielle.com
