As summer quickly came to a close there was still one item on my wish list, attend an Amateur Night at the legendary Apollo Theater. With just a few days left in the month of August, I had nearly given up hope, that was until I was gifted with a ticket to one of the month’s remaining showcases. Show day comes, I arrive to the venue ready to experience a little piece of history. Act after act takes the stage but those magical television moments I witnessed as a child seem to be extinct. Oh was I wrong, nearing the end a female vocalist takes the stage armed with a badass guitar, big hair and an even bigger voice blows the crowd away landing in the evening’s top three crowd favorites. Who was this artist? Britanny Fousheé! That’s right, the daugther of Marcia Moore, drummer for the 1984 reggae all female cover band PEP.
Following her Apollo Theater performance, I had the opportunity to catch up with Britanny Fousheé at popular underground venue, DROM right before she took the stage as part of MajorStage’s Soul Good showcase. We discussed her musical roots, upcoming project, performing at Apollo Theater and more. Check out the full interview below!
I would like to know more about your background. I’ve listened to your music, watched your videos and experienced you live at Apollo but I don’t know much about your personal life. What was it like going up? Did you have formal background in music? I guess what I’m asking is when did it all start for you?
“I started at home! You know with the karaoke machine and my mom used to play drums. She played with a girl’s band in Jamaica. My mom would play lots of music around the house. So, I would write songs and record them on tape. From there I met a guy who went on to manage me and my friends. It’s been uphill since then!”
I often find that creatives such as yourself dib and dabble in other forms of creative expression before settling down to focus on one disclipine. Was this the case for you? With your mom being who she is, you could have solely focused on being an instrumetalist. What was it about music that pushed you to use your voice of your instrument of choice?
I think it was because I had a lot of great role models in the music industry growing up. I use to love Brandy, Toni Braxton & Celine Dion and the way they made me feel. I wanted to be just like them. I never listened for the instruments, that’s how I knew I wanted to sing. I went to a [trade school] for hair while I went to school for music and I draw a little bit but music has always been my main thing.
In this day and age, a lot of aspiring artists in the DIY/independent scene are opting not to attend school and go straight into pursuing their career due to the advacement of technology as well as access to information. What was it about being in the academic environment that sparked your intererst enough to enroll?
“I attended for three years and was unable to finish because of financial reasons. I majored in communications with a minor in music. But there was nothing about the environment that called to me. I attended because my mom wanted me to go. Often times, I feel like I could have been further in my career if I would have started earlier and I wanted to so bad. I had this dream of coming to New York and my mom pushed me towards school.”
So, would you recommend the academic path for anyone pursuing music?
If they’re looking to go to Berklee [College of Music]! I went to Kean University [located in Union, New Jersey]. It’s known as the “teacher’s school” and while they do have a great music program I don’t feel like it prepared me for my career. [As an artist] you learn most of it in the field.
Let’s talk about your music. I’m sure as an artist you are at times placed in a box because of your appearance! Whether it’s your earthy vibe, they way you wear your hair or the fact that you play acoustic guitar. However, the sonic lines of what it means to be R&B singer or even Pop singer is constantly changing. Artists no longer need to follow a trend. What is your take on this?
“I love it! And I knew that this shift was going to come. That’s why I wanted to be ahead of the trend and just find where I was in the mix of all of these genres. I don’t listen to just one kind of music. Performing in the Villiage for years, I think that exposed me to so many different sounds. Musicians there play everything and that really rubbed off on me. But there is still a part of me that loves what’s on [Billboard] Top 100 and the underground vibes. I just want to mix everything! And my new music will represent that a little more.”
Tell me about your single, “Melody”. You told Singersroom.com, “This is who I am in a nutshell. I think the song best describes my musical style, by combining all my influences to be a weird Frankenstein of creativity. But more than that, music is my best friend; Sometimes, my only friend. Seriously, what feels better than humming a familiar melody in the middle of a particularly rough day? It’s the only language that’s universally spoken, and it’s medicinal. Or at least it should be.”
“Melody was the first step! I remember looking for a videographer to shoot the visual and him sending it back to me, immediately I said this was not right. I went and got a camera then shot the video myself! Then I learned how to edit the footage and it’s authentic!”
What’s your creative process?
“I wish I had one answer for that but it really is different every time. Sometimes a cord will come to me or sometimes I concept will come to me. Other times, I have dreams about songs! It is different every time. I believe it is different every time because you have to connect to the song and those experiences are unique.”
Tell me about your experience performing at the Apollo Theater for their legendary Amateur Night.
“That was one of the scariest things I’ve ever participated in. Three performers were boo’d off stage! Performers that I sat in the green room with that I spoke with and connected with. They were nervous but we all were nervous. They went on the stage with the same mindset that we all had and got boo’d. That’s scary as hell! It’s real but I respect the honesty because at least if you’re doing something wrong you will find out at Apollo!”
What’s next for Britanny Fousheé? New music? New album?
“Yes! There will be new EP with anywhere between five and seven song. It’s been two years since I’ve started searching for the right production because everyone is following a trend but my executive producer and I have found what I was searching for. It’s hard to pin it down but it’s sort of alternative soul. So new music, guest features and more performances.”
Stay connected with Britanny Fousheé across all social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Take a listen to Britanny Fousheé’s latest single, “Melody”, below. Tell us what you think in the comment section.
