THERE’S NO ARGUING, JAZMINE SULLIVAN IS WHAT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY HAS BEEN MISSING.
Jazmine Sullivan left centre stage while the spotlight was still on her. After a thee year hiatus, she is back and naturally, the show must go on. She sang her heart out on records like "Need You Bad", "Lions,Tigers and Bears" and "Bust Your Windows" and there is no replicating her talent.
An artist’s career can be short lived if they do not have a plan. It can be hard to pull an audience the first time around and if you're lucky, those loyal fans may give you a second chance. Put it this way, you are only as good as your last hit single but, this need not apply to Jazmine Sullivan as she is even better than ever on her newly released album, Reality Show. The new album has been well received and the world is curious to know what kept her away this long.
I caught up with Jazmine Sullivan before her Toronto show to find out more.
Let me start by saying that everyone has been anticipating your return. You sort of left us hanging. What was that all about?
There were some things I needed to take care of. Those things helped me grow. Without a break I could have never made a comeback.
I hear you on that one. Your new album, Reality Show is absolutely beautiful. It pretty much mirrors what society has become given the power of the Internets and our obsession with beauty. Songs like "Mascara", "Dumb" which features Meek Mill touch on those very subjects. We all know these narratives all too well. You might know a girl that is being paid to be pretty and the consequence of that is that she cannot afford to not be pretty. Then there is the guy who acquires fame and his character changes almost immediately. I say all of this to ask, do you ever feel pressured by industry standards?
I think everybody feels pressured at some point in their lives. Everyone wants to look and feel beautiful. What works for me is being comfortable with myself. We all aren’t supposed to look or be the same.
I think your talent trumps everything. Your beauty is just a bonus.
Thank you.
Does your life ever feel like a reality show and would you sit back and watch it?
At one point in time, yes, but that was because of my circumstances and what I was going through at the time. Would I watch my own reality show? If it wasn’t me playing the role then yes, maybe I would watch it.
Do you feel like you’ve had to re-learn anything?
In some respects yes. The industry has changed quite a bit.
I personally live by the words “Nothing Changes, if Nothing Changes," this has helped me with all the transitions I’ve had to navigate thus far. Do you have a saying or words that you live by?
I don’t think there are any words I necessarily live by [laughs].I just think that as long as I believe that the way I am is good enough and I am comfortable with who I am then that is really all I need to get by. You just have to see the beauty in everything.
Most people in the music industry don’t get a second chance. Taking a break often means your time is up. Why do you think the world, the new and old fans have welcomed you back with open arms?
I am still very amazed by that. You know coming back and realizing that people still believe in you is still something I have to digest. I think that we all have something different to offer. I think people appreciate that I am authentic and I am not trying to be anything more than myself.
I can honestly say that your music is the script to everyone’s life events especially women. Your song "Forever Doesn’t Last" gave me chills. We all have moments we wish to relive but forever often means for as long as this thing lasts. That goes for just about everything in life. What song on the album, would you say you are most attached to?
It would definitely be Masterpiece (Mona Lisa). That song will always be one of those songs within my music catalogue that I will return to for years to come.
I would like to get your opinion on the way in which Black women are portrayed on reality TV. They are often the aggressors, angry and negative in more ways than one. You mentioned in a previous interview that you love reality TV. You actually said “the more ratchet the better”. Does the thought about how Black women are portrayed ever cross your mind and how do you feel about it?
Yeah of course. To me, it is just entertainment. There are far more positive things out there that we can focus on. There are a lot of Black women doing positive things in the world. Women in general are making huge strides and I’d rather focus on that.
Yes, I agree. Let’s focus on the positive. We can save all that other stuff for another day. Lastly, you will be performing in Toronto on Wednesday, April 22nd at The Phoenix Concert Theatre to a sold out crowd. What should those attending expect?
I heard somebody say that my shows feel like a big house party. I think that describes it perfectly. It is just my fans and I talking shit and walking through different scenarios in life while having a good time.