LP33: Who else were you working with while you were out here in [Los Angeles]?
Shanell: Bangladesh, of course, that’s a long time friend. Tyga, who is part of Young Money as well, I’ve been collaborating with him. And some new producers that are coming out, and I want to be the artist to bring them. They’re young hot producers I’m working with.
LP33: What’s the Young Money creative process like? You have about 8 people on the label now, is it a large collaborative effort?
Shanell: In the beginning we were all in the studio together, all night til the sun came up. Somebody might lay down a verse then step out, trying to think of a second verse; then I might be like “Ooh Ooh I got an Idea” so I would go in or Chuckee or Gudda. It was kinda like . . .It was cool. Some artist have to be told what to do, or have someone come in and write for them, but we just had a creative flow.
It was like a painting, everybody was just painting, and everybody is just good at what they do, it just came out crazy. We probably have maybe 4-5 Young Money albums to come, we just had so many songs.
LP33: On your own mixtape you have a lot of collaborators how did they come into the project? How’d you get them in the studio with you?
Shanell: Well some of them don’t or didn’t know that they’re on it. Like Ryan Leslie, I just pulled the song and put myself on it cuz I really like that song. David Guetta, I was working with him on some other projects and that song just came about. I asked Wayne to get on it, I asked NeYo to get on it. Eve, I snatched her song too, but I like these songs, so I just wanted to do my own version of it. I wanted to make sure there was enough R&B/Urban but also fused it with my Pop/Dance side; there’s a little bit of everything on there.
LP33: Speaking on the mixtape there weren’t too many Young Money collaborators other than Jae Millz, were those schedule conflicts?
Shanell: Well we worked together a lot more before we got really busy. Before we went on tour, we were grounded and in Miami; working working working. Once we got on tour and everybody really started focusing on what they had to do, everybody went their separate ways. So it was hard to get anybody physically in, we’d send music to each other. At the same time I did really want to get my sound and feel through Shut Up & Listen. With the Young Money album that’s the group’s sound, with Rebirth that’s Wayne’s sound.
I wanted it to be different. I’ve had Gutta on the poppiest songs and he’s had me on the hardest songs.
I wanted Shut Up & Listen to be Shanell.
LP33: What young artists appeal to you? What artists in other genres or outside of Young Money push you to create and expand?
Shanell: Nobody, I push myself! I just look at everybody that’s really creative and writes. Everybody’s an inspiration, just to see people really working on their craft; I want mine to be just as good if not better. Though I can’t pinpoint one particular person or group right now.
LP33: A little bit about your background. You’ve lived a lot of your life in Atlanta, but where are you originally from?
Shanell: Springfield, Mass. My Mom moved to Atlanta and she “Found this great school to go to it’ a performance art school. [In Springfield] We’d put together these dance crews together. There’s not a lot to do in Springfield, so sometimes the dance crews would turn into semi-gangs, not really, but there would a be a girls’ crew. My mom wanted to get us into something so that you can take what you’re creating in Mass. and expand. So we moved out and went to Tri-Cities Highschool (Atl.) and became who we are now.
LP33: You’ve mentioned in other interviews that your sister’s also an artist and your brother’s an actor. What kind of environment was that growing up when everyone is very creative?
Shanell: My sister would be in one room singing, she has a very powerful voice. My brother’s music would be playing in another room; I’d try to learn all his words, but he wasn’t around because he was traveling so much. My dad would be playing the piano. The only person that wasn’t really musical was my mom but she enjoyed listening to us. So it was a musical house, but not like musical, musical, not like The Jacksons or anything. We didn’t really think it would turn out to be this, we did it for fun.
LP33: Which is your main passion? You’re a songwriter, singer, and a dance. If everything went away what will remain?
Shanell: One doesn’t live without the next for me. Even when I was a dancer to the world, at home and to me I was a writer. I would be singing and putting together shows, and coming from the theater world, one doesn’t live without the other; you have to be a triple threat: “What do you mean you’re come to dance and not sing; you better sing something.” So we learn you have to do it all, so if one leaves they all go.
LP33: So what can we expect Shanell in the next 2 years? Big things?
Shanell: I’m not a planning person, but I see big shows and I see world tours. I have a thing right now called The Girls Club. I’m putting it together with my sister and Mika Means, who is another artist, to help young girls and women in the industry. Looking for that to pick up, take off, and take a beautiful shape.
Also more and more shows and acting. I’m coming after Jada Pinkett’s spot, they say I kinda look like her, but on the real I just want to play her little sister.
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