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EBONY MAN (March 1996) pg.8 
 
"EM Up Front: Tamia" 
 
Tamia is putting a move on music lovers with her sensational 
sound and sultry good looks. 
 
The 19-year-old beauty is tiding the music charts with her debut 
single "You Put A Move On My Heart" on Quincy Jones' hit album, 
Q's Jook Joint. 
 
Tamia, who hails from Windsor Ontario, Canada, met Jones in 1994 
at a party for Luther Vandross. The party was hosted by her 
manager, Brenda Richie, ex-wife of superstar Lionel Richie. 
 
A few months after the party Jones called Tamia's manager and 
told her he had a song he wanted Tamia to record for his new 
album. Jones mailed Tamia a demo tape, and Tamia went into the 
studio with Jones to record the song. 
 
"I was really thinking, "This is Quincy Jones, and I'm going to 
sing it the way I think he wants the song done,'" Tamia says. 
 
But Jones, whose current album includes the likes of Stevie 
Wonder, Ray Charles, Nancy Wilson and Chaka Khan, told Tamia to 
sing the song her way. 
 
"How do you hear it?" Tamia says Jones would ask. "I want you to 
sing it like you hear it. Just be yourself. Imagine you are just 
so in love with someone that they put this incredible move on 
your heart," she recalls Jones telling her. 
 
As the song continues to race up the charts, Tamia realizes that 
Jones' information was tight. She performed the song her way. 
"That's why it was good. That was Tamia. All the things were 
right; the lights, the music, the song," she enthuses. Tamia 
adds, "It's a great honor to have Quincy Jones even acknowledge 
you as an artist. I'm feeling very blessed, and I'm just trying 
to take it day by day." 
 
The talented songstress learned to develop her voice by singing 
in church at age 6. The first song she sang was "Move On Up The 
Mountain." As time went on, she began to sing the Winans' 
contemporary gospel tune, "Tomorrow." 
 
Tamia has taken voice, acting and singing lessons since age 10. 
She has performed in numerous local theater and choral 
productions. She also won Canada's prestigious YTV Vocal 
Achievement Award in 1993. 
 
Her biggest musical influence is gospel vocalist CeCe Winans. She 
recalls how she recently had a chance to meet CeCe Winans, but 
was too shy to introduce herself. "I've met quite a few people, 
and I'm not shy. But I couldn't say anything when I saw CeCe." 
She had attended a performance by Winans' brothers, The Winans. 
 
"I was standing near her, and I was going to say something but I 
couldn't," Tamia laughs. She looks forward to meeting her idol. 
 
Looking ahead, the gifted Tamia is working on her debut album. 
Jones will serve as executive producer, and produce some of the 
songs. 
 
Hit-making songwriters and producers Babyface and Rod Temperton 
are among those who will contribute tunes for the album, which is 
slated for release in May. 
 
The album should touch the hearts of many listeners. "It's going 
to show both sides of me. I love ballads. So there will be some 
ballads on it and some hip-hop and a little funk."