EBONY MAN (June 1996) pg.30
Magazine: Ebony Man, June, 1996
“Women We Love”
TAMIA: Naturals of natural recording artist
Some people are naturals, such as recording artist Tamia. They
are naturally witty, comical, talented. You name it.
A bundle of energy, Tamia talks at a rapid pace. Especially when
she's talking about her mentor Quincy Jones.
Tamia, 20, sings the lead tune, “You Put A Move On My Heart,”
on Jones’ latest album, Q’s Jook Joint.
Signed to Jones’ label, Quest Records, Tamia’s debut album should
be released in about a month. “I’m having a wonderful time
exploring that side of the avenue,” says Tamia, whose last name
is Washington, but she publicly only uses her first name. She
jokingly says people have a tendency to mispronounce her first
name when they say her full name.
Contributors to her album include recording artist R. Kelly, who
wrote and produced three songs, and Keith Crouch, who produced
the hit tune “I Wanna Be Down” for recording artist and
television actress Brandy. He wrote and produced two tunes for
Tamia.
“I’ve fallen victim to seeing people on TV and thinking that’s
how their personalities are,” Tamia says. “I think you just
kind of put them on a higher level, and when you meet them, you
realize they’re just like you.”
Since Tamia’s name is blazing through the music industry like a
comet through the universe, she’s treated like a star by artists
she admires. “It’s all still kind of weird to me to have people
acknowledge me as a peer.”
Tamia knows that Jones is a heavy hitter, and when he speaks,
people listen. She saw that firsthand as she traveled with him to
promote Q’s Jook Joint. They visited 14 cities in 20 days.
“He introduced me to the world,” she says about Jones. “I felt
very honored to have him take time out of his busy schedule. He’s
one of the most humble people you’ll ever meet, and he has
everything going for him.”
She officially met Jones two years ago at a party hosted by her
manager, Brenda Richie. Jones told Tamia she looked as though she
could be his daughter. “I was laughing. I’d laugh at anything at
that point. You know how it is when you’re overwhelmed.”
Jones heard Tamia sing during an awards ceremony in Las Vegas.
Actually, program coordinators had asked him to introduce Tamia
to the audience about 10 minutes before she performed.
Jones called Tamia three weeks later and made an offer she dare
not refuse. He didn’t twist her arm; he just offered her a chance
of a lifetime. He asked if she wanted to record a song for Q’s
Jook Joint.
“I dream big, but I would have never dreamed that,” Tamia says
with a laugh. “It’s just amazing, all the knowledge he has. He’s
just so willing to give it.”
She hasn’t done badly thus far. Growing up in Windsor Ontario,
Canada, Tamia is the oldest of three children. She has two
brothers, Tajhee, 5, and Tiras, 13. She's the only member of her
family who sings professionally. “My mother has five sisters,
and they all sing.”
Although Tamia can hold her own with the best vocalists, she has
learned that there’s more to performing than belting out the
lyrics of a song. “I thought that you just got up on the mike
and sang. There’s a lot that goes into getting that person
onstage; contract, negotiations, and then there’s the technical
work."
Besides getting the luck of the draw by meeting Jones, Tamia has
a firm belief about one’s ability to succeed in the recording
industry.
“I really believe that it’s not about your voice. It’s the
anointing that God puts on your voice that separates you.”
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