Mr. Sykes Interview's Jimmie Reign
The First Lady of the Bay Jimmie Reign called in to talk this ours truly. I love this girl, she has a great personality, friendly and warm, and one of the best interviews I've had in a long time. She is a very busy woman so I'm glad she had the time to call in and talk with me. She had just flown in from Miami, working on Pleasure's (formerly of Pretty Ricky) debut album. This Girl is gonna be huge in a minute so keep an eye out, but this is what she had to say:
Mr. Sykes: When did you start singing?
Jimmie: I started singing professionally when I was about 14. My God-brothers had a rap group and they asked me to sing on a hook. And that was the first time I got in a booth and from there it's been non-stopped. Something I really like to do
Mr. Sykes: Could you tell us some recent work you've done?
Jimmie: Well I actually just came came back from working on Pleasure's album. I don't know if people know Pretty Ricky, He's a singer from Pretty Ricky They basically split so he's working on his album. I did some song writing and some vocal production on there. I worked with J-Valentine on his album he's on J-Records, I've also worked with Clyde Carson who's on Capital Records. I do a lot of songwriting and a lot of vocal production, and vocal arranging. But those are the most recent things that I've been working on.
Mr. Sykes: Are there any records that we would know? or instantly recognize... "Oh that's a Jimmie Reign record!"
Jimmie: Mmm I think the biggest thing I've done was actually something in Japan so I don't know if anyone in the United States would know it. But In Japan I had a single off a really well known artist over there. It did really well a couple of years ago. Right now we're just trying to see if I made that next big hit and hopefully I'll have that with Pleasure's album or J-valentine's album.
Mr. Sykes: So what your favorite color?
Jimmie: It's Purple
e.g. The color of this article....
Mr. Sykes: Handbags or shoes what do you have more of?
Jimmie: Shoes!
Mr.Sykes: So when did things start to pick up for you, I mean your notoriety. 'Cause I know your really huge in the Bay Area (and other places)...So when did things become big for Jimmie Reign?
Jimmie: I think probably about 3 years ago my songs started playing on the radio, and I don't know...I started having way more shows. My buzz has gotten a lot bigger 'cause from the shows came magazine interviews and internet interviews. So I guess more people know who I am now.
Mr. Sykes: "Make You Wait" I really like that song. How Important is waiting in a relationship [to you] and is this song a womens anthem....?
Jimmie: Wow I don't know if I would say that it's an anthem, it's something that a lot of women relate with. It's something That I think women should do; "Make You Wait" is from a personal experience I think it's important in a relationship. If a person doesn't know who you are going into it. And they're not willing to find out who you are before taking that next step...Then they probably aren't the best person to be with. Everybody's different but for me it's important to wait...At lest a little while.
Mr. Sykes: What artist have inspired you most in your music?
Jimmie: Definitely Amel Larrieux, she's a very big inspiration to me and her voice is amazing. El debarge, is also someone who influenced my sound. There are the great people like, Stevie Wonder, I always listen to Minnie Ripperton. I love Mariah Carey, Beyonce is a very big inspiration to a lot of up and coming R&B singers who are female right now.
Mr. Sykes: What are you doing to change the game?
Jimmie: I think that I bring a different kind of "swag," and I hate saying that word 'cause it's a little bit played out right now. I bring a different swagger to R&B I definitely, I think I'm "The Pretty Girl" but I have an edge to me. And I think that's what's missing in R&B. You get "The Pretty Girl" and you get this really gritty "hardcore urban girl" there's really no mix. So I'm kinda trying to bring both to the table. And I think that's a little bit different I that's a change.
Get more from Jimmie Reigh @: http://www.jimmiereignworld.com & http://myspace.com/JimmieReign1
