Hailing from Dallas, Texas, N’Dambi has been singing since she was little. She is not your average singer. If you have not seen her perform, you are truly being deprived on what real music is. N’Dambi uses her voice as an instrument and brings forth so much energy. She is not afraid to step outside the box and delivers a sound to be remembered. MMIM had the pleasure to sit down and chat with talented singer N’Dambi before one of her shows.
MMIM: What meaning does your name have? It’s unique and its pretty.
ND: Thank-you! It means most beautiful.
MMIM: When did you fall in love with music?
ND: Hmmmm…as long as I have been alive, I’ve been in love with music. It was the first thing that I ever felt. I remember as a little kid saying, “What would I do if I never had music?” And I told myself, I think I would die.
MMIM: How long have you been singing?
ND: Well I grew up in a family where I was a preacher’s kid. My father was a pastor of the church. So I don’t really know “not singing.”
MMIM: Who are your musical influences?
ND: I would have to say that my music taste varies; I like a whole bunch of stuff. But I am very attracted to male singing voices that have a certain kind of sound to it, like the Ohio Players. And I used to like the guy who sang with the Ohio Players, his name is Sugafoot. And he had this weird sounding voice…I like people who use their voice as an instrument so Nina Simone would fall in that category, Ray Charles would too. Earth, Wind and Fire’s Maurice White and Cameo have that type of voice. I like all the old singers. Mahalia Jackson is one, but anything that sounds good. I like old stuff.
MMIM: You used to sing background vocals for Erykah Badu. What was that experience like?
ND: I thought that was the best experience in the whole wide world. It was kind of like my first education in the music business. But at the same time, it was family. We had fun, we would come out every night and we were very professional about it but it was like a family union. So we just loved what she was doing and we really supported it, and we just embraced it and made it our own. But it was really fun!
MMIM: How long did you sing with her?
ND: I sang with her from ’97-2002.
MMIM: So you were on the Live album?
ND: Yep. On the song “Next Lifetime”, where the background singers “broke it down”, I’m the last one singing.
MMIM: What was it like releasing your first two albums Little Lost Girls Blues and Tunin up and Co-signing on your own label – Cheeky – I – Productions? Challenges?
ND: I will tell you that the first time I did my first album – the first sense of accomplishment was, making an album, putting it together, having it packaged and seeing what it look like altogether. So I felt successful because I put the “start to finish” on an album. The second part that was successful was when the first person bought a CD. I had a CD release party and all my friends and everybody came and I was excited. But the best part was that everyone there that night bought a CD so it must have been about 250 people that bought a CD for $10. But I was happy because I made rent money (laughs)! It was a thrill and also exciting to me because it was hard for me to believe that people would really like it enough to want to hear it. So it was also scary because this is when I decided that I wanted to do something solo. And solo meant you had to put yourself out there. And I had to remind myself that “they may like it or they may not”. And everything you do ain’t going to be for everybody. Everybody is not going to like it, so it was just that kind of combination – of bittersweet, exciting and scary. It’s like being on a rollercoaster ride. That’s exactly what it is like the first time. The second album when it came out, I don’t know how I felt about it. I knew I needed to make another one, and at the time I was still getting around to other cities because I still didn’t have the demand where people would want me to come to their cities to do a show. So I was trying to make an album to give people the feeling of what it felt like if they went to a show. And that’s part of why it was an live album. With that album, and at that particular time, I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do, and I don’t know if I did exactly what I wanted but, the best part of that album was that there were songs on there that really resonated with people, and they really liked it. So I said, “okay, I did what I was supposed to do…on to the next thing.”
MMIM: Loving the song “Can’t Change Me. ” Will be that on your new album which is slated to release next year?
ND: No it won’t. But I must tell you, that song is on itunes and you can buy it now. That was a song that I had put together for this album, but I’m trying to make it available because a lot of people like it.
MMIM: You are currently working on an album. Can you tell MMIM what the title of the album is and include any highlights, as well as what your fans can expect this time around?
ND: Well I’m working with a couple of titles. I won’t mention just yet because I’m not really committed to anything in particular. There won’t be any features on the album this time. I’m signed to Stax Records, and Stax has its own history. And they are used to bringing out certain kind of artists. Which is kind of like these “rough around the edges” or more “raw” than the polished Motown artists. And I fit in their category. So they are very interested in branding me into what they know Stax to be and creating the new brand for Stax. And for this album, I am more focused and I have established who I am as an artist, to those people who have never heard of me before. I am really trying to establish the connection between R & B, and soul. And when I say R & B, I don’t mean R & B as we know now. I mean rhythm and blues. So I am just interested in exploring that type of music so people don’t forget what it sounds like because we don’t have anything that sounds like it but we do need it…so that’s my goal.
MMIM: What producers or artists would you like to work with in the future?
ND: I’m really interested in working with people that are interested in really making music. I just like people who are involved with music, love what they do, and reflect that in everything that they do. So they can be name brand or not, I just really like to be around hungry art people.
MMIM: Where would you like to see 2008 take you?
ND: Well 2008 has taken me a whole bunch of places before the album has come out. This year I have traveled to Africa because I have never been. I had a show in Finland, I had a show in The Hague. I have been to Alabama, I have been working on an album down there, working on some music. I have been to a lot of different places that I would have never expected to go. Of all the those things, in their own way, will show up in the music. 2008 has been a year of self discovery for me. I have a certain sense of independence and establishing myself in different ways – personally and professionally. I can’t even wait to see what 2009 is going to be like, because 2008 has been amazing for me, so I am just waiting to see.
MMIM: What do you want people to remember about you if you were to stop making music?
ND: I want people to remember the music, the songs, and the lyrics. And find a connection because I know it about me, aint about this face, it aint about this hair, it aint about none of this. It’s about something that is bigger than me. And what comes out of me is what I want people to remember. I have been given a gift and all I know is that I am supposed to give it. So I hope people receive it in a manner that I am trying to give it. I don’t own it, it embodies me and I have to put it out. So its really about trying to say something to make people feel inspired to want to do and create, and thats all I can ever imagine it could do.
MMIM: What obstacles have you faced trying to pursue your passion in the music industry?
ND: Ah man (sigh). First obstacle is figuring out how I am going to get the money to do it. Next, all the people that told me that I shouldn’t or I couldn’t do it. Or the people that said, “You have been doing this for a long time now, you need to get a real job.” All the people that said, “it ain’t happen for you yet, it ain’t gonna happen.” Just a lot of that and overcoming the moments when I feel fearful. Because I hear that and start to believe it. All of those obstacles or the moments that you don’t have any food but you know that this is what you love to do. And no matter if you make money or not you still want to do it. Its continual and the hurdles do become different but those things help me to continue to be optimistic and want to create music. It also adds to the feeling inside the song. If I don’t have that stuff, I don’t have anything.
All About N’Dambi
MMIM: If you were not doing music what would you be doing?
ND: I would be an Interior Decorator.
MMIM: What is your recommended activity while someone is listening to your music?
ND: Hmmmm…I don’t know. maybe reading a book. Some people have told me that they break-up to it (laughs) I don’t know how they do that. But I would say to just relax and have a moment to reflect in a quiet space, and just chill.
MMIM: Name a song you cannot stand.
ND: I don’t want to (laughs).
MMIM: What is your favorite song right now.
ND: My favorite song right now is not a new song. My favorite song is a song called “Hot Pants in the Summertime” by The Dramatics. I have been listening to it and been doing a lot of homework and research on music from the 70s. So that would probably be my favorite song right now
MMIM: Name something you cannot leave the house without.
ND: My purse.
MMIM: Name a hidden talent.
ND: I can pinch people with my toes (laughs).
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August 13, 2008 at 9:32 pm
sexy sexy….any friend of erykah’s …is a friend of mine…can’t wait to hear more of her music.