After many failed attempts to make a major name for herself in the music industry, it looks like 2012 could be her year to shine since her recent signing with G.O.O.D Music and the release of her
long awaited mixtape. Now she speaks to Complex magazine about those who doubted her, her fashion influence on the likes of Rihanna and Rita Ora and more.
Read the excerpts below:
How’d you go from being the stylish friend to being on a couple of records on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy?
One day he called me while he was working on the album. He wanted me to come to the studio to check out some pieces that Balmain had exclusively made for him and he wanted me to check out his album.
Even though the invite really was to check out clothes, I had told myself I was going to get on that album—whether he knew or not. [Laughs.] I’m not even a morning person and he wanted me to come at 9 a.m. I get there and I like his clothes. He’s like, “I knew you’d like this!” Then he started playing his album and I start humming and doing some little runs to what I’m hearing on the sly tip. I came in there humming! I knew what I was doing. [Laughs.] So he hears me and is like, “You can really sing. Yo, can you put some backgrounds on this song 'Hell of a Life'?” He knew I was signed to Pharrell and all that, but I guess he didn’t know what I could really do. Like I said, we were more fashion friends. He just knew I was fly.
So then he tells me to do “Dark Fantasy.” At the time it was pretty empty, just verses. He put me in another room by myself and said, “Go.” I came back with a whole intro and chorus. I did all the scratches and the cuts myself with my voice. That’s not a DJ thing when you hear my voice go like that. I was so nervous when I played it for Kanye. I hadn’t been in the studio for so long. I was so excited to be trying out for that song. Rihanna was there.
When did you first think being signed to G.O.O.D. was an actual possibility?
After I heard “Dark Fantasy” being played on The Hangover 2 trailer and at basketball games, it really got me thinking, “Who else is really fly enough to be the first lady of G.O.O.D. Music?” I don’t feel it could have been anybody else but me. And I’m a humble person. But you couldn’t name another person who’d be a better first lady.
