Q&A: Jazmine Sullivan

Jazmine Sullivan – protégé of Missy Elliott, endorsed by Stevie Wonder – is quite the storyteller. Her debut album, Fearless, embodies the kind of emotional schizophrenia that good, juicy R&B albums are made of, taking on different personae and sounds throughout: vamp, victim, victor, retro, nouveau and pop. Philly born and bred, Sullivan comes from a place where soul comes naturally. In her earlier days, the up-and-comer performed at the venue – Philly's Black Lily – where artists like Jill Scott and Musiq Soulchild were, at the time, still making a name for themselves. She's worked behind the scenes, singing backup vocals and penning songs. And she's even bounced back from label drama. Her Missy-assisted breakthrough single "Need U Bad" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. At only 21, Sullivan has proved once and again that she's got the chops. Earlier this month, Rhapsody had the chance to catch up with Sullivan at Radio City Music Hall, prepping for her second night on tour with Maxwell. Here, she speaks on Missy-as-inspiration, the craftsmanship behind Fearless, and "Bust Your Windows"-style methods of revenge.

[Click the "Continue Reading..." link to listen to a playlist featuring the music discussed in this post.]

Rhapsody: You wrote every song on the album. As far as the many different sounds involved – how much of that was of your creation? And how much of it was brought about through collaboration?
Jazmine Sullivan: I did come up with the music for a few of the songs, and then I went to a producer and they put their twist on it. I was very blessed to work with very talented producers who weren't afraid to step outside the box. Even with Missy with the first single, "Need U Bad," with us even coming out with a reggae-R&B song -- it takes creative people to go ahead and break the mold.

How did you and Missy start working together?
When I first met her, I was about 13 or 14. This guy named Kenny Ortiz saw me on Showtime at the Apollo; he would take me around to different artists and producers and try to get me put on. Missy – ever since she met me – she let us know that she believed in me and that she wanted to be a part of my growth and development. And she's kept her word since then. When I got signed to Jive, she helped with that project, and it actually helped with my situation at Jive, because they were like, "Why would  Missy Elliott want to work with this little girl? Must be something special about her." So, they started to put their energy toward me. And even when I got dropped, I worked with her on Fantasia's "Free Yourself;" I got the background credits. We just always remained friends. It made sense that she got the first single because we've been working together for so, so long. We have a great relationship and working relationship. So, it was kinda meant to be. She's a worker – when she goes in, she goes in hard. And it kind of gives me inspiration to want to get to where she's at.

Working with producer Salaam Remi (Amy Winehouse, Fugees), were you inclined at first to take on that retro sound? Were you wary of it at all because it's the so-in thing right now?
It was a feeling thing. If that's what felt good, then that's what we went with. That's how some songs came about – like "Bust Your Windows" and "Lions and Tigers and Bears" – I would go and I would sing it and ... Salaam was working with an orchestra in Prague and he was so excited about it. He was like, "I'm going to go to Prague and I'm gonna come back with these songs." And "Lions and Tigers and Bears" sounded like a big Disney production – it was just the right fit. It just worked.

On "Dream Big," you used a Daft Punk sample ...
"Dream Big" is one of my favorites. I think I needed something upbeat on the album. It's a lot different from the other songs – a little more pop and a little more fun, but the message is still something that is very personal for me: overcoming all obstacles and getting out and dreaming  big. And I liked it because … what was that song Kanye came out with? ["Stronger."] I was like, "That is so hot!"  And I wanted to do something like that. That was my little take on that … it inspired me to do a little pop song.

"Lions and Tigers and Bears" is another one of my favorites because it's also another personal song for me. ... It's talking about how I'm very comfortable being on stage and doing all of this business stuff, but then love is scary for me.  I think it's scary for everybody and I think that's why people identify with this song because giving your heart to somebody and trusting them with it … is frightening! But, we'll do it anyway, just because the payback – I've heard – is greater; [mockingly] I suppose the payback is greater. And it's got a little twist on it, incorporating a Wizard of Oz theme – and I played Dorothy in the Wiz like three times when I was younger.

You were signed to Jive at 15, then you were dropped at 17. Now, you’re with J Records. Are you happy with the way things worked out? How much different are you as an artist now than when you were first signed? Were you ready for a career back then?
You know what? I can't honestly say that I wasn't and I can't honestly say that I was. I was very, very young. I didn't write. And if I did write, I was just starting to ... I probably started writing at the end of my Jive contract. I did some songs on the album – "Say I" which was intended for my album but got sold to Christina Milian, and "Twisted." I was so young and I didn't really know who I was as a person and I hadn't really experienced anything. And I think that makes the difference with my music … I've actually been through a little bit and I can actually talk to my audience. And! Not only that, but I'm in a better position because I write and I did get executive producer on the album. [Laughs.]

Trey Songz did a remix of "Bust Your Windows." How do you feel about that?
I just actually met him a week ago and he was like, "Oh my gosh, I love your album." He did the remix, and I heard a little bit of it. It sounded hot. I think it's always a complement when someone wants to remix your song. So, you know, we might work together ...

In the video for "Bust Your Windows," you give quite a few suggestions for getting back at the guy who's been cheating on you. So, what kind of other Waiting to Exhale-type recommendations can you make? How would you get creative?
Um … you can mess up the tires. ... This is what I do suggest – if you do want to bust the windows out and you don't want anyone to know that you did it – you might want to take something so it would look like somebody, you know, broke into the car. Like the radio, scatter some things around. [Laughs.] But if you want him to know, then you just bust the windows out and write your initials. [Laughs.]