Q&A: Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams' new album, Unexpected, actually came as a surprise to Williams herself. After two gospel albums, the Destiny's Child alum returned to the studio to work on her third solo effort, this time with a breakup on the brain. The resulting album was, "Alright," says Williams. After calling for backup – her mother – she scrapped it and went back to the studio. "My mom was like, 'You sound so bitter! Make music that people can dance to.' And that really helped me – like even if you are upset, still dance!" And dance, you will. Unexpected is, in a way, Williams' coming out party. With producers like Stargate and Rico Love manning the boards, she successfully sheds some of her good-girl image with a sound that's covered in sequins and sass, delivering a hybrid confection that's deceptively sweet ("Thank U") and naughtily nice ("Private Party"), a blend of R&B ("Hungover") and Euro-pop shimmy ("Lucky Girl"). Here, Williams speaks on her new attitude and more. 

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

Rhapsody: Where did this new sound come from?
Michelle Williams: Working in the studio, I kinda didn’t know how the album was gonna turn out – until it was done. But the first song I did with [producer] Rico Love, "Hello Heartbreak," once we got through recording that song, I guess it did set the tone in a way for the rest of the album and we felt that we were really on to something – because nobody would have expected that to come from me. So, I was like, "Let's keep with it." By the time we were done with the album, we knew we had something special.

Rico Love is an extraordinary writer; he actually used to be on Usher's label a couple of years ago. And I guess that didn’t work out, but I think Rico tapped into a gift that he didn’t know he had – he would write his own raps, he was a rapper at first, and he just started dibbling and dabbling into writing. One day, one of his singers didn’t show up and ... producers have singers sing their demos for them and Rico had to sing it on his own and he really liked it. He offered some vocal stuff on the album as well. Even his writing style, you could tell he's a rapper because he doesn’t write anything down. He just goes in the studio, records whatever he's thinking and that’s the song. It's cool to work with somebody like that.

You've got that "Percolator" shout out on "Hello Heartbreak," but it was, in part, also inspired by Annie Lennox of the Eurthymics? What were your other influences?
I'm from Chicago – and that's where the "Percolator" came from. But some of the songs definitely have that – sometimes vocally – I could see listening to my music how she did influence my music. But you listen to so much music and you kind shelve that way, way in the back of your head and not know that. Like, growing up, when you parents thought you weren't listening to them – you really were. You kinda store things in  your subconscious ... and I think that’s what happened. I wanted to go for Prince and Sheila E. for "Lucky Girl" and "Till the End of the World." I guess [I was inspired by] '80s artists.

So, why did you choose to reannounce yourself with "We Break the Dawn"?
I thought it was so fitting to just kinda bust out into the scene with the title. I'm breaking something – breaking boundaries, trying to break stereotypes of the genre of music that people think that I should only be doing ... because my first two albums were gospel. And I love gospel music. Gospel is rooted in me and it's not going anywhere -- but at the same time, I wanted to challenge myself and do something new. And I'm finding that people are happy about it; they're excited about it. I'm keeping it fresh and respectful. To me, that's all that counts.

Did you have any qualms about making that transition?
At first I did because I was worried about what people were going to say. I didn’t want to be called a hypocrite. I can say I believe in God 'til I'm blue in the face ... but I still get called a hypocrite. But I just try to make sure that I live my life in a great manner, in a respectful manner. God is beautiful; he's so big and we even try to put him in a box?! So, I feel that whatever music I'm doing, I wanna make sure that you still see God in it.

What are some of the concepts behind the songs on the album?
"Hungover" was such a different, dark edgy sound for me. I was just ready to try it. "Hungover" is kind of a throwback to Diana Ross' "Love Hangover." So, it reminds me of that kinda thing, where you're just caught up – you don't know what happened. "Lucky Girl" is about you're in that state of mind where you just found somebody that takes you to that level in a positive manner – and you're feeling lucky. And "Private Party" – it's a fun song. I can not wait to perform that song. It's basically telling that person that you're ready, you're open and it's me and you – and inviting him in. I'm running the show and I'm letting you know. "Till the End of the World," it's kinda asking that question – "Will you be there for me, through thick and thin? Good or bad? Can I count on you?"

For this album, was your experience with Destiny's Child kind of like a bootcamp?
It was ... and that was greatest, greatest, greatest thing that could have happened for me music-wise. I learned so much that will be with me forever. Our work ethic taught  me – you HAVE to work. You can not sell albums by sitting at home. You're building a brand, so you gotta be out there and you gotta work.

How have your experiences on Broadway – in Aida and The Color Purple – influenced you as an artist?
Me playing Suge Avery in The Color Purple – she was very feisty, very sassy, very direct. And I kind of took that and I was like, "Wow. My 'no' should be 'no,' and my 'yes' should be 'yes.'" I've absorbed some qualities – but the good ones.

How did you feel singing "he works me like a fulltime job" [on "Lucky Girl"]?
[Laughs.] I didn’t write it! I didn't write it! "He works me like a fulltime job" – it's not necessarily sexual – it could be intellectual. He keeps you on your toes. He keeps you thinking. [Laughs.]