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Angel J Q&A
How has Chancers changed your life?
Being involved in Chancers has most definitely broadened my outlook on the industry and how it works.
It's made me very eager to push myself in the right direction.
What lessons did you learn?
I have learned never to give up; just be consistent and believe in what you're doing as sometimes it
can get a bit tough and seems easy to fall off balance. There are so many people who will hate on you,
which is a shame, who will be adamant to throw you off. But as long as you stay 150% FOCUSED it will
become the least of your worries.
What most impressed you about New York?
They know real talent out there for one, and they know how to work it. They are consistent, their work
ethic is CRAZY, yet they know how to get the best out of an artist. It's as real as real gets; you WILL
know where you stand! I loved the fact that the underground artists over there are so ON THE GRIND!
It's amazing how many people you see just selling their CDs on the road. They want dat sh*t man! And the
crazy thing is they all got flow!
Does the UK still have a lot to learn from US artists?
Honestly, I think when you're talking about style, flow and lyrics, not at all. Every artist has unique
individuality and the right to be coming from where they're coming from; telling their story or whatever
you wanna call it. What I do believe is the UK has still to learn about how the Americans work, and why
they are so successful within the industry. I mean, wouldn't it be a silly thing to deny they have a system
that works!
How did you choose your stage name?
At the age of 15 I was in a little click of garage MCs. We had a slot on Smoove FM every Tuesday. They knew
I could buss a tune so they involved me in studio work and I was singing live on the radio sets in the week.
They called me Angel J as I was so angelic ... hehehe! To be honest, I wasn't bothered about the name at all,
it was just a radio thing, but as my career moved, the name stuck more and more. I even tried to change it
once but people just kept calling me Angel so it was a bit of a long ting changing it.
Who has been your greatest influence?
I have so many people that have been an influence in some kind of way. Just off the top of my head – Lauryn Hill,
Aaliyah, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu. Even though people like Jill Scott and Erykah Badu are artists you may not
associate me with, I enjoy the jazz element in their music and would love to do jazz music. Soul Child is one of
my favourite artists of all time; those who have seen him perform live will know why. I'm very much an old school
R&B girl. I grew up listening to SWV. I love a lot of the stuff Brandy did when she first came out; Floetry are
doing for me definitely. I listen to a lot of hip hop also; I love the deep lyrical content in hip hop music. One
of my favourite hip hop artists is The Last Emperor. A lot of the poetry that Tupac Shakur wrote in the writers'
circle has also been very influential to me as I am also a poetry lover. I'm the kind of person
who, if I turn on MTV Base and there's a documentary or something of that kind on about any artist, it will inspire me.
What is the best thing about the music business?
I imagine the best thing would be, aside from the obvious, travelling, as it is one of my ambitions to see as much
of the world as I possibly can. Also being able to work with talented people, building relationships and meeting new
people and just being able to share things with people through music, whatever that might be.
What is the worst thing about the music business?
The worst thing about it is the fact that not everyone is in it for the music, which can entail other things that create
unpleasant atmospheres which is in my opinion what is wrong with the industry. Also, along with the supporters comes haters,
which unfortunately adds to the obstacles that artists already are expected to overcome.
Where do you see yourself in five years' time?
Albums, awards and everyting! Haha! On a real, I wanna have a lot of experience of the industry, but by that time I see myself
to have grown musically and artistically, stepping up my game on a MUCH larger scale!
More on Angel J.
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