“Voice” winner Tessanne Chin talked about her latest single: “Love Suicide” in the latest edition of “A Conversation.” (Album cover property of Chinita Entertainment LLC)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
The Voice is celebrating its tenth season on NBC!
Last night, original coaches Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Christina Aguilera along with fan-favorite and Season Eight winning coach Pharrell Williams began the tenth installment of the Blind Auditions.
Among the artists that took part in the Blind Auditions process is Season Five winner and Team Adam alum Tessanne Chin. The pop-reggae rock singer skyrocketed to success as she impressed the nation with her powerful covers of “Try,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “I Have Nothing” & “Love Can Move Mountains,” a song that she performed with Celine Dion on the Season Five finale.
After winning the title, Tessanne performed at numerous events across the country including the 2014 Women of Soul: In Performance at the White House, she co-headlined the event with Melissa Etheridge, Ariana Grande, Janelle Monae, Jill Scott and music legends Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle. Tessanne also joined forces with Gloria Estefan, Katherine Jenkins and Russell Watson at the 2015 National Memorial Day Concert.
In addition to high-profile performances, Tessanne released her first post-Voice album: Count On My Love in the summer of 2014. The album peaked at number 41 on the US Billboard 200 and featured contributions from Ryan Tedder, Diane Warren, Toby Gad, Chuck Harmony and the Rock City production team.
This year is expected to be a big year for Ms. Chin as she released her latest single: “Love Suicide” and is preparing to launch her second post-Voice album. I had the chance to talk to Tessanne about how she grew as an artist from her time on the NBC singing competition and what fans can expect from her upcoming album.
Jacob Elyachar: How have you grown as an artist since your time on “The Voice”?
Tessanne Chin: I think I have improved in every single way possible — vocally, lyrically, melodically, but also I feel I have matured mentally and spiritually too. I think my experiences during and after The Voice forced me to come out of my comfort zone in so many ways and forced me to push the boundaries too.
Tessanne Chin and Celine Dion’s duet of “Love Can Move Mountains” remains one of the greatest “Voice” moments in show history. (Photo property of NBC)
JE: You have worked with a diverse group of superstars ranging from celebrated producers and songwriters Diane Warren, Claude Kelly and Toby Gad to music legends Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan and Patti Labelle. What lessons have you learned from them that you have implemented in your latest chapter of your music career?
TC: To be true to yourself and create a moment, create a feeling that people will remember. I also remember feeling pretty blown away by how graceful a lot of these amazing people were and how they executed everything with such focus and passion.
JE: What were some of the challenges that you faced throughout your career? How did you overcome them?
TC: Some of the challenges for me would probably be balancing the artist I am now with the artist I was. I think it’s a very tricky thing being the artist you want to be and who you’ve grown into versus the artist or the singer people remember you for and breaking out of that mold and reintroducing yourself as you are now. But, I am grateful for everything that comes my way, as it is a lesson and a chance for me to grow and prove myself musically.
JE: Let’s talk about your new single,” “Love Suicide.” What is the story behind the song? How did its lyrics resonate with you?
TC: Lil C produced the song and written by Blu June, I remember just hearing the words and the melody Blu came up with on top of this fantastic track and just feeling moved and almost taken back to a different era. It resonated with me because I love the idea of feeling a love so strong that you surrender to it and I love that it has a classic R&B feel to it too which to me is just so amazing.
JE: Currently, you are working on your upcoming studio album. What can my readers look forward to the most from your second post- “Voice” album?
TC: Just the evolution of me as an artist and as a person. I’ve been through a hell of a lot these past few years, and I feel there is a lot that I want to say and a lot that music has helped me to process. I want to be able to write and sing songs that help people to do that also.
JE: If you had the chance to meet with aspiring singer-songwriters who want to have a career in the music industry, what advice would you share with them??
TC: Make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. A lot of people, I think, get into this industry because they have an idea of what they believe that it would be like. But, in reality, it’s a lot of hard work and dedication. I think that it’s only a job one can do if you really and truly have a love and passion for music, and not just the hype or fame or riches that people portray. It’s so much more than that, it’s a tough industry, but if you love it, and stay true to who you are, then you’ll love every moment of it and roll with the punches when you feel you can’t go on. The love of music, and writing, and performing will bring you back because ultimately, I think it’s the other way around — we don’t choose music, it wants us! (Laughs)
For more information about Tessanne and her music, visit her website!
Want to connect with Tessanne on social media? Visit her Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube channels.
Tessanne Chin’s “Voice” performances are property of NBC & United Artists Media Group.
