We not too long ago caught up with Meelah for an interview on Instagram reside. She shared with us the small print of what we are able to anticipate on her lengthy awaited solo album, recollections of 702 together with reuniting with the group in recent times, her historical past as a songwriter and background vocalist, and rather more.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What are you able to inform us about your lengthy awaited solo album?
Meelah: I’ve been speaking about it for a really very long time. I’ve simply been doing the impartial route for years. It’s by no means been my tremendous arduous focus. Once I turned a mom, that sort of took over the whole lot. Having a particular wants children, that shifted my trajectory and slowed me down a bit. So it’s not my #1 hustle anymore. On prime of that, I wasn’t signed to anyone, which was a blessing. However now as of two years in the past, I’m signed with Musiq Soulchild and distributed by eOne, so I’ve bought a bit extra of a platform. That’s after I actually began recording the album, 2017, after which I finished for a 12 months after I bought again on the highway with 702. I bought the group again collectively. That took a few 12 months and a half out of the method. Actually, I’ve bought to say, I’ve simply been studying an increasing number of concerning the particular person I’m. I’ve modified, I’m not the Meelah that I used to be after I first began recording. I’ve been by a number of various things and I’ve much more to sing and write about. A number of stuff I’ve accomplished up to now was written for me. I did songs written for another person and gave it a go. Now it’s stuff I’m writing and it’s about my life and stuff I’ve gone by. I don’t thoughts taking somewhat further time to offer you somewhat extra of who I actually am. A little bit extra integrity, I don’t wish to simply put out one thing as a result of it’s a scorching tune anyone wrote for me. Bear with me! I do know I’ve been speaking about this for 18 years! The cool factor is I can take my time and try this and I’m grateful. I do know that the business has modified a lot and folks’s consideration span is brief. They actually don’t care a lot anymore, however I’m good! Thanks to those that care! I’m truly accomplished recording! The pandemic interrupted the start course of of blending and mastering. We’re making an attempt to get this factor out, I used to be alleged to have it out by Summer time! It’s undoubtedly inching alongside, however I’ll get this factor out 2020! *Laughs* We needed it to be a conceptualized theme album. As I began to document, I spotted it’s all about my relationship with my ex Musiq, and the whole lot we went by with the breakup to current. I began it off actually offended and damage and upset and pissed off on the world. I had a number of emotional information. As time went on, I simply needed to be extra clear however not so heavy, however actually what I went by and what I used to be feeling within the relationship. It’s an emotional album and generally that takes time! It drains generally! *Laughs* The nice factor is I got here out of it with all smiles, we’re in a brilliant nice house now. It made for an incredible album and I’m excited to listen to it. Initially it was going to be a visible album. We bought one visible in after which all of this occurred! Only a few bumps within the highway, but it surely’s not going to cease the stream. We’re going to maintain it shifting even when we have now to shift and alter the plans. I do have three singles on the market that individuals can hear that got here out over the previous few years: “I Do What I Really feel Like”, “Desert Love” and “Now You’re Mad”.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Speak abut being underrated as a vocalist.
Meelah: As an grownup, I’ve come to the belief I’ve made a mark on this business in a approach that I’m more than happy with. The truth that my voice together with the contribution from 702 as a collective is now sampled by different artists on this technology. Generally listening to my voice sped up or in a riff taking part in on a tune, I’ll take it! That makes me really feel good, I don’t really feel like I’m slighted in any approach. That’s my destiny and what God has for me. I don’t want the validation to be larger than I’m in sure individuals’s eyes.
YouKnowIGotSoul: R&B lovers had been so blissful when 702 reunited. What was it like being in that second?
Meelah: For the longest time it wasn’t one thing I used to be excited by doing. Not as a result of I used to be going solo, I feel all of us had moments the place we sort of had been aside for thus lengthy and had been by our personal rising pains being within the group, so we took a break for it. I really feel assured every of us have had moments once we had been accomplished. We grew up collectively and did three albums from teenage years by our 20’s. Being obtained in 2017 throughout our impromptu visitor look on the 2017 Soul Prepare Awards in Las Vegas on the purple carpet. The reception was a blessing. Once we bought on the highway in 2018, it was superior. I like that I used to be capable of get again in contact with the women and it felt like we had been capable of choose up the place we left off on the constructive notes. I feel for me, it’s simply all the time difficult to ascertain myself as a person. I’m positive they felt that approach as effectively. Not simply concerning the music, however a person particular person. It’s in all probability all the time going to be Meelah from 702. It’s a blessing as a result of that’s what bought me right here. It’s not a nasty affiliation as a result of I admire it.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Was there ever any speak of doing new music with 702?
Meelah: I began engaged on my album earlier than we bought collectively as a result of I had that scenario with Soulchild and eONe. Actually, our aim was all the time at the very least simply to get on the highway and see how that labored out. If different alternatives got here alongside like tv. I actually needed to attempt our hand at tv as a result of that actually appears like the brand new document deal! It’s such as you’re a strolling poster board! We simply by no means went so far as doing the music. Personally, I felt like lets give the followers the hits and maintain it shifting. Sadly it doesn’t really feel like individuals care that a lot about new music from teams again in my space. It simply looks as if they wish to hear stuff that offers them nostalgia. So we by no means tapped into it. It’s quite a bit that goes into being in a gaggle and the dynamics. We’re all wives and moms residing in several cities.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Take us again to the work you probably did on Religion Evans’ “Faithfully” album. Lots of people don’t even notice you wrote on that album.
Meelah: I used to be blessed and honored to be part of that. On the time, we shared administration. I wrote on a few songs and similar backgrounds on a few songs on the album. It was actually dope. “You Will get No Love”, “Don’t Cry”, and “Mesmerize”. Shout out to her, I used to be capable of get on the tune she did with Pharrell, it was my first time assembly him. I’ve been grinding for a very long time! Once I wasn’t in 702, I used to be singing backgrounds for thus many alternative artists. I lived in L.A. for 11 years and I started working with actually dope artists like Raphael Saadiq. I bought in with Macy Grey, I wrote on her album. I do know individuals noticed me for a stint doing background singing, I had a ball! I’ve three passports simply from singing with Macy alone! *Laughs* She would maintain you abroad, I find it irresistible. I bought to put in writing with them too. I bought to be round simply all of that expertise. They’re so gifted. To suck all of that up and be a scholar. At first I used to be so conflicted by ending up on the earth of background singing after being the entrance lady from a profitable group. I used to be nearly embarrassed to start with. On the time, it was actually nearly survival. I had no crew. 702 had damaged up and I used to be in L.A. grinding. I did that to pay the payments. It went from one gig to 3 years on the highway with Macy Grey. I feel my final gig together with her, I used to be pregnant in my son in Hong Kong and it was time to cease. I knew it was not in the end what I needed to do. It wasn’t my mission in life. I finished so I may very well be a mom and provides my profession a second go. I had a rebirth after I moved right here to Atlanta and did R&B Divas. It’s been fairly cool.
YouKnowIGotSoul: One other tune you labored on was “Take Away” by Missy Elliott and Ginuwine and Tweet. Speak about that have.
Meelah: Not solely did I do background vocals, I additionally wrote a verse on that tune! Earlier than Ginuwine was on the tune and earlier than Tweet, I used to be with Missy just about her complete album. “Miss E So Addictive”. Me and Tweet had been there for many of that recording. Missy is so loopy and like a giant sister to me. She referred to as me in and needed me on the tune. She later added Ginuwine to it and a special model with Tweet. However that was an honor, I like that tune, that’s my groove to today. I had fun doing it. I additionally labored with Puff Daddy for awhile and he needed to place me in Whole, so I labored with them for a scorching second. Shout out to Keisha and Pam, love them, love Kima too. I flirted with that concept for a minute, I like them, they’re so dope, however in the end it didn’t work out. I wasn’t making an attempt to be a gaggle hopper. However the reality I used to be even requested? Their swag is on 1 trillion! I didn’t even that swag again then! I’ve it now! I bought tales for days and a lot stuff I’ve contributed to and been part of. All the time humble and grateful for the alternatives.
YouKnowIGotSoul: We didn’t even notice that Tiffany Villareal was initially a part of 702!
Meelah: That’s certainly one of my greatest mates, we speak all the time. We went to highschool collectively and we remained actually shut mates. We auditioned collectively for 702 collectively! In case you comply with 702, they’d “This Lil Sport” with the group Subway with 4 members earlier than me. We needed to audition for Michael Bivens when he needed to remix the group. However in the end Mike determined to make it a trio. We remained cool together with her and she or he remained a part of the household. I bought our commencement image collectively in highschool. She’s so dope, love her voice!
YouKnowIGotSoul: The cool factor about your work with Missy Elliott is you started working together with her earlier than her debut album even got here out! What was it prefer to work together with her again within the day?
Meelah: Musiq instructed me that too once we first began courting! That “Beep Me 911” tune. That tune is timeless and will come out as we speak. Missy and Timbaland are forward of their time. Shout out to Missy. She left me a voice textual content for Mom’s Day and I nearly cried! It was so candy. We attempt to be in contact. I texted her again that she nearly made me cry!
YouKnowIGotSoul: I’ll inform you what, we’re nonetheless ready on a video for the 702 tune “I Nonetheless Love You” from the group’s third album!
Meelah: Despite the fact that the album sort of bombed on account of politics, individuals nonetheless took to that tune. It did what it did on it’s personal. The truth that the tune will get talked about on a regular basis regardless that it wasn’t a promoted tune, speaks volumes to how superb it was.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Which is your favourite 702 album?
Meelah: I’d need to say the primary one. Shout out to the entire crew. We had been so younger and inexperienced. These information I feel had been even earlier than our time. We had been 15, 16, 17 recording “Get It Collectively”. Donell Jones did his factor with that and I didn’t even know what I used to be singing. “Steelo” is without end a basic and “Get It Collectively” these are the singles. However if you happen to actually wish to dig deep, “Discovering My Approach”, the final tune, it was written by Malik Pendleton, it might need even been too grown for us for the time. I feel that album was an incredible start line for a gaggle of three younger ladies out of Vegas. Then we had the “All I Need” which was used for Good Burger.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What else are you able to share about your upcoming solo album?
Meelah: I’m so enthusiastic about it. Musiq and I don’t have a duet, however he co-wrote a tune with me referred to as “Tonight”, certainly one of my favourite information. I sort of did it within the type of Angela Winbush and 80’s information like Anita Baker, it’s so groovy. I used to be even capable of get one from Robert Glasper that I used to be capable of write to, he despatched me a monitor. I’m such a Robert Glasper fan. I’m enthusiastic about this undertaking. Hopefully will probably be out no later than 2020. I don’t have any options proper now. Songwriter TC made a contribution. I didn’t need this album to be heavy R&B, however I don’t even know what R&B is taken into account anymore. I’m simply actually excited for you all to listen to it.