Coline Creuzot had plans to pursue a singing career as a child but she had to finish her educational requirements first before she could put all her energy into making her dream come true. Once she graduated from Hampton University, Coline linked with Paul Wall’s manager, which opened doors to collaborations with Slim Thug, E-40, Paul Wall and other major producers. She has made a buzz in Houston and on the internet after releasing two mixtapes, leading to interest from major record labels. Coline took some timeout to talk to Singersroom about low points of her career, her personal image versus her artist image and how her grind is similar to Paul Wall’s and other hip hop artists.
Singersroom: This image that you portray as an artist, is that how your family and friends perceive you?
Coline Creuzot: I like to say yes and no. I try to go for an image that is sexy but classy, which is how I tend to view myself but I like to separate myself as an artist and myself as a person. It is really all one but I like to keep my music thing one and my personal thing another thing.
Singersroom: As far as writing, I am sure a piece of your lyrics is personal and some is entertaining. How do you separate that or is there a specific way that you write?
Coline Creuzot: My writing is definitely a personal expression of who I am and what I go through from time to time in relationships or a friend that is going through something that inspire me. I dig deep; my writing is very personal so with that being said I guess that is the true expression of me.
Singersroom: Several tracks I’ve heard talks about dysfunctional relationships or a rebirth of love, is that the theme of your upcoming album?
Coline Creuzot: My writing is mostly for the ladies. Most of my songs talk about experiences in relationships whether that be breaking up or making up or making mistakes in a relationship where you wish you could go back and fix things. It deals with every aspect of a relationship. Not all of them are break-up songs, not all of them are sad, not all of them are male bashing. I kind of like to touch on every topic; something that every woman can relate to.
Singersroom: I’m happy there is not too much male bashing!
Coline Creuzot: (laughter) I got some records for the men too.
Singersroom: Telling men what?
Coline Creuzot: I have one record called “I Can Be Your Hustle,” which I compare myself to a hustle; its basically saying treat me how you treat your hustle, love me like you love your hustle. Then I have another record called “Get It Poppin'” with Slim Thug, which is kind of like a club record. It has a real down south feel to it. It’s basically about me meeting this guy and we [have] been spending time [together] now its time to get it poppin’. (Laughter)
Singersroom: You seem to get your hustle on the same way a Hip Hop artist hustle to get their name out there.
Coline Creuzot: Well the route that I have taken has been the approach that a lot of rappers take. My manager also manages Paul Wall and so I am kind of following his footsteps in how he came about; really trying to gain a buzz in my hometown. I dropped two mixtapes, which have been very helpful for me. We have done a lot of street promotions and I give the mixtapes out for free when I do shows. I’m kind of grindin’ in that sense where I am just getting myself out there; make sure everybody knows my face. It’s a little harder with R&B because you can’t really go to clubs and interrupt people’s club night singing a love song.
Singersroom: How does negative feedback on the internet affect you?
Coline Creuzot: It used to hurt my feelings. (Laughter) When I would see bad comments, I would get offended. I would take it personally. I had to come to realize that not everybody is going to like my music and that I am ok with that. It’s just one of those things to where I appreciate what people have to say, I appreciate people taking the timeout to leave a comment. I just take it for what it is.
It’s really funny for my single “Give And Take.” I wrote that song as a therapy song; I had gone through a bad break-upâ¦Everybody loved it. So my manager was like let’s just push it, let’s see what happens. We took it to radio; they loved it and played it just off GP (General Principal). It was really strange because on the internet I don’t have that type of response with that song. The [response] was it’s an “ok” record. It’s weird to see how people at radio, label executives and people in the industry love the record but a lot of consumers thought it was ok.
Singersroom: You started your career in church then worked as a back-up singer. Did you think you would continue your career as a back-up singer?
Coline Creuzot: My dream was always to be a solo artist. I started off in church but I’m actually Catholic so we don’t get down with the get downs like a lot of churches. (Laughter) From there I kind of worked my way up. Solange is a good friend of mine and that’s how I [got] to do the video and doing some spot date [as a back-up singer]. I was never technically her official back-up singer, one of her original back-up singers got hurt so I was asked to come help out on a couple of tour dates. I happen to be in L.A. working on something for myself and she was like come to the video for “I Decided.”
Singersroom: What is the vision or tone of your album?
Coline Creuzot: It’s something the ladies are going to like and something the men are going to like because it touches on relationships. Like I said before, it is real life issues and I think even with a record like “Give And Take,” a man can listen to that and reverse it. The same things that happen to women happen to men. I think it’s a record everybody can listen to and enjoy.
Singersroom: Sometimes!
Coline Creuzot: They do. Men get cheated on just like women do. Y’all might not admit it but it’s true.
Singersroom: Coolâ¦you don’t want to see a 6’5 man crying?
Coline Creuzot: Oh no no, I don’t want to see it. (Laughter) But they go through it; that is my point.
Singersroom: Artistry is more than performing on stage or singing a hook on a record…it often times is about telling the story of either a high, middle or low point in your life…. share with us your most difficult moment behind the mic…
Coline Creuzot: One of the disappointing times for me was once my song picked up on radio I was getting a lot of label attention. I flew out to meet with the label and I had the meeting with them. [It was] a really tough meeting because I was in the room with five executives and my manager missed his flight so I was there alone. I thought the meeting went. The next day they called back and it was a no go. I could not understand for the longest time why things went down the way they did but that was definitely a learning point for me. I have had to learn to separate who I am, down home Coline, with a brand. You have to be ten thousand percent; they [labels] want to see the Myspace Coline walking in there real diva like. That was something I really had to expect, swallow and learn. That was a low point.
Singersroom: Why do you love R&B?
Coline Creuzot: Music to me is something that connects everybody. There is something for people to listen to make them feel good and get through situations. R&B to me is music that speaks from the soul. I came up on Donny Hathaway and Sam Cooke; I love old school music because they were really speaking about something. You could really feel the emotion and you could feel what they were going through. A lot of music now is commercial, which is cool because I love it. But I want go to that place where music makes you feel something. That is why I love R&B. —— By: Interview By Adeniyi Omisore
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