Ashanti may not have emerged victorious in the mid 00’s showdown of R&B divas, but she sure knows how to keep it moving.
Never starved of a check, the former Murder Inc maven has diversified into TV and has also maintained a touring presence. The latter evidenced by her current trek with Ja Rule.
New music remains at the forefront of her mind, though. And it appears its arrival may be a case of “sooner rather than later.”
Full story below…
In a new interview with Billboard, the 35-year-old dropped a number points…
On The New Project’s Rumored Title
“The next album is absolutely not called Chapter VI (as rumored). It’s really confusing. I have no idea where that came from. But the music on there is incredible. I’m really excited. I can’t wait for people to hear the new music.”
On Its Sound
“[I’ve recorded about 15 or 16 songs]. I’m probably in love with about six or seven of them, like IN LOVE in love. I’m working with different people, different sounds, different things on this album, just kind of going places I haven’t gone before. Being an adult now, times are different. People want more of you.
“here are certain things that five years ago there’s no way anyone could’ve gotten me to say certain things, but this time around it’s like, ‘Hey, we’re in 2016 going into 2017, and this is how I feel. This is how it is. This is where we are in life, with everything.’ I’m ready to do that.”
On Recording In LA With Ty Dolla $ign, DJ Mustard, J-Roc, Hit-Boy, L.T. Hutton & More
“There’s so many different people. I was just thinking about my favorite records and who did them. The last two times I went out to L.A. I was only supposed to be there for a week and ended up staying for a month each time. I catch a really great vibe out there for some reason. Whenever I’m out there I go super hard.”
No release date was given, but the star says she hopes to have music to the masses before the year’s end.
As for us, we just hope it receives the right setup.
Because, as Ms. Douglas learned on her ‘Braveheart’ outing, it’s possible to make all the vocal and performance improvements possible and still fall short if the if the roll-out is wrong.
We’ve always maintained that going indie is not for all. Something her last era showcased in earnest. Fingers crossed that if she insists on going the “Written Entertainment” route once again, she’ll have teamed with a bigger entity to ensure she’s getting the proper looks as far as radio, TV, and all-round awareness. Because, we’re rooting for her. Especially with that line-up of producers.
What’s more, as the recent successes of Remy Ma and Fat Joe highlight, it’s important to never count one out…