Interview by Karla Ash
Josephine Sincere: Sounds Like Teen Spirit
If a person's voice alone could get them into 21 and over
establishments, then nobody would leave the door closed on Josephine
Sincere. Possessing a rich, evocative vocal style that is decades
of life experiences beyond her 18 years, Sincere is on the verge
of breaking out. Signed to KIXX Records, Sincere has just released
Wildflower, a record of jazzy sophistication, late-evening soul,
and punchy R&B, all delivered with a seasoned veteran's skill.
Karla Ash: How did someone at your young age develop such
a mature, soulful voice?
Josephine Sincere: Aw, thank you! That's so kind to say! I
don't know. It's natural, I guess. From what my mother tells
me, I was singing when I was two-years-old, and over the years,
I've sung in school choirs, and I did a lot of singing in church.
But I think that because I grew up listening to really soulful
singers like Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Mahalia
Jackson, and the like, I might have subconsciously been influenced
by the sincerity in their great voices.
Ash: Your music combines various genres, from R&B to
jazz. How much involvement did you have in the sound of your
album and the styles represented?
Sincere: I had some influence, but I'm fortunate that my producers
on the project, Tab Edwards and Saint Martin, wanted to put together
a project that reflected the genuine R&B and soulful feelings
of music of the past - and not what they call the "watered-down
R&B" that is all over the radio these days from younger
artists. They also know the style of music I like to sing (no
bubblegum). And the fact that they decided to use some of Philly's
premier jazz musicians for the music (some of them have played
with Gerald Veasley and Floetry), gives the project that jazzy
feel to it - I love it. They also realize that the CD had to
have some commercial appeal, so we added some songs that are
more urban for the young crowd. I did write and perform a song
on the CD ("Forever"), and I also wrote a song on my
first CD Feels So Good.
Ash: How did you get involved with Kixx Records?
Sincere: I was singing at a church retreat when I was 16,
and Tab's sister (who attends the same church as I do) saw me
sing. Apparently, she liked my voice and she called him and told
him that he should hear me sing. He kinda blew her off at first
(because he's always getting approached by people who say they
can sing, and they really can't), so I didn't hear from him.
So she called him again a week later. After a couple of weeks
he called me and asked if I would meet him at the studio so that
he could hear me sing - I think he agreed to hear me because
his older sister was bugging him about it. I showed up and sang
for about a minute. He suddenly cut me off and said he wanted
to record some songs with me. He booked some studio time, and
that's how it all got started. The first song we recorded was
"Mamma."
Ash: Who are your musical influences?
Sincere: I love Nina Simone! Her voice is incredible! In fact,
I'm going to record one of her songs for my next project. Another
influence would have to be Roberta Flack. I also like Donnie.
His album was excellent.
Ash: Is "A Song for Solomon" a reference to the
Biblical "Song of Solomon."
Sincere: No, it's a tribute to my former Kixx Records label
mate Solomon Trotter. Solomon passed away last June, and we wanted
to do a song to pay our respect. We decided to re-do his version
of "A Song For You" from his debut recording, but to
make it a duet and call it "A Song for Solomon." He
had a great voice with a five-octave range. We all really miss
him.
Ash: What are your plans for the future?
Sincere: Well, right now, I'm performing, doing in-stores
and other promotional activities in support of the album. It's
really going well. We're getting so much love on the project,
and I feel so fortunate to have created something that real music
fans appreciate. As for the future, we'll see. A couple of major
labels as have contacted Tab (also my manager) inquiring about
me, but we don't know where that will lead to. I'm still going
to school, too, so as you can imagine, life is kind of hectic
right now. But somewhere in the future, I would love to have
a gold record hanging next to a college diploma [laughs].
To find more about the artist visit http://www.kixxrecords.com
