Keke Wyatt has gotten a raw deal in the music biz over the past decade. With her first major appearance on Avant’s “My First Love” in 2000, Keke belted her way onto the scene with a bang, soon following her chart-topping duet with her debut album Soul Sista in 2001. But after her album spawned the successful single “Nothin’ in This World” featuring Avant and receiving gold certification, Keke hit a wall.
Three years after she released Soul Sista, Keke parted ways with MCA Records and headed to Cash Money, a move that saw the release of her new single “Put Your Hands on Me” but resulted in her sophomore album Emotional Rollercoaster being shelved after the track failed to catch on, leaving her to part ways yet again with her label and resign with TVT Records in 2006. But after recording more tracks for her next album Ghetto Rose, TVT bit the dust and Keke’s album was yet again left on the cutting room floor.
Determined to keep her career alive, Keke finally resigned with Shanachie Entertainment last year, and her official sophomore album Who Knew? is finally slated for release on February 23rd. In anticipation of its release, Keke spoke with Showing Out about why she almost quit the music industry (and what made her come back), why she’s let all the drama go from her history with record labels, how her new album Who Knew? showcases sides of Keke that you’ve never seen before and what else you can expect from the golden-voiced soulstress in the near future.
You’ve been through all these label politics following the release of your debut album. Did you become jaded at all in regards to the music industry?
Well, yeah. I’m definitely… I’ve been disappointed in a lot of ways, but I feel like it wasn’t meant to be because it wasn’t. So I just have to let it go. You live and you learn, you know?
What you went through would turn most people off from the music industry for good. Did you ever think about giving up?
I thought about quitting a few times, only because people can be so cruel and mean and judgmental when they don’t know you or know nothing about you. You just want to say, “Eff the world!” Just be normal and chill out. But every time I got ready to do that, I would have fans come up to me and be like “Oh my God, where have you been? You need to give us something else! We miss you! Please!” And I’m like OK. I’ma try it again. So my fans definitely help me to not turn my back, but when I tell you, ooh! It’s a struggle. It really is, when people judge you. And they’re judging something that they don’t even know! But you live and you learn, and I moved on. I just wish everyone else would.
Well your new album will help with that. Who Knew? is about to come out, and it’s very soulful, a very “Keke” album. How long did it take to record this?
It’s funny because the majority of this was done because Ralah was taking a peace break while I was still recording. So when I went to Shanachie Entertainment, I pretty much just took all the songs that were dear to my heart. They picked and chose what they wanted to choose, and we made it an album.
The album is only ten tracks, which is pretty short.
Yeah, I feel like when you get to going over 10 tracks, you lose people’s attention because when I’m listening to an album, I’m like oh, God. 16, 18, 20 songs? Are you serious? Give me 10 really good songs, and I’m good. I don’t need 20, 15 of which are mediocre and five of which are wonderful. I’m like, you should have just made a five-track album. Because those are the only ones that matter anyway.
You’re a pretty flawless singer, it seems like you can knock out a track in no time. How long does it usually take for you to lay one down?
Aw man, it takes me no time to record a song. I’ve recorded a song in an hour before. I literally record all my backgrounds and harmonies and then I go through the first verse, second verse and then ad-libs. Then, I’m done. But I’ve been recording since I was not even 10 years old, so it comes like drinking water for me now.
One person that played an important part in the beginning of your career was Avant, who gave you your first major placement on “My First Love,” if I’m correct.
Actually, he did not. The song wasn’t even supposed to be a single, and I just did it on GT because we’re really good friends and he asked me to get on his album, but actually the radio station chose it and made it a single and made it number one.
So it worked out for the best then.
Yeah, it did, it really did. So I just got on there because he was like, “Girl, you gotta get on my album. I love your voice.” And it was supposed to just be an extra song on the album, and it ended up being number one.
You worked with him on Soul Sista. Did you work with him at all for Who Knew?
This one, no. I did record some songs with him, but they didn’t make the cut. Not because it wasn’t good enough, but because there were other songs that we chose and thought would better match the direction of the project and where we were going with it. But he’s not on this album.
One song that stuck out to me on this album was “Gettin’ It (Re-mix),” just because it really deviates from the sound of the rest of the album. Why’d you throw that one into the mix?
I wrote that and I just wanted a fun record, because everyone knows me for the serious stuff, so I just wanted to do something cute and fun so I was just like, “Put it on the album!” People aren’t used to that from me, so they’ll get to see another angle of Keke.
You’re rapping on it too! Bet people didn’t know that Keke had flow.
Yeah, that’s funny! That’s another part of me that was just sitting dormant, and I thought I’d get that out. It’s funny because I’m such a goof ball, but I just have many different faces. I have so many different faces, so I let a lot of them show in this album.
Now that the album’s finally coming out, are you taking the album out on tour?
Oh, most definitely. I’m trying to go on tour ASAP.
What else is on the Keke time line? Another video maybe?
Oh yeah, I plan on doing as many I can do. The album comes out February 23rd, and I’m going to be performing everywhere after that. So I’m getting ready to do a show with Frankie Beverly and Maze on Valentine’s Day in my hometown, Louisville, Kentucky, which is going to be real fun. I’ll be touring immediately after the album drops.
Is there anything else we should know from you?
Well, I want to say that I love my fans and I’m very appreciative, and please stick and stay with me to the end.
