The UB Interview: Shanice Talks New Album, Stuck With You, Missed Aretha Opportunity + More

UrbanBridgez.com March 9, 2020

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Shanice, is a Grammy-nominated R&B/Pop singer and songwriter. She scored the Top 10 Billboard hit singles “I Love Your Smile” and “Silent Prayer” in 1991 and “Saving Forever for You” in 1993. The mega hit single “I Love Your Smile,” reached #1 in 22 countries.

In 1999, Shanice scored another hit song, “When I Close My Eyes,” which peaked at number #11 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Today, March 9th is the 21st Anniversary of that album release. The self-titled Shanice, her LaFace Records debut. Check out our ReWind feature with Shanice below.

It’s always been about the voice for Shanice. Boasting a five-octave range, which she handles with beauty and ease, Shanice began her career scatting with the late great legendary Ella Fitzgerald for Kentucky Fried Chicken at the tender age of 8 years old. She went on to become the grand champion of “Star Search” at the ripe age of eleven. Her first album was released when Shanice was 14 entitled “Discovery.”

It was her worldwide smash, “I Love Your Smile,” a #1 pop hit in twenty two countries, that brought her a Grammy nomination, Germany’s Golden Lion Award and international stardom! A song Chris Brown made current again last year, when he sampled it on his hit single “Undecided.”

Adding to her list of accomplishments is her record breaking chart jump in Billboard with her first single from “Shanice.” Not only has Shanice made history on the recording end, she also became the first African American to star in the Broadway production of “Les Miserables” where she was widely received in her incomparable portrayal of Eponine!

Shanice released “Every Woman Dreams,” on her own label Imajah Records (named from her two children) in 2002. Thanks to technological advances, Shanice has remained widely visible, receiving close to six million hits from her YouTube followers, prompting an article in Huffington post wherein she was called a marketing genius!

We last seen Shanice on television with her family, on the hit OWN reality series “Flex and Shanice.”

In this new UB interview, celebrating great women we love for Women’s History Month. Shanice talks to Aries about her upcoming album release, her new series Stuck With You, her missed Aretha Franklin opportunity, women in entertainment she admires. Plus Advice from Janet Jackson, she tells the story of Solange performing one of her biggest hits in a talent show and breaks news to UB on a project she’s working on.

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UrbanBridgez.com: You’ve gotten back into acting recently…Tell everybody about Stuck With You?
Shanice: I’m so excited to be apart of Stuck With You. Patricia Cuffie reached out to me and I actually did the show before it got picked up. She first did it just to post online, she did an online version of it. We shot some stuff before and then it got picked up. And she had already told me, if it gets picked up I’m going to make sure you’re apart. She stuck to her word. I’m forever grateful for her and I had such a great time shooting Stuck With You. The cast was amazing to work with and it’s crazy because everybody I worked with there said the same thing. There wasn’t no egos, it was just a great time and atmosphere. D. Woods she was super cool to work with and down to earth. We all felt like family. It was actually kind of like a family reunion for me, because Tammy Townsend and I, sang on Mr T’s song “Be Somebody” when I was like 8 years old.

UrbanBridgez.com: Oh Wow!
Shanice: Yeah, so we go way back. It’s actually online if people search it. Me and Tammy sang leads and Fergie was in it also. She doesn’t sing but you can see her in it. It was a great experience and I definitely want to do more acting. I love doing drama, I actually think I’m better at doing drama than anything.

UrbanBridgez.com: Well we’re looking forward to seeing you in more stuff.
Shanice: Thank you. I’m working on finding the right agent. A lot of the opportunities that I’ve been getting, is because people have been reaching out to me direct. But I’m looking for the right agent, because I am so mad. I just have to say this…Over the last I don’t know how many years, before Ms Aretha Franklin passed away. She called me so many times, saying she wanted me in her movie.

UrbanBridgez.com: Awww, now that makes my heart sink.
Shanice: It was so deep, because she would call me about it and they had auditions and I didn’t even know about it. They’ve cast it, shot it and everything now. I’m excited for everyone who got it, but I’m so hurt. I’m thinking if they could’ve just heard our conversations about the movie. She told me many years ago, they’ve been trying to get this movie off the ground for a long time. I was having a day where I just didn’t want to sing anymore. It was a dark time for me. I was having a sad day and saying forget it I don’t want to sing anymore. Then Flex came home and said I ran into someone, and they said Aretha Franklin needs to talk to you right away. So I think it was her sister in law that had gave Flex her cell number. I called her and she said Shanice, I was about to pass out (laughs). Thinking to myself, I am not on the phone with Aretha Franklin! She said I just want to tell you, we were having some early auditions. We’re working on my life story and all I thought about was you. She said because I know true talent and you got it! Meanwhile, remember this is the day when I said to myself I’m not singing anymore. I felt like that was God trying to tell me to keep going.

UrbanBridgez.com: Exactly!
Shanice: So for me to hear her tell me that and I know she didn’t play! She didn’t say stuff at all, unless she really meant it. So she said, I really want you to be in this movie. She said Jennifer Hudson is playing me and I could really see you playing my sister. I said, absolutely! I told her I would honored to be in the movie. We’ve had about 5 or 6 conversations about this movie. I have another story, if I’m not talking too much (laughs).

UrbanBridgez.com: Oh course not, you already know these are the stories our readers love!
Shanice: Another story is, I was in Detroit. I had to do a concert there and I was on the local news that AM to promote it. I performed I Love Your Smile. When I walked off, the people at the news station told me somebody is on the phone for you. And they’re “saying” it’s Aretha Franklin. They thought it was a prank call and was like this can’t be her on the phone. Aretha had literally called that local news station and tracked me down. She said Shanice I just saw you perform, I just wanted to remind you that I didn’t forget about you. She said we’re still working on everything for the movie, the right script, etc. I said no problem, just let me know. So it falls back to her passing and me not having an agent. If I had one, I would of known when the auditions were taken place. I would have at least gone out for it. Even though I didn’t end up in the movie, I just felt like that was Gods way of telling me to keep going.

UrbanBridgez.com: No doubt and coming from Aretha, because she was nothing but truth & talent!
Shanice: Right, she didn’t play, she always did and said what she wanted. I loved that about her.

UrbanBridgez.com: What’s the latest with the music? We’ve been waiting since He Won’t?
Shanice: Actually we were suppose to shoot a video for He Won’t, at the end of last year. Due to it being close to the holidays and things, that didn’t happen. So we may still shoot a video for He Won’t and then we’re going to release another single. Then eventually put out an album. I don’t have a release date for the album yet, but we are going to put out another single before it comes.

UrbanBridgez.com: Are there songs that will be on the album for sure and if so, can you tell us the direction vibe you’re going with this time? Because He Won’t is really different then other stuff you’ve did, which is great!
Shanice: Thank you! The songs I’ve recorded recently, I feel like they’re some dope love songs in the mix. The team I’m working with like Candace Winfield and Jovan Dawkins. Also Eric Dawkins worked on a song with me. I feel like vocally it’s unique and still current. But still has my sound. So it doesn’t sound like I’m trying to keep up with what’s current. I really love my new stuff and I’m really excited about it.

UrbanBridgez.com: It’s Women’s History Month, who’s a woman in the entertainment field that you admire and why?
Shanice: It’s so many. I would say there are several, like Angela Bassett. When I look at her, I see strength, confidence, she doesn’t look her age at all. As a matter of fact, she looks younger than people who are younger than her. I’ve always been a fan of her work. Me and my husband kind of know her and her husband Courtney. But when I see her I’m such a fan, I kind of fan out a little bit when I’m around her (both laugh). Flex laughs everytime, because I am a huge Angela Bassett fan. And then I would say, Diana Ross. She’s just amazing! She still looks good, she’s still performing and doing her thing. Another person I would say is, Janet. I had a conversation with her one time, when I was basically talking about age. I hate when people put you in a box. Like if you’re over 21 in the industry, you’re old (laughs). If you’re 30, you’re really old. Janet was really encouraging, because she was like girl age ain’t nothing but a number! When it comes to like aging and stuff, she is very positive. I started out very young, and of course I’m not as young as I was when I did I Love Your Smile. But it’s crazy, because deep down inside in my head. You can’t tell me I’m not 18.

UrbanBridgez.com: Right, me too!
Shanice: I feel like I’m like 18 or 19 years old (both laugh). So that is the list of some of the women, I admire in the entertainment industry.

UrbanBridgez.com: What artists would you like to record with if given the opportunity?
Shanice: I was just talking to my son about this artist the other day. I love Bruno Mars! I would love to go in the studio with Bruno Mars. I think he’s so dope because he takes this old-school sound and makes it new. Then he sings the life out of them tracks. He sings so well, like vocally he kills it. I think his music is so great. Who else, I mean who wouldn’t want to do something with Beyonce’? I think she’s really dope. Speaking of Beyonce,’ everytime I see her mom who I met some years ago. She tells me stories on how Solange and Beyonce’ grew up listening to my music. She said, my kids were obsessed with you. Solange sang I Love Your Smile in a talent show when she was little and won! Tina said she still has it on tape, I told her I have to see that one day! She’s also told me how much they both use to love my music. So that’s like wow.

UrbanBridgez.com: That is bomb to hear, Solange is always saluting the greats like you and Brandy. Your lipstick line Smile By Shanice is doing great, did the success surprise you and what’s next for Smile By Shanice?
Shanice: Right now I’m just building my team. Because realistically you have to have the right team to take it to the next level. So I’m in the process of getting that together. I didn’t have the right team, to really take it to the next level before. I’m so thankful, because just for me posting online. We’ve been doing really well. I love the fact it’s non toxic, vegan and it last. People tell me all the time, how they put it on one time and it last all day. So I love that! It’s funny because I always wanted a line even when I did I Love Your Smile in the 90s. I was always thinking of branding and stuff even back then. Like everybody is doing now, from clothing lines to perfumes. I wanted to do it back then but I just didn’t have the right team and didn’t know how to go about it. But now I’m doing it and I want to get it in the stores. My dream is to see it in like Fedora and the make-up stores.

UrbanBridgez.com: Crystal Penny recently reunited for a valentines event. Some don’t know your mom and aunt can sang too. Can we expect some music from them possibly?
Shanice: Thank you! Right now, they’re doing live shows. Someone has reached out to us, about possibly doing something in Vegas. I’m just so happy they’re back on stage, because they kind of took a break for a minute. Then Penny had throat surgery, last year. So I’m just thankful that they’re doing their thing again. So you’ll be hearing more from them soon as well. Specially doing live stuff.

UrbanBridgez.com: It won’t be too long that you and Flex are empty nesters. Is that something you’re looking forward to or frightened for?
Shanice: No I’m not looking forward to it, at all (laughs)! Like I want to hold on to my babies as long as I possibly can. Imani is in college, but thank God she’s in a college that’s literally 5 minutes from the house. So I’m so glad she didn’t decide to leave and go to another state. I don’t think I can handle it, it’s so hard letting go and watching your babies grow up. Elijah just turned 16 today, and it’s hard. It seems like they were just babies and we just told them Santa Clause isn’t real. You know we had to have that conversation with them about Santa (both laugh). It seems like that was just yesterday and Imani is learning how to drive now. It’s just crazy, how time is flying. Actually, today Flex was looking at some old pictures of Imani and Elijah and he shed a tear (both laugh). It’s so hard.

UrbanBridgez.com: What’s the secret to a successful marriage?
Shanice: First off there is no such thing, as a fairy tale marriage. We’ve had our ups, we’ve had our downs. But you just have to pray together, you have to have a really good friendship. Communication and the will to fight for each other. If you love each other, you have to fight through the down times. Just push and fight through. I think a marriage works, when it’s two people willing to fight. Look, it ain’t easy but we love each other so much and we just work it out.

UrbanBridgez.com: You guys are my favorite Hollywood couple as y’all know, so I love hearing how y’all have kept it together.
Shanice: Thank you!!

UrbanBridgez.com: Is there anything you want to share with our readers before we wrap up?
Shanice: I also want to say real quick, that even though I can’t speak much about it. I have a reality show opportunity, I’m actually in the middle of talking to some networks about. So there is a possibility of me coming back to TV for another reality show. That’s in the works. Then Flex, he just did a movie with Chris Stokes. It’s called Trigger and they just released the trailer online. He loves reality TV, but he really wants to go back to scripted. He just did mixed-ish.

UrbanBridgez.com: I loved him on there, I hope they bring the neighbor family back.
Shanice: Thank you and hopefully. I think they’re waiting to see if it gets picked up for another season. So that’s when we will know for sure. They definitely mentioned possibly bringing him back in that role.