UB Anniversary ReVisit: Kandi Talks Influences + Reality TV

Over the next year, we’ll be spotlighting features from our e-zines from the last 25 years. T M H Entertainment, T M Hxone and Urban Bridgez.

As the longest running website for R&B online, since 1999 – We’ve been able to conduct some amazing interviews with R&B Royalty, as well Hip Hop Legends.

UB has also been blessed to speak with some of black cultures, biggest icons, in film, television and literature.

Today we celebrate Kandi, someone we’ve been watching since day one. Our then brand T M H ran a fansite entitled “Kandi’s World” from 1999-2001.

Kandi Burruss is a mother, wife, singer, songwriter, TV star, executive producer, creator, and entrepreneur.

CEO of Kandi Koated Entertainment, and creator of the award winning intimate toy line, “Bedroom Kandi” and cosmetics company “Kandi Koated Cosmetics.”

The world was first introduced to Kandi in 1992 when the budding star performed as a member of the platinum-selling quartet Xscape. It was Kandi who sang lead on the group’s first hit, “Just Kickin” It,” a song that would establish their reputation as four sassy, ’round the way girls with phenomenal voices.

Ever since she was a young girl growing up in Atlanta, Kandi knew she had a knack for melodies and enjoyed writing lyrics. But it wasn’t until TLC recorded “No Scrubs” that Kandi and everyone else realized that songwriting was more than just a hobby. So, following the release of Xscape‘s third and final album, Kandi embarked on a new career as songwriter extraordinaire.

“I respect strong women who lay it out, with no beating around the bush,” Kandi stated for Billboard. “That’s the kind of woman I’ve always been, particularly when it comes to relationships. That raw honesty and strength is at the core of every song I write.”

“One of the first songs we wrote was ‘No Scrubs,’ ” Kandi once recalled, adding that the tune wound up on a demo presented to TLC. “They loved the song and wanted to record it,” she said. “I was like, `Go for it,’ never thinking that it would blow up like it did.” Not only was “No Scrubs” a smash for TLC, it started a tidal wave of interest in Kandi and Briggs as writers.

After winning a Grammy for penning the monster hit and becoming the first woman to receive the coveted ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Award for Songwriter of the Year, it was clear that Kandi, at age 24, had become a major player in the music industry.

As a songwriter, she has received writing credits on the singles “Bills, Bills, Bills” & “Bugaboo” by Destiny’s Child, “There You Go” by Pink, *NSync’s “Makes Me Ill,” “Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored” by Ariana Grande, and “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran.

In addition to “X- Girlfriend” for Mariah Carey, “Good Guy” for Boyz II Men, “The Best Man” for Faith Evans, and “Get Crunk Tonight” for Joe, among others.

As well as appearances on singles “4, 5, 6” by Solé, and E-40’s “U and Dat” alongside T-Pain, have all reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Eventually everyone from Mariah Carey to Faith Evans came calling on Kandi for her uncanny ability to write hit records. “I think this is one of the best things that could have ever happened to me,” stated Kandi, who found herself at a crossroads after Xscape disbanded. “I really didn’t know where my life was going. I was like, ‘exactly what else can I do or would want to do besides sing?’”

Although Kandi was ecstatic over her newfound success, her desire to perform and sing wasn’t being satisfied. It was time to write a few hot songs for herself for a change.

That’s when she and celebrated producer She’kspere, started work on “Hey Kandi,” an edgy, mostly up-tempo album. At first, Kandi was nervous about her solo outing and developed a touch of writer’s block. “Whenever I was writing for someone else, everything just came to me,” she admited. “But when it came to my own project, I was like, ‘oh, what am I gonna write!’”

The album pays homage to her southern roots on the bass-tinged first single, “Don’t Think I’m Not.” The song, one of Kandi‘s favorites, is a rear-shaking nod to women who counter their men’s cheating ways by creeping as well. She sounds better than ever on the album’s most personal track, “Easier,” featuring Faith Evans. The only track she didn’t write on the album, “Cheatin’ On Me,” is an intense, attitude-filled ballad about a woman scorned. “My momma told me there’d be days like this,” she sings.

In 2009 Kandi launched a duo with Rasheeda entitled Peach Candy, she also released “The Fly Above” EP.

Her second album, “Kandi Koated,” the following year.

Kandi has starred in the Bravo reality television series “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” beginning in its second-season premiere in 2009, making her the longest serving cast member in “The Real Housewives” franchise.

She has appeared in seven Real Housewives spin-offs and companion series, beginning with 2012’s “The Kandi Factory,” and continuing on with “Kandi’s Wedding” (2014), “Kandi’s Ski Trip” (2015), “Xscape: Still Kickin’ It” (2017), and “Kandi & the Gang” (2022), “SWV & XSCAPE: The Queens of R&B” (2023) all of which were aired by Bravo.

During the second season of Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” Kandi gave the audience a peek at her weekly relationship show, “Kandi Koated Nights.”

Followed by “Bedroom Kandi,” designed to bring pleasure to singles and couples alike, the affordable line of luxury, sex-positive products officially launched in October 2011.

In 2013 Kandi released “Stay Prayed Up,” featuring Marvin Sapp.

Kandi competed in the third season of the Fox competition series “The Masked Singer” and won the second season of Celebrity Big Brother on CBS.

As an actress, Kandi has landed on some of the most popular and highly rated series on television, across all networks. Including; “Saints & Sinners,” “Insecure,” “Keeping Up with the Joneses,” “À la Carte,” and currently “The Chi.”

Last year she was nominated for an Emmy and Tony, along with Kabir Sehgal, Tony Succar, and Doug Davis, she received an Emmy nomination in the Historic/Cultural/Politics/Government/Societal Concerns category for “La Musica de la Familia.”

Her production work on the Broadway production of the play The Piano Lesson earned her a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play, along with her husband Todd Tucker.

Since the start, Kandi has conducted some great interviews with us. This spotlight features excerpts from those interviews.

Starting with our ReWind with Kandi for Xscape‘s “Traces of My Lipstick” release. On to our 2006 interview where she tells us who her influences are and why artists development is important. Plus she shares who she would love to collaborate with dead or alive.

In the 2009 interview, Kandi talks Kandi Koated Entertainment and Peach Candy. Plus gives her best Xscpae memories, and shows love to SWV.

Plus she gives us her favorite Xscape songs and her three essential R&B albums.

In our first interview with Kandi in 2010, she expressed concern on how the editing would be after filming her first season of RHOA. Kandi also talks about opening her first TAGS location and reality tv as a whole.

In our second UB interview with Kandi in 2010, she spills on her sophomore album release “Kandi Koated” and her hit “Fly Above.” Plus she tells us if she was happy or not with the editing on RHOA and shares why she even entertained the idea of working Kim Zolciak on “Tardy for the Party.”

With ReWind we will take you back to a year & focus on a CD release. With commentary from the the artist. In 2006, UB featured Xscape.

“Traces of My Lipstick” was the third album from Xscape. Released in May of 1998, the album included three hit singles: “My Little Secret”, “The Arms of the One Who Loves You”, and “Am I Dreamin”.

Kandi Shares her Thoughts on The Release!

UrbanBridgez.com: What did Xscape set out to do when recording “Traces?”
Kandi: Sad as it is, we didn’t really set out to do anything but get through it! They wanted us to crossover more with this album, and that would have been great in my opinion. Yet, during negotiations for our third album we found out Tocha wanted to put the group on hold to do a solo album. So So Def decided to sign her but the agreement was she had to do our 3rd album first. It was tension through the recording of the whole album, so getting through it again was what we set out to do.

UrbanBridgez.com: What was it about that album you enjoyed the most?”
Kandi: That was my least favorite album. Not because of the quality of the records because they were great records, but because of the drama that went on during the making of it, and also I did not know what was next for me or the other girls.

UrbanBridgez.com: What is a single from that album you would of personally liked to be released and why?”
Kandi: I didn’t listen to that album a lot it really brings back so many memories. The only songs I can even name other than the two that had videos (My Little Secret & Run To The Arms) are “Hold on to Love” & “Softest Place On Earth.” So I guess one of them could have been a single to me.

[2006 UB Kandi Interview]

UrbanBridgez.com: What has Kandi been up to since the last time we heard from you?
Kandi: Let me see, I’ve been writing and co-producing. As well as starting a family, I had a daughter, so I’m a Mom now. And basically just chillin.’ I’ve been doing a lot of hooks for rappers lately which is so wired (laughs) because they usually don’t have girls write the hooks to their songs so that’s unusual but I’ve been doing a lot of that lately.

UrbanBridgez.com: Tell us about the new album?
Kandi: Well right now, it’s not finished so we’re still working on it. I got some guests like Lil Scrappy, Jagged Edge wrote a song and they’re on it with me., they also produced it. Daron from 112 produced a song for it, let’s see. Jazze Pha, just a lot of different people so far, like Focus did something. Again with it not being done, I’m not sure what will make the final cut yet, but so far that’s been the process of it.

UrbanBridgez.com: What was your process when you starting working on your new album as far as writing and picking who you wanted to work with you?
Kandi: Well let’s see, I just started writing tracks and then started getting different tracks for it. I had wrote a song and called Brandon from Jagged Edge and told them I would like them to be on the song. Brandon had a different idea for the track, so they ended up writing it and producing it. Which worked out great, I didn’t want to make it like I needed to write all the songs on the album because I’m a songwriter you know. I liked what they did, so we went with it. The album is about me and my life, I wanted it to speak on what’s been going on with me, basically my story.

UrbanBridgez.com: What’s the first official single for the new album?
Kandi: It looks like it’s going to be “I Need.” What’s funny is “I Need” was really released as a buzz single to just let people know Kandi is coming back you know? So we sent it to radio and now it’s starting to really pick up and getting spins, so it’s turned into the actual first single. We got some video treatments already for it, so it looks like that is going to be the first single.

UrbanBridgez.com: You’re a very established songwriter, who have you wrote for recently and who are you working with in the near future?
Kandi: I actually want to write for a lot of people. I was at the 3LW video shoot the other day and their album isn’t done yet, so we talked about working together for that. Teairra Mari was also at the shoot and she’s working on her new album, so me and her talked about working together. So with them both it was like let’s just link up and try to make it happen. It’s like with people I know and are cool with like them, I will just go into the studio and come up with something with them and record it, before all of the business stuff. Again I’ve been doing a lot of rap hooks, I helped Lil Scrappy write a hook, I did one recently for 8Ball and MJG. I have one out now with E-40 and T-Pain, I wrote my part and I have one coming out with Trillville, coming soon. It’s just so wired for me as a girl to be writing hooks for male rappers (laughs).

UrbanBridgez.com: Who are your influences?
Kandi: Wow, let’s see. Well when I was younger I was influenced by a lot of women singers who sing in alto. Like Gladys Knight and Regina Bell, because my voice is so deep. When I was younger it was deep also, now I have more of a range. So I was always influenced by singers with a lower range. As for Producers, I got to say Jermaine Dupri. Just working with him and being around him always influenced me. How he would take street lingo and just turn it into a whole song was incredible. R. Kelly is another one, because of how he is always able to tell a story with his songwriting.

UrbanBridgez.com: Who would you like to work with that you haven’t already?
Kandi: Let me see, I have to say Janet Jackson. I mean I worked with her before but it didn’t make her album because it didn’t fit the overall vibe of the album. So I would love to work with her again. I’m a big Janet fan so I really want to make that happen. It’s so funny because I have really been able to work with a lot of my favorite artists already, so there isn’t many left, just hopefully working with them again.

UrbanBridgez.com: If you could work with any black music artists, dead or alive who would it be and why?
Kandi: I would like to work with Marvin Gaye because he is a legend and yeah I have to say Prince! I would love to be around him and pick up some of his songwriting skills (laughs). Because every songwriter has a method when they write and I would love to see his process and learn some things from him about writing. As for women, I’ve worked with them before but Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. Also Mary J. Blige, I just love her.

UrbanBridgez.com: What changes would you like to see in black music in the coming years?
Kandi: I would love for labels to go back to developing artists. Now a days, it’s like who has a hot mixtape/underground single, let’s sign them and make that the jump off! Make a album and throw it out there, only for that single to be the only good single on it and labels seem fine with that. They don’t take the time to develop artists anymore. I mean back in the days Motown developed artists. They took the time with the artists they signed, they went to classes for speech, took time with their songs. It may have taken a few years for them to actually drop an album after they were signed, but they were developed artists. These days it’s like let’s just throw the album out and se what happens.

UrbanBridgez.com: What’s next for Kandi?
Kandi: To finish this album first and get it out. I also want to develop new artists. I mean that’s something I really have a passion to do. I actually tried to do it with a girl group recently and it’s real hard work, but I want to get more into that after I release this next album.

UrbanBridgez.com: Any last words for your fans?
Kandi: Thanks for sticking with me while I took my little break (laughs). I mean I go online and read some of the things they say and it’s a great feeling to know I have the support from them.

[2009 UB Kandi Interview]

UrbanBridgez.com: Tell me about the new album you’re working on?
Kandi: Basically it’s a mixture of sounds I would say. It has very urban anthems. I always describe it to people who submit me music, that it has to sound like an anthem as soon as it comes on (laughs). You know what I mean, like certain tracks you hear. As soon as the track comes on it sounds like an anthem. Like uptempo or mid-tempo, those are the vibes I was kinda going for. It’s gonna be some nice ballads on the album as well. It’s alot of real personal subject matter, especially on a few of the songs.

UrbanBridgez.com: Who did you work with this time around?
Kandi: So far Drama Boy, he’s done a couple. Jazze Pha, Black Elvis, let me see…Malay, more new people this time around.

UrbanBridgez.com: What’s the official first single?
Kandi: Right now it’s most likely gonna be this song called “Trade Him In,” featuring Gucci Mane. (listen below)

UrbanBridgez.com: What’s the latest with Peach Candy?
Kandi: We’re still planning to do it. Rasheeda is going to put her solo album out first. I’m going to put out my new solo album. Then we’re going to come back together and finish it up. Then release the Peach Candy album. We got a lot of songs already, we’re gonna add some new stuff as well.

UrbanBridgez.com: You’re such an incredible songwriter, who are some artists you’re working with for their projects?
Kandi: I was working with Fantasia, the songs I did with her turned out really good. I’m not sure though which songs are going to make the album, but I hope (laughs). I worked with a new artist by the name of Bryan Ellis signed to Sony Music. Gucci Mane, I’m on three songs for his new album. It’s this guy named Big Bank Black, another rap artist and I’m on his song “Try it Out.” It’s really big in the clubs down here, so you’ll most likely be hearing it soon.

UrbanBridgez.com: What are your long term goals with Kandi Koated Entertainment?
Kandi: I really, really want to develop a couple of new artists. Then put them out through my company. As well as some producers and writers and help take them to a new level.

UrbanBridgez.com: Will you and Tiny work together on any future projects?
Kandi: Yes, she has two girl groups that she is working on right now and I’m actually suppose to help her with them.

UrbanBridgez.com: I talked with Coko recently and she said they (SWV), didn’t really realize how big they were until recently.
Kandi: Really? Wow, I use to love them!

UrbanBridgez.com: Did you ever think Xscape would be as big as they were when you all started out?
Kandi: I think we did (laughs). Let me speak for myself, I think I had unrealistic expectations back then. You know what I’m saying. First of all I was in High School when we came out. Now in my mind, TLC had already came out and blew up! ABC, Kris Kross, it was just alot of groups & artists that had came out from Atlanta and was doing their thing. So in my mind, I was like okay all we gotta do is get a deal and we’re gonna be huge (laughs). So when it happened, we were blessed and we got our deal. Our first single went to #1 and our first album ended up going platinum. So it was just kind of like what I thought would happen. Only because at that time I didn’t realize how hard it was to do that. It just had seemed like everybody in Atlanta was doing it, you get what I’m saying?

UrbanBridgez.com: Yeah, I know exactly what you’re saying.
Kandi: Yeah, it just seemed like everybody in Atlanta was doing their thing. So the hard part was getting the deal and once you got the deal – everybody blow up (laughs).

UrbanBridgez.com: What’s your best memory of your time in Xscape?
Kandi: My best memory, let’s see… I think the first time we heard our song on the top 8 at 8, here in Atlanta (laughs). We got super excited, like wow! Just because it was on the top 8 at 8 in Atlanta, we just thought oh yea we done made it (laughs). We thought we was doing it big for real! So that was one. And when we was on our first tour with Salt-N-Pepa and R. Kelly, that was really exciting! That was really exciting to me because Salt-N-Pepa was my all time favorite girl group, even though they’re rappers. But as a kid, man I knew every word to all of their songs (laughs). So yeah to be on tour with them and they were so nice and we use to all have so much fun. We would do things like shoot water guns behind set. It was just too fun!

UrbanBridgez.com: Off the top of your head, what are your top 3 favorite songs you’ve recorded with Xscape and/or solo?
Kandi: Okay, my top favorite songs… “My Little Secret,” would have to be one. “Who Can I Run To,” I always loved that one. And “Easier,” because that was about my brother.

UrbanBridgez.com: Who are you feeling at the moment as far as girl groups (Rich Girl, Elektrik Red, etc.)?
Kandi: I don’t know yet (laughs). I mean they’ve only put out one song a piece and I’ve met Rich Girl. They’re very beautiful, talented girls. But I need to hear some more. You know what! I really like T-Pain‘s girl group, Sophia Fresh. I think they’re very cool. I worked with Sophia Fresh and I worked with Rich Girl. Rich Girl is very cool, they’re dope. But there is something about Sophia Fresh, I think they have alot of potential, if the label gets behind them right. Like I’ve heard alot more of their songs and it’s just different. I mean they’re like a new TLC or whatever, but there is something about them I’m really feeling.

UrbanBridgez.com: What’s been your biggest obstacle you’ve had to face in the music industry, while in Xscape or Solo?
Kandi: Let’s see, when we was in the group it was just very challenging. We wasn’t really getting along alot, specially after we put out the second album. We was really having alot of drama and stuff and going into the third album, we knew one of our members was suppose to be going solo. So that made everything even more stressful while recording that album. So just knowing that my group was falling apart and trying to figure out what the hell am I about to do now if this group falls apart (laughs). What’s my plan, so that was very stressful! So I don’t know, I’ve been in the industry so long, now I’ve had alot of stressful moments where I was just like what am I gonna do.

UrbanBridgez.com: You’re entering the reality TV world soon, what made you wanna sign on for “The Real Housewives of Atlanta?”
Kandi: Well initially I was suppose to be doing that show with Tiny and Toya. It was supposed to be me, Tiny, Toya and another young lady by the name of Joy. So basically I was already in the mindstate of doing a reality show. So I guess the producer of the show, just wanted it to be Tiny and Toya or whatever. So I was like alright, but of course after you sit there and I think we were working on it for like a month. We’re all excited about doing this reality show together and then it fell apart, well on my end. Then the following week, the people from the “Housewives” reached out to me to set up a meeting. And I just thought it was crazy, like maybe it was meant to be.

UrbanBridgez.com: Exactly!
Kandi: You know what I mean, so it wasn’t a thing where I searched out the “Housewives” people. One of my friends I think it was Derek J, when they were asking around who they thought would be a good fit. He was one of the hair people on the show. The producers were asking who should we talk to and I think he suggested my name. They said some other people suggested my name also, even though they didn’t tell me who it was. But yeah Derek J was like they need someone on the show who is successful in their own right. But I was like, I’m not even married yet. I didn’t think they would even want me (laughs). So when he asked me and was like I’m going to tell them to call you. I was like I don’t know about that one. Plus I was doing the thing with Tiny, but that fell apart and the next week the “Housewives” people called. I was like well maybe it was meant for me to be on a reality show. I’m scared because we don’t get to see how they edit it, we don’t see it until everybody else does.

UrbanBridgez.com: Oh wow, I didn’t know that.
Kandi: See, exactly! So I’m scared (laughs). I’m like how are they gonna have me look, I don’t want them making me look crazy (laughs). But it should be fun, it’s gonna be a great season because alot of stuff went on during the taping.

UrbanBridgez.com: What are three essential R&B albums you think everybody should have?
Kandi: Jill Scott‘s first album, I know I played that to death (laughs)! I use to love that album, let’s see… The Keith Sweat album where it was only 6 or 7 songs on it.

UrbanBridgez.com: Yeah the first album “Make it Last Forever,” and yeah it was only 8 songs on it (laughs).
Kandi: Yeah with “How Deep is Your Love” on it and everybody had it (laughs). That is an ultimate must have! And I have to give it up to our (Xscape) second album “Off The Hook” to me that was my favorite one. So those would be my three, all though I gotta say the “Waiting To Exhale” soundtrack, I use to love that. I could name a couple more (laughs). But yeah definitely those for sure!

UrbanBridgez.com: Any last words for your fans?
Kandi: I wanna say, first of all thanks for supporting me this long. Please look out for the new album, it’s definitely gonna have alot of records on there. And also alot of songs where you can actually watch the show (The Real Housewives of Atlanta) & when you hear the songs. You’re gonna be like oh she must be talking about that or something you will see on the show. And follow me @Kandi on Twitter if you wanna find out what else is going on. I really wanna say, thank you to everybody for supporting me for this long, because to be honest. It’s kind of unheard of for somebody to still be relevant, after 16 years. It’s been a long time, half of my life actually. I’ve been doing this (laughs). Which is kind of crazy. So thank you!

[2010 UB Kandi Interview I]

UrbanBridgez.com: Last time we spoke you mentioned being worried about the editing when RHOA aired, Now that you’ve seen the season, do you feel you were portrayed right?
Kandi: Yeah definitely, I’m very very happy of how everything turned out. I was scared at first, but to me it turned out pretty good. Even the drama I did have with like my family and stuff like that, it was real. So I think people can relate to it, you know.

UrbanBridgez.com: Do you feel you learned anything about yourself, after watching yourself on TV every week?
Kandi: Yeah I learned I talk through my teeth alot, which I’m going to work on (laughs). I was like man, why don’t I open my mouth. Those words were not clear, what are you doing (laughs).

UrbanBridgez.com: What’s the best part about being a reality show star?
Kandi: The best part about doing the show, is I have people all around the world who may not have known about my music before. That are now aware of Kandi and my music and everything that I’ve done. People know my first and last name, you know what I mean. Before I use to feel like people were like yeah that’s Kandi from Xscape, or that girl from Xscape. Now like the other day I was walking through the airport, and this dude was like that’s Kandi Burruss! I was like man he knows my government name (laughs). He knew first and last name, I mean it was hilarious to me. Then there is no set group of people, it’s all age groups, all races, men and women. It’s not a set list of people anymore, like before I kind of knew this is my audience. Now it’s everybody and I really appreciate the show for allowing me to use them as a platform. Basically to show everything that I can do.

UrbanBridgez.com: When do you all start shooting the new season?
Kandi: They want to start in February.

UrbanBridgez.com: Tell me about your tweet and meet & what inspired you to want to do that?
Kandi: When I first started on Twitter, I literally tried to reply to every single message someone sent me. Then as my followers got up, it became to hard to do. Then sometimes you get people who feel like, oh she didn’t hit me back or whatever. And it may be that I didn’t even see their tweet, so I was like I need to come up with a way so people can know that I really appreciate the love that they give me. I figured okay, let’s just make it so we can hang out together. Let’s not treat it like I’m her fan and she’s this artist that has to be separated from everybody. Let’s treat it as Twitter friends or Facebook friends, let’s hang out, let’s do something fun together. And that gives people the chance to meet me in person. Like for any questions they had or things they want to talk about or take a picture with me. Whatever it is, now they get the chance to do that and it’s more of a connection instead of them just waiting for me to hit them back on Twitter.

UrbanBridgez.com: “Fly Above” is without a doubt my anthem and the anthem of the year! Was there a certain situation that inspired you to write that song?
Kandi: Thank you! Well I had wrote the song on the show. The first time I met Kim, she was telling me she was so sick of the drama and how everybody be hating on her all the time. She was like I’m over the drama, I’m above it, I’m just over it! So the next day I went to the studio and Drumma Boy played me the track, I was like this sounds like something like it should be an anthem for something. Which made me think about what she was saying about being over the drama and just being above it. So I was like you know what, I fly above all the drama, I fly above all the haters you know.

UrbanBridgez.com: Will there be a video for it?
Kandi: Yeah we definitely plan on doing that. I’m partnering up with a label and they’re going to start pushing the single at radio soon. So you’re going to start hearing the single everywhere and I’m going to do the video and stuff.

UrbanBridgez.com: Alot of our viewers are interested in knowing what label you decided to sign with and when B.L.O.G. will officially be released?
Kandi: Well can I call you back tomorrow and tell you (laughs)? Because the paperwork was suppose to be in and signed on the dotted line, so I want to wait until it is. It’s funny because when one label tries to sign you, then every other label calls you at the same time and are like well wait we want to sign you. Bottom line is I know the people I am going with everything is set in motion for me to have the album released in February or March. So I’m excited about that, if they can’t go forward with that then I ain’t going with them, so you know you’ll hear the album around early 2010. UPDATE: Label – Kandi Koated/Asylum/WBR

UrbanBridgez.com: What do you think the overall tone of the new album will be?
Kandi: It’s alot of anthems on the album, for me I wanted to make sure this album was bullet proof basically. I wanted to have to the songs that have the cool swagger on them, the ones that showed my vocal ability on there. I definitely wanted to have a bunch of songs that people could relate to and still personally use it towards their own life. That’s basically what I was going for, I wanted an album where people can feel like they got their moneys worth. I didn’t want the album where there is only one song on it or like one or two, like it’s got that one big single and everything else is just cool. I wanted an album where you feel like you can ride to the whole thing and that’s what you’re gonna get!

UrbanBridgez.com: Now that TAGS is open, what’s the best part about having your own retail store?
Kandi: The best thing is I have always wanted to continue to build myself as a business woman and entrepreneur. To have a successful business outside of music is something that I’ve always wanted to do. To have something I know coming in that didn’t depend on the entertainment industry. So that’s exciting in itself and to also the store is doing so well. So me and my business partner did that and even though my mom was like it’s a recession you don’t need to do that. That’s why we price everything affordable where people can still pay their bills but leave out the store with some stuff. And just as a woman I just wanted to keep taking things to another level. The bad part about it is I’m my own best customer (laughs). I’m like I ain’t gonna make no money, because I keep buying all the stuff. Sometimes I’ll be upset because I’ll be out of town and stuff out here sells quick, because we only get so many. So it’s so irritating when I get in and be like I wanted that, but the size I need is gone (laughs).

UrbanBridgez.com: What’s something we who watched AJ on RHOA wouldn’t know about him that you would like people to know?
Kandi: I feel like AJ was a really cool dude. He had alot of personality and I don’t think people really got to see that on the show. People was like well he didn’t really talk much, but that was because he didn’t really like the cameras around him sometimes. He was that guy that knew everybody, got a million friends, you know he comes up in the club and he knows everybody and they all know him. He just really had a great personality!

UrbanBridgez.com: What’s next on your plate as far as songwriting and guest appearances?
Kandi: As far as songwriting I have slowed up because I have been focused on myself. I haven’t really been in the studio with other artists like I need to be (laughs). Before I slowed up I had did some songs with Fantasia, some really good ones. So I hope at least one of them end up on her album. I also worked with some new people like Sophia Fresh, I plan on getting back in the studio and working with some more people soon.

UrbanBridgez.com: Who’s an artist you would like to do a best of both worlds album with if given the chance?
Kandi: I feel like I already started doing that with my girl Rasheeda, with the Peach Candy project. I feel like alot of people haven’t really recognized how hot she is. The records we did together are really hot. I eventually want to put the Peach Candy project out. Right now it’s just like an underground thing, alot of people know about it but most don’t. Other than that, let’s see. I’m feeling Trey Songz music right now, I’m feeling everything I’m hearing. So I could see us doing something together, like myself I like to jump on alot of rap records. It’s not alot of females that can ride on a rap record and have a verse and really flow singing wise and have the same type of swag as the rapper, you know what I mean. Like say for instance, alot of people didn’t even know that was me on the “Try It Out” record because people didn’t really expect Kandi the R&B singer to be able to ride on that record. Not alot of female artists who can do both. Now men, there are a few that do it, well not many but a few who are able to switch it up. But Trey Songz can do it and I like his vibe, I can see doing some music with him.

UrbanBridgez.com: Any holiday plans & what’s next for you in 2010?
Kandi: Christmas holiday, my mother, I and Riley are going on vacation with Kim and her daughters to the Bahamas. So we’re going to hang out and have fun, I don’t take many vacations. So this will be a good time for me to have a relaxation moment. Then I’m going to start right back up with doing some shows, I’ve been doing alot of shows & club appearances lately. I’m just trying to take things to another level, I wanna write a book for next year. The book is going to be good okay (laughs). I’ve been keeping journals since I was like a kid, so I should be able to pull it together & put some good material in it (laughs). I also want to start my foundation, because I’ve been doing alot of stuff in conjunction with other people. Charities and stuff, but I would really like to start my own.

UrbanBridgez.com: Any last words for your fans?
Kandi: I just want to say everybody please follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/kandi) and to tell everybody please request the record (“Fly Above”). I have so many people who love the record but I want the masses to hear it so please request the record at radio. I’m going to keep continuing to be all the way real with you, keep trying to put out hot music! Thank you for everything as well. All the love people have been giving me because the love I feel I get now…it’s very personal for some people, it’s like they treat me like I’m really their friend or family member. And I appreciate that, it’s not like on some she’s just that girl from that group. It’s more love, I guess they feel like they know me because they were able to see my life on TV and they can relate. I really appreciate the love I’ve been getting.

[2010 UB Kandi Interview II]

UrbanBridgez.com: Since the album is out and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, what was the hardest part about recording Kandi Koated?
Kandi: I think the hardest thing was finding the time. This year I had to finish my album once I worked out my deal with Warner Brothers and you know I had to turn in more records. I was fitting the show and I wasn’t having time in the studio like I needed to. So I really didn’t get to finish until we stopped taping the show. Then I went into the studio and did a lot of my favorite songs on the album like Me & You with Ne-Yo, (well that was at the end of taping, they caught that at the end). Then “I Want You” and it was a few records on there I did and even the ones on the bonus version. I loved that song “I’m Happy” that I wanted to have on the main version of album and that was another thing trying to figure out what was going to end up on the album.

UrbanBridgez.com: Did you feel there was immense pressure for you to top your debut album released 10 years ago?
Kandi: Yeah. Uh, there’s pressure with hoping that everybody likes it (laughs). The thing is I know everyone is like it’s all about the first week sales. I went into this album knowing or expecting any big huge first week. That was not my plan or goal in the beginning [stages]. I knew that I was going have to really work to make this album successful. So I just did my best to put together an album that I had multiple singles because I didn’t want to have an album that was a quick burner. I don’t want it to be about the first single and that was it. I wanted to have a bunch of songs that could come back to back. In my opinion I knew I was going to have to work to gain my old fans back and gain new fans. The only way I could do that was by having a quality album. You know being on the show I know people are ready to judge or pick apart the project. I just wanted to give an album where people would be satisfied even if they didn’t like me.

UrbanBridgez.com: After watching the recent episode of the “Housewives” I have a greater appreciation for you. This is because you were recording a heartfelt song to your former fiancée. How hard was it for you to record “Haven’t Loved Right” while unleashing so many penned up emotions?
Kandi: It was hard because you have the camera right there in your face. I was already nervous because I wanted the song to turn out right. Mind you I re-recorded the song twice to get it perfect. I wrote that song prior to AJ’s passing and I wrote it right after we broke up I believe. It was mostly about how things weren’t coming together for me on the relationship front after we broke up. Being after he passed away I even more so felt that way. Now when I first wrote the song I wasn’t writing it for me but after he passed away it was the best song to describe how I felt so I decided to keep it for myself.

UrbanBridgez.com: So it has a sentimental value?
Kandi: Yeah. You know, as a writer I just be writing songs. Sometimes I don’t necessarily know when I first write that it’s going to be for my album. I just write it because I love writing songs.

UrbanBridgez.com: There’s a song titled “Lucky” on your album which was leaked out during the summer featuring Fantasia. What was the story behind this song and what do you think about people referring to this song as “the Home wrecker’s anthem”?
Kandi: (laughs) Okay! What happened was I did this song with KC and Malay the producers and my homegirl Jessica. We wrote the song back when we were working with Fantasia. I was working with Fantasia for her last album. No, No, No, we wrote the song before we got in the studio with Fantasia and we didn’t write it for her mind you. Now she heard the song and loved it! That wasn’t one of the songs we were trying to do for her, it was a song we were writing [at the time]. She wasn’t even in the relationship everyone is trying to refer to and I don’t even think she met the guy at the time she recorded the song. So I think somebody was trying to be messy and leak the song saying she did it for that relationship. You get what I’m saying?

UrbanBridgez.com: Oh yeah!
Kandi: It was not about that at all. It had nothing to do with that. Me and my friends were together just coming up with hot ideas and the track was hot. I was like D…D….Damn (laughs)! Sometimes you can just be vibing with your friends, you know? I guess it is about cheating but I did a prelude to the song because I wanted people to know different ways of cheating come about now! In my case when I think of the song I think about how you can be dating someone in a relationship. When you break up and start dating other people you kind of miss the sex of that person so you want to try it again. You’re saying they’re “lucky” cause you know he was you’re dude first. I think it’s kind of silly to judge a person off of a song. A song is just made for fun.

UrbanBridgez.com: What are your plans to keep the momentum of Kandi Koated going in 2011?
Kandi: I have a million and one things going on (laughs)! First of all let me say that the same way I’m behind the scenes in music is the way I’m going to be in television. So I have a TV show that I’m doing with some friends I’m executive producing. I’m already in negotiations with the network [Bravo] on a show that I can’t say what it is yet because I haven’t signed the paperwork yet. Be looking out for me to be executive producing shows. Kandi Koated Nights, the UStream show that I do, there have been some opportunities brought to me possibly doing that as a radio show. We’re producing more artists. I’m going to develop Lawrence (Sheree Whitfield’s hairstylist) and girl group for my company Kandi Koated Entertainment. I want to take them to the next level and continue to push my own album. I want to keep building myself as a mogul. I look up to Queen Latifah, I look up to Oprah. They have so many different things going on and they are successful in so many areas. I just want to be one of those people who can create a lot of opportunities and jobs for people. As I woman I want to take things to the next level.

UrbanBridgez.com: Why did you change the album’s title from B.L.O.G. (B*tches Love Online Gossip) to Kandi Koated? I love the way that acronym.
Kandi: Thank you. I appreciate that! What happened was the time me and AJ were dating we would see a lot of different things wrote about us on the blogs. There were a few songs I wrote that were inspired by things people were saying on the blogs. I thought they were hot! When AJ passed like first of all AJ was having issues with what people were saying about him on the blogs. He hated it, it was a problem. So when he passed it didn’t feel right to me to make that title of my album. I wanted to see something positive because that was something he hated so much. The way he was looked at [on the blogs] I just said I wasn’t going to give any energy or life to that. I actually had wrote a song about everything people said about me and him, it was kind of dope; how some of the stuff could have been true and some of it wasn’t along with clearing up things and we were shouting out all of the bloggers. I just totally canceled it.

UrbanBridgez.com: That’s totally understandable. Since you have so much love from the song “Fly Above”, how come you didn’t shoot a video for this song?
Kandi: (laughs) You know that’s funny! Someone else said that to me and I was like that song been out so long. We would like to do a video now but so many people are asking I might end up doing one. It’s a very motivational song and I didn’t realize how many people knew it until I went on tour with Fantasia. When I tell you every city I’ve gone to people are on their seats singing every word. When I put it out on iTunes I wasn’t signed to Warner Brothers then and I didn’t have a company working it at radio. So I didn’t realize how big the song was.

UrbanBridgez.com: Now you know I have to go there. Why in the world did you waste so much time with Kim Zolciak in the studio?
Kandi: The first season I did it because I always like the underdogs. I knew from watching the show from the first year people dogged her out all the time. I was like you know what I’m just going to show you it can be done. I just hate when people try to tell people what they can’t do. Even in my own experience I’ve had people tell me “ain’t nobody checking for another album by you”. They’ll have a lot of stuff to say! For me I was just trying to help the underdog win. This year I was just trying to be nice as a friend and helping her out. I knew she needed more than one song and I knew we were going to do a promo tour together. So I was just trying to give her another song. I’m done; you don’t have to worry about that anymore (laughs).

UrbanBridgez.com: One thing I have to compliment you on is your nature to fess up about the many “she said” moments on the show. Why do you think so many of the ladies back peddle so much denying about the things they say on the show?
Kandi: I don’t know. I don’t understand that. People do that in real life, so maybe that’s how they roll. Me personally, I’ve always been a person that speaks before they think. I just say it is what it is, I said it, I meant it and it’s done (laughs). Sometimes you can say things about a person and later regret it and be like I really like them but I just feel you just should tell the person sorry ….I hate that I did it but let’s get past it. I would want someone to do the same thing to me. As long I don’t lie about you or make something up about you that aren’t true I would apologize if I hurt your feelings.

Take A Trip Down Memory Lane With The Music Of Kandi!