The worth of an artist is determined by any number of factors. The units they clock. The awards they rack up. The praise they earn. Yet sometimes they are less overt ways an artist makes an impact. Sometimes a performer has worth because they resonate. Singer/songwriter Kelly Price regularly goes platinum, has been honored by the industry, and is revered by the critics. Yet the most meaningful indication of Kelly’s worth is how her music makes you feel. How her songs get deep into your heart and soul and give you a window not only into Kelly’s world but a new perspective into your own. How they become not just songs but your songs.
On her platinum CDs 1998’s Soul of A Woman and 2000’s Mirror Mirror Kelly Price created emotionally honest music that was deeply personal and universal in scope. With a soaring combination of craft and compassion, Kelly’s songs touched upon heartache, marriage, romance, regret, redemption and a love that is tested but deeply felt. She does it once again, and better than ever with her third Def /Soul release Priceless.
“This album is everything that has been in my life plus everything that it’s never been,” Kelly offers. “I’ve gone through every possible emotion that a woman can go through from the start of this album to the finish, so the material is a lot more diversified. My music has always been personal stories but I’m really enjoying the fact that my story is a lot better to tell this time.”
Helping Kelly tell those stores are a who’s who of producers and co- writers among them Stevie J, Warren Campbell, Raphael Saadiq and marking her solo production debut Kelly, herself. One of the five cuts Kelly produced is “Back In The Day”, which samples Frankie Beverly and Maze and kicks it lovingly old school with a peek at growing up in NYC in the 80’s. “It’s all about drinking quarter waters and rocking bamboo earrings and Kangols,” Kelly laughs.”It’s a tribute to the fun things about my childhood. I have a lot more happy songs this time and it’s not some contrived attempt to have me do uptempo tracks, It’s just what I was feeling.”
Happiness is the operative emotion on the beat blessed lead off single “Take It 2 The Head”. Written by Kelly and produced by Stevie J, (marking their first collabo since 1998’s “Friend Of Mine”), Take It 2 The Head is an uplifting and uptempo groove that gives listeners a whole nother side of Kelly, who is perhaps best known for her ballads. ”That song is uncharacteristic of what I’m best known for,” Kelly admits. “I haven’t done anything that sounds like “Take It 2 To The Head” since my days singing on the hook for a rap single, but I was able to experiment on this album and I wanted to sing about the way I feel about love right now. Even though I've never done any drugs I feel like I’m kind of high these days and and it’s the kind of love that you compare to a natural high. Love and my life have never been as good as it is right now.”
Another uptempo and emotionally rich track is “Someday”, written by Kelly and produced by Warren Campbell. Described as “very autobiographical”, “Someday” finds Kelly reworking the Brady Bunch theme to introduce this inspirational and rhythmically charged tale of keeping your head to the sky and achieving your goals.
No less inspired is the no holds barred “Whatcha Gonna Do”, another Campbell production. “It's kind of devilish!” Kelly giggles. “I had fun writing it. It’s a relationship song, that basically flips the script on the guys and says to them what would you do if you found out I was cheating on you, or that I did everything to you that you ever did to me? A total mind game but fundamentally a love song, as well.”
Another love song is “So Sweet”, which links Kelly up with Raphael Saadiq for the first time. “I’ve always been a huge fans of his, and of Tony Toni Tone. In fact the title track of Soul Of A Woman uses a loop of (the Tonies) “Whatever You Want”. So I was kind of in awe of Raphael but it turns out he’s a fan of mine!” The result of this mutual admiration society is the luscious ballad “So Sweet” which again speaks to the everlasting power of true love.
If love is on Kelly’s mind it’s a love that is hard earned and seasoned by some tough moments. Mirror Mirror marked a hard time in Kelly’s life as she was dealing not only with serious family health matters but her own issues of self esteem and insecurities about life, love and her own health. The transition between Mirror Mirror, which contained the smashes “You Should Have Told Me” and “As We Lay”, were marked by moments of self-reflection and self-renewal and as usual, it’s all plays out in Kelly’s music. “I’ve gone through everything, from questioning my relationships, to my body image. Looked at old stuff that hurt me and rehashed. During the recording process there was a lot of self-healing. But now I’m in a groove and I've come to place where I’m at a healthy balance, in every aspect of my life. I get real giddy about it because it’s been such an interesting process and I’m in such a different place in my head and that’s reflected in my music. Priceless is my favorite out of all my albums because it just seems so much like me.”
Being herself, listening to her own voice and then using that voice to express her love, pain, sunshine and rain to others is what has always defined Kelly Price as an artist. From her years as the industry’s premier backup singer, to her current reign as one of the most dynamic forces in R&B, Kelly Price has remained an artist who creates in a totally honest space and sings the songs that touch others. On Priceless Kelly is once again telling stories that come straight from her heart and that’s why they touch ours, as well.
Source: http://www.kellyprice.net
