Interview: Toronto Based RnB/Soul Artist Michelle Mondesir Discusses Her Song "Look What You Started"
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“I’m always writing songs/beats at home and every once in a while I compile the ones I like best to actually put lyrics to. This was one of those tracks that I thought had a lot of potential and I came up with the chorus for it fairly easily.”
Congratulations on the release of your new single "Look What You Started", which features pHoenix Pagliacci. How did you two connect and who produced the song?
Thanks so much! We’ve been acquainted for a number of years. Back in the day I was looking for backup singers and pHoenix was one of the people that auditioned and we’ve kept in touch since. I’ve done some backup singing for her in the more recent past as well and thought it would be cool to collaborate on a track with her. I did the production on the track in my home studio.
Tell us about your creative process for the development of the song from a songwriter's perspective. What inspired you to write it?
I’m always writing songs/beats at home and every once in a while I compile the ones I like best to actually put lyrics to. This was one of those tracks that I thought had a lot of potential and I came up with the chorus for it fairly easily. I actually was going to do this as a solo release but after putting it aside for a while and knowing I wanted to do more collaborating, I started reaching out to people I’ve been wanting to work with. This one popped out as one of the tracks I wanted Pagliacci on. I sent her the track with my roughly recorded parts on it with the holes I wanted her to fill in. She, fortunately, has a home studio as well and was able to get her parts to me fairly quickly. I don’t usually write very raunchy lyrics, but I wanted to change up my typical love ballad to something with more passion and heat. And I think this track is hot! Lol
What can you tell us about your upcoming EP that you are currently working on? Have you decided on a title yet and will "Look What You Started" be featured?
“Look What You Started” will definitely make the EP. I’ve decided to let myself take the time to come up with a product that I’m really proud of. So the timeline of its drop is TBD. I have a few more collaborations that I’m working on that I’d like to add to the project but I still don’t fully know where it’s journey will take me and my collaborators. It’s an adventure!
How would you describe the Toronto RnB music scene in 2021? Are there a lot of venues to perform (with COVID restrictions loosening) and how difficult is it to grow your fanbase?
There are a lot of new artists that are hustling hard during the pandemic and it’s great to see all the new talent. Unfortunately, all venues have been closed for over a year and even worse, a number of them have now gone out of business. Personally, it’s always been a struggle to grow the fanbase as an independent artist but I do feel that there are a lot more avenues to do so.
Why should every person reading this interview follow you on social media and check out your music on Spotify/Bandcamp?
Haha, well, if every person reading this loves discovering new music then they should definitely check out mine, especially if you love 90s R&B vibes.
Stream and Share “Look What You Started” on: Spotify | Bandcamp
Connect with Michelle Mondesir: Website | Instagram | Facebook
Tell us about your creative process for the development of the song from a songwriter's perspective. What inspired you to write it?
I actually was going to do this as a solo release but after putting it aside for a while and knowing I wanted to do more collaborating, I started reaching out to people I’ve been wanting to work with. This one popped out as one of the tracks I wanted Pagliacci on. I sent her the track with my roughly recorded parts on it with the holes I wanted her to fill in. She, fortunately, has a home studio as well and was able to get her parts to me fairly quickly. I don’t usually write very raunchy lyrics, but I wanted to change up my typical love ballad to something with more passion and heat. And I think this track is hot! Lol
What can you tell us about your upcoming EP that you are currently working on? Have you decided on a title yet and will "Look What You Started" be featured?
“Look What You Started” will definitely make the EP. I’ve decided to let myself take the time to come up with a product that I’m really proud of. So the timeline of its drop is TBD.
I have a few more collaborations that I’m working on that I’d like to add to the project but I still don’t fully know where it’s journey will take me and my collaborators. It’s an adventure!
How would you describe the Toronto RnB music scene in 2021? Are there a lot of venues to perform (with COVID restrictions loosening) and how difficult is it to grow your fanbase?
There are a lot of new artists that are hustling hard during the pandemic and it’s great to see all the new talent. Unfortunately, all venues have been closed for over a year and even worse, a number of them have now gone out of business.
Personally, it’s always been a struggle to grow the fanbase as an independent artist but I do feel that there are a lot more avenues to do so.
Why should every person reading this interview follow you on social media and check out your music on Spotify and Bandcamp?
Haha, well, if every person reading this loves discovering new music then they should definitely check out mine, especially if you love 90s R&B vibes.
Stream and Share “Look What You Started” on: Spotify | Bandcamp
Connect with Michelle Mondesir: Website | Instagram | Facebook