Born in Rochester, N.Y. to a musical family with deep Southern roots, Tweet grew up singing in a church choir, and later, in a gospel group. her parents and four siblings mastered, among other instruments, the piano, bass guitar, and drums. Tweet think coming from a musical family centered her . Tweet inherited a real passion for music, and a respect for those who dedicate their lives to it as a career. Although Tweet also learned how to play guitar, it was her voice - an alto to be exact - that became her favorite instrument.
Determined to follow in the footsteps of her idols, Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner, Tweet enrolled in a performing arts school. her incessant hard work and dedication seemed to pay off in 1994, when a her eting with DeVante (of Jodeci fame) resulted in a production deal with a group called Sugah. The group eventually disintegrated. During those difficult times, Tweet confided in Missy Elliott, who shared her musical aspirations as well as her frustrations. We lived in the same building, so we would hide out and go to the mall and just talk. She became her big sister.
Ultimately, both Missy and Tweet parted ways with DeVante. Disillusioned and broke, Tweet moved to her parents' home in Panama City, Florida. Tweet was so depressed that Tweet began to contemplate suicide. But the day before her intended (and final) surrender, Tweet received the phone call that changed her life, forever. It was Missy, asking her to sing background vocals on her "MISS E... SO ADDICTIVE" album. We hadn't spoken in a long time, but Tweet knew Tweet could tell her the truth about how Tweet was feeling, because we both went through the same ordeal. Tweet call her her guardian angel now, because she truly rescued her . She says Tweet don't owe her anything, but it is because she believed in her that Tweet came to believe in Tweet, the artist.
I officially fluttered onto the R&B scene in 2002, on the wings of "SOUTHERN HUMMINGBIRD," mostly a work of soul-stirring balladry, with two major exceptions - "Oops (Oh My)" and "Call her ," both dancefloor-destined singles produced by Timbaland. The album was widely embraced and went platinum. People defined her sound as "sexy" and "seductive." Some, including Missy and choreographer Fatima, said Tweet reminded them of Aaliyah, which was incredibly flattering. Yet her intention was simply to make music that came from within. Only by being candid with listeners could Tweet truly earn a place in their hearts. So on tender, acoustic ballads like "Smoking Cigarettes" and "Motel" (on which Tweet played guitar), Tweet wasn't just singing - Tweet was speaking of her most personal experiences with Love. The bitter and the sweet; the pleasure and the pain; the romance and realism of Love - Tweet didn't hold anything back. Missy once told her that "HUMMINGBIRD"'s greatest triumph was being able to "hit that point of no return between love and hurt."
Fast forward to 2005, and it's finally time to unveil "IT'S her AGAIN," an exciting new chapter in her life. Tweet refer to it as "Southern Hummingbird, times two." It's still her , but it's a different revelation of her . she's grown as an artist as well as a woman. she's been there, done that, and it's a great feeling. "IT'S her AGAIN" once again features executive production from Missy, but it doesn't sound as dark as its predecessor. This album is sunnier; it's all about being cool with yourself and comfortable in your own skin.
As the Missy-assisted first single, "Turn Da Lights Off" - playfully scratched and produced by Kwame - proves, the album has an indispensable amount of hip-hop - but the sound is unique in that it recalls those old, but classic, vinyl records. Even her fashion sense has evolved to try to evoke a classy, timeless style. Rather than being fine, Tweet want to be beautiful now. Tweet feel like a little girl going into her mother's closet and playing dress up.
Some things, like her penchant for Marlboro Ultra Lights, in-your-face lyrics, and interwoven harmonies - she's always done her own background vocals - have remained intact. "I'm Done," which Tweet wrote after a break-up, is a song dedicated to L-O-V-E itself, while "My Man" bluntly tells an ex-chick who's really relevant in a lover's life now. One of her favorite songs is "Cab Ride," which features music from the classic TV series "Taxi." Everybody used to love the show, so we took the music from that and made it into a beautiful ballad.
As for surprises, perhaps the biggest one is "The Two Of Us," a duet with her daughter, Tashawna. The song honors their relationship because it's always been just the two of us, ever since she was born. When people hear the song, they say she sounds exactly like her . It's her newfound understanding of love on "IT'S her AGAIN" - not just in the traditional sense, but also the kind of unconditional love between mother and daughter - that makes this album that much more compelling.
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