LOCAL ARTISTES can pick the brains of Grammy Award-winning artiste Chrisette Michele.
The bubbly singer has a 12-week online mentorship programme, richhipsteruniversity.com, comprising a master class of tips on finance and business administration to get the artistes comfortable with the workings of the music industry.
Michele didn’t need to have an epiphany to know that giving back to upcoming artistes was necessary. That’s because during her days of being signed to record labels such as Island Def Jam and then Motown Records, Chrisette Michele was mentored by several big names in the entertainment industry.
WEEKEND BUZZ spoke to the artiste at the Radisson Aquatica Resort Barbados on Tuesday where she is staying during her stint in the country, ahead of what will be her second performance at the Naniki Music Barbados Music Festival.
She is scheduled to perform tomorrow at Ilaro Court at a concert along with local acts 2 Mile Hill and Ch’an.
Michele known for songs such as Be OK, Epiphany (I’m Leaving) and the Rick Ross track Ashton Martin Music, shared her story of picking the brains of veterans while at the resort.
“I was really big on learning from people who came before me like LA Reid and Babyface, Patti Labelle, Mariah Carey and Lionel Richie. I would just sit underneath them and ask them questions and not be afraid.
“And I don’t know if we live in that type of era where artistes my age are comfortable giving that same type of information because artist development is no longer a department at record labels, so artistes get signed and get thrown out into the music business without any training but I definitely did receive that training,” the singer/songwriter said.
She said she was often asked by others about the keys to success in the music business and that was one of the driving forces behind the online university.
“People would walk up to me anywhere and ask me anything – and a lot of times I would be on my way to catch a flight or something, so I could not have a long conversation.
“I always feel really bad that I could not give them more information, because people need information so I decided to start something where I take a certain amount of time in each month and give people the information that they want,” Michele added.
Her first class began on Monday with 20 people, one of whom was Barbados’ own Larix.
She said she was offering a special promotion while in the island, where interested people who sign up can enter the code “Barbados” and get 50 per cent off. (TSG)
