Johnson, known for her Grammy-award nomination for performing the hook on Kanye West’s “All Falls Down,” has an innate talent as an R&B soul singer and songwriter.
The 35-year-old songstress grew up in Harvey, Ill., right outside of Chicago. She says she has her father, Syl Johnson, legendary blues soul singer and producer, to thank for passing down some of his talent, as well as influencing her to be an entertainer.
“He was a huge influence,” she recalls. “My father was the first one to work on music with me.”
Chapter 5: Underrated is her sixth studio album and was released in late September.
Johnson has a little something new in store for her fans this time around: a new sound. She wants her fans to know that she’s the same ole’ her, but she’s doing the kind of music she’s always wanted to do.
“I just wanted to do an album that sounded good to me,” she comments. “I did this one for my fans, but I did it to showcase what I love to do—what I really like to do.”
Although she has the clear ability to sing blues songs like her father, the R&B singer says people pegged her as an artist to strictly “sing old sappy love songs,” and that’s not where her vocal ability starts and stops.
It has been two years since Johnson’s last album, and most people would think that she took a break from all things entertainment, or at least from a recording studio. Instead, she’s been busy in every aspect of her life.
Johnson says the list goes on and on with the challenges she had to overcome during her sabbatical from music, as well as during the making of her recent album.
Johnson was pregnant while she recorded this project. After giving birth, she had to get back into a routine workout regimen and transition from living in Venice, Italy to living back home in the states, along with her husband’s new retirement status.
“Getting back into the swing of things is a challenge within itself,” she says.
Nevertheless, she’s been undergoing quite a reconstruction of her artistry. Johnson says Chapter 5: Underrated is the Syleena Johnson she’s been trying to be regardless of “what the influences were in the past.”
Johnson’s worked with Chicago-natives R. Kelly and Common, along with renowned record producer Jermaine Dupri to name a few. Her new album features AK of the Chicago-based rap trio Do or Die, Tweet, Na’tee and Johnson’s artist, Malone.
Fans will get to meet Feisty Freda and Sexy Sara, two of her many alter egos on the album.
“I have a whole bunch of alter egos that I channel when I write because it helps me create stories and become those stories,” Johnson says. “Feisty Freda is a ‘sister girl’ that does whatever she wants and doesn’t take crap from anyone,” Johnson says. “Feisty Freda is independent and is the woman in “Go Head” and her single “A Boss.” Sexy Sara is featured on “The Champ” and is just generally a “ sexual woman.”
Besides her album, the singer has other creative projects coming. She will be featured in a new reality show called Diary of a Diva, alongside other female recording artists. The list includes Faith Evans, Keke Wyatt, Angie Stone, Monifa “Monifah” Carter, Nicole “Nicci” Gilbert (original member of Brownstone), and Teisha Jaretta (newest member of Brownstone). Faith Evans and Nicci Gilbert are producers of the show, which is set to air soon.
Johnson says the series will depict their lives and their struggle in the entertainment industry. In addition, Johnson says she wants to act, start a clothing line and create videos for children. She insists her fans will love the old but new her and will be entertained.
Find out more about Syleena Johnson on: Twitter: @Syleena_Johnson and Facebook.
