Solange performed live for an intimate audience on Atlantic Avenue at Atlantis Super Wash Center in Brooklyn for Vitamin Water and FADER's #Uncapped series on Monday. The neon lit performance included hits from her True EP, including "Losing You" and "Bad Girls" as well as a cover of Nivea's "Laundromat." Solange covered the stage with high energy dance moves when she wasn't hanging out atop the washers and urged the crowd to groove a little in the laundromat. Solange sat for an interview following the performance, to discuss her upcoming album and plans to relocate to New Orleans. Take a look at some of what she had to say below. Scroll down to watch her performance for #Uncapped. Read the full interview via FADER.
Why did you chose to cover Nivea’s“Laundromat”? “Laundromat” might actually be, and my best friend can co-sign, one of my top 15 most-played songs. Since it came out. I’ve always wanted to cover it and as soon as I found out that this was going down in a laundromat, it just had to be done. I wish we would’ve had more time to rehearse it, because being R. Kelly and Nivea at the same damn time is just not possible. So I was trying my best.You’re just getting back into the studio after True. What’s the recording process for this new album been like so far? I’m [working on it] up in Long Island as of now. It’s just really really been a chill vibe. A lot of the songs were pre-written. I wrote them two months ago just on the piano. So we’re just developing the sonics around them, which is great. It’s really kind of premature to talk about who’s working on the record because I’m really just working with a bunch of people and trying to find that chemistry.
Can you share with us any names of the early collaborators? Yes, I worked with Sampha this week, who’s so so talented and just one of the nicest, sweetest guys that I’ve met in this industry.
You’ve moved from Los Angeles, to Idaho, to Brooklyn and you’ve now decided to leave Brooklyn. Where to next? You basically said, “Bitch moves around!” I’m not leaving Brooklyn, that is a statement. I am going to live part-time in New Orleans. I’m more so excited about going down to the South again. New Orleans is such a magical city and I’m really excited to explore all of the creative and cultural aspects that it has to offer. It’s going to be nice, but I’m for sure still going to be a Brooklyn girl.
Solange also chatted with Billboard about her new label Saint Records:
You just shared some new details about your next album, which will be released through your own label, Saint Records, distributed through Sony. We had originally heard you might be releasing music through Columbia – what’s the story?I mean, it’s distributing through Sony, bottom line, and I was just incredibly excited to have a space and a house for all my new projects. And I have so many ideas for other projects. And I think it’s just really incredible to be a young woman and I feel so blessed and lucky and honored to be able to be in a position to do that. It’s been a passion of mine to do that forever, I grew up seeing how the music business works from very different sides and I’ve conjured up a lot of knowledge to apply.
Is the idea with Saint that you’ll be signing other artists as well?
For sure. I’m actually working on the first project, which will involve me in some kind of way but it will absolutely involve other artists as well. I have so many friends who’ve put me on to so much great music. And we just have that endless conversation about new upcoming great artists that might not get the exposure they deserve on an independent level. There’s so much magic happening right now on an independent level and I’m excited to be attached to that.
Is there a person or a team at Sony that you’re reporting to as part of your new label?
No. Absolutely not. The infrastructure of this record in terms of the creative process is absolutely the same as the last one. I’m making the music that I want to make. I’m in my own space and it’s just incredible to be able to continue to do that.
