If Beyonce Knowles is the type of girl you’d want to have tea with, Solange Knowles is the type of chick you’d wanna do shots with. At least we would. Girl is astute, blunt as a spoon, and totally fearless, daring to take the TRL stage in killer heels only days after breaking her foot. And while she’s just 21, she’s got an Erykah Badu/ old-soul vibe about her, which explains why her “I Decided” single, off her upcoming album, SoL-AngeL and The Hadley Street Dreams, has a retro Motown sound, while the video has more history than an archaeological dig.
Here’s what the solo artist and mom — “My son’s definitely a tour bus baby. He was up on the bus last night at 11 o’clock last night playing hot hands with my band,” Solange said of her son, Daniel — told us about her new moniker, her irresistible new video, and knowing when to say “eff you.”
Buzzworthy: The video is amazing. What inspired the historical theme?
Solange Knowles: I saw the movie Across the Universe, which was inspired by the Beatles, and I loved how they mixed archival footage in with the actual performances of the songs. So I thought it would be cool because I didn’t just want the video to be another glossy R&B-chick, no-message, no-creativity type of video. I just wanted to visually express what the album is like. So I traveled through all the different eras to get to this guy. I wrote the entire treatment from top to bottom, and I co-directed the video with Melina. It was final say, up to me, which was a blessing, because every artist doesn’t get to do that. Thank God it was a decent idea because my label would’ve lost their bonkers if it wasn’t!
Buzzworthy: What was it like working with Cee-Lo?
SK: He is incredible. He’s a genius how he conceptualizes. I was telling him ever since I’ve been divorced and dating how I’m very very skeptical and feel like I will always be in a fragile state. And he was like, ‘Yeah you’re kinda like a sand castle. You don’t wanna be blown away!’ I was like, ‘You smart MF’er!!’ He was really cool. Very fun!
BW: How was working with Mark Ronson?
SK: Mark was great. I met with him the day he won the Grammy. So I was like, ‘I’m not gonna hear from him again!’ But he sent the music, and he’s just really hot right now. And very cool how he takes this old sound and kinda modernizes it. I love that about him!
BW: What made you decide to use the name SoL-Angel?
SK: Clearly my name is Solange, and my name means “angel of the sun” in French. So, I kinda wanted an alias because this album is a concept record, and I incorporated the alias so everyone knows this is a period piece. Once I do my next record it’ll probably be something else.
BW: If you could’ve named your album anything else, what would you have called it?
SK: Probably, F— You, which I’m learning to say a lot more this year. I just think it would be such a powerful statement and just simple, plain, blunt as it comes. I think that artists should be able to have the freedom to make what kinda music they wanna make and what better way than to say f– you?
+ Say “eff you” to whatever it is you were about to go do and watch Solange’s new video, check out photos from Spankin’ New Music Week and don’t miss our exclusive interview with Ne-Yo.