Voice of Reason: Megan J Interview

The strength that MEGAN possesses goes beyond her voice. She manages to juggle it all without giving up her dream, her passion. She have pushed forward through adversity and become the beautiful women you see today. Here is the exclusive interview with VMAGAZINE.  

#1 -Tell us who is Megan J?

Megan J: Megan J, Singer, Songwriter and producer, and an occasional model. Born in West Memphis, Arkansas. As a child, I always knew I wanted to sing. I felt I had a talent when my mom's friends would ask me to sing and they would pay me Five dollars for it. As child, 5 dollars was a lot! When I was 14, I joined a gospel Group called The Shekinah Singers. Presented by Marty Martin who took me under his wing as a child. He was my mentor and a big part of my life. He encouraged me to finish high School with no children and go to college. I did all of those things. I graduated from both. I truly thank him for being the father figure in my life because my father was never there. I spent the first parts of my early childhood in Little Rock, AR but moved to Jennette Arkansas when my mother could no longer care for me. I thank my grandmother Maggie Sims who took care and raised me in the small town of Jennette Arkansas, Yes, I'm a country girl and I loved it! I moved around a lot so nothing was ever stable for me. The only thing I knew was music and that is the way I escape from everything. It's my world. Megan J(Megan Jones) but I'm married now so it's Somerville but I kept my Stage name Megan J because that's what most people know me as and I wanted them to be able to follow me without any confusion. Megan J is every woman. Every woman can relate to what I sing about or has felt something similar to or if not the same exact things. I write my own songs. The songs I write about are mostly my own life experiences and sometimes I tell the story of my friends and the people closest to me. I am a mother of three little girls and I'm a wife. My family inspires me to keep pushing forward. My music is my life. There is absolutely nothing in this world that I would rather do. I had my first child Laila when I was 25 years old, and took a short break away from music. A lot of things happened that changed my life and I wrote about them in my previous album M.E.(My Experiences). Soon after I started back doing music and that's when I met my husband, Durand Somerville. We married on April, 11th 2010, the most beautiful day of my life, and we had two children together Dayjah and Meranda. My husband inspires me a lot. He encourages me to keep writing and singing and being the best that I can be. Without him in my life, i don't know if I would have had the will to carry on. He's the most caring and thoughtful person I've ever met in my life and I love him so much for that. 

#2 -Describe your singing style if you had to pick 3 singers, who would make up Megan J? 

I really don't have a particular style to stick with per say because I sing in all styles but if you could mix Aaliyah, Rihanna and Ciara, then that would make up Megan J.

#3- Who are you sign with, and how is the label life, and how did you meet up with them?

 I am currently with Point Blank Entertainment. We are a collective of artists that came together and formed SQUAD.muzik. Before anything, we are more like a family so to me, it's much bigger than that. These are my sisters and brothers and we have an unbreakable bond. I was introduced to Point Blank Entertainment through my husband Durand "Virghost" Somerville back in July of 2009. Every since then we have been building and creating a name for ourselves.

#4- Who was your favorite singer growing up - And who are you listening to now? 

Whitney Houston was my favorite singer growing up of course. I am inspired by almost anything music. I listen to a lot of local music before anything but nationally, the 2 most inspiring people to me right now would have to be Rihanna and Beyonce. 

#5- It says that your married, to a rapper (uh oh) never worried about groupies? 

Lol! What woman doesn't worry about groupies if she's in a relationship with a rapper??? In all honesty, in the beginning, I used to worry about them a lot! There were so many of them locally! I just can't imagine how many there will be whenever he makes nationally! Over the years I've learned to be more trusting of my husband, I don't have anything to worry about anymore. I know he will hold me down no matter what.

#6- Do you think R&B demographics mostly wants there artist single?

Yes, I think demographics want their R&B artist to be single because it provides a fantasy or they believe that's what the people wanna see. Since when did our personal love lives become a part of our careers? It's stupid to me. Music is art and should be just that, it shouldn't have anything to do with your personal lives. 

#7- Be honest, how is the business side of Music in Memphis?

Memphis is a tough city to do music in or anything for that matter. The lack of support here is unbelievable. I support local artists as much as I can because I know how much it means because it certainly means a lot to me. The people that do support me, I appreciate them a lot! I'm in a city that is consumed by Rap, Hip/Hop, Spoken Word and Afrocentric type music ...So, where do I fit in??? But I can see it changing in the near future, it's just taking a little longer for them to get into. It's a work in progress.

#8- So you ever had beef with any other artist in the city? 

I've had a few about 2 years back but they are not relevant enough to name. I made peace with it by venting out through a song on my album titled "Comin 4 Ya" but it's a bonus track on the hard copy of my album "STAGES". I'm past all of that now and I'm not one to hold grudges and would probably speak to them if I saw them out at an event. This city is too small for that and we all should try to come together as one and make things happen for our city. With that being said, if anyone has anything they'd like to say to me, speak now or forever hold your peace because I'd like to move forward.

#9- Where was the best performance you ever had?

My best performance, I would have to say was in Nashville at Sound Therapy. The energy they gave me was so live! That's just it, I can go anywhere and get shown a lot of love but in Memphis, the feedback is dead. 

#10- MICHAEL JACKSON or MARVIN GAYE/BEYONCE OR DIANA ROSS?

This is a VERY hard choice for me considering how much I loved MJ when I was a child. I didn't really get into Marvin Gaye as much until I got with my husband actually, lol! I knew some of Marvin Gaye's songs but he had ALL of his alums! I couldn't really get into Diana Ross that much so I'd have to say Beyonce' although they are similar, I just think Beyonce' has the better voice.

#11- As a mother, and wife How the hell do you manage all that and still manage to sing.? 

It's funny you ask that because it's very hard and sometimes very frustrating. Sometimes when I have an idea and I wanna get a rough copy down before I forget the arrangement, I have my youngest daughters in the booth with me and ironically they are extremely quiet while I'm recording, considering that they are NEVER quiet...EVER... lol! I'm still able to work, cook and manage my household and still have time for my husband whenever he's not too tired, working, recording or promoting. On his off days, I can get a song done within 2 hours at the least.

#12- What if your husband said baby let me hold you down with his music, you take care of the kids you down for that.? 

I don't think my husband would ever ask me to do that because I would never ask him to do such a thing because we both know that this is our passion but if he did, under certain circumstances I will. The only way I'd consider doing that is if the opportunity presents itself to him before it does me, (signed to a major label) then by all means yes, I'd stop and support him and pick back up with mine later.

#13- OK Megan J, tell the people where they can find your music, what they are missing if they aint listening. You can find my music on www.meganj.bandcamp.com and you can get updates from me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MeganJII. Now I know a lot of people would tell you that you should get their album because it's hot but I'm not going to tell you that. You should get my album because of it's substance. It's not a whole album filled with sex but an album about real life situations and experiences, It's about family, love, ups and downs...the whole nine. There is something for EVERYONE in my music. By going to the links I provided you with, you can get to know me more as an artist and as a person. You will not be dissatisfied once you hear my first two songs on my album "Stages", I can guarantee that. I also have a previous album on bandcamp titled M.E.(My Experiences). If you aren't listening to Megan J then you are missing out on great music. Anybody can make music but everybody can't make GREAT songs so check me out!