After being discovered by the late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, T’melle was on her way to stardom in the music industry as a member of the R&B group, Egypt. But everything changed when she was involved in the car accident that took the life of her mentor Left Eye in Honduras.
T’melle was told by doctors that she would never walk again. However, she found the strength to recover and continue on her musical journey.
T’melle discusses her return to music and new mixtape, The Interview.
How did you get started, and who are some of your musical influences?
I first started professionally as a kid in a local girl group in Philly. Some of my musical influences are Barbra Streisand, Mary J, and The Roots just to name a few!
What was it like working with Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes”?
It was a honor working with such a vet in the music industry. And her being through so much she schooled me about the game, what to expect and how to handle certain things in the industry.
Who are some other people you’ve worked with and who would you like to work with in the future?
I’ve been blessed to work with some of the greats in the industry like Usher, Tricky and Dream, Rodney Jerkins, Fantasia, just to name a few. There so many other artists I would love to work with like Jay Z, Beyonce, Rick Ross and Meek Millz.
How was it touring with Usher?
It was off the chain. I sang background for him for his European tour and to watch him perform and to be on that stage with him in front of hundreds of thousands of people was like a dream come true. I was ready for that to be me.
Let’s discuss your new mixtape, The Interview. What’s the overall meaning of the title?
I named it The Interview because it’s my introduction to the world. With an interview, it’s a way for people to get to know me and where I came from and what I’ve been through.
What do you want your legacy to be?
A strong girl from Philly who had all odds against her who made it through the hard times. But most importantly, representing survival, determination, and empowerment.
