On Nov. 17, Entertainment One hosted a listening party for singer Tweet to promote her upcoming album, Charlene. Tweet, also referred to as the “Southern Hummingbird,” is no stranger to the music industry, since arriving on the scene in the 1990s with hits such as “Oops, Oh My” and “Smoking Cigarettes.” The singer wants to continue to bring soul to the R&B industry and describes the album as a full body of work and good soul music.
Select media outlets were invited to hear snippets from the album, as well as appearances from Kelly Price, Andrea Kelly, Keith Robinson, and Derek J, who all showed love and support for the singer.
The listening party also included a brief Q&A session with Tweet and radio host Egypt. The singer went on to discuss her hiatus from the music industry and when asked what she did during her time away she stated, “Maintaining. Since the last record in 2005, I had to take a step back because spiritually I was over. I didn’t know what to do and after the last record didn’t hit, the phones stopped ringing and people stopped coming around. I didn’t know what to do.”
The singer gets personal during the Q&A session, touching on topics from religion and spirituality to her love life and beauty regimen. When asked who she would like to collaborate with in the future, Tweet expressed that D’Angelo is at the top of her list.
The album will feature productions from Nissan Stewart and Craig Brockman, as well as a collaboration with Missy Elliot, all of whom were a part of Tweet’s debut album, Southern Hummingbird. When asked about her relationship with Missy, the singer told the audience, “We’re still sisters. We’ve known each other since ’94. We’ve grinded together. That’s a family bond that can never be broken.”
When discussing today’s music, the singer expressed that everything seems to be “one-track-minded,” with everyone wanting to look and sound the same and missing real substance. Reminiscing on a time when the R&B charts were topped with artists such as Tweet, Jill Scott, and Erykah Badu, Egypt tells Tweet, “I feel that this is your moment.”
The singer released her first single, “Won’t Hurt Me,” and the album will be available Jan. 22. The project has been in the works for a couple of years, with records being inspired and written from poems and journal entries. “Charlene” will give the fans a look into who the singer was before the nickname “Tweet” and allow them to get to know her when she first fell in love with music.
-gené hunter
