Tre Rochelle started her journey in music by doing covers. She would cover all types of artists, from Chaka Khan to Stevie Wonder to even Whitney Houston. She wrote her first song in 2013 but didn’t release it until 2020.
She caught up with rolling out to discuss her musical journey.
How did you go from making covers to recording professionally?
It was finally time. I was a cover artist for a long time, always singing in everybody else’s voice. I was a poet back in school, so I rapped and all of those things. So, [I’ve] always been a lyricist. I just finally started writing in my notepad and decided to start putting the melodies and getting things out of my head — so, that was the start of it. I was doing it in secret … for a while, and then I happened to run into a creative partner to get some beats and he [was], like, when are we gonna do your music? And that’s how it began.
Why were you hesitant to release your music at first?
My vocal coach always told me I am my worst critic. I’m so hard on myself. One day someone asked me, “If you could do one thing in your life, what would it be? What would be that thing you would do if nobody was paying you?” And I was, like, make music. They were all surprised; but to me, I was, like, this no-brainer.
What is your best cover?
Nobody is messing with me on “At Last” [by Etta James] and ” Ain’t Nobody” by Chaka Khan. And at weddings, I got to do “Ava Maria,” so I’ll even hit some opera, if they need me to.
Your first single came out in June 2020. What was the inspiration for “I Want You?”
It sounds like it’s a love song about wanting something and wanting a relationship; but, for me, it was about wanting the presence of my parents. The song really echoed through my life because I was wanting all of these things and experiences that truly didn’t want me. Or the way that they showed up showed me that it wasn’t what I wanted or needed — and I had to become who I wanted to be. I decided I’m not gonna keep these things to myself. I’m gonna start speaking out. I’m gonna start putting my music out. I’m gonna start being and doing what I want to do. I’m gonna take control of my life, and I’m gonna be who I want to be.
What is Orange The EP about?
With my EPs, I’m moving through the color spectrum, and it’s really a voyage of myself. I can write so many styles, so I decided to do these collective concepts. And by the time I get to the end — which will be indigo — everybody will know exactly who Tre is and what she does. Orange The EP was more about the musicality. It was more jazzy-type vibe.
What did you learn during your battle with vocal polyps?
I was in the studio recording. All of a sudden, I went horse, and I couldn’t talk. And then my talking voice went completely away. I go to the ER, and they go down there with the scope. They’re, like, oh. They show me the pictures, and it’s just hemorrhaging — like, all of my vocal cords. I couldn’t laugh or really even talk for months after the surgery while I was recovering. But, my writing really improved, which gave me confidence. This happened before I started putting out my music [in] 2016. When all of this was happening, it forced me to start writing in my journal, and so I started hearing music. I started hearing lyrics. That really helped my pen.
