I was blasting the “Getting Ready to Go Out” playlist at full volume on vacation last year, jamming to all the usual suspects in pop and R&B music when a friend of mine suggested a track I hadn’t heard before called “Feel Your Beat.” Ever willing to add new, funky music to the rotation, I queued YouTube and looked up the track by WISH. Ten seconds into it I was head-bobbing to the beat; three listens later we still hadn’t made it out the hotel and I was was dancing along to the choreography. Interestingly enough we were out and about in Miami a few hours later when we spotted WISH on the street. Trendy, spry and stunningly attractive, WISH traveled with a small entourage and flashed a modest but appreciate smile when passengers yelled from the car: “we love your song!” I caught up with the Maryland native earlier this week to discuss her most recent project “Me Against Her” which is now available for download via her website www.wishishere.com.
B: Hi, WISH, it’s so good to get you on the phone. I’ve been following you on Twitter and checking out the released tracks. I’m anticipating “Me Against Her”, how do you feel about the project?
WISH: Great! I feel great about it; it’s releasing at midnight on urbaninformer.com and it’ll be available shortly after on my website as well.
B: That’s awesome. Speaking of the project I’m curious to know how you decided the name – why “Me Against Her”?
WISH: The mix tape is named “Me Against Her” because as an artist I’m often compared to others but it’s not about anyone else. I am “her”. This one is done no features. I’m competing against myself mentally, physically, vocally, everything.
B: How do you think this one will differ from your last mix tape?
WISH: We confused a lot of people with the last mix tape. This one is one genre, it’s straight R&B because that’s where my roots are. Vocally I think this project demonstrates personal growth for me.
B: Considering the number of artists who are “going pop” did you feel like you wanted to ‘bring R&B back’ with “Me Against Her”?
WISH: I think that R&B is coming back! I definitely support the idea of artists exploring other genres and experimenting, but I definitely feel like R&B is coming back.
B: Do you write/produce and have you on this project?
WISH: I’m a singer first; my partner Donny Roc does the writing and arranging.
B: So the first time I heard your song was last year in Miami. Friends of mine put me on to “Feel Your Beat” and suddenly, there you were on the street! Is that around the time you started?
WISH: Oh my god, that was you guys! Laughs
B: That was us!
WISH: That’s funny. No but I had started way before then! I dropped a mix tape in 2009 called “Skoolgirl Diaries”. That came out in February of 2009.
B: Is there a link to that available online too?
WISH: Oh no honey, you’re going to have to dig for that one! Laughs
B: I’ll start digging! Laughs
WISH: I’m sure you can find it somewhere. I’ve grown a lot since then.
B: Speaking of when you started, who inspired you to do music?
WISH: Well I grew up in church and in a choir so I’d say that was the start. From there I joined two girls groups. In terms of artists and music, I was definitely into the 90s R&B. I’ve always looked up to artists like Faith, Brandy, Monica…groups like SWV
B: Was there a song or album that you heard that made you go – ‘I wanna do this for a living’, ‘I wanna do music’?
WISH: Oh my god yes! Mary J., “Whats the 411?” My mom brought that home one day and every song on that album became my jam.
B: What are you listening to right now? Who’s on your iPod, what’s playing in the car when you get in?
WISH: Right now I’m playing CHANNEL Orange, and I love it. I’ve also been listening to Brandy’s “Put It Down” by Brandy a lot; I love that too.
B: You mentioned SWV as a group you looked up to as an aspiring artist. Do you have their new album?
WISH: I do, I do! I love it.
B: Isn’t it amazing?
WISH: It is, it’s so good to hear them singing again.
B: That’s awesome. WISH, best of luck to you with the mix tape – I’m looking forward to giving it a listen tomorrow morning.
WISH: Thank you – best of luck to you as well.
As her career continues to grow, WISH hopes to later release a few albums and start a family. For now, however, she’s content touring to meet and perform for her fans. “Me Against Her” is a testimony of the self-competition, with evidence of vocal growth and pure R&B tunes that remind all of us who love 90s rhythm and blues of such an unforgettable era in music.
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-Brian Riddick
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