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Rockin' The R&B Boat
08/03/2003 6:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
Billy Johnson Jr
Kiley Dean's family and friends aren't surprised that the self-declared "nerdy" girl from Arkansas became a professional singer: When she was 2 years old, Kiley was already professing her desire to be famous. Now, at age 21, she's the first R&B singer to be released on Timbaland's Beat Club records.
Kiley and Timbaland recently teamed up for Kiley's debut single, "Make Me A Song," which pays tribute to Aaliyah, and when Kiley visited LAUNCH to perform it, she sat down with urban editor Billy Johnson Jr. to discuss about paying respect to the late singer-actress in the song. She also talked about honing her skills singing in church, emulating her six favorite vocalists, and her first big break--a gig singing backup for pop teen queen Britney Spears.
Read on to find out if the fame Kiley dreamed of as a toddler has met her expectations.
LAUNCH: Regarding your first single, "Make Me A Song," what made you want to come out with a song that described the songwriting and recording process?
KILEY: Me and Tim [Timbaland] and Walter Milsap wrote that song together, and a lot of times when I go to write a song, I don't want to write the ordinary ballad--the ordinary song about relationships and this, that, and the other that you ordinarily hear on the radio. Coming out with Tim and being a new artist, I thought it would be cool. Tim came up with the hook and me and Walter started coming up with cute words like, "Give me a song like 'Rock The Boat.'" It's saying to Tim, you know, "You're such a great producer and here I am getting the chance to work with you and you've worked with so many great artists; can you give me a song like you've given them?"
LAUNCH: Was Timbaland one of the producers that you hoped to work with?
KILEY: Yeah! You hear Tim's stuff everywhere, even stuff where you don't even know it's him. He's not just a hip-hop producer--he's known as a hip-hop producer, but he does so much. And on my album you'll be able to hear that: He's so broad. When I first met him like, two or three years ago, that's when I knew: "I got to work with this dude." 'Cause when we first met, we clicked, and I knew that we would have an incredible creative relationship. And we do--that's what we have.
LAUNCH: So when you talk about Timbaland being broad, what kind of styles do you two get into on your album?
KILEY: It's cool that my album is so broad. We start out with "Make Me A Song," and then "Keep It Movin'" is going to be the second single. That's talking a relationship song, but it's not like, "Oh, my heart's broken"--it's talking about the other girl. Like, you're dating this guy right now, you're together, nothing's come between that, then his ex-girlfriend is giving you hassles and you're like, "Keep it movin', 'cause I'm OK with myself and he's OK with the situation." Then you go to "I'm Busy," another song on the album about your girlfriend who's calling you too much; she hasn't talked to you in a month, and then the phone rings and you answer the phone and you're like, "What's up, girl?" and she's like, "Well, my boyfriend..." And you're like, "You know what? I'm busy, and I don't have time for that--don't call me anymore." A lot of people are going to be able to recognize that and be able to relate to that song. So I think girls my age are going to like this album.
LAUNCH: You seem to have a lot of confidence for a brand-new artist just starting to do interviews...
KILEY: There's a certain amount of confidence that an artist should have, but you got to keep it in the right zone. You can't have too much, but let people know that you're confident. I care what people think, but not too much.
LAUNCH: Back at home in Arkansas when you were little, did you always think that you were going to be a recording artist?
KILEY: Oh, of course! When I was 2, I knew I was going to be famous. That's just me. I didn't know for sure, but I remember when I was in first or second grade, they'd ask the kids, "What are you going to be when you grow up?" And they'd say, "I'm going to be doctor" or "I'm going to a veterinarian." Me? "I'm going to be famous." It wasn't "I'm going to be a dancer, I'm going to be a singer, a model." It was "I'm going to be famous." So I always knew in the back of my mind, or thought, when I started pursuing it and really wanting it. I think the dream was there my whole life; it just got bigger and bigger and I kept following it. But when I reached high-school age and I was singing at church, that's where I got discovered: in church, in school, just growing up and seeing kids my own age, like *NSYNC and Christina and Britney, making it. I'm like, "OK, if they can do it, I can do it." I respect them so much for doing it--they gave me an in to do it.
LAUNCH: Did you think that getting the gig as a background singer for Britney Spears was your break?
KILEY: Yeah--you always have to have the door swing open for you somewhere. Mariah Carey was a background singer, so was Sheryl Crow--there's so many people that started out as background singers. Whitney Houston sang background. Everybody's got to start somewhere, and I knew that I've got to pay my dues. But that wasn't even paying your dues--I don't want to say that. That was an experience. It was exciting, I got to learn, it was neat. I got to learn so much through her, with touring and stuff--it was just great.
LAUNCH: Was there a particular piece of advice that you got from Britney during that period?
KILEY: There's no particular advice that she gave me or I took--it was just watching her. She probably doesn't even know that I watched her that closely. But I knew that I would be doing that, so I watched how she would talk with the press, how she'd handle her fans, how she would handle the stage, I how she would handle dancing and singing, all of that, and I picked up on that. Action speaks louder than words.
LAUNCH: That had to be an exciting time, being out on the road with Britney...
KILEY: Oh, it totally was, because I met my manager on tour with Britney. He was touring with the opening act, and when I met him, he's like, "We just have to work together." And that was another door opening, and from that we met Tim, and from that we met the label, and from that we got the album. It's just amazing how God opens doors and you just step through them and it becomes a whole other thing.
LAUNCH: The Timbaland thing---you met him a while ago, then met him a few years later, and that's when things started to roll?
KILEY: I met him when we were doing the Grammys with Britney in L.A.; this was back in 2000, and I walked in, and just when we met it was a click. We understood each other's talents and stuff. So at the time he didn't have a situation at a label; he was doing his stuff, and I went off and perfected my craft for a year and a half, and then we came back together. And when he had a deal with Interscope, that's when he asked me to sign. And luckily, I didn't have a deal. It was perfect timing, and so then we made the album.
LAUNCH: How did you feel about incorporating the "Rock The Boat" lyric in your song? Was it a tribute to Aaliyah?
KILEY: When I first heard that song, just that whole song is awesome, just the track and her angelic voice on top of it. Obviously you don't want to step on anyone's toes, 'cause she is an angel. I don't want to misconstrue this to anyone: It is a tribute to Aaliyah, in a way--she was this beautiful person, this amazing artist--but I'm doing nothing but just saying, "Give me a song like you gave Aaliyah, 'cause that song was huge. It was an amazing song. "Like 'Rock The Boat,' like Missy wrote": It's paying homage to people like, Aaliyah, yes, but also it's paying homage to Missy and Tweet and Bubba--just great music that Tim has made.
LAUNCH: After Arkansas you went to Orlando. Didn't you go to high school with Joey Fatone?
KILEY: No, he's about six or seven years older than me, so when he graduated, I was still in middle school. But him and actually Wayne Brady went to that school. A lot of talented people come out of that school, 'cause there's a magnet program, which is the visual arts program--drama and that sort of thing. I was in that for a year, then kind of got away from that and then followed music.
LAUNCH: But what was it like to live in Orlando? I mean if you want to be a teen singer, isn't that where you need to be?
KILEY: I don't know about that. I think a lot of people see that *NSYNC got established there and Britney got established there and the Backstreet Boys...you know, it is the place kids hear about that, so they kind of go there if they want to pursue pop. But I haven't heard of anything coming out of there lately, and I think the big ones have pretty much gone. But there's definitely some urban acts coming out of there
LAUNCH: Let's talk about your voice. It's so soulful. Do people who haven't seen you think that you are black because of the way that you sound?
KILEY: Actually, I think it's a great compliment when people say, "Oh you're white?" I really don't know where I got soul--I guess it's just growing up in the church and emulating voice. It's definitely a gift from God. It's just something that I've been blessed with; I just sing the way that I sing and love music the way that I do. But yeah, it's funny: People will hear the song and they'll be like, "Where is she?," and then they'll see me and their mouths will drop. It kind of throws people, so it's cool. They're pretty accepting, and I appreciate that.
LAUNCH: Who are some of your musical influences or singing role models?
KILEY: Growing up there was the "power six": Whitney, Mariah, Sade, Basia, Anita Baker, and Taylor Dayne. And those six people, growing up, I remember during the summertime my dad would go to work and me and my brother would ride with him and he'd have on Anita Baker, Rapture, and we would just listen to that whole album the whole day. Just repeat it the whole day. And at 6 years old, I knew all the words to her songs. And then Whitney came out and I started listening to her. My mom would listen to Basia and Sade and Taylor Dayne too. And then growing up, it was pretty much my decision to listen to Whitney and Mariah; probably Mariah is my biggest, number-one influence.
LAUNCH: Do you think about your career as far as direction? Whether it will go more toward pop or stay more urban?
KILEY: I'm just trying to play the cards that I'm dealt with right now. One hand at a time. Trying to take one thing at a time. Of course you think about your future, your direction and what you're going to do, but where I am right now is where I am. And until I get back into the studio and start writing, maybe that will take me somewhere else, but right now I'm happy where I am.
LAUNCH: Is it a struggle for you to remain humble through all of this?
KILEY: Definitely. Everybody asks me, "If there was something that you told yourself in the future right now, if you looked back, what would you tell yourself?" My number one thing would be, "Stay humble." And the relationship I have with God and my family and friends, that's going to keep me humble. Like today, getting off the airplane and coming straight here, it's tiring, but you have to hold your shoulders up and say, "You know what? This is a blessing that I'm doing this right now. This is a privilege and an honor that I'm here." You have to keep a smile on your face. And when you keep that sort of mindframe that you stay happy, you just keep your shoulders up and go, "That's why I'm here. I'm living my dream." There's no attitude there. Things may come my way or they may suck or whatever, but I'll shove it off and be happy and perfect my craft and love what I do.
LAUNCH: What is the silly thing about Kiley that people would want to know about you?
KILEY: I'm pretty cut-and-dried. I don't do anything silly or crazy--I don't ski or any of that stuff. But I guess overall--you can ask anybody--I'm nerdy. It comes out when I'm around my friends and stuff. I try to stay cool when I'm around people, but I'm pretty much a nerd inside. But that's OK!
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