F  L  A  U  N  T

 Photographer: Jeremiah Drummond, Stylist: DeAngelo Trent, Creative Director: Suria Ross. [Norelle](https://www.instagram.com/norelleiam/) is one hell of a musician, and she deserves all of her flowers. Hailing from Los Angeles, the singer, songwriter, vocal arranger has been singing professionally for 13 years, touring with the likes of John Legend, Nicki Minaj, Keri Hilson, Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, Demi Lovato, Ella Mai, and Meghan Trainor… to name a few.  You may have heard Norelle’s smooth and sultry voice doing background vocals on Anderson .Paak’s Grammy-winning _Ventura_ album, Chance The Rapper’s _The Coloring Book,_ and John Legend and The Roots’ _Wake Up!_, or maybe you saw her name featured on Anderson .Paak’s “Headlow” off of _Oxnard_. Regardless, she’s extremely grateful and humbled to have collaborated with such incredible artists, some of whom have turned into life-long friends. And still, the Cleveland, Ohio native reminds audiences she’s just like the rest of us. She states, “I'm a creative. I'm an artist. I'm still a young girl chasing her dreams, to really be successful in this venture being an artist and a performer. Chasing a dream, setting goals, and really tryna reach those goals in life.”  Now, she’s taking everything she’s learned and experienced, and shifting her focus to her own artistry. Returning with her brand new single titled “Back Into You,” Norelle sings about her lover she can’t seem to let go of—someone who keeps reeling her in ever so slightly.  _Flaunt_ caught up with Norelle in downtown Los Angeles to discuss her roots in Cleveland, biggest influences, auditioning for John Legend, touring with Rihana, transitioning into her own solo artistry, new single “Back Into You,” placements in television and film, goals, and more!  Photographer: Jeremiah Drummond, Stylist: DeAngelo Trent, Creative Director: Suria Ross. **How was it growing up in Cleveland?** Cleveland is a really small town but everything that's there has its own little isolated pocket. When people think of the entertainment industry, they automatically think of New York and Los Angeles, large metropolitan cities that have a lot going on for them. Cleveland has a lot of amazing creatives, musicians, singers, and that’s what groomed me. Being on the singing/musician/art scene in Cleveland groomed me to be able to transition into the entertainment business in Los Angeles and New York. Being able to go into those rooms, audition, and get the gig. Be the person they're looking for to do that, or knowing how to maneuver on stage when I'm doing my own thing. Cleveland set the tone for that, it was a small city. Coming to places like Los Angeles wasn’t so much of culture shock because I did travel the world being on tour, but it was cool. It gave me a hunger to want more. Because it’s a small town, I don't have access to the things I want. It definitely made me want to work hard to really get the things and opportunities I desired. **Who were your biggest influences?** My mom used to play Sade all the time, so I grew up listening to Sade a lot. Seeing who I am now as an artist, because going from being a background vocalist to being an artist is a transition, you have to try and find your voice. As a BGV, you have to mimic the artists that you're singing for. As I'm doing that, I'm noticing these influences in my music, in my sound, in my look. Sade was super influential, my mom played her all the time.  But when I got to choose my music and what I listened to, I listened to Aaliyah a lot. I'm noticing a lot of her influences in my music subtly. Even if I'm not consciously doing it, I don't sound like Aaliyah but there are some isms that I hear in my voice. I’m like “oh that's crazy, that sounds just like that." Growing up in the 90’s, of course there are a lot of those influences. Janet of course! Huge, huge influence sonically and visually. D'Angelo. Overall just real artists/musicians. I love real artistry. Those are my childhood influences for sure.  **When did you realize you could do music for a living?** I don't know if I ever realized I could do this for a living more or less than life aligning me to opportunities. How things unfolded for me are super unconventional. When I tell people my story, it's unrealistic a little bit. When those synchronicities happen in life and everything unfolds, like how I even got to audition for John Legend in 2008. It just unfolds. Long story short, I was working with some friends from Cleveland on some music stuff, writing and recording. One of them moved to Atlanta so of course him being established in the music scene, he's playing his music so people can know he's good at what he does. Someone hears me and asks "oh, who's that?"  The guy who heard my music just so happened to be the music director for Blackstreet and Guy. He reached out to my family and said “I want to work with her.” I was young, I was still in high school. My parents respected the fact that he reached out to them, instead of trying to contact me directly. They were on tour, they had a show in Cleveland. They invited us. I met one of the guys in the band named Man-Man who happened to be the music director for John Legend, then we built a relationship. He knew I was singing or aspiring to do that so when an opportunity opened for an audition for John, he reached out. Those little things, everything aligned itself. I’ve always wanted to do this since I was 5 years old. I wanted to be a singer, be an artist, be a performer. Everything I did in life led me to that place. It happened. I never thought it couldn't happen, I just didn't know when or how.  **Were you nervous for the audition for John Legend?** Yeah, I was very nervous. I stayed up all night the night before, preparing. I was nervous, but I also felt peace because I prayed. I said "God if this is for me, then let it be for me." That was my prayer. If it didn't happen, then I knew that it wasn't meant for me. I always get nervous before I have to perform in front of anybody, I still get nervous now. Those are good nerves because when you feel nervous, you're gonna want to do well. I wasn't anxious about it. If it's for me, then it'll be for me. If it's not, then it won’t. I guess it was for me because I got the gig. \[laughs\]  **You’ve been singing for 13 years, what was your most memorable time on tour?** This is easy, 2016 ANTI World Tour with Rihanna. Hands down, it was a beautiful experience. We're all still so close even now, we really were a tour family. Some people say "oh, this is my family!" We really are a family. Those are my friends, I saw them the other day. They helped me with my music, we're really a family. It was a beautiful moment. It was one of those things where you had to be there to experience it. It was an energy amongst everybody there that was really a staple in all of our lives. It was magic and I love Rih. She's one of the only artists that can call me right now and say "okay I'm going back on tour, I want you to go on tour with me." Alright, say less. She's so cool, I love her. I love Jay Brown, I love everybody. **What are those conversations with Rih like?** Well now that we're not on the road, it's more or less through social media on Instagram. Back then, we were kicking it. I started with Rih in 2012. I did 777, Diamonds, Monster Tour with Eminem, then ANTI. I’d been working with her consistently at that point so it was another tour. Everybody was chillin’, kicking it. Living their dreams, traveling the world. Beautiful experience.  **How was working with Chance on _Coloring Book_?** It was so fun. I got that call from my homeboy Nate Fox who’s originally from Pennsylvania, but he came to Cleveland. He’s doing some stuff in Cleveland for a little bit, that's how we got connected. We stayed in touch so once he moved back to LA or wherever he was, he’d always reach out. When they had anything going on, he’d always hit me up. "Yo I'm doing this, why don't you come through the studio?" Alright! It was fun. Most of my experiences or opportunities have come from my friends or people that I know. I'm always with my people, so it's always fun.  **Transitioning into your solo artistry, how are you feeling?** I'm excited. It feels good to take that energy and invest it into myself. I spent so many years investing it into others, which I love and would still do depending on the situation. Because I've learned a lot, these are all artists that… I'm in good company. To take those gems and apply it to myself, really invest and to see where this takes me. I'm having fun. I'm not going into it with any definite set in stone expectations. I'm following my heart. I'm doing what I love, which is to create and to sing, to perform make music. I'm happy to be in this space and pursue it in this capacity.  **"Back Into You" out now! How are you feeling?** I feel good, the response has been amazing. They put the single on some playlists, which is a huge thing. Back then if you charted on Billboard, charting was the top. But now if you get on the top playlists, that's a huge thing. I've released 4 singles before this and this is the first single that's been playlisted. I'm super super excited. The response has been great, I love the songs. I'm happy that everybody else, the people that are listening to it love it and it's resonating with them too. It's exciting to know you're putting your energy, effort, and time into something—to see it really grow and get a good return, I'm happy. I'm blessed.   **Who or what inspired the record?** Real life inspired the record. A toxic relationship inspired the record. Life, love, I really try to pull from real things. Some artists can do that. They can sing about things that aren’t necessarily real to them, I have to talk about things that I know about. I don't have anywhere to pull from if it's make believe. Real life, love, relationships. Dealing with n\*ggas that ain’t shit, \[laughs\] that's what inspired the record. **How was it performing the record live?** It was fun. It was a little stressful if I could be honest, it was a stressful situation performing it live. I can be a perfectionist which I know isn’t reality, but I like for things to be as right as possible. Some things fall through the cracks and I get disappointed when things aren't exactly how I envisioned. It was stressful for me, but it still turned out good. I like the result, it shows me where I need to grow as an artist. This is the first time I really performed my single in that type of environment. Of course it was fun. I love to dress up, I love to perform. I love to get hair, makeup, nails. It was fun, but I take my artistry really seriously. I want the final product to be what I envisioned it to be. It was good, but I know how to make it better next time.  **Talk about the dance challenge going up.** My friend Ashley Seldon, she does my makeup but she's also a dancer. We met on the Rihanna tour but she's the dance captain for Beyoncé. She's working with Meg the Stallion, Brandy, everybody. She said “I want to make a dance to your song,” so they did a dance to "Back Into You.” Some other people are doing it, I'm going to post a video soon. Now I gotta learn, I need to do the dance to my own song.  **Are you on TikTok and all that?** You know what, I'm on TikTok but to be honest with you, I can't. It's too much. I got Instagram, I got Twitter. I'm old school. Doing all that extra shit, I'ma need to hire somebody to do this because I can't do it. I just want to sing.  **3 things you need in the studio?** Incense, wine, and candles. Those are the 3. **Talk about your film credits in _What Men Want_ and _Jingle Jangle_.**  _What Men Want_, a friend of a friend reached out to me. His name is Hue, he's a writer who worked with H.E.R.. He did a lot of writing on H.E.R.'s first EP. I can't remember the first time we worked together but this opportunity came up and I was the first person he thought of, which I thought was hella dope. He called me, I went into the studio and did some work with Paramount. Jason Richmond who's at Paramount said “I have this movie opportunity so here you go.”  **Wow, just like that?** Yes! This is what I'm supposed to be doing. That's what I'm saying, stuff doesn't always come as easy and it's always from somebody I know. Somebody that knows my work ethic, what I'm capable of. They' say “she's the best person for this job or opportunity.” That's how it always unfolds. So that's how that happened. With _Jingle Jangle,_ I worked with Jason White, who’s a vocal contractor. He's the leader of the Kanye choir, he does a lot of vocal contracting. He called me to be a part of _Jingle Jangle_ because he vocal contracted that.  **Do you want to act too?**  I’d love to get in front of the camera so hopefully that'll happen soon. That’d be exciting. I haven't gotten a chance to act yet, it's all studios.  **Your music is also featured in BET’s _Games People Play._** I released _Planted_ in June of 2019, that's the single placed in _Games People Play_. Again, through a friend from back home. He lives here now, his name is Rommel Mosley. He's a music supervisor. Whenever he has opportunities, he reaches out and says “yo send me what you been working on so I can submit it." And they chose it! I was super excited. It was my first placement with my own music, so it was cool. **Goals you have for yourself at this point in your career?** First of all, I want to release the EP. That's the first up goal, continuing to make strides for myself as an artist and doing all the things I can do. Whether it's interviews, virtual performances, I really want to establish Norelle as Norelle, and not as she sings for X, Y, and Z. I really want to concretely establish myself as an artist, that's my main focus and main goal right now.