Ms. “Took The Night,” Chelley, Talks New Music, Hiatus, Mixtape & More With Cotten Kandi

I had the chance to sit down with Ms. “Took The Night” herself, Chelley, to discuss her hit single, brief hiatus, musical aspirations and new single, “Take Ya Money.” Check out what Chelley had to say…

On Meeting Ricky Blaze & Recording The Hit Single “Took The Night”:
“My hit “Took The Night” started about 2008-2009. I met up with Ricky Blaze, a super producer out of Brooklyn. Some of his hits are “Cut Them Off” and “You & I.” We met up a few years ago and he was like, ‘I like your vocals. Come into the studio let’s try out some tracks’. We recorded a few tracks…like 20 or so within in a month’s span. “Took The Night” was one of them and he said ‘you know this song is really good let’s try it for radio’ and we sent it to DJ Enuff from Hot 97…he started playing it on his show and the record starting picking up heavy around the world.”

On Starting Her Music Career:
” I always loved music. I played instruments when I was younger. But as far as aspiring to be an artist I don’t know if that was my goal. I started going to college. I was on the path of my studies. So he [Ricky Blaze] really pushed me in that [musical] direction.”

Musical Inspirations:
“When I was younger I listened to a lot of Whitney Houston, Beyonce of course I love Beyonce, Destiny’s Child. Just with strong vocals anybody with strong vocals I liked listening to. As far as aspiring to be like, I don’t think I have but I do like Beyonce’s music just anything that’s fun and edgy.

On Writing Her Own Music:
Yes, Ricky Blaze is my executive producer. When I’m in the studio it’s not let’s get this done it’s let’s listen to these beat, listen to these tracks and let’s see what comes up. I really don’t classify myself into one genre because I like to play around I like to try, I like to experiment…We’re always in the studio together. I haven’t worked with any other producers yet. Our chemistry is really good…so we’re trying to build my catalog.”

On The Genre of Music She Produces:
I guess they say house and pop? That’s what they labeled me as. When they say rap I’m like ‘I’m just having fun’. I’m playing around with rapping and singing. I’m just having fun.”

On Her Hiatus Between 2009 and Now:
“I had creative differences with an old production company and it was ‘do I want to continue to work under those terms or do I want to take a fall back and learn what I need to learn to know who I want to have around me’. That’s the route that I took so when I do come out it’s right. So it ended up being 2014 with Ultra (her label).

On Not Being in Her Music Video:
“I didn’t get an opportunity to be in the “Took the Night” video because of the creative differences. I did know about the video, I did know what they were doing in the video and I always said that when I did get to do my own video it would be something I loved. I loved “Took the Night,” I loved where it went so with “Take Ya Money” now it’s what I want. I don’t have people telling me what to do.

On Her Second Single “Take Ya Money”
Throughout the years I did a feature on Jim Jones and Webstar’s album that they did together, ‘Rooftop.’ I was featured on a record called “OMG.” I did release a single called “Midnight Lover” but officially “Take Ya Money” is the next single.

On Her Album:
An album we haven’t spoken about yet…we are working on a mixtape…to just get everybody familiar with my face. A lot of people know my track but they don’t know my face. Right now we’re just branding but I am working on a mixtape.”

On What We Can Look Forward To:
“I want to travel more. I want this mixtape to come out as soon as possible. We’re playing around with something like “Royal Sass” or something sassy, sexy, something down that line [as possible names]. That is my main focus. “Take Ya Money” the video, the single, and my mixtape that I’m almost finished with.”

On Where Can We Find Her:
“My social media, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook is @ChelleyUniverse.”

Website: chelleyuniverse.com.

Full Interview

Hit Single “Took the Night”

Here’s Chelley’s second single and video for “Take Ya Money”