Simone Taylor is no stranger to celebrity. From performing in various Hollywood clubs to a guest stint on CW's hit show The Game Simone has been captivating the minds and hearts of audiences everywhere. We sat down to talk to the Chanteuse about, what else? Why fashion and music of course! As you read on, you'll certainly understand why Simone Taylor is set to take San Francisco, and possibly the world, by storm.
So How old are you?
Simone: I am twenty five.
Oh wow, me too, I freaked out about it, how'd you take it?
I haven't freaked out about it, I turned 25 in March, I was like Oh My God, five years till I'm thirty, and have to be an adult for real. [laughs] I don't really celebrate birthdays, 21 was my last big one...
Did you go to College or did you skip the school thing?
I went to school in the Bay Area; I graduated high school at 16. I applied to a bunch of performing arts school in New York because I wanted to get out of the Bay Area, like most teens do when they graduate. I started making music at 6, and I studied classical and jazz music. I didn't end up going to art school because I was only 16 and my parents didn't want me to. So I ended up going to Cal State East Bay, I was a music major for 2 quarters. The music department was very cut throat, so I finished with a degree in Theatre arts. I actually did a ton of commercials before I started making music.
So is your family supportive of what you do?
Yes definitely. My mom actually had me in modeling school when I was little. She wanted a feminine daughter, since I have two older brothers. There were more males in the house and my mom was very much a lady. So doing music ended up being a happy medium. She was cool with it because it didn't cause me to get dirty. It was expressive for me, I love making music and sounds. The rest of my family actually thinks I'm a better actress than a singer. [laughs]
So what sort of message resides in your music, particularly for your female audience? Do you write your own songs?
I do write most of my own music. If I don't write it, I co-write it. That's very important for me personally. It's hard to put a feeling or emotion behind something that you essentially had nothing to do with. When it comes to my female audience I try to emphasize strong self esteem. It's important to know your worth and what you want. I had friends that dealt with guys who didn't treat them well and I'd tell them, you kow, what kind of guy calls you at 12:30 at night? I would tell them you deserve more, people only do what you allow them to do. I keep them at the forefront of my mind while I write.
You have worked with artists like Joss Stone, Baby Face, and the Pussycat Dolls. How did you come to work with such cool artists?
The producers, it's a producer's, and a writer's world these days. If you have the talent, you can put yourself in situations where you come across good producers and writers. I met Justin Grey in Toronto through a mutual friends, he worked with these artists. We holed up in the studio for two weeks, and produced this EP, that I love. He was wrapping up a project with the Pussycat Dolls. So, it's just kind of blind luck.
Ok, on to the fun stuff, how would you describe your personal style? What kind of trends do you like?
I'm really into this sort of pin-up girl hair and makeup thing that my makeup artist got me into. I like the old school sophistication of the 1950's and also skinny jeans and flip-flops! My personal style can also be hippie or 80's too; it changes depending on what I'm doing. My album is a throwback album, so I'm listening to a lot of blues and Du-Wop. I'm digging that whole culture right now.
And finally, what's your zodiac sign?
Aries, I'm really into the whole zodiac thing. My Birthday is March 27th, that's the same as Mariah Carey, Fergie, and Quentin Tarentino, and there is a definite difference between March and April Aries.
Visit www.myspace.com/simonetaylormusic for more info.
