Honey Mag

If you thought doo-wop was limited to just a greasy diner jukebox, please acquaint yourself with 24-year-old, British-n-brown songstress, VV Brown. Planting the grayed ’50s style with kisses of quirky sass and soul, Ms. VV B. is on a steady climb to trans-continental success from one ocean to the next. And on more than one ladder. As an artist, model and budding entrepreneur, VV’s hustler spirit is proving to be her golden ticket. While a distinct vintage-chic style and 5′11″ frame put her on a fast track in the fashion lane, her outstanding old-soul vocals make her a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.

On the eve of her US debut, Traveling Like the Light, Honey sat down with the UK beauty to discuss music, modeling and the pursuit of Diddy. Save your nickels.

How did you discover your love for music?

I was raised in the church and at the same time was having classical piano lessons. From there, I joined a rock band and toured Japan when I was 16 and became very obsessed with music. And I passed up some very good universities to pursue my dream in music. I turned down some top universities. It was cool growing up in England it was great. I was surrounded by great people, lots of different cultures.

How was it having to leave school to pursue your music career?

It was a bit difficult because my parents are teachers and they own their own school – the school that I went to. So all my life I’ve been educated really well and I got into one of the top universities in the world but when you love something and you’re passionate about something, you have to follow through. And I’m a bit obsessed so that whatever I do, is always all or nothing.

Now you’re both Jamaican and Puerto Rican, how was it growing up in a mixed heritage household?

It was very normal. The thing about my parents is that they actually moved to England when they were young. My mother was 4 and my dad was 7. And so they were socialized very much with the English culture and so it was very much like growing up with English parents. So yeah it wasn’t difficult at all.

Have you experienced any difficulties in the media?

Yeah I think it comes with the territory of the job. You know, lies about things I’ve said or in the media they try and create artist wars. One artist says this or one artist says that. I mean, I never read the newspaper. I try not to go on the internet and google myself. I don’t have any other association with that because I think you’ll go insane keeping up with what people are saying. Sometimes it will be good and other times it will be bad.

Is it true you were initially pursued by Diddy to sign with Bad Boy?

Basically someone from his camp heard my music on my MySpace page and they called my MySpace number and contacted my management company. And we got phone calls from P.Diddy asking us to come out and meet him to do a showcase. And it was an honor to be called by someone so successful. He’s such a successful business man and you know for a little old girl like me born in a small town, being flown out to showcase for one of the most successful business men in hip-hop was a dream. But I decided not to go with him because I just didn’t really think it was right for me at the time.

Your debut album Traveling Like the Light is scheduled for US release tomorrow. What can we look forward to?

I call this particular album doo-wop indie because it has the elements of doo-wop music which I love, but it also has a mix of a little indie and punk, an experimental kind of sound. Although this record has the whole indie 60’s twist, I never want people to think that I’m a slave to this sound because I’m an artist and I want to evolve, so this particular record was how I was feeling at this time. But hopefully when I do my second record, I will change and adjust slightly, experiment with something else and do something like alternative.

Your album was released last year in the UK. Have you made any changes since it’s previous release?

To be honest, writing this record came pretty quickly. I spent years and years chasing after the dream, traveling the world, trying to get my big break and get a record deal. When I finally did this, I wrote the album and it was a revolutionary experience. What can happen on my second record, is that will be more of an evolving process. Because I’ve now discovered who I am as an artist. And between now and when my second record comes, that will be an evolution but this record happened very quickly.

How was your album received in the UK? Do you think response will be the same or better in the states?

The album was received very well. We had great chart and album sale success. We had a really great beginning to be a start-up artist. I never like to assume success in America or any other territory but I’m just hopeful and open-minded. You never know how a country’s going to receive your music. There are so many factors – timing, there’s just so much things that play into it. But I really do hope that they like it. I put a lot of love and heart into it so I’ve just got my fingers crossed.

I’m sure you’ve experienced people comparing you to other artists in similar genres like Janelle Monae. How do you feel about those comparisons? How do you set yourself apart?

I think it’s very natural for the media to try and find some comparisons within other artists when they’re new or they’re doing something different. It’s just the psychology of lazy journalists. And to me and to most artists, it can get very annoying. Because they make assumptions about the things we write. And it’s actually very lazy journalism. Because when you actually hear the comparisons, they’re not actually the same. So it’s like, it’s just very sort of like they haven’t really been listening to the sound. They’re just seeing a little bit that’s slightly similar. But when you’re compared to artists who are very talented, at the same time as it can be annoying it can also be very flattering. Because obviously, its like wow they’re really good. It irritates me when there are lazy journalists who make comparisons when one of us is actually punk and the other is actually soul and although it’s two people who maybe dress similar, they say it’s the same.

In terms of fashion, you seem to be a force to be reckoned with. So you’re actually signed to a modeling agency?

Yes, I’ve been signed to Select Model Management and I’m actually quite surprised and shocked at the response that I’ve had in Europe in regards to my fashion sense. I never thought in a million years it would’ve caught fire as fast as it has. I never thought I would be signed to a modeling agency. I did get asked quite a lot when I was younger but I didn’t take it seriously because I was so obsessed with my music. So it’s very exciting because I really want to be known as an artist. Not just a singer or a songwriter but just a creative person. Like how Leonardo Da Vinci was in the 19^th century, how he didn’t just paint but he would also do sculptures and study mathematics. And for me, that’s what I want to do. I want to do music, I want to do fashion, I want to do animation – I have a comic book coming out so I’m really excited about that. I just want to be thought of as a creative person.

Word is, you’re also the owner of online boutique. Tell us more about that.

Yeah basically, people kept coming up to me and asking me oh where did you get that dress or where did you get that and I decided to start a vintage line VVVintage.com of all the things I customize because I tended to make a lot of my own stuff. It’s kind of a hobby. So I decided to put my own line together. It’s doing pretty well actually. I love customizing clothes.

Who are some of your style inspirations and how would you describe your personal style?

I love Dorothy Dandridge but then I’m also a huge fan of Balenciaga, Christian Dior, Vivienne Westwood, she kind of epitomizes the british punk culture, of course I love Chanel and Viktor & Rolf. And I’m a huge fan of a designer called Ashish who does a lot of stuff for M.I.A. I’m a huge fan of eras so that’s why I love vintage clothing.

You were named artist to watch in 2009 by the LA Times and UK newspaper, The Independent. How do you feel about that? Why are you the artist to watch?

When I made this record, it came from such a humble place. It came from doing something I loved. So if people like it I will feel very happy and successful. It’s hard to answer the questions about why I’m the artist to watch. I’ve got so much to offer the music industry and I love it. I think this is an interesting record. It’s something that is fresh, unique and innocent. I never try to follow trends or tried to be the next “this person” or that. I’ve always found it exciting to try and find my own unique place in the industry and that’s what I’m trying to do. I think I’m an artist to watch because this is a unique record. I’m looking forward to a career of longevity instead of just being around for the moment.