The Lala Report xx

http://www.officialroyston.com/

http://www.massivecreation.com/

Miss Lala sat down with singer/actor Royston Legore.  Royston has worked with some of the top names in the music biz, from Estelle, Kanye West, Sugababes, Jamelia, Ashanti and many more.  Having started in the business at the tender age of 13, by acting, presenting, dancing and singing (phew!) Royston shares his wealth of experience with The Lala Report.  He talks about his love of the industry, the state of UK black music and his love for a particular strip club in Houston, Texas (HUH!)

1. You started your career at a very early age. What was it that drew you this industry?

To be honest I never really had the industry in mind as a career I was just a hungry achiever and singing, dancing etc was what I loved and after chasing it with what I could find to express it I ended up working from it

2. What advice would you give to any youngsters wanting to pursue a career as an actor or a singer?

To be in the industry at a young age is always a hard one. But I think if that's what you really wanna do go for it but take your time and learn as much as u can. Be honest with your elders to express to them where your trying to aim so if they can't help you can put you in the right hands that can.

 

3. What and who inspires you and why?

Wow I have to say my mum. She just let me do my thing and grow on my own, she never held me back and at the same time never boosted my ego. I could be touring the world,on huge award shows and she'll still be like. "Have you eaten, u got clean clothes" lol

4. How hard has it been to get people interested in your talents?

That's a good one cause even though I'm proud of all my achievements I'm personally not even half way where I wanna be yet. It can be hard to get people to maybe be interested but what I've found and more grateful for is that I'm respected. And that's what keeps me going.

5. Many UK artist who traditionally do R&B/Hip Hop (Estelle, Floetry etc), seem to leave the UK to pursue their careers in the US.  Do you feel there is a lack of support for these genres in the UK?

I would not say there is a lack of support I just feel the market has not been as open as it is in the US. America in general is so big that there.  They can push certain music, and if you have the sound that's universal you got the whole states. Where with UK I feel they want to do certain things but maybe don't know how to execute it as well, and follow blueprints for other company's/acts that may not always work.

6. The UK seems to have had a really great year for music in 2009 from grime artist.  Why do you think this is? Do you think it will continue into 2010?

I think it will and only get better, Grime has always been around and it was only in due time was gonna get its due. Just like Garage it had a big craze and acts like Craig David, Mis-teeq, Daniel Bedingfield took it to the international level. The one thing I would say is that its all good to make music but you have to come with the whole package. Have a concept and plot and go full force. That's what gives u longevity.

7. Do you think the current singers from reality shows are having a positive or a negative effect on the music industry?

Hmmm, I have to say both, the reality shows are a great outlet for singers that in the UK would never be seen. But then due to the cheesy fun part of TV we have a few random's that play games with music and audiences think its fun. That's the part I don't like.

8. What has been the best experience working in the industry?

I would have to say travelling the world and being able to provide, and also just doing what I love.

9. What has been the worst experience?

LOL... NO COMMENT!! LOL

10. What new projects can we expect from you in 2010?

Right now I'm just pushing full force with everything I have a desire to do. From music, tv and also the business side of things. Its gonna be a great year. So look out lol

11. Have you had any embarrassing moments while performing?

Loads, from forgotten words to ripped pants to dropping the mic while performing lol..

12. Tell me three things the about you that the WORLD does not know?

1. I love to cook

2. I'm a sucker for Janet Jackson

3. And I love Strip clubs in Houston, Texas lol...

13. Is there anyone in the industry you feel should just “GO AWAY”?

There are a few but who knows I may have to work with them one day! So ill keep that to myself. Lol

Quick Fire

1) Bath or Shower- shower

2) Nights in or Nights out- nights out

3) X Factor or Strictly- x factor

4) Couch Potato or Action Jackson- action jackson

5) Team Naomi or Team Tyra- ooh team tyra

6) Health Freak or Junk Food Junkie-bit of both

7) West Indian take away or Chinese  take away- wa yard food all the way!

8) Make Up on or Make Up off- make up on

9) To Weave or Not to Weave- no that's the question lol. Little don't do no harm

10)  Sunny days or Winter days- sunny

11) Skinny Jeans or Baggy jeans.- skinny but not tight tight.

Professional dancer Kirisa Samuel speaks to Miss Lala about her career as a dancer.  Kirisa has worked with some of the top names in the industry including Ne-Yo, Kanye West, Pixie Lott, Cheryl Cole and many more. With a heavy body of work and her obvious passion of dance, Karissa shares her experiences as one of the hottest dancers in London.

1.  How long have you been a professional dancer? 12 Years

2.  What’s the best job you have booked as a dancer? Well I would say Whitney Houston. I did the Brits, MTV Awards and Top of the pops. At the time I was new and quite young in the business so it was a very exciting time.

3. Is there anyone you haven’t worked with that you would give your “right arm” to work with? Janet Jackson

4. What’s the most difficult thing about your line of work? You have to be thick skinned and be able to let rejection and critsism go over your head.

5. Do you specialise more than one area of dance? Yes, I’m trained in ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap, modern and street dance.

6. A lot of dancer see the US as a place they want to build a career, is that something that you aspire to? If so, why? If I was 10 years younger I would definatly go over there to dance. There just seems to be a lot more opportunities over there.

7. Who’s choreography excites you and why? Priscilla Samuels, no matter what you’re dancing to, the moves she creates sits with your body perfectly and flows. Her choreography is amazing

8. What advice would you give to anyone wanting to be a dancer? Make sure you get training in different styles, so if a choreographer throws anything at you, you’re able to do it and your able to book a variety of jobs.

9. If you were not a professional dancer, what would your chosen career be? I probably would of persued my singing career.

10. What are your future goals? I would love to open my own dance school.

Quick Fire

1)      Bath or Shower: Bath

2)      Nights in or Late nights out: nights in

3)      X Factor or Strictly: x factor

4)      Couch Potato or Action Jackson: action jackson

5)      Team Naomi or Team Tyra: team tyra

6)      Health Freak or Junk Food Junkie: health freak

7)      West Indian take away or Chinese take away: west indian

8)      Make Up on or Make Up off: make up on

9)      To Weave or Not to Weave: to weave

10)   Sunny days or Winter days: sunny days

 

Check out some of the videos Kirisa has been in

 

 

Miss Lala had a chat with up and coming model Rachael Williams.  Rachael has been causing quite a stir since she was first introduced into the modelling circuit.  Having worked in the London, Miami,  New York, Rachael has become a firm favourite in the modelling industry. Not just a pretty face, she also heads up her own company called "We Girls Rock".  I sat down with Rachael to talk about her career in modelling, her beauty secrets and plans her for 2010.

 

1.  How did you get into modeling?

I always had a passion for modeling, ever since i was 14 years old. I saw an advert in my local newspaper for an agency that was recruiting new models. I made an appointment to attend a test shoot with them, and saved up for weeks just to pay the £100 registration. I waited for months to hear back from them, but never heard anything, so i decided to godown to the agency only to find that they never existed! I never received any pics or my money back.

After that my parents were skeptical but i kept on going; to build up my confidence i did lots of unpaid university fashion shows and photo-shoots to build up my portfolio. Then i took my book around to the London modeling agencies, i was rejected by all of them. So i was in two minds about continuing so i held back a little while while i finished college.

I then won Miss Black Britain, which was a big confidence booster and gave me a little more recognition as a model in this industry. I learnt alot in this year about the modeling and the industry and after i finished university, I decided to model full time and since then I have been working full time. I have travelled to Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York Greece, Turkey and many more places, working at fashion week, for well known designers and brands!

 

2.  What’s been your most memorable job and why?

My most memorable job was when i was doing a a job for an African Magazine a few years back. I was so excited as this was my first ever spread in a magazine so just like any new model i wanted to look perfect for the shoot. So i read up on tips on 'how to prepare for a shoot' on the internet and one of them was to eat little to stop yourself from bloating. So i thought i wont eat at all. Halfway into the shoot i felt very weak and fainted. The ambulance rushed down to the shoot and ran tests on me, luckily my sugar levels were low so i just had to eat! This was very scary as i had never fainted before and to do so on a shoot, i felt a little embarrassed. So now i make sure to eat breakfast before every job and bring along a few snacks....just incase!

3.  Has your current experience as a model of colour been mostly positive or negative?

Overall my main experience as a model has been positive, Im my own boss, i decide on all the work i do, i get to travel nearly every month, all the jobs are different, im always meeting new people, there is no routine and sometimes, i get to keep the clothes!! On occasions i do experience negativity from clients, agencies and the even general public in regards to my weight, my complexion, my attitude, my style e.t.c but  i dont let any of that bother me as i know where i am going and i do not need to entertain that along the way.

 

4.  Have you found that there has been an increase of other models of colour since you started, or does the modeling industry still have a long way to go in recruiting models of colour?

 

When i started out, what attracted me to the industry was that there was quite a few models of colour that actually working within the industry despite all the negativity surrounding it. So i aspired to be like them. As i have grown within the industry about 80% of those same models have disappeared of the scene! Im not sure the reason behind this as there could be many but what i do know is that this industry will  try to break to purposely break you down. But you have to keep on fighting for what you believe in, and for those of you who have done i say thank you, as i would not be where i am if you had not made the impact that you have.

 

However, although there are many models colour 'breaking' it in this industry we still do have a long way to go before the agencies and the designers will begin to recruit them based on their individuality, not just their race!

 

5.  Being a darker skinned model, have you found that amongst black models there is still a divide when it comes to skin tone (light skin vs dark skin).  Why do you think this is?

I believe that the industry is moving on and this debate is becoming history. Darker skinned models are becoming noticed just as much as those who are lighter skinned.

 

6.  Which other model has inspired you and why?

I have been inspired by Tyra Banks entrepreneurial skills, Naomi Campbell's determination and Heidi Klum's continuity.

 

7.  What advice would you give to other aspiring models?

Do not take to heart criticism. Enjoy every job that you do. Network as much as you can.

 

8.  Where would you like your modeling career to take you in the next 5 years?

I aim to be recognized as an international, Fashion and beauty model and I would love to travel more (one of my aims in life is to visit every country...so i hope modeling takes me all around the globe).

 

9.  Give us one of your top beauty secrets?

I love to make my skin and hair care using natural products. here are my top 3.

1. A honey face mask- I mix together Honey and olive oil and lave on my face for 15 mins once week.

2. Heated Hair Oil- After i have shampooed my hair, i use a combination of natural oils that i just heat in the microwave and leave in my hair as i blow dry.

3. Sugar Scrub- I exfoliate my skin using brown sugar and olive oil 4x a week to remove any dead skin cells and promote glowing, soft skin.

Quick fire

Bath or Shower   BATH

Nights in or Late nights out NIGHTS IN

X Factor or Strictly X FACTOR

Couch Potato or Action Jackson ACTION JACKSON

Team Naomi or Team Tyra TEAM TYRA

Health Freak or Junk Food Junkie JUNK FOOD JUNKIE

West Indian take away or Chinese take away WEST INDIAN TAKEAWAY

Make Up on or Make Up off MAKE UP OFF

To Weave or Not to Weave NOT TO WEAVE

Sunny days or Winter days SUNNY DAYS  

http://www.cherriv.com/

Cherri V is the newest emerging talent out of the UK.  The songtress is set to release her new single School Daze ft Wiley, which is getting some notable mentions on both radio and music TV stations.  Miss Lala chopped it up with Cherri recently, she let Miss Lala in on her thoughts on the state of black music in the UK, her aunt soul legend Mica Paris, her love of Avacado and what she wants to achieve in her music career.

1.  You've been in the music industry for some time now.  You were in a girl
band called Trinity Stone, and the bands contract ended a few years ago.
When that happened, did you want to enter another girl band, or was becoming
a soloist a natural progression for you?

I knew instantly that I wanted to be a solo artist even though my management
at that time told me I was only good enough to be a REAL good song-writer!!
Made me fight a lil more too ; ) I even wrote a song about it lol.... I
suppose it was natural because I was a solo singer in development before
Trinity Stone.

 2.  UK music seems to have done very well this year.  Why do you think this
is? Do you think that UK music is now being recognized globally?

Well its about time!!! It was great to be at the MOBO Nominations party this
year and have U.K acts fill up one category alone!! I think people are
beginning to realise that the U.S isn't the only place in the world with
talent... Its also about us supporting our own and building our OWN empire
over here... You can't deny a talented artist who has been grinding for a
long period of time, sooner or later they will reap the benefits!!
  
3.  Who and what inspires you?

Growing up I was inspired by my mother (gospel singer) my aunt Mica Paris,
Whitney, Janet, M.J and many Gospel artists!!! Beyonce overall is a HUGE
inspiration for me personally... And watching the growth of U.K music has
also been VERY inspiring in itself!!
  
4.  Your debut album Fast Cars, Silk Sheets and Favourite Guys is due for
release. What can we expect from this album that makes you stand out as an
artist?

So excited about this release in 2010!!! You can expect the TRUTH lol!  I
always say I'm gonna feel pretty vulnerable when its released because the
songs on the album written and co-written by myself are quite raw and
real... Straight to the point!! You'll get a huge insight into the mind,
heart and life of Cherri V.... The edgy side of me with the rock influenced
tracks and my general love for popular music!! There's only ONE Cherri V and
that's all I can be. With all combined I believe it'll stand out as
something fresh and new!

   5.  With the current crop of new music artist coming from reality shows
(aka Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke).  Do you think finding artists this way
is a positive or negative for the music industry?

Well evidently it works!! Its a great way to get out there to the masses...
Its just not for everyone... Pixie lott has done so well without it too so
there's hope for us who didn't come into the industry via the reality TV
route. But it is positive as its an entertaining way to launch artists!!
  
6.  Your new track "Skool Daze" features grime MC Wiley.  Is there anyone
else in the industry that you would give your "right arm" to work with?

Deffo would like to record a track with Tinchy Stryder, was fortunate to
have the opportunity to perform with him on GMTV's Web Lounge and Radio
One's Live lounge!  I'd love him on one of my tracks!! LOVE the Noisettes
too!!! Shinghai, the lead singer is on FIRE!!!

   7.  UK urban music seems to have had a very successful year, why do you
think that is?

Many artists have crossed over and tapped into the mainstream market and the
only explanation in my opinion is great songs!!! You can't deny a great
song:  a great hook, catchy and infectious !! We have some great
song-writers over here too... As a song-writer you can't be selfish, you
have to cater to your market, you've gotta put something out there that's
gonna stick and something that the average person (not a vocalist) can sing
along to and REMEMBER... Its actually quite simple


   8.  Some people have said that UK Urban music has had to become more
"commercialized" in order for it to become a success.  Do you think that
this is the case?

People are caught up in this whole commercialized thing!!! Do we want "Urban
Music" to be an underground sound? Do we want our "Urban artists" to be
successful? Or do we want them to struggle so we can pat them on the back and
say "its cool man as long as u kept it real" commercial music IS successful
music... SIMPLE
  
9.  Is there any artist you think should just "PUT DOWN THE MIC"?

Jedward! I actually think they might be the new Ant & Dec...who've gone onto
to such a successful career after being PJ & Duncan..


   10.  Have you had any embarrassing moments while performing?

Lol!!! The other day I was working with a corded mic (can't stand em) and
the cord came out BANG in the middle of the first verse to one of my most
emotional songs "Insecure" I had to smile sweetly while I put the cord back
in!!! LOL it felt like forever!!!  Audience said I handled it well but I was
dying of embarrassment inside!!!

  12.  Tell me three things that people don't know about Cherri V?

I LOVE Avocado... Can eat it with ANYTHING but I have to refrain because of
the amount of natural fat it contains lol

My FIRST 9-5 job when I was 16 was in GAP!!! I really felt like I had a top
job for my age LOL

I have a granny alter ego cause my friends say I'm a homebody - an "old
soul" and her name is Cherri Veen Cumberbatch!!!! LOL

"Skool Daze" ft Wiley is now available to buy NOW!