Written by | Ray Cornelius
For over 20 years, Chante Moore has wowed audiences around the world with her stunning beauty and amazing vocal talent. Standing at only 5ft. 4.2inches, Moore is a tiny woman with a big voice, big hair and big personality to match. She is also one of a very few female artists who have enjoyed commercial success on not one but three different music genres charts including R&B, Jazz and Gospel. So it’s no surprise to us that Moore is one of the singers starring in TV One’s newest reality-series, R&B Divas L.A.
Much like the Atlanta franchise, R&B Divas L.A. reunites fans with some of their favorite veteran singers who are working on various new projects. This round of West Coast singers features Moore alongside other powerhouse vocalists including Kelly Price, Dawn Robinson (formerly of En Vogue), Michel’le Toussaint, Lil Moe and Claudette Ortiz (formerly of City High). It’s the ladies’ desire that the show will once again thrust their names, faces and music back into the spotlight.
Recently, I caught up with Moore to discuss the show which debuts this Wednesday, July 10 at 10 p.m. During our phone interview, Moore and I chatted about her expectations and fears as well as her affinity for making love songs. She also discusses her desire to help women through her new book, Will I Marry Me? and the release of her new album, Moore is More, which is due out later this month.
Chante on being nervous and excited at the same time about ‘R&B Divas L.A.’…
“I’m nervous, honestly. (LOL) They don’t let us see what we taped. So what’s in the can is in the can. I don’t know how they are going to edit or what it’s going to look like. It’s hard to watch the promos and watch my face and the looks I make. I am extremely animated. So to see me have a conversation and the way my face contorts is hard to watch. But I am very excited about the show.”
On her positive expectations of the reality-show…
The show can only help my career. I’ve never been in a position to be “overexposed.” I have never been that singer who is so saturated in the industry that you kind of get tired of me. Because it’s some people that you go, “Oh my God, if I see another Rihanna picture. (LOL) You love her but you still go, OMG! But I must say it has been really incredible to watch her career. Don’t get it twisted, I love Rihanna. But I’ve never been in her position where my picture is here and there and every time you turn around it’s me. So I’m kind of looking forward to that part of the show especially with my new album coming out. But I’m really excited and I don’t think it will harm anything because who I am will be revealed and there’s nothing I want to hide.
On which ‘diva’ she connected with on the show…
Actually, I think we all have our moments. I think initially it was Kelly Price and Lil Mo. I almost immediately felt like a big sister to Claudette Ortiz. She was the newbie and I felt that we just needed to pull her in and teach her how to be more confident. Michel’le is hilarious, I love her. Like I said, we all have our moments. People ask, “Is this show contrived” or “Is it real” and the answer is yes. The situations are all real and all of the dialogue comes straight from us.
On ‘love songs’ being her legacy…
Love songs are my forte. As much as I love doing up-tempo music I can’t always deliver the sound I want on them. Some of them I’m like, “Ok I did that well.” But it’s the love songs that are the place for me to sound my best and to feel right at home. Somewhere in me I think I am love, so that makes sense.
On her first single from the new album, “Talking in My Sleep”…
I like that the song, Talking in My Sleep is thematic. A lot of my songs are autobiographical on this album, which is usually the way I sing my music. I don’t sing anything I can’t relate to. But this song is unique and clever. It’s about looking around a little bit but not cheating. Sometimes your eyes see things and you’re like, “OMG, he is gorgeous!” And you go to sleep and talk in your sleep. (LOL) And so you get in trouble for saying things while you’re sleeping. But don’t break up with me because I’m talking in my sleep. I wouldn’t do anything while I was awake. (LOL)
On helping women with her new book, Will I Marry Me?
I hear woman talk all the time about what they want in a man and how much they need and what the man is and isn’t doing. Most women say, “I need a man to take care of me” and they can’t even boil an egg or make breakfast. They also don’t keep a clean house or get their hair done. Some women worry about whether some man is going to come and take care of them and life is not about that. Love is about giving and taking and actually bringing something to the table. It’s not just someone who’s taking at any moment. I believe this book talks about how we as women need to be prepared and asks the big question, “would I marry myself?”
Look for Chante Moore and the rest of the R&B Divas L.A. to make their debut this Wednesday, July 10 at 10 p.m. EST on TV One. Also don’t forget to look out for her new album Moore is More scheduled to debut in stores on July 30.
In the meantime, check out the first single from the album, Talking In My Sleep…
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