An Interview with Tatiana Owens: Artist on the Rise

When Tatiana Owens was a child, her parents remembered how she would be constantly singing; singing so much that she would sing herself to sleep every night. Soon she would join a church congregation where she would find her full potential as a singer. Her roots include Whitney Houston and Chaka Khan, but she didn't find the transition from choir to R&B starlet a hard transition at all. "When I was younger I was always into R&B and pop. I found that I had a love for R&B primarily."
Owens is now finding that her body of work is crossing over to mainstream television, where her music is the soundtrack to former MTV show the Hills and now the VH1 show Love and Hip Hop. Yahoo contributor Robert Frezza recently sat down with Owens to discuss her upcoming EP and the love for her budding career as a R&B pop star.

Who are your influences? I hear a lot of Alicia Keys in your voice.
Yes!! I love, love, love her. I love Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, and Aretha Franklin. I think Aretha Franklin is just amazing to me with her performance skills. The divas of the pop and R&B world is who I look up to.

"Pendulum" seems to be the leading single for you right now. It's an amazing song. When is the video going to be released and who will you be working with on your debut album?
We are going to be releasing an EP instead of an album. It's kind of hard to put out an album right now because all of the competition. It may not do so well because I'm not signed to a major label; I'm independent right now. It is pretty difficult to release a full album. Do, though, look out for my next single. It will be an up tempo, but I don't know when the video for "Pendulum" will be out.

It's hard putting out such a great ballad, but no one wants to be pigeonholed as just a ballad singer. Your up tempo songs are very good as well.
It was definitely a hard decision to release a ballad first because no one has seen that side of me yet--that fierce side.

Do you mind that your music is being featured on the television medium first? Your song "Pendulum" is now being featured on VH1's reality show, Love and Hip Hop and "Boywatcher" was seen on MTV's The Hills.
I don't mind at all. I think it's definitely great exposure. I think if I had even released a single, nobody would have bought it! I think it's a great idea!

How did you even get involved in placing your music in reality series?
My team submitted my music to this woman to a lady in California, who does placement for MTV Networks. We submit music that we think that is strong and what would work.

So you will be releasing your EP soon. Will there be a tour to follow?
We are pretty much lining up few shows including Jersey. It's not a specified tour, but more of a high school string of shows. I do hope to open for some big stars soon, though.

For more information on Tatiana Owens please visit her myspace page at : www.myspace.com/tatianaowens