R&B music hasn’t experienced an artist possessing Gloria Prince‘s range of vocal and dance abilities in some time. No wonder the bronze-toned early-20-something with the almond eyes and heart of gold has been so warmly embraced by true lovers of truthful love music: Glo sings love in all its rhythmic beauty and bluesy ugliness, and all shades in between. Since the release of the Houston native’s “XO GLO” mixtape - a melange of covers paying a brilliantly arranged homage to everyone from TLC and Tyrese to Aaliyah, Beyoncé and Omarion - the young maven in the making has consistently delivered trademark R&B like “Right There” and “All to Me“. Glo and her team have also displayed their understanding of quality production and mass marketing, making good steps and goal moves as if her career were as well choreographed as her dance ensembles. We sat down with Glo on Labor Day weekend to discuss music, men, and the mentality of a woman who wins.
Written by Tone Swep
(Tone Swep: TS) You showed your city some love recently, hanging out at your friend Kirko Bangz album release party. How was it? Houston is heating up as of late.
(Gloria Prince: Glo) Great music. It was actually a great night, even though I’m not really a club girl. But Kirko has done a great job of being consistent with his music. And you’re right, on the music scene now there are more people coming out. At first Houston was really poppin’ with Bun B, Slim Thug, Chamillionaire, and then it got kind of quiet, at least to some degree. More quiet than we were used to, and that’s mainly because the sound coming out during that time was more regional than national. Now it’s poppin’ again.
(TS) So Houston is a hot spot once again?
(Glo) For awhile it was all about Atlanta and LA. Now Mona (Scott-Young) is doing Love & Hip Hop Houston, and people seem surprised. Why, when so much music industry madness happens here (Laughs!)? And Kirko is doing a great job of putting us on the map, keeping us in the rap conversation. I definitely plan on adding to that.
(TS) Many of the more popular R&B singers of today like Teyana Taylor and Trey Songz make music that is very reminiscent of 90’s R&B, because it’s considered to be the genre’s golden era. Do you feel that your sound is modeled after that era as well?
(Glo) You have to kind of think about what’s winning, keep that in consideration, and then also what feels right. I’m one of those artists who wants to revert back to that classic 90’s sound, not just because of the sound but because of the video quality, they told stories, and then the songwriting was more poetic. It felt like a relationship when you turned on the music, they weren’t just talking about money and sex. For me, I want to do the trend but keep it relatable. I’m always inspired by 90’s R&B.
(TS) Europe has had a tremendous impact on R&B as well, especially as of late. With Adele, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Zayn Malik, FKA Twigs, and Amy Winehouse to name a few. Many feel they are doing American R&B better than US artists.
(Glo) People want to feel something. When you listen to Adele and Sam Smith you can hear the pain behind the record. You hear the story they wrote, how what happened affected them. People want to be entertained, and overcoming broken relationships is just entertaining. Look at Taylor Swift, she’s winning off of breakups. Adele made an entire album off of a guy who did her wrong. That’s a big part of their success, and I also think it’s because they’re non-ethnic but still soulful. They have pop appeal but with substance. I love the artists you mentioned.
(TS) What really stands out about your visuals is how well you dance, not selfie twerkin’ and the simple one-two steps we viewers have grown accustomed to, but true choreography. Who are some of the dancers you were inspired by early on?
(Glo) They’re not seeing a lot of females dance. Ciara is one of music’s best dancers, but she is married now and has a family; isn’t as focused on music now. Dancing is a big reason why Chris Brown is winning. Dance is such a big part of who he is as an artist, you hear his music and instantly think about dancing. I was influenced by Krump Kings, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, B2K and Marques Houston, and Britney Spears.
(TS) Earlier you mentioned that things got kind of quiet on Houston’s music scene at one point. Why?
(Glo) Everybody industry-wise moved to LA, that’s what changed the music scene. People started going toward LA. Since 2011, everyone here has been moving to LA. So if you didn’t have a relationship where everyone was already on the same page prior to that, none of your music was going to get pushed. I think Kirko broke that barrier. He was college roommates with Mike WiLL Made-It, and that helped because he brought those types of industry connects back to Houston with him. This business is a lot like a marriage between you and management, or you and your label, so if that marriage isn’t right it’s going to end in divorce. We’re doing it right the second time around, that’s a good thing.
(TS) Beyoncé is the biggest music artist in the world. Any added pressure being an R&B artist from the same city as Queen B?
(Glo) It makes me work harder, because their hasn’t been another R&B artist to come out of Houston since Destiny’s Child. Gloria Prince is trying to impact the world with her voice, I’m not out here trying to be Beyoncé. That’s how you lose. How you win is sticking to your plan, perfecting your craft, and making you’re own impact so it adds to what those who came before you have accomplished.
(TS) Your latest music really shows your growth. We haven’t had an R&B artist who sang as well as they danced in a long time.
(Glo) Thank you. They know I dance. I wanted something you can bob your head to. The music I have coming out later this year is ten times that, more about where I’m from and my life story. You’ll hear a little more pain in my music, and turn-up music as well.
(TS) There aren’t too many artists successfully balancing being both a dancer and vocalist. How do you?
(Glo) I don’t think its a package they will expect - ‘she dances… and she sings? Alright, cool. She’s something different then.’
(TS) From looking at your choreography and live performances you are very polished. How did you get so organized as a dancer so early on?
(Glo) Practice. Practice. Practice! I was that kid getting on my sister’s nerves because I was playing the same video over, and over, and over, trying to perfect every detail in the dance moves. I was with August (Alsina) in high school, hanging out at the movies, and he would not stop singing. He always sang, even in the movie theater (Laughs!) He had a mentality to always keep working on your craft.
(TS) Let’s talk about men for a minute.
(Glo) Oh! Lord! (Laughs!).
(TS) What’s the difference between a boy’s talk game and a man’s conversation?
(Glo) Whew! (Laughs!). A boy’s talk game is very uncomfortable. He makes a woman uncomfortable. It lasts for two seconds and then you’re like ‘bye, have a nice day’. A man’s conversation is interesting. I’m listening. He has my attention. A man will start something intellectual and engage you. And then listen. Men are better listeners than boys.
(TS) Attributes like integrity, spirituality, work ethic, and family orientation were once at the very core of manhood. We bragged about being great in these areas even amongst each other. Why has that changed so much? You hear the difference in the music.
(Glo) You do. You definitely do hear the difference, the change in thinking, and you’re right. It’s in today’s music… (Weighs her response)… I think men now like it when a woman needs them. When I was in a relationship, my boyfriend felt like less of a man when he wasn’t working. Most men today may not feel that way. They may feel entitled to being taken care of, or like they are needed in other ways.
(TS) Seems like the Black Lives Matter movement really initiated with the Trayvon Martin tragedy in Sanford, Florida, and has now really gained steam after the Alton Sterling tragedy in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
(Glo) The impact it has on the culture is tremendous, because those police killings are devastating. Each time it happens it devastates that entire community. At the same time it’s waking people up to the fact that so many people don’t like you and will never like you simply because of the color of your skin. People had gotten comfortable and felt like if they had on a suit or pulled up in an expensive car that made them exempt from racism. No way. Racism is real in this country and these tragedies and others are a constant reminder of that. Wake up. Be safe.
(TS) You traveled to Africa earlier this year, did some charity work and community building in Uganda.
(Glo) Big thank you to Courtney Copeland Ministries. This was my third year going to Uganda. The impact it has on the kids there is just amazing. It sounds like a glamorous trip, Tone, but it’s not. There is no electricity in most of the country. And it gets so hot there, so humid… I teach dance for the Reaction Tour, and I got so hot and dehydrated once they had to lay me in a bed of ice to cool my body. It can be brutal, but you make that sacrifice for those kids. They get their own new bed, a new pair of shoes, three meals a day, and then they participate in sports like football (soccer), baseball, basketball, and badminton. It’s just great to give, I will go every year until the day I can’t. And hopefully that day never comes.