If you missed TLC in action last weekend in San Diego, you missed out on a fantastic show!
The girls were part of this years KAABOO Del Mar 3-day music festival, and they shared the stage on the final day of the event on September 16 with Wiz Khalifa, Slash, Jewel and Katy Perry!
TLC and Katy Perry had some catching up backstage. Katy was famously named as one of the backers for TLC’s Kickstarter campaign in 2015, which funded last years self-titled album. (They have vowed to still make that slumber party happen!)
TLC, who usually perform last at the shows they headline, performed at a much earlier time, kicking off their set at 2:45PM, something they aren’t planning on getting used to. Nonetheless, they put on an amazing show, performing their hits back-to-back and taking the crowd Way Back!
Katy Perry closed the show with a final 90 minute performance of her Witness world tour, complete with 5 costume changes and plenty of, yes, Fireworks.
Patch: It’s been a little over a year since you released your album, “TLC.” What was it like to work on and release new material after all these years? … And is it really your “final” album?
Chilli: It was like riding a bicycle really. Once you know how to do something that you love, even if you step away for a long time, to come back to it is to pick it up like you never stopped. It was really exciting. It’s the final album, yes, but I wouldn’t say it’s the last of TLC music that you’ll hear from us. We’re open to tons of opportunities. Album wise though, yes, it was definitely the final one.
T-Boz: It’s been an absolute blessing. The studio is my second home really; I’ve never stopped recording. The difference for this was just that it was for our next studio album. It’s always hard doing a new album because it’s so much pressure. The studio part is easy, but the pressure is the hard part. And yes, it’s the final album. It doesn’t mean it’s the end of TLC though, it’s just the final album. We’re still open to singles and soundtracks and Christmas songs. There will still be lots of TLC!
Patch: If you ever recorded another record, what are some artists/groups you’d like to collaborate with?
Chilli: Bruno Mars, definitely.
T-Boz: So many of the artists I’ve dreamed of collaborating with have died in the past few years, so I really need to think about this one. There’s so many great artists out there.
Patch: You’ve headlined or co-headlined several successful tours, including I Love the 90s: The Party Continues Tour in 2017. What do you enjoy most about touring?
Chilli: I just love being on stage. What we do on stage, looking out to the audience and how the music is affecting those fans, from people smil[ing], to people who are crying, to people singing along and dancing, that makes me feel good.
T-Boz: The fans and the energy are the absolute best. Just being able to tour and have sold out shows 26 years later is an absolute blessing.
Patch: What is your favorite song to perform live and why?
Chilli: I don’t have a favorite song to perform, but anything uptempo I really enjoy. I don’t like to slow it down.
T-Boz: I don’t have one to be honest. I love them all. The energy on stage is what I love performing most, more so than the individual songs themselves.
Patch: Would you ever consider a Las Vegas residency?
Chilli: Well, we’re currently working on that. Hoping to lock that down sooner than later!
T-Boz: Absolutely! This has been our dream for years now!
Patch: You were in San Diego not too long ago for the San Diego Pride Festival. What was that experience like, and why is the cause important to you?
Chilli: It was honestly such a great show. It was awesome. And important, because we want our fans to know we love them as much as they love us. Every time we get to perform, we want to make them feel that, and San Diego was just perfect for that.
T-Boz: For us, fans are fans, no matter their sexual orientation, but I love Pride because it allows people to be themselves and stand up for what they believe in. You’re supposed to have pride in who you are, and that’s what Pride is about. Anytime fans are being true to themselves, we want to support that!
Patch: Now you’re headed back to the San Diego area. Your performance at KAABOO in Del Mar is just weeks away. What can fans expect?
Chilli: They can expect a lot of energy. A lot of energy. There’s a lot of choreography. Even on the ballads, we bring the energy and the entertainment.
T-Boz: High energy concert, ton of excitement! Basically, we plan to have a big party together with tens of thousands of people, that’s what this is all about!
Patch: Will you get a chance to enjoy the festival? If so, who are you looking forward to seeing?
Chilli: We’re excited for everyone, but I’m really excited to see Katy Perry! She’s amazing, so it’ll be awesome to see her.
T-Boz: I wish! But my family are waiting for me. I’ve got a little one at home who’s waiting for me, so I’ll be in and out, to be with my family.
Patch: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Chilli: Just that I’m so excited to be a part of this and I hope they invite us again!
T-Boz: I just want to thank the fans for their support over all these years, still coming to see us and selling out all these shows! If it weren’t for them we wouldn’t be doing this anymore.
Last year when TLC were doing the promotional rounds for their new album, they revealed the record had 2 guest features, but the final tracklist only featured one guest, Snoop Dogg (on ‘Way Back’).
This had fans wondering who that missing guest feature could have been. J. Cole? Drake? Lil Mama? Well, it was none of the above!
Finally, T-Boz has put all speculation to rest! She exclusively told Daniel S. Bahrami for Loverboy Magazine that the guest feature was none other than Missy Elliott!
“Oh that was Missy Elliott!“, T-Boz exclaimed when asked about the mystery feature. “I love her dearly, but it was just a matter of politics taking too long. We needed to put the album out for the fans. I want to make it clear – it had nothing to do with her! I’m glad we are free from all that industry stuff now. I don’t have the patience.“
During the interview, T-Boz answered a lot of questions fans have been wondering.
TLC European Tour
“Yes, the European fans definitely will get to see more of us. I don’t know why we didn’t go there before. I know some plans were postponed. We’re rescheduling that now.”
LGBTQ Fanbase
“Honestly, I’ve never separated people like that. I love our LGBTQ fans, but I don’t look at it like, ‘We have two different fan groups. Those are my gay fans, and those are my straight fans.’ If I can touch people with my music, then that makes me happy. From the get-go I’ve always told people to be themselves and stand up for themselves. I guess that resonates more with the LGBTQ community and I’m all for that. People need to be cool in their own skin.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race
“[Appearing on the show] That’s totally up to them. I would definitely come! Helloooo! I would love to be a judge and I personally love RuPaul. We worked with his make-up artist, Mathu Andersen, on the ‘No Scrubs’ video. I specifically asked for someone who knew how to do drag make-up, because I’ve always been so mesmerised by it. I wanted that kind of make-up and Mathu was perfect.”
T-Boz Unplugged 2018
“One thing we are working on is a Las Vegas residency. We are also doing ‘T-Boz Unplugged’ on 14th October in L.A. It raises awareness and funds for kids growing up with sickle cell. It’s at Avalon. You can find out more and make donations at www.tbozunplugged.com. It’s awesome because the foundation teaches kids about holistic remedies and acupuncture, not just being on all that medication which keeps us in a weakened state. Also how to build your up body, in an organic way.”
We’re taking it back to September 7, 1995 where MTV celebrated that years greatest music videos at Radio City Music Hall in New York for their annual Video Music Awards!
Despite Michael and Janet Jackson‘s “Scream” video being the nights most nominated video (with a whopping eleven nominations), it was TLC who stole the show.
With an equally impressive ten nominations for their iconic music video for “Waterfalls”, they went on to win 4 awards that night, including the two most prestigious awards; Viewer’s Choice and Video of the Year.
The girls sealed the deal with a show-shopping medley of their hits from their record-breaking sophomore album, CrazySexyCool. This performance is considered as one of TLC’s greatest performances by fans!
Other celebrities in attendance included Madonna, Boyz II Men, Mike Tyson, Drew Barrymore, Ricki Lake, Lenny Kravitz and the Notorious B.I.G.
Along with the visually flawless concert-based video “Diggin’ On You” (also directed by F. Gary Gray), the CrazySexyMedley acted as an insight of what to expect on their CrazySexyCool world tour, which ended prematurely in 1996.
R&B’s power couple Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, also attended to present TLC with their Video of the Year award, in true Bobby & Whitney style!
TLC went on to earn their 5th moonman in 1999, for their chart-topping smash “No Scrubs”, winning Best Group Video.
List of Nominees and Winners at the MTV Video Music Awards 1995
Video of the Year
TLC – Waterfalls
Green Day – Basket Case
Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson – Scream
Weezer – Buddy Holly
Winner: TLC – Waterfalls
Best Male Video
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – You Don’t Know How It Feels
Chris Isaak – Somebody’s Crying
Elton John – Believe
Lucas – Lucas With The Lid Off
Seal – Don’t Cry
Winner: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – You Don’t Know How It Feels
Best Female Video
Madonna – Take A Bow
Des’ree – You Gotta Be
PJ Harvey – Down By The Water
Annie Lennox – No More I Love You’s
Winner: Madonna – Take A Bow
Best Group Video
TLC – Waterfalls
Green Day – Basket Case
The Rolling Stones – Love Is Strong
Stone Temple Pilots – Interstate Love Song
Winner: TLC – Waterfalls
Best Rap Video
Dr. Dre – Keep Their Head’s Ringin’
Brandy & MC Lyte & Queen Latifah & YoYo – I Wanna Be Down
Salem is about to get a lot more interesting, thanks to the return of one of the town’s most notorious characters!
We announced back in April that T-Boz was returning to the hit NBC daytime soap Days of our Lives for the third time, in her reoccurring role as former inmate Sheila Watkins.
Since Sheila made her swift exit from the show last November, following her foiled plot with Bonnie Lockhart to blackmail the Kiriakis family for their fortunes, it was unsure if she would ever return to the show.
Sheila making a deal with Bonnie Lockhart (2017)
It is now clear that Sheila is back on the scene with some unfinished business to attend to! According to CDL, Eli (Lamon Archey) will be taken aback by Sheila’s return.
Sheila will have a couple of crucial reasons for showing back up in Salem. Will it affect his relationship with Lani (Sal Stowers)?
It sounds like Sheila will make a few waves for Eli, but he won’t be the only one she pesters. Days spoilers state that Abe (James Reynolds) will get involved in this storyline.
When he meets Sheila, he’ll instantly know that she’s trouble. Abe and Sheila will clash right off the bat, so Days of Our Lives viewers can expect some great confrontations!
This time around, she’ll be part of a surprise storyline with Bonnie (Judi Evans) and Lucas (Bryan Dattilo).
Tune in to Days of our Lives on September 13, 2018 to witness Sheila’s return, and watch it regularly to see what happens next!
2018 marks the 20th anniversary since the release of Lauryn Hill‘s ground-breaking debut solo album, ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ in 1998.
Beats 1 caught up with the ladies of TLC to share their thoughts on the album and some of their memories of the former Fugees frontwoman!
Chilli:
I love the whole album and it’s hard for me to pick just one song because of her delivery. I mean, she be in the videos sometimes pregnant, and sometimes not. She was doing it at a time where they would probably be like, “wait until you have your baby.” Whereas these days, a female artist — whether you’re an actress or whatever — if you’re pregnant, you celebrate that from the moment that you decide to share it with the world. She didn’t care, she just did it. Her voice — to be able to rap like that and sing like that, she was and is unbelievably talented. There’s nobody like Lauryn Hill.
T-Boz:
She’s special. She is very special. And you know what I love and respect about her, is that I remember meeting her for the first time when we first came out. She paid us so much homage. Even in the beginning, she went out of her way to get over to me, to say something. I thought that was really cool how amazingly nice she was in and to give respect to another artist. She’s so dope.
You can listen to the full episode on Beats 1 here.
The Canadian-born singer and songwriter Esthero may sound familiar to most TLC fans because of her intimate collaboration with Left Eye on the track ‘The Universal Quest‘, from Lisa’s 2001 solo album, ‘Supernova‘.
What isn’t largely known is the close friendship and connection the two had developed after their insightful musical collaboration.
Esthero shared a moment she had with Lisa after thanksgiving in 2000, when she was given a book by Lisa of the inspirational and spiritual understandings of life on earth.
In the handwritten letter with the book, Lisa says, “Aside from a book called “The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success” by Deepok Chopra, this book would be my favorite!“.
Speaking of the suggested book, “Letter to Earth“, Lisa continues. “[It’s] very easy to read! Lot’s of info! I hardly ever read a book from front to back cover because all of the answers are within. This shall serve you as great food for thought!”.
Esthero has also kept the lyrics to ‘Universal Quest’, handwritten by Lisa which she says is one of the most emotionally valuable things that she owns.
“I can’t tell you what she meant to me“, Esthero says about Left Eye. “I’m so glad we got to spend some time together and make music. #SHEro“.
The book ‘Letter to Earth’ by Ella Wise is currently available on Amazon.
For the latest on Esthero head over to www.esthero.net
Leon@TLCArmy
