Trizonna McClendon

The sound of soul lives in Trizonna McClendon. Feel good music with solid deliveries, Trizonna takes you on a musical journey that is guaranteed to make you tap your feet and soothe your soul. Her sound is often described as “a mixture of the sexy maturity of Sade and the thought-inducing playfulness of Jill Scott,” however Trizonna’s sound is all her own, and how beautiful it is! With the release of her debut album, Overtones & Innuendos, Trizonna is a wonderful addition to any music lover’s collection.

Clutch: The album is entitled ‘Overtones & Innuendos‘. Tell us how you chose this name.
My manager and label founder Greg Lewis approached me with the title five years before these songs existed. I wasn’t feeling it at the time, but as the album started to take shape I began to identify with it. I grew up listening to music that left room for the imagination. I would play a song over and over to better understand what an artist was singing to me, and then come up with my own conclusion. The art of suggestion is a sexy thang, which I feel my music represents.

Clutch: When did you decide you wanted to sing professionally?
Ten years ago I left my corporate job. I had grown ill of that type of working environment and decided to follow my passion for music. At the time I didn’t know that I could write and arrange songs, but went for it anyway. I became a waitress, surrounded myself with like-minded people and explored my craft. It’s been a beautiful struggle that continues to inspire me.

Clutch: How would you describe your sound?
R&B fusion. The base is Rhythm and Blues, with sprinkles of pop, rock, latin flavor and a dash of old school hip-hop.

Clutch: Who are some of your musical influences?
Michael Franks, Diana Ross, Minnie Riperton, MC Lyte, Prince

Clutch: Did you do any writing on the album?
For sure, I did about 80 percent of the writing on the album.

Clutch: Are there any tracks that are your personal favorites?

I love the entire thing, but since you’re forcing my hand I will have to say: “Sunshine & Lemonade,” “Dude,” “Heavy Precipitation” and “Reasons” (Minnie Riperton cover); it’s the bonus track!

Clutch: Who are some of the artists and producers you’ve worked with?
I was blessed to work with some really talented people, including: Preston Glass (has produced for the likes of Kenny G, Natalie Cole, Earth, Wind & Fire, etc), Steal Vybe, Harvy Allbangers, David Sampson, Chris Vega, an awesome producer from Brooklyn (who produced the bulk of the album and in the final hour of completion). I was also gifted with a track by Kanye West. You have to pick up the cd, it’s a beautiful mix of sounds.

Clutch: What has been the response from the album so far?
It’s more than I could have imagined. I did a Winter/Spring tour of Borders Bookstores in the Chicagoland area, which gave me the opportunity to perform and sell my music to audiences that I didn’t think would be interested in my songs, but man was I wrong! The diversity in the audiences was a beautiful surprise and so were the cd sales. The album was released in Japan a few months ago and the response has been amazing there as well!

Clutch: Do you have any plans to tour?
For the moment I’ve been doing spot dates, however a full tour is definitely in the works.

Clutch: Are there any artists you would like to collaborate with in the future?
OMG, I would love to work with Dwele and Mc Lyte, these are two of my favorites!

Clutch: How would you describe your fashion style? Who are some of your favorite brands/ designers?
My fashion style – hmm, that’s a hard one. It’s whatever I’m feeling that day – could be jeans, cute top and heels or maybe a flirty dress. I’m not much into brands or specific designers; I just like what I like, so if it happens to come from target or a designer and it looks good on me, then I’m buying. Let me retract a little bit though – I do love Joe Jeans… they make my tush look cute!

Clutch: I see that your hair is beautifully natural, what products do you use to keep it looking healthy?
I’m really old school when it comes to my hair. Believe it or not I use “Sta Sof Fro” with a dollop of IC styling gel on the daily. For deep conditioning I use olive oil and Queen Helene’s Cholesterol Conditioner; it adds awesome sheen and defines your natural curl.

Clutch: What products do you carry in your clutch; what cosmetic items won’t you leave home without? I will not step out the house without my Rosebud Salve (it’s an excellent lip conditioner), Nars/Mac bronzer, mascara, Mac lipgloss and Kiehl’s Musk. These items are essential to my clutch.

Clutch: What helps to keep you grounded?
God and my family and friends!

(Photo Credits: Alzo Slade and Ice Gre)