Recently, Michelle Williams was interviewed by the DJ Ron Slomowicz of 'About.com'. Check below the full interview:




"From Destiny's Child to gospel to theater, Michelle Williams has had a widely-varied musical career. With her new CD Unexpected due out later this year, you can add pop/dance to that cannon. Working with producers Stargate, Rico Love, and Soulshock, Michelle is going in a more dance-y direction. With remixes by Maurice Joshua, Mr Mig, Karmatronic, and Lost Daze, the lead single "We Break the Dawn" is already storming the clubs."



DJ Ron Slomowicz: We Break The Dawn is such a hot club jam, how did you come across the song?
Michelle Williams: Well actually, that was one of two songs on my album that was already demo-ed, and I loved the song. The beat was so infectious and I was happy that Solange wrote the song. In the beginning I caught myself trying to stand apart and I didn't want to bug Beyonce or Kelly to write something on the album. I was trying to stand on my own. Then low and behold, Solange ended up writing the song and I'm glad.

RS: You mentioned two songs were demo-ed for you. Does that mean you wrote most of the rest of the album?
Michelle Williams: Actually no, there's a producer friend of mine by the name of Rico Love, who is so deep when it comes to writing songs and yet his stuff is still relatable. When you ask him about the inspiration behind all of these songs, he just listens to a track, and whatever gets whispered in his ear, he'll write that song. It came from my heart, into the air, and then to his ear. So for me right now, it wasn't about me writing, it was just about getting great songs, and because this was something new for me.

RS: Yes the move from gospel to the pop/dance side. What was the inspiration for that move?
Michelle Williams: Just because I've never been one to just sit still and just do one thing. I want to be known as one who can do it all, you know. I'm glad I got the opportunity through Columbia Records to do it.

RS: Well, you're definitely doing it all. You were just on tour with The Color Purple. How is doing theater different than recording albums?
Michelle Williams: Because every night it's live and you don't know what is going to happen. It wasn't the same thing every night, but I guess it's the same thing as recording because sometimes you've got to do something over and over and over again. While doing Broadway, I was stable and I was in one place for a long time. That's rare in the industry, for you to be in one place for a long time.

RS: I can imagine. On this single there are several great dance mixes – which one's your favorite?
Michelle Williams: For me, Karmatronic.

RS: Very cool. What do you like about them?
Michelle Williams: I love the extended version and I just love hearing peoples' interpretations of what they would have done with the song. It's good that you can do the EP and give the fans some various remixes.

RS: Do you go clubbing yourself?
Michelle Williams: Absolutely.

RS: What's your favorite dance song right now?
Michelle Williams: I love Justin Timberlake's "Sexyback" and that Timbaland song "Elevator."

RS: Who are some of your favorite DJs?
Michelle Williams: Honestly, shucks, I don't know many really personally. I love Junior Vasquez. I got the chance to meet him in person here in New York the other day, and I was so excited about that.

RS: There's also a Maurice Joshua mix on the single.
Michelle Williams: Love Maurice Joshua.

RS: And he's been remixing you all the way back to the Destiny's Child days. What about Maurice Joshua do you like so much?
Michelle Williams: I like the way he utilizes the live instruments.

RS: Speaking of Destiny's Child, what's your favorite Destiny's Child song to sing live?
Michelle Williams: Soldier.

RS: Very cool. You also did a video for this single "We Break the Dawn." What was the story behind the video?
Michelle Williams: Well, the great director by the name of Phil Griffin, this was his debut in the United States. He's from the UK – so his vision was just something different from what all the other video directors wanted to do. For this video, I did want to do the club thingy, because when you think of We Break The Dawn – of course, I'm always doing something unexpected, something different. I titled the album Unexpected, so when the director was like 'we're doing red carpets in the middle of the street, in Los Angeles,' you know, my red carpet, I thought that was so cool. Introduce me to the world.

RS: One of the many things I like about you is the way you're always presented in a very classy way, and as opposed to a lot of the R&B singers, who are always showing their body and they use that to replace their talent. Is that from your Gospel background, where you're keeping you're keeping your self-respect?
Michelle Williams: Well baby, I'm comfortable when I've got clothes on, you know what I'm saying? Maybe that works for other people. It's so crazy because I watch old videos with Ginger Rogers and Cyd Charisse and they wore all that stuff that might be considered lingerie, but they weren't considered tacky. That's just what they were comfortable in. I like what I wear and it's what I am comfortable in, you know.

RS: Very cool. What would you like to say to all your dance music fans out there?
Michelle Williams: Thank you so much for love and the support. I've had an overwhelmingly positive response. I'm excited because I'm gaining new fans, and dance music is so huge. I'm learning so much about that world and I'm glad I did this album.