Wynter Gordon’s sizzling summer (and beyond)
After capturing nominations at the beginning of 2011 at the International Dance Music Awards (Best Break-Through Artist and Best Pop Dance Track ("Dirty Talk") and the NewNowNext Awards (Brink of Fame: Music Artist), Wynter Gordon has taken the second half of the year by the horns, and has begun to wrestle success down on the mat.
Releasing her first album in the U.S. with six tracks this past June on the Big Beat label was just the beginning of Wynter owning the summer and beyond. Having seen Gordon perform at last summer’s Utopia Pool Party in San Francisco, I knew that the time has come for all of Wynter’s potential to be brought before us.
And you know what? I think she agrees with me. I had a chance to chat with the already established dance floor music diva about her next single and video, her numerous collaborations, her friendship with Estelle, her summer tour, and a performance side of her we have yet to see.
Running ragged?
BeBe: You are probably running ragged girl with your busy schedule?
Wynter Gordon: I am actually sitting here outside in L.A. eating a bowl of Chinese food.
BeBe: Well, right on then (both bust up laughing)! Take a little time for yourself.
Wynter Gordon: Go, go, go! Right?
BeBe: I’m loving that. Well, I am so glad to get a chance to catch up with you since it has been about a year since we last spoke when you were here for the Utopia Pool Party last summer, and your dance hit "Dirty Talk" had just gone #1 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Chart.
Wynter Gordon: Oh, yeah!
BeBe: In the last year, you have done so much. You have the EP "The First Dance" that came out, and over the last month your album "With The Music I Die" was released here in the States. You have had great success with the "Till Death" single following up the "Dirty Talk" hit, making it to #4 on the Billboard Hot Dance Chart. I am listening to "Buy My Love" right now from the album. Is that your next single?
Wynter Gordon: Well, in Australia it will be. I’m shooting the video for "Buy My Love" here in L.A. on Tuesday (August 2). The video will be up in America, but we’ll see how it goes.
BeBe: But I love that track though. It’s really, really good.
Wynter Gordon: Thank you.
Story continues on following page.
Watch Wynter Gordon’s video of "Dirty Talk":
Working with Estelle
BeBe: You have packed a whole lot in your career over the last two years. I mean it seems like yesterday that you were out with the "Sugar" hit with Flo Rida. And now look at you......!
Wynter Gordon: I’m just workin’ it hard, you know.
BeBe: Keepin’ it movin’, huh?
Wynter Gordon: Yeah! I just did a song with Pitbull and Play-N-Skillz last night. They (Play-N-Skillz) did the Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida song "Where Them Girls At?" I love that song.
BeBe: You know people may think you have had a meteoric rise, but your journey with your music really started back when you were growing up in Queens, New York, right? So, this is hard work that you have put into this.
Wynter Gordon: I have put in years and years into this. I think I have been doing this for 10 years now. I have been writing for people, I perform anywhere and everywhere I can. I have had how many singles and collaborations with people? "Believer" (with Freemasons), "Toyfriend" (with David Guetta), "Dirty Talk", "Till Death", "Sugar" (with Flo Rida). I wrote half of J-Lo’s album.
BeBe: Yeah, you have four tracks written on J-Lo’s "Love?" album ( "What Is Love", "What Is Love Part II", "Starting Over", "Everybody’ Girl").
Wynter Gordon: Yep!
BeBe: Aren’t you working with Estelle on something?
Wynter Gordon: She’s just a friend of mine, and we work when we work. You know? We’ll write vocals together. I do that with a lot of artists. Sometimes they (the songs) never come out. We try and work on new music together.
BeBe: I saw Estelle at Los Angeles Pride in June.
Wynter Gordon: She and I just had a spa day the other day (giggles). It was girl’s night. It was fun.
Keeping things upbeat
BeBe: How fun! You better get that in now because you are getting ready to delve into a six-week tour with Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boys.
Wynter Gordon: Yes, I am!
BeBe: I have seen you perform at many club dates. You have definitely shown your love up here in San Francisco many times over the past year. But what is going to be different in your performance opening on this tour for Patrick that your fans haven’t seen in your club performance dates?
Wynter Gordon: I don’t feel like I’ve been able to showcase my vocals and the different styles and types of music I do. In the places I have played I haven’t been able to do that yet. In the clubs, it is all about dancing and keeping everything upbeat. I haven’t been able to show the softer side or deeper side of myself. And I’ve never used a live musician before. I am bringing a drummer (on tour), and I have my own deejay. I kind of got to create the set list. It wasn’t about the demand for the song. It will be a very intimate crowd on tour. They won’t be drunk! (laughs) You know! That will be the difference. People will be sober. They will come out to see me and really be able to appreciate the music more. It’s not really about the party anymore.
BeBe: Because you do have a wide range in your songwriting style and have written songs that so many different people have performed. That lets people know that you have so much more to tap into than just dance music.
Wynter Gordon: Right. I also went to Australia and did all these acoustical performances. I had never done shows like that before. And, it was like a breath of fresh air. I really got to sit down and showcase me, and my personality, you know? I don’t get to do that much.
BeBe: This tour is really going to be a wonderful journey for you. My hope is to catch you at the closing stop in September in Hermosa Beach, California (near Los Angeles).
Wynter Gordon: Come on then in your bikini! (laughs)
BeBe: I love me some Hermosa Beach.
Wynter Gordon: You better come on with your SPF 40 (suncreen). (Both roar with laughter)
BeBe: Girl, ’cause you know I have to protect this skin! Okay!
Wynter Gordon: You know it!
BeBe: So, when will the video for "Buy My Love" be out after the shoot?
Wynter Gordon: It will be a real quick turnaround after we shoot it Tuesday. It should be within a month.
What’s next?
BeBe: And after the tour, what can we expect from you coming up?
Wynter Gordon: Well, the album "With The Music I Die" was released in the States here with only six songs on it. So my full release coming up will have maybe 12 songs on it.
BeBe: And when is that due to come out?
Wynter Gordon: I won’t know until we put out all the singles, but pretty much by the end of the year, or beginning of next year. I really want to build the fan base and do some more daytime shows, not like daytime, but not so much late night (airing) shows where everyone’s drunk.
BeBe: Yeah, get you on "Ellen" or something.
Wynter Gordon: We’ll do all that when the full album comes out.
BeBe: And I know you can act. We need to get you some guest spots on these sitcoms.
Wynter Gordon: Yes, I can (act). I actually have a movie audition real soon. I mean, I am starting to do things like that more. And you definitely will be seeing so much more of me.
BeBe: Well, great! We need to see more of you, girl. You are beautiful, and you are a wonderful artist!
Wynter Gordon: Oh, thank you!
BeBe: You know, we sometimes get artists thrown down our throats which unfortunately don’t have a lot of raw talent. I mean, they may have a look. But you also have talent! And that’s something we (the audience) need to appreciate, gravitate toward, and celebrate. Because you are not just going to be here for a hot minute. You are going to be here for awhile!
Wynter Gordon: Thank you. I really appreciate that. Gosh, I’m starting to break up!
BeBe: I mean it! Girl, I’m so glad I got to get with you before you went on tour because I knew then it would be too hectic to chat with you. And I wanted to get word out to my readers to let them know that Wynter is doing it for the summer.
Wynter Gordon: And bring them out with you. Bring the party.
Wynter, don’t worry because the party of followers is always with you. I think I speak for many when I say that we look ahead for what is to come from Wynter Gordon. We have just begun to see the big talent you have in that tiny body of yours. A star may have been born, but a Superstar is emerging!
Follow Wynter Gordon on her official website.
Wynter will open for Patrick Stump this summer at these tour stops this summer:
08/04 - St. Louis, MO @ Fubar; 08/07 - Detroit, MI @ Magic Bag; 08/08 - Toronto, ON @ El Mocambo; 08/10 - Philadelphia, PA @ World Café Live; 08/12 - Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place; 08/13 - Providence, RI @ The Met; 08/14 - Washington, D.C. @ Rock & Roll Hotel; 08/16 - Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall; 08/17 - Nashville, TN @ The Rutledge; 08/21 - Ybor City, FL @ Orpheum; 08/22 - Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl; 08/23 - Memphis, TN @ Hi Tone Café; 08/24 - New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues; 08/26 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues; 08/27 - Austin, TX @ Stubbs Jr.; 08/28 - Dallas, TX @ House of Blues; 08/30 - Scottsdale, AZ @ Martini Ranch; 09/01 - San Diego, CA @ Anthology; 09/02 - Las Vegas, NV @ Hard Rock Café; 09/03 - Hermosa Beach, CA @ Saint Rocke.
Watch Wynter Gordon’s video of "Til Death":
As an actress, BeBe was introduced to film with a lead role in the independent film "Under One Sun" with her character dealing with religious, racial and gender issues. Additionally, she appeared in the campy musical "Devious, Inc" (Australian Film Festival, San Francisco Short Film Fest) also adding additional vocals to the musical soundtrack. Both of these performances led to her selection for a lead role in Aisha Media’s next short film series, "Con-tin.u.um" to be released in 2012.
