Makida Rae talks international appeal, collaborations, and more

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Every day, the world is getting smaller and smaller, this is evidenced by the music. Of course, in the 1970s, music made the world smaller when The Beatles made the jump from the United Kingdom to the United States. In the four decades since then, it has become much easier for artists to get connected to other countries.

Not until 2009 did urban music truly make the blend across countries. Canada’s urban music scene blended with the United States with Drake and Melanie Fiona making major splashes in the game. The door has forever been opened for Canadian artists to break into the mainstream.

Makida Rae is legendary on the Canadian music scene. Previously, Makida Rae auditioned for “Canadian Idol.” In the time since then, Makida Rae has continued to make major moves. Recently, Hip Hop Vibe had the opportunity to talk to Makida Rae and she spoke on her international appeal and her opinions on people such as Monica and Sade.

Read the entire interview below:

Understandably, you are your own person, but who would you say your style is most-comparable to? Yes indeed, I am my own individual and I feel there is only one me. However, I would compare myself to Monica fused with Keyshia Cole and a little Beyonce.

Among the stars you looked up to are Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, what about them sticks out to you and why? There are so many stars I looked up to, but Whitney Houston to me is and will always be the standard for voices and her music was always timeless. Mariah Carey, also the standard for voices, could switch from genre to genre, whether she sang R&B and then transitioned to being on a hip hop record. Those are two important elements in music I feel, as a true musician, you should embody, being able to challenge yourself vocally and create music that is relevant, yet timeless. That is my goal in this industry.

As a native of Toronto, how do you feel about the ongoing success of the urban music scene there? As a native of Toronto, I feel with the success of Drake  has helped the world recognize the talent and potential Canada has to offer, not just nationally but internationally. Artist like Melanie Fiona have also helped the world see what Canada has to offer, not to mention she is a wonderful singer and she truly makes beautiful music. Toronto has so many talented individuals , and we are definitely on the rise so stay tuned, buckle up, and get ready.

Before taking off as a solo artist, what did you do in attempts to establish yourself? As a solo artist, I made attempts to break into this industry through “Canadian Idol,” at the time I had just turned sixteen years old and for my audition I had done my own rendition of R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly.” The producers of the show were impressed with my vocal ability, however they felt I was too young and I got sent home after two rounds, which is the last audition you do before it is televised. I also attempted “Honey Jam,” a Toronto showcase for artists in the city and I had written for a few artist in the city. Overall, the experience taught me a lot, you just have to keep going and maintain that hunger and drive.

Can you talk about your encounter with Sade in Jamaica? I went to Jamaica in the summer of 1999. It was our first family reunion that we got to reacquaint ourselves with extended members of our family we had not seen each other for a long time. Sade and my uncle had been in a relationship and, as a young girl, I had no idea who was in my presence or what meeting her meant. Later on that evening, the group, which consisted of myself, my sister, and cousin decided to sing for Sade. We had group called Vaz and so we thought we could impress her vocally with our impromptu version of Janet Jackson’s “That’s The Way Love Goes.” It was amazing to say the least. Looking back, I realize that music was a part of me and her encouraging us to follow our dreams meant more than I could ever describe. I think back to it and admire her artistry, her quality of music, and mostly her humble spirit and down to earth demeanor. Sade truly is a beautiful person and I appreciate the time I spent with her.

Speaking of hot vacation spots, where are some other places you have traveled to? I love to travel, I could just live on a plane and with this business, travelling is a huge part of it. I have been to the island of St. Lucia , which is beautiful with mountains and greenery. I have never been so at peace. I have been to St. Marten, which literally looks like someone took a brush and painted in the sky and water, the water is turquoise, the sand is white, and the air is purified and there’s only one traffic light in the entire island. The French side is beautiful, however the Dutch side is not as nice. Great food and good people. My favorite place to relax is Puerto Rico, however. In Old San Juan, the buildings are vintage and busy, great music, and the people are beautiful ranging from light to dark and the culture is amazing. I also like the Barbados and St. Kitts, I enjoyed it because I love Rihanna! The home tour I went on took us to where she use to live and she came from humble beginnings. St Kitts has beautiful beaches and the monkeys are walking freely as though they run the show (laughs.) It is hilarious, I love to travel though, and the plane is a bed in the sky.

Compared to Keyshia Cole and Monica, would you consider working with either of those two? I would love to work with both Keyshia Cole and Monica. Love them.

Who are some of the other people you would like to work with? I would love to work with Ne-Yo and Keri Hilson. I think we would come up with amazing tracks! They write well, I love to write, so that would be amazing. I would love to work with Rihanna and Jay-Z. Fabolous is my favorite rapper, so I would definitely be open to collaborate with him. I want to continue working with Villi , another artist under Jus Kris Entertainment. He is dope and gives life to hip hop, check him out. There are so many artists, but those are a few right now that I love and I would be honored to work with with.

What methods have you used to build your fan base? I have a Twitter that is expanding, follow me @MakidaraeMusic , tweet, ask me questions, listen to links that I post for my songs. I also have an Instagram, it’s queenmrae, I have lots of pictures and a closer look into my day to day. Facebook is a great tool for any up coming events and shows. So, to all the fans and soon to be fans log on, follow me on Twitter, add me to Instagram, I will follow back and I do appreciate the love and support.