‘90’s R&B collective Shades, now a trio and comprised of Danielle Andrews, Tiffanie Cardwell and Monique Peoples, unleashed their eponymous debut opus on Motown Records in 1997.
Producers on the 13-track, two of which are sterling covers, collection includes Tricky Stewart, Chad “Dr. Ceuss” Elliott, DJ Eddie F, and The Characters, who helmed the set’s break-out Billboard Hot 100 hit, "Tell Me (I'll Be Around)," which contains a sample of "Who Do You Love" by Bernard Wright.
Let’s hop right into this latest single, “Summer Nights,” — Tell me about this composition; how did it even come to fruition?
This is Tiffanie. I already had the “Summer Nights” hook written years ago, and always wanted to release it. The girls and I had a lot of great melodies amongst us that were just sitting, so we decided to use the “Summer Nights” hook and write new verses to it. The original track we put it to was just not hitting like we wanted, so we reached out to Krate Kings and he came up with this brilliant track to make the magic happen.
How then does “Summer Nights” either differ and / or compare to previous Shades selections?
“Summer Nights” is a combination of a ‘90’s feel meets 2024. It has the old R&B feel, yet it’s able to fit in today’s music world. It’s also different because we are now a trio, and it showcases our new sound which is definitely different than our sound on our debut album Shades.
Tell me your whole inception into music -- When did you all first become interested in it? And, how did it all begin for Shades?
We all grew up in musically inclined families ranging from singers to musicians. Growing up on the East and West Coast, we had different music influences yet we all had a broad range of the type of music we liked. Some of us were influenced in the church and performing arts programs in school. We all had a passion for music, but did not begin to pursue it seriously until we met each other and formed Shades.
Now you all are from Boston, MA, correct? So growing up in ‘Beantown,’ who all did / do you all consider to be your strongest musical influences?
Actually, Monique grew up in California and Massachusetts. Tiffanie is from New Jersey. This is Danielle speaking. I was born and raised in Boston. I lived there till I was about 10 years old from Roxbury. Then I moved to California, and then back to Marion, Massachusetts. We all met in Boston, when Tiffanie and Shannon were going to Northeastern University, Monique lived in New Bedford, Mass., an hour south of Boston. My biggest Boston influence would have to be New Edition. I grew up listening to them. We opened up for them several times, and it was an amazing experience.
Now from an individual standpoint, what do each of you bring to the table both personality-wise and creatively?
Danielle brings that Pop sound like Mariah Carey. Monique is the soulful vibe with a little Jazz flare. Tiffanie brings the current urban feel and smooth tone that brings it all together.
In having said that, how do you all classify your overall sound and / or style?
We think our overall sound is classic R&B. We all sing lead and each have a unique vibe we bring to the record. It’s important to incorporate each girl’s voice so that the sound feels like a group and not a solo singer and background.
Where does the group’s moniker originally derive from?
We came up with the names Shades because we are different shades of women. We all sing lead, we all write, we are businesswomen. But yet unique in our own way.
What particular string of events actually led to your initial signing with / to first Atlantic Recordings and later Motown Records?
Our managers that formed our group had a friend at Motown Records. We first got a demo deal to do two records. After recording the records, Atlantic signed us to our first major recording contract. We recorded our album, but it never came out due to restricting at the label. After being released from Atlantic we shopped around for a new label and were fortunate with the help (of) our friend, Todd Boogie, we recorded another demo for Motown. Not long after, Andre Harrell signed us.
Where have y’all been? And, what all exactly have y’all been up to, both personally and professionally speaking, during this lengthy musical hiatus?
We all have kids, so that has taken up our time over the years. Danielle has continued a career in singing. Performing in a band over the last several years. Monique has been a hairstylist on several films, and Tiffanie has been running several businesses.
Switching gears here...
What do you all want people to get from your music?
We love music that feels good. We like to make people happy. We also like to talk about topics that people may be afraid to touch. We are very honest and sincere in our music. That’s what makes it authentic.
If you all could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Michael Jackson would be top of the list. Greatest performer of all time! There are so many great artists out here that we would love to work with. Stevie Wonder would also be a an honor to work with. He would pull out some amazing vocals and harmonies. He would challenge our creativity. Pharrell Williams is another dream producer to work with. His sound is amazing and unique.
If you all could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?
Danielle and Monique are Cape Verdean, so playing at a festival in Cape Verde would be an honor. Paying homage to our family roots. We would also love to play anywhere in Europe. We love to explore different cultures and have an opportunity to introduce them to our sound.
On a more serious note, are you all happy with the current state of R&B? And, even more specifically, why do you all feel that we, the masses, don’t see the group dynamic like it was back in, say, the nineties?
We feel that some R&B artists out now all have the same sound. We are missing harmony and transitions in the song like we had in the ‘90’s. Not as much originality as it was in the ‘90’s. I think the group dynamic is coming back. There is (The) Queens of R&B Tour right now that people are loving. It shows us how much its need and missed.
Do you all have any other outside / additional aspirations, maybe even completely away from music?
We all have different aspirations. The focus right now is trying to be a part of bringing back real R&B. In the future we would love to sign other artists to our label, Redbone Records. We would also love to crossover into the TV and movie genre. All of us are talented writers and have many ideas we would love to see come to life one day.
To date, what has been your greatest career moment(s), at least thus far anyway?
There are so many. One was meeting Stevie Wonder at a radio station. That was unforgettable. Also, hearing our song for the first time on the radio in San Francisco. That was surreal. But the feeling of being on a major tour with people like SWV, Keith Sweat, Brownstone was the highlight for sure. Being able to perform in front of so many people was gratifying.
What’s an average day like for you all?
This is Monique. An average day is exercising and taking care of my 10-year-old son. I am also a hairstylist. I service clients in the salon on weekends, and I am also a hairstylist on movies.
Hi this is Tiffanie. My average day is running my daycare care centers. I also have two teenagers that I am running around all day to their sports and activities. I am also in the process of opening a dispensary in Jersey City.
This is Danielle. My average day is being involved with my kids’ college sports, and singing at weddings and in a band.
Please discuss how you all interact with and respond to fans...
We interact through social media. We have a few fans that we communicate with on a regular. We have invited them to our photo shoots, and we send them Shades merch for being such loyal fans. We try to respond to everyone if possible.
What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? And, why?
Our favorite part of this line of work is being able to have creative control as an independent artist now. We have creativity to express who we really are as women and songwriters. We don’t like the dynamic between men and women in this industry. Women can be more protected and safer in this environment. We want to show women in a positive light. We should be able to create without feeling overpowered.
What advice would you all have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Never give up on your dreams. Learn as much as you can about the industry before committing to it. We are still learning everyday about all the new changes in the industry. Try to own the rights to your music, and stay true to who you are as an artist.
Lastly, what’s next for Shades?
We have just released our new single “Summer Nights.” We hope to start touring this fall, and are planning to release an EP by the end of this year.
Any "closing" thought(s) for our readers?
Please look out for (us) hopefully coming to your city to perform. We will be performing at the City Winery in Philadelphia Sept. 21st with Taral Hicks. Please come check us out if you are from the area.
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