Now Playing
Jimmy Fontaine/Atlantic Records
K. Michelle is never one to hold her tongue, so it should come as no surprise that the singer has spoken up on the double standard she says black artists face in the music industry.
During an interview with Huffington Post Live, Michelle expressed her frustrations about the “unfair” treatment and feeling boxed in creatively.
“Right now, being an African American woman in the music industry isn’t the best thing,” said K. “There’s certain formats and radio stations and certain things we can’t sing as African American women.”
She continues, “For instance, if I’m to do a ballad, it’s going to go to Urban [Adult Contemporary] — a very small audience. But if other artists, of other ethnicities are to do a ballad, it’ll be played on Top 40 and it’ll be played on Rhythmic.”
Michelle said “the blue-eyed soul era is here.” “I don’t care what color you are, but that is not the industry that I’m working in,” she said. “I can sing the same song as a white artist and they’re going to ship me off to never be heard … but they’re not going to do that to white artists.”
Michelle’s third album More Issues than Vogue, arrives March 25.
Copyright © 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
