Willie Taylor is out to conquer your respect and trust with his latest project, The Reintroduction of Willie Taylor. With 20 plus tracks of pure R&B and vocal ability that instantly smooths out your mood, I would say that the former Day 26 member is in a good creative space.
“My energy is at an all time high so I feel like I’m really able to show the world who I am and I think that’s really what my reintroduction feels like,” Willie expresses .”Every situation that I write about I try to bring it to life, no matter what. That’s just how in-depth I go with it and I just really want people to hear it and connect with it.”
The mixtape combines all the elements one looks for when wanting to vibe out to all-around good music. Willie is able to bring that true R&B feel – and audiences are not denying it.
Hosted by Big Tigger and DJ V Dub,The Reintroduction of Willie Taylor, which held its private listening party sponsored by Grey Goose Cherry Noir at the Fedora Lounge earlier this week, offers those bed-rockers in tracks like ‘Over’ a collaboration with vocal crooner Tank where the fellas are setting the scene for a sensual evening that leads to an ‘Earthquake’ in another song delivery from the project. Then there’s the turn-up tracks and certified club-bangers with ‘That Liquor’ delivered Chicago-style with Crucial Conflict and Do or Die amping up the beat and ‘Doin’ It Right Here’ featuring his artist Avery Smith and a verse from Mush Millions. After the sensual night and club rocking, we’re hit with reality on ‘Not Mine‘ a feature with vocal elegance from Dondria.
“When I do songs like ‘Not Mine’, I want people to be able to relate to that because that’s real life and that’s what people go through. The record is talking about a man and a woman and both of them are in separate relationships but they’re doing stuff on the side and telling the person they’re sneaking out with that they can’t keep doing this if you’re not mine because it’s getting too good. When the song dropped, I got that so much like ‘yo this is what I’m going through right now.’”
His pen skills and passion are evident throughout the mixtape and successfully executed in ‘Revive’ where he takes the role as Dr. Taylor with music being the patient in his ode to R&B. He sings, ‘Putting on my jacket, listening for your heart … throw on some music to remind us of our past .’ The track only last for 2:22, but the lyricism speaks to some real ish – hopefully it translates to a fuller version on the album.
“When I’m writing a song, I grew up listening to Stevie Wonder, Brian McKnight, Babyface and later on it became R.Kelly, and so I really studied without studying just by being a fan of that music it gave me what I needed to do the music that Willie Taylor likes. I’m always passionate,” he says smiling.
Adding more depth and identity to his reintroduction which includes production from the likes of JayJosh, B.Alexander, Kajun & Dre Hen, to name a few, Willie includes candid interviews with Big Tigger discussing the trials he went through with Day 26, contract issues he experienced, and a few shocking revelations as well. He offers his story and that engages listeners in really getting to know who Willie Taylor is as an artist.
He releases a breath of fresh air, “The shackles are lifted off of me, man, I just feel like I’m able to do what I want to do. Now it’s surprising, so many more labels trying to come back. And of course, now that I’ve been through so much at this point, I think God told me, it’s enough of this dumb stuff.”
There’s no denying that Willie puts in hard work and is dedicated to his artistry. R&B lovers will throroughly enjoy ‘The Reintroduction of Willie Taylor’ and look forward to more music and more grind coming from this man.
“I just want everybody to know that I’m working really really hard and I’ll never give you no B.S. music; I can’t. I have to love it first in order for me to let you hear it. This one’s free, but, the album is coming next year and that’s gon’ cost,” he laughs. “But I just want to gain people’s respect where they’re like yo, it was worth it.”
The Reintroduction of Willie Taylor is available for free download at www.livemixtapes.com
Definitely get in tune with it!
Follow Willie on Twitter: @Willie_Day26
Words From Willie – 9.17.12:
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