I had never released any music until 'Bruises' came out when I was 20.
American Idols that come off the show and don't have a hit song - that makes it tough. If you come off the show and the song isn't big, and it takes a couple months to get your single out there - that time could be damaging.
Here at Z100, we're kind of famous for breaking new artists and watching their careers bloom.
I asked my friend Greg Andersson to introduce me to people that can distribute my album.
I've thought about doing it as soon as it is possible with this new CD getting some wings and getting out there. I don't know how soon that will be.
Even at the last minute we were still debating what was gonna be released as the first single.
I really wanted to take 'Dilbar' to Africa and the Middle East in Arabic because it was also a perfect way to launch myself.
I don't really know what a debut album is no more. As long as you got music on the streets, you've debuted.
It's insane to have a first album, the first morning of it coming out, it's insane.
When I was 25, I had risked everything to launch Justin Bieber and was a couple months away from losing everything.
You can tell black artists are front and centre when Usher discovers and launches Justin Bieber.
If you want to release your own single, there cannot be a better launch than going to Los Angeles and collaborating with a renowned artist.
What people are feeling is the similarity in what I do and how I'm capable of breaking a new artist into a competitive field. People can't wrap their head around the fact that Gaga did not do that on her own. She didn't. There was a Laurieann Gibson.
If it helped you get your music off the ground, I'm glad you done it.
Shy Carter helped me write 'One Call Away.' He is a brand new artist. I really want to help jumpstart his career because I think he's super-talented.
I'm really thrilled and excited about my first single with Dhvani Bhanushali.
