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K. Michelle
Whether personal or professional, each relationship contributes to character. Just like a revolving door, people enter and exit our lives throughout the years, leaving negative and positive impressions. On her fourth full-length album, Kimberly: The People I Used To Know, gold-certified Memphis, TN R&B firecracker K. Michelle examines those relationships inside and out. Fearlessly showing scars, she moves on from pain with her most passionate, punchy, and powerful body of work to date. “There are a lot of friends and industry folk who have come and gone,” she admits. “I respected them at one time, but I don’t anymore. When I say ‘Used To Know,’ I mean it. I don’t plan on knowing them in my future. I’ve taken a lesson. I’ve learned. This is dedicated to many of those individuals. As soon as I wrote the title down in my notebook, it stuck with me. I was born as Kimberly; I will leave as Kimberly. I was rebelling and emotional. Rebellion and emotion can sometimes make for great music.” That combination certainly has throughout an illustrious career to date. Her no-holds barred, no boundaries, and no bullshit soul continues to captivate fans. 2016 saw the artist’s third album, More Issues Than Vogue, become her second release to bow at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 and third consecutive album to capture #1 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart. In addition to acclaim from The New York Times, Spin, The Guardian, and more, Pitchfork praised it as “her most affecting, skillful, and innovative record yet.” Just two years prior, Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart? Stood out as the “best-selling female R&B album of 2014” and landed on Rolling Stone’s “Top 20 R&B Albums of the Year. Meanwhile, her major label debut Rebellious Soul shook the charts as the “highest Top 200 entry for a female R&B singer’s debut since 2001” and spawned the gold-selling “Can’t Raise A Man.” Counting up accolades, she also garnered a Soul Train Award for “Best New Artist” and an NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding New Artist.” Her influence extends far beyond music though. The second season of her VH1 reality show, K. Michelle: My Life, significantly upped viewership by 7.5% on its premiere episode with 3.2 million tuning in. Moreover, Jack Daniels sought her out as a brand ambassador, making her their first African American ambassador. Between headlining the Hello Kimberly Tour to packed houses nationwide throughout 2016, she began recording ideas for Kimberly: The People I Used To Know in Atlanta and Los Angeles. “It was the longest I’ve ever taken on an album, and it was the most draining thing I’ve ever done in my entire life,” she goes on. “I’m extremely happy with it though. It’s amazing how music always shows its face through any drama you’re going through—especially if you’re writing your life. This time it was an inner journey for me.” In a turn that may surprise many casual listeners, she drew immense influence from her first love: country music. The honesty of the genre’s lyricism spoke loudly to K. Michelle during the process. “The first tape I ever got was by The Judds,” she says. “I love Chris Stapleton, The Pistol Annies, Miranda Lambert, and The Dixie Chicks. Those are big influences. This is a gateway because I’m getting a lot of my emotions out.” She introduced the record with the simmering and smoked-out slow burn of the track “Birthday.” Co-written with Safaree Samuels, her unmistakable delivery simply seduces on lines like, “It’s your birthday. Baby, whatcha wanna do?” On the other end of the spectrum, the upbeat “Either Way” [feat. Chris Brown] turns up with explosive chemistry between the songstress and Breezy. Meanwhile, the Official Remix featuring fellow Memphis native Yo Gotti quickly transforms into a Bluff City anthem. “It’s a club song,” she says. “I had fun with it. I went in, had some drinks and got to work. ‘Either Way’ was done in five minutes. It automatically makes you want to dance. That’s the whole point. I’d been wanting to do a record with Chris Brown forever. I’ve always been a fan. It was the right song for us too. Yo Gotti is like a brother to me. He’s fought hard for this mainstream success. It’s so motivating. He killed the remix.” Then, there’s “Make This Song Cry.” Over guitar lead and finger-snaps, it showcases her dynamic vocal range and intimate lyricism as she literally leaves tears on the track. “I was upset,” she sighs. “I got mad at my fiancé. He’s my friend of 18 years. In relationships, it’s easy to get complacent. Sometimes, you’ve got to shake up your partner a little bit.” In the end, K. Michelle holds nothing back. These 21 tracks allow the world to really meet and forever know Kimberly… “When you listen to this, I want you to know that whatever you’re going through, you’re not alone,” she leaves off. “For my real R&B heads, it’s a reminder that I am R&B. I want them to know this is real R&B. I hope it makes you cry, laugh, love, and twerk. I’m as blunt as ever. As complicated as I am, I want the chance to be me.”

Songs

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1
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Can't Raise a Man
K. Michelle
2
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Love 'Em All
K. Michelle
3
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The Rain E
K. Michelle
4
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V.S.O.P.
K. Michelle
5
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Cry E
K. Michelle

Albums

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I'M THE PROBLEM

Album • 2023
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More Issues Than Vogue

Album • 2016
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All Monsters Are Human

Album • 2020
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Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart?

Album • 2014
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The Hold Over

Album • 2018
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K. Michelle: The Rebellious Soul Musical Soundtrack

Album • 2014
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KIMBERLY: The People I Used to Know

Album • 2017
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Rebellious Soul

Album • 2013

Singles

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Tennessee

2023
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Scooch

2022
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Supahood (feat. Kash Doll & City Girls)

2019
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Blame Yourself

2023
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Get In My Bed

2021
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Save Me

2018
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Wherever The D May Land

2023
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Silhouettes

2021
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YOU

2023
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The Rain

2019

Videos

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Scooch (Official Music Video)

K. Michelle • 4.2M views

Featured on

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The Yeehaw Agenda

Playlist • YouTube Music
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Boy, Bye

Playlist • YouTube Music
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Modern R&B Queens

Playlist • YouTube Music
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R&B Hits 2022

Playlist • YouTube Music
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Timeless R&B Christmas

Playlist • YouTube Music
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Femme Fresh

Playlist • YouTube Music
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Dear Mama

Playlist • YouTube Music
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Old School's New School

Playlist • YouTube Music
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Late-Night Rendezvous

Playlist • YouTube Music
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Got To Be Real: Black Pop Icons

Playlist • YouTube Music

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