Matisse

With her insanely catchy first single, 'Better than Her', #1 on the dance charts, singer songwriter Matisse is ready to show the pop world there is a new 'it' girl in town! Matisse is a talent as unique as she is beautiful, and as sweet as she is driven to succeed. In the midst of putting the finishing touches on her new album, Matisse sat down with Miss O and Friends to discuss music, modeling and growing up an identical twin!

We begin by discussing the subject closest to Matisse's heart, her music.

How would you describe your music to the girls on the site?
M: It's definitely for girls. My first single is a girls' anthem, I like to say. It's about strong girls and being confident in yourself and fun music that you want to play when you're around the house with your girlfriends. Its pop music with a little bit of R&B.

Can you fill us in on the details of your upcoming album?
M: I've worked with a lot of great people. I just finished a song that I did with Bruno Mars, who you guys probably know from 'Billionaire' and his latest one 'Amazing' (released as 'Just The Way You Are'). I've also been working with Tricky Stewart who did 'Single Ladies' for Beyonce and 'Umbrella' for Rihanna. Rodney Jenkins, Ester Dean, some great people. I'm almost finished with it, just a couple more and it should hopefully be out in the fall.

Your single 'Better than Her' has already climbed to #1 on the dance charts. Congratulations! What's it like to see people respond to your music?
M: It's really amazing! It's been such an exciting thing for me. I've been in the business for a while and I've been performing with my sister. I had a song on the 'Step Up 2' soundtrack with my twin sister in the UK. We had some recognition over there but it's been fun now doing it on my own and it's definitely a different thing. I'm looking forward to this Akon version of 'Better Than Her' to hopefully cross over to the pop side of things. It's only been on the dance charts so far.

Do you write your own songs?
M: I do actually. I haven't written everything on my album but I do write a lot.

What's your biggest source of inspiration for songwriting?
M: It could be anything. A relationship that I'm in, something a friend tells me, if I go to see a movie sometimes I'll be inspired by something that happens in there or reading something and the title comes to mind. But usually it's the music that inspires the ideas for me.

I hear rumors that you have collaborated with Lady Gaga. What was that like?
M: Actually, I've never met her. She wrote a song that I ended up recording called 'No Way'. It's an amazing song, I really, really love it but unfortunately I have yet to meet her. I would love to.

Do you feel more excited or nervous before hitting the stage?
M: I'm always excited, then 30 seconds before I go on I get a little bit anxious. As soon as the music comes on I'm good.

What has been your most memorable experience while performing?
M: I had one funny, embarrassing moment where I was performing at this outdoor festival in Atlanta, like a thousand people and they were having problems with the sound. There was a girl group that went on before me and it was four girls and they were all singing harmony and they had guitars and everything but they also had a track and their music turned off. The power turned off but they still had their microphones working so they were able to continue. Before I went on right after them I said 'Ok I hope that you fixed the sound so when I go up there everything will be fine' because I'm singing up there by myself I don't have a guitar or anything, it's only to the track. Halfway through the performance, everything shuts off including my microphone so I couldn't even sing acapella. It was a little bit of a disaster but it's gonna be funny to look back on in a few years.

Are you planning a tour anytime soon?
M: Yeah! Not my own tour, but I'm hoping to opening for Akon soon when he goes out on tour in the US. We're figuring all that out now. I'm excited about that, it should be fun.

In the past, you performed with your twin sister in the duo, Brit and Alex. How different does it feel to perform alone?
M: It doesn't actually feel that different to me, it's an easy adjustment. I didn't really think about it. It was a while ago that Alex was saying she wasn't really happy doing it anymore, so I had time to get used to the idea of her leaving. I would say the time I liked having her the most was during interviews because if I didn't want to answer something she could answer the question for me. We had each other to lean on in that way. It's been ok, I'm actually glad to do my own thing. It's my music and I can say whatever I want to say lyrically. It's been a little bit of an adjustment but its fun. I'm ok. (laughs)

Has Alex come out to any of your concerts?
M: She has actually. She was off for the summer, she's back in school now but over the summer she came with me to Miami and a few of my shows in New York. It's fun having her there to support me.

How did you select the stage name "Matisse"?
M: Matisse is one of my favorite painters. I really like his story, which was that he was struggling for a while trying to get his art to be successful. He wasn't succeeding and everyone around him was doing the same type of art that was working and his wasn't but he never changed it. He said 'I'm gonna be me and if it works, it works.' He never conformed and he never compromised who he was to get ahead. I like that and I feel that I've had a similar story. People have always wanted me to be the next Britney Spears, or the new Holly Valance. I never wanted to do it. I don't want to be s second rate version of somebody else. I'm hoping to have the same thing happen to me, that I will be successful for what I do and being myself.

Coming up next in Part Two of Miss O and Friends' exclusive interview, Matisse tells what life as a teen model is really like!