The Interviews

5 Questions with Rissi Palmer

You certainly don’t have to be a "Georgia peach from Savannah Beach to say MMHMM", or turns out, to appreciate a southern drawl. Rissi Palmer’s debut single, "Country Girl", brims with a sort of contagious self-confidence that you’re bound to love. A true superstar on the brink, Rissi was kind enough to chat with us in the midst of her cross-country radio tour.

So, tell us about yourself. Where'd you come from, where've you been, and where do you want to go in this crazy business?

I'm a total gypsy and have moved around a lot! I was born in Sewickley, PA, raised in St. Louis, MO, and lived there until I graduated from high school. I attended DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois for 5 months, when I told my parents I was leaving school to become a country singer. As you can only imagine, that didn't go over so well. Later, I spent a few years in Atlanta and then moved to New York City, all the while commuting to Nashville to record and write. I finally made the move to Nashville permanently last summer.

I would like to achieve lots of things in this crazy music business, but primarily, I would like to make music that makes people feel good; see the world and discover new people and places; and ultimately use whatever "fame" I'm able to achieve to help others. That may seem very Miss America, but its true.

You've said that country music is "the music of life". How'd you get into it?

I initially became interested in country music because of my parents, specifically my mother. I was extremely fortunate to grow up in a house that was filled with lots of great, diverse music. We listened to everything from The Rolling Stones, Smokey Robinson, to Kenny Rogers. My mother's favorite singer was Patsy Cline and I can remember cleaning the house with her on Saturdays listening to all those Patsy records. From that time on, I was always drawn to soul and country music, mainly because of the heartfelt songwriting and the incredible singers those genres produced.

I started singing country music when I was 16. I was invited to audition for a group called Team 11 or, as I like to call it, the poor man's Mickey Mouse Club. Made up of local teens, it was sponsored by a television station in St. Louis and we mostly performed popular cover tunes. Anyway, at my audition, I sang and the music director declared, "You're our country diva!". From then on, I sang all the LeAnn Rimes and Shania Twain covers, much to the surprise of most of our audiences, who weren't exactly expecting that from an African-American female singer.

"Country Girl" is such an infectious, fun song. What's the story behind it? How true does it ring to your life?

"Country Girl" was the last song written for the album. When I sat and listened to what I had written and recorded so far, I felt like I needed something that defined and better communicated who I am -- like "Redneck Woman" did for Gretchen Wilson. When you look at me, I'm obviously a little different from your typical country singer, with my fabulous tan and all. :) I am also a midwestern girl, so I'm totally left of center. However, I had what I would consider a southern upbringing (both my parents are from Georgia and pretty much my whole family is there) and I just feel like I'm a country girl by nature, not by geography. So I wrote this song for all the girls who might just feel like me.

One thing that strikes me about "Country Girl" is that it's got a great bluesy feel. Is that something we can expect to hear more of on your upcoming album?

Soul music is another one of my major influences and I would say that my singing style is a blend of soul and country music. There are three songs on the album that really showcase that – "Hurt Don't Know When to Quit," "Love You Like a Woman," and of course, "Country Girl". Two of those songs were produced by Shannon Sanders and Drew Ramsey who have also produced albums for India.Arie and Jonny Lang. They really brought a Muscle Shoals sound to those songs, in my opinion. The rest of the album has a nice mixture; there's some contemporary country, as well as some very traditional country represented on the CD. I tried to show all facets of my personality and artistry.

What's on the horizon? What are your plans for the rest of the year?

I'll be on a radio tour and doing lots of media for the rest of the summer and fall to promote my new single and CD that's coming out in October! Also, on July 17, Starbucks Entertainment will release an exclusive four-song digital EP featuring "Country Girl" and three additional tracks only available on the digital EP and available exclusively on the Starbucks Entertainment Area on iTunes. So, I'm a busy, busy "country girl!"

Special thanks to Rissi and Hot Schatz PR!