JSquared Mag: JOURNEY TO FREEDOM Michelle Williams Listening Session

In an intimate setting with Michelle Williams, she shared some of her songs from her new album #JourneyToFreedom. The blueprint for this record was to work with producers and writers that come from the RnB / Pop world but are people who love Christ. Everyone who worked on the album understands “the balance”. Journey To Freedom is an album you can play along with anything that is on the radio and not sound light years behind. With messages such as being in your purpose and excepting and embracing the things that YOU are supposed be doing. Two years in the making…Michelle shares some stories behind some of her tracks and how they came to be.

” I remember my first gospel album I was told it has to sound gospel. All I know gospel to be now, that I’ve embraced, is the message. I wanted to be free from everything that was keeping me from being my best. Relationships whether emotional or spiritual whatever it is, I had to take an account for those things.”

We asked: Everyone knows you for your music but not everyone knows “Michelle”. On this album who is the Michelle that we get to hear and meet?

“I think you get to hear the girl from Rockford”

Screen Shot 2014-09-09 at 1.08.24 AMOn “Believe In Me” – In a moment of being low and in a depression, what got me out of a depression was something suddenly said ” The world did not stop because you were sad“. You have to get up and believe in yourself again. It’s the nucleus of the album. I started this album two years ago and this song was one of the last songs I recorded. It wouldn’t of made sense then, I recorded it this year on time!

On “Fall ft Lecrae + Tye Tribbett” – I thought it was a great combination. Two powerhouses and trail blazers in the industry. We know them in gospel but they’re definitely making way in other areas too.

On “Free” – ” A life changing song, I will never forget there was a specific note I hit and I just felt something break off of me. If I was to look down on the floor there would be shattered pieces of whatever was on me.”

Screen Shot 2014-09-09 at 1.07.33 AMOn “Beautiful” – People are going through things. Everybody has their own journey, some of us are able to mask it better than others. But there’s going to come a day when you’re going to get tired and take it off and show who you really are.

On “Need Your Help” – I was scared to sing it. I wrote it on the very last day of Destiny’s Child’s world tour in 2004. I was torn between doing a gospel project and other stuff. So I did a lot of Broadway and theater among other things, trying to run away from doing this project. This song is as honest as I could be and me telling where I was at that time.

On “Say Yes” – It’s a Nigerian song (the chorus). Harmony and I were in the studio and he suggested I sing it. He started singing it and there was something sweet in the studio. I said I love this song, we have to do it. We recorded it, and it sat for a while. Beyoncé and Kelly heard it and they wanted to know who was doing which part. I had an idea of a song that I wanted to put out with them. But when they both heard it, they knew this was the song to be on. The Mantra for Life.

Michelle Facetimed producer Harmony while he was working in the studio. He said:

“It was a great honor to work on such an amazing album with Michelle. I’ve been a fan of destiny’s child since I was a kid.”

It was such a beautful and enlightening night. You left feeling empowered and filled with positive “I can do It” energy. Michelle ended the night with thank yous and finished by saying

“I’m doing what I’m suppose to be doing”.

Journey To Freedom out now!

Source: JSquared