IVI Rhythuin & I3Iues sic; GAIL MITCHELL [email protected] Larrieux's Indie Life Artist Finds Satisfaction After Leaving A Major

or every artist damoring to sign a major-label deal, there's dent Albums. Produced and written with her husband, the album another clamoring to get off. is signature Larrieux. Not content to stay in one zone, she shakes _ Amel Larrieux, the vocal half of former Epic soul /hip- up her melange of R &B, soul, hip -hop and jazz with some folk and hop duo Groove Theory, found herself in the latter category. It was music from the Middle East, West Africa and India. 2002, two years after the release of her Epic solo debut, "Infinite While the music part comes easily, it's the business side that is Possibilities." The album reaped its share of critical acclaim but understandably challenging. Especially when it comes to secur- was largely overlooked commercially. ing good distribution. "I had signed one of these uncommonly long deals," Larrieux "Distribution was a little difficult," Lam says. "Distributors are recalls. "But we [husband /manager Laruj had a somewhat dif- happy to hear if you have some type of money yourself. It took us ferent vision that needed to be fulfilled in a different surround- three or four meetings to find the one we wanted." ing. And the major -label surrounding just wasn't working for Settling on the Alternative Distribution Alliance, Laru says us anymore." there are other acts that Bliss Life plans to develop during the Then came bliss in the form of founding Los Angeles -based in- next five years. dependent label Bliss Life Records. The venture is headed by Laru "The thing about being independent is having an understand- and funded by the Larrieuxes and some silent partners. ing of the industry," Laru adds. "You've got to wear as many hats But while going independent isn't an easy proposition, it has as you can. There's production, recording, promotion, public- been "much more fruitful and the best decision we've ever made," ity, Web site design. Amel's recent success is cool, but at the end the singer /songwriter says. of the day, it's about how to keep the same customers and grow Their labor began bearing fruit in 2004 with "Bravebird." To fur- from there." ther build on her loyal fan base and the airplay generated by that As for going back to the major -label world, Larrieux stresses she OF NOTE: Producer Troy Taylor and his Songbook Entertain- album's lead single "For Real," Bliss Life released Larrieux's sec- doesn't ever say never but it would have to be a partnership. ment label are now part of Music World Productions, a division of ond solo set, "Morning," in April. "I could never regress," she says. "I never had the sense of being Music World Entertainment. Taylor's credentials include Song- Thanks in part to pace -setting single "Weary," the album reached a marquee name when I was on a major label. I know that seems book /Atlantic newcomer Trey Songz. Maurice Joshua, the Bama No. 8 on Billboard's Top R &B /Hip -Hop Albums chart, debuted at small but it's a big deal for me. And I can't relinquish the freedom Boyz, Solange Knowles, Erron Williams, DJ Static and Grizz round No. 74 on The Billboard 200 and climbed to No. 5 on Top Indepen- I've tasted. This is a better place to be for an artist like me." out Music World Productions' roster. Iafil1 Notas LEILA coso Icobo @billboard.com Ferro Faux Pas Trips Up Promotion Plans issue with Mex- contrite and issued written and I think the real issue was the ing Ferro's work permit pend- cracked wise about security in Moreno performed at the na- take of taking mustache. ing a formal apology before a Colombia, comments that gar- tional beauty pageant -the ican women. "Our women, videotaped apologies. When Italian star Tiziano group of Mexican women. nered only negligible criticism. equivalent of the Super Bowl mothers, the Virgin," a Mexi- Now, Reynoso says, Ferro's Ferro was interviewed on Ital- This means that Ferro can- After all, security in Colombia is -and said: "Good evening, can friend told me, "those label in Mexico, EMI Latin, will ian TV program "Che Tempo not promote his new album, a problem. Bolivia!" The duo hasn't re- subjects are taboo when it gather a committee of women Che Fa" recently, he joked out the end of June, in Mexico - Colombians were far more turned on promotion to comes to jokes." representing several artistic about, among other things, his biggest market outside offended several years ago Colombia since. The issue was compounded and academic fields who will Mexican women. Italy-until ANDA says so. when Spanish duo Azucar Ferro also made the mis- by the fact that Mexico had em- meet with Ferro when he "[It's] impossible to say The reaction underscores braced Ferro and Ferro had comes to Mexico in July -on they're the most beautiful in the nuances of being an inter- embraced Mexico. He lived in a tourist visa. That group the world," Ferro said, over national star and the very real Puebla for a long time and will decide the fate of his the objections of interviewer economic repercussions that speaks Spanish fluently. He has work permit. Fabio Fazio. can come from what could ap- a big enough fan base there While the fiasco may cost And then, the coup de pear to be an innocuous com- that his last album, 2003's "111," Ferro initial sales of his new grace: "With all due respect, ment uttered thousands of sold nearly 300,000 copies in album, "Nadie Está Solo," there they have mustaches." miles away. Mexico alone. That feat cata- may be some final benefits to Uh -oh. Further, it highlights the sub- pulted him to success through- this whole affair. By the next day, the news tle cultural differences that exist out Latin America and the U.S. For one, Ferro is now a traveled around the globe between markets and cultures, Latin world. household name in Mexico. and Ferro's comment be- and the fact that artists have to His comments, even uttered And second, the apology came fodder for seemingly be able to recognize them. in jest, crossed a line, says Ser- process is bound to get him every media outlet in the of- When the Dixie Chicks ut- gio Reynoso, ANDA director of sympathy votes. fended country. Ferro apolo- tered their famous anti -Bush labor relations. "We have to reverse the sit- gized. Profusely. remarks in 2003, for example, "He can't say something like uation," says Camilo Lara, But Mexico was not mollified. many fans said they were most that lightly," Reynoso says. "The managing director of EMI By the following week, the bothered by the fact that the only thing we demand is that Mexico. "In the end, if he has country's National Assn. of Ac- comments were made while artists treat their audience and good songs, his career can tors (ANDA), the organization the group was on foreign soil their profession with respect." continue. He is an artist of that authorizes work visas for in England. Reynoso says he spoke with multiple dimensions, and he foreign artists, said it was deny- In the Ferro case, he also Ferro, who sounded genuinely will last a long time."

JUNE 24, 2006 www.billboard.biz I 55

www.americanradiohistory.com