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I did this interview with Charlie Wilson of The Gap Band when he released his first solo project, Charlie, Last Name Wilson.

Shelia Goss: How has your life changed since going solo?
Charlie Wilson: It’s made me focus a lot. I’ve been working out and doing a lot of things to get prepared for this.

Shelia: You’ve worked with R Kelly, Justin Timberlake and others. How did all of that come about?
Charlie: After R Kelly came on board, everybody else wanted to get on the album. I was really amazed on how many big named producers wanted to work on it.

Shelia: What’s different about this album than your previous ones?
Charlie: The storytelling. This generation tells a story different than the way we used to tell it. We did it the subliminal way. They straight talk about it. Today’s R & B artists sing a different story.
If they want to talk about sex, they do.

Shelia: Are any of the songs reflective of your real life experiences?
Charlie: Basically some of “NO WORDS”. The song is coming from a woman’s perspective. We, as men, tend to not treat woman like queens. Looking back at my earlier relationships, I did that so many times. Now, I treat my woman with respect.

Shelia: Who are some of the new music artists you listen to?
Charlie: Mariah Carey, John Legend, Alicia Keys, and Kem. They are not afraid to have their own style.

Shelia: In your opinion, what’s the difference between the love songs from say the 80s and the ones being made today?
Charlie: They are telling great stories, but differently. People want to hear details with the story you’re telling.

Shelia: What advice would you give new R & B singers?
Charlie: When your dreams come true, don’t take the money you’re making and blow it. Don’t get tangled up in the fame and fortune. We’re not promised this. Stay focused and don’t get caught up in the clutches of Satan--drugs and alcohol, girls, entourages. You’ll look up and there’ll be no money and everybody will be gone and there’ll be nobody trying to help you. Stay focused and continue to dream. Dream big and trust in the Lord.

Shelia: What’s one thing your fans don’t know about you that you’re willing to share?
Charlie: A lot of my fans don’t know that I had an alcohol and drug problem that almost took my life. I wondered what I was going to do next, but by the grace of God, I’ve been clean and sober for almost eleven years now.

Charlie Wilson continues to put out good music. His second solo album, Uncle Charlie is also available. To learn more about Charlie Wilson, go to: http://pmusicgroup.com/charlie.php

Interview by Shelia M Goss, entertainment writer and national bestselling author of ten books. Visit her website at www.sheliagoss.com for more information.

LeToya Luckett is one of the original members of Destiny's Child and has co-wrote several hit songs such as "Bills Bills Bills" and "Say My Name." LeToya remained out of the spotlight for several years. She returned to the scene with her self-titled CD "LeToya."

Here's an exclusive interview with LeToya as she prepared for her CD release.

Shelia Goss: What have you been doing since leaving Destiny’s Child?
LeToya: Busy. I opened a ladies boutique in Houston. I’m happy to say we are going into our third year. I was also recording my album and I also had a record on the Coach Carter soundtrack.

Shelia: How did the experience of being in the group prepare you for your solo career?
LeToya: Thank God for that experience. It taught me so much and how to stay strong in this industry.

Shelia: What was the motivation for this album?
LeToya: At first I had NO plans on being a solo artist, but once I got in the studio and started writing I decided this was what I wanted to do. So I decided to make a record that reflected on the last five years of my life.

Shelia: Did you draw on personal experience when writing the lyrics for some of the songs?
LeToya: Yes indeed! I’ve grown so much in these last couple of years and gone through. so many things that dealt with love, life, and relationships. That’s all I knew to write about and I must say I have a lot of women’s anthems on this record.

Shelia: Who all did you collaborate with on this album?
LeToya: My Houston Hard Hitters, Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Slim Thug & Bun B. Great producers like J.D., Scott Storch, Jazzy Pha, Teddy Bishop and B. Cox.

Shelia: Which song on the album is reflective of the chopped and screwed that Houston is known for?
LeToya: Gangsta Grillz because of the screwed and chopped hook.

Shelia: What do you want the listener to walk away with after listening to your album?
LeToya: I want them to feel like, “Hey, I feel like I know her”, and that they can relate to me. Also that I’ve grown vocally.

Shelia: What advice would you give other young ladies who want to follow in your path?
LeToya: Continue to fulfill your dreams and keep those haters out of your ear. Perform as much as possible and I mean ANYWHERE there’s a microphone. I remember performing in front of grocery stores and planes.

Interview by Shelia M. Goss, entertainment writer and the national bestselling author of My Invisible Husband and Roses are thorns, Violets are True. Her website is www.sheliagoss.com.

LeToya Luckett recently starred in the movie "Preacher's Kid." Check out the review by Kandie Delley at Film Reviews To Go with Kandie and Shelia: http://www.filmreviews2go.com/2010/05/20/preachers-kid/

This is an interview I did with India Arie when she was promoting her CD Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship.

Shelia Goss: It’s been awhile since your last album release. What have you been doing?
India Arie: Living Life and working on my album.

Shelia: Did you feel any pressure with this album?
India Arie: Yes, I felt pressure to continue to speak to who I feel my audience is and at the same time still be able to speak my truth. I never sang anything about heartbreak or any sort of dissatisfaction or anger. I’m singing a lot about that on this album. I hope that people appreciate it still. It’s not the idealistic romantic thing that I’m known for, but it’s my truth. I also felt pressure to finish. It was a lot of work and a very hard earned album.

Shelia: Was it hard earned because some of the songs were based on real life experiences?
India Arie: That too. I’m diving in and working on myself. That’s always hard work to confront your fears, but it’s also hard work because I know more as a producer. I know more so I’m being responsible for more and that’s a lot more work.

Shelia: So you were more actively involved on this album than your previous ones?
India Arie: Yes. In my previous ones, I was always emotionally involved. This time I was technically involved and emotionally involved.

Shelia: Okay, that can be kind of draining.
India Arie: Kind of…what…It was some of the hardest work I’ve ever done.

Shelia: How do you stay motivated in between albums?
India Arie: This is what I love to do. If I have something I want to say, I’m going to put it in a song. Because I love to write songs about my life, it’s not hard to do that.

Shelia: If you could go back and change anything about your music career when you first started, what would it be?
India Arie: I think I would have done a few more independent CDs. Definitely, but you can’t go back.

Shelia: What took you so long to come out with this album?
India Arie: I’ve been busy working on it; working on myself and working on the music.

Shelia: Several singers have ventured off into acting. Do you see yourself going that route?
India Arie: It’s definitely something I’m interested in, but only if I’m interested in that actual project. I want to explore myself in that way.

Shelia: Is there anything else you would like to say to your fans?
India Arie: Thank you for supporting me and I love you.

Shelia M Goss is an entertainment writer and the national best-selling author of over ten novels. For more information about the writer and her books, visit www.sheliagoss.com.