Missy Misdemeanor Elliot talks her comeback
6 days, 14 million views later and we can finally say the official Missy Elliot comeback is official, with the release of her “WTF (Where They From)” music video. In a recent sit-down with British publication i-D Magazine, the Virginia music legend went to open up on why she’s gone over 10 years without putting out an album and her health issues that hindered her career last decade.
However, after her Super Bowl XLIX performance alongside Katy Perry, Misdemeanor was inspired to properly ready latest campaign this fourth quarter.
From discussing help with Pharrell for the new single, to even losing confidence in living up to expectations, Miss touched on an array of topics in the brief sit-down. Take a look at an excerpt from the conversation, then more on the interview below.
How much did the Katy Perry Superbowl performance affect your decision to return as a solo artist?
I can’t remember where I was, but my manager called me and said ‘Would you like to do the Superbowl’? I was sat there looking at the phone like ‘Did she just say the Superbowl’? I felt like, who turns down the Superbowl but then, why would I be doing the Superbowl at this point? I don’t have anything out, but I’ll do it. She said ‘Katy Perry wants to speak to you, she wants you to perform with you’. I immediately thought that she would want me to perform Last Friday the record that we did together. So when me and Katy got on the phone, she said she was a fan of my work and that she wanted me to perform, but to perform three of my records. First of all, I can’t thank her enough. A thousand thank you’s wouldn’t be enough. She allowed me to perform my records, on her set and she said ‘If you have a new record, you should perform it, this is the time to perform it’. At the time I had some records but I didn’t feel as strong about them. I said I’d rather go out there and give them the classics. She was like ‘Are you sure, this will have a huge amount of viewers’. She really gave it over to me, but I decided to do the old classics. I’ve performed for some of the biggest crowds but the Superbowl has to be the scariest moment – besides waiting for this video to drop (laughs). That was a nervous moment for me.
Click HERE to read the rest of the interview with i-D Magazine.
I want to thank all the HipHop pioneers be4 me because yall opened doors 4 me & other artist nuff respect to all of u??
— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) November 16, 2015
Missy Elliott – WTF (Where They From) (feat. Pharrell)