Profile: Keisha Chanté

By Natalie Ast

On her 23rd birthday, musician Keshia Chanté performed an acoustic set of her two latest singles to a packed audience at the opening of the new flagship GUESS store on Queen Street West. The event was in support of the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research, or CANFAR, for which Chanté is the youth ambassador.

The Ottawa native first broke into the music industry at the age of 14, and has since won numerous accolades including a Juno Award for best R&B/Soul recording in 2005. Chanté released two albums, and her newest, Night & Day is set for a 2011 release.

What was the inspiration behind your new album, Night & Day?
My inspiration comes from my diary—love, life, heartbreak and all that personal stuff.  The other half of it I would say is inspired by fashion.

Do you think your two-year hiatus allowed you to grow as an artist?
It did. I didn't have to take a break, I made that decision because I wanted to make music that I was really happy with. At that point I didn't know what I wanted to do, and I think that if you don't go out there with a purpose, it's pointless. What you do is an energy—you're spreading it and people are taking it in and so you must be careful with what kind of energy you're putting out. And if you're not in a good place you're not going to project positivity… I think that's what I was waiting for.

What was it like to work with Taio Cruz?
He's an amazing songwriter, and a lot of people don't know that he was actually an artist in Canada before he broke out. He's an amazing talent. But most of all when you hear his work it's definitely Taio Cruz.

On your new album Night & Day, is there a side you like more?
Ooh, that's hard. I love the night side, it's dance music like Table Dancer and Set U Free, it's fun, it's in the club. But I love the Day side since it is really raw, you can hear the cracks in my voice. I appreciate that quality as a singer.

How has your experience been as the youth ambassador for CANFAR?
Amazing, I went to Africa for ten days, and it was life-changing. I now wake up every morning with a better sense of purpose. I want everything I do to matter. I care about how I spend my time, and I don't complain. I used to have some OCD, I was a total germaphobe! Maybe not necessarily with people, but with things. But, once you've been there and you see the devastation, it really changes how you feel about things. It was one of the best experiences of my life.

What's your personal mission working with CANFAR?
The start of it's really happening today. I'm doing an event for fashion and I'm singing and I'm working, but you know what? The proceeds are going to CANFAR and I think that's a dream! Especially for my 23rd birthday…I couldn't imagine anything better.

You must be busy promoting on tour, but what do you do to relax and recharge?
I hang by the pool, watch movies, it's really hard for me because I don't do time off very well! (Laughs) I go crazy! When I do take a day off I am usually editing footage, updating my blog or something. But I never really have downtime.

What's your personal style?
Glamorous but casual, I don't wear anything that's too excessive. Sometimes I will favor comfort over fashion and sometimes I won’t.

I've noticed that you wear a lot of Canadian designers, how important is it to you to promote local design?
Well I'm a Canadian artist, Canadian artists support me and I support them. It makes sense, we should all love and be there for each other.

To find out when Keshia Chanté will be performing near you, or to read her blog, visit www.keshiachante.com.

Interview edited and shortened by the Women's Post

Image courtesy Natalie Ast