Mattie Michelle

When Soul and Funk married, they gave birth to The Black & Blue. Ask anyone who’s witnessed the band onstage, and they’ll tell you how they were totally unprepared for what was about to mesmerize their eardrums. While the songwriting of Keite Young takes you on a tale of soul stirring, raw emotion, Mattie Michelle’s voice (Think about the soulful power of Annie Lennox mixed with the funktified rawness of Tina Turner and a range to outdo them both,) enters your mental capacity and coats your heart, while you rock side to side in approval , but shake your head in disbelief of how one powerful voice could hynotize the room. The Black & Blue are going so strong with high acclaim from their Black & Blue EP, they simultaneously released their independent singles, as well. Mattie Michelle’s New Love is a cooky, dreamy-eyed tale of that “you’ve got it bad” love. While Keite Young’s single In My Blood is a song that sounds tragic, but really is about being connected to someone without the illusion of control./strong>

In Black & Blue’s case, Why do electro funk and soul mix so well?

Funk and Soul are fraternal twins. Whatever clothes they might happen to wear doesn’t change that. They’ll always play well together. The pocket is the common denominator for them.



What’s the history behind the formation of The Black & Blue?

KEITE: I’ve collaborated with Mattie for 15yrs or so. There’s always magic with us. Evan and I have been brothers since college and have always played together. I asked God for a guitarist one night and the next day a dear mutual friend introduced me to Mark. Mark and I always joked about forming a metal band together. It was a way of rebelling against the pressure to conform to what the industry refers to as “urban” when my first solo record released. The four of us, along with the maniacal bass man Matt Skates sat around a table at the Old Fashioned Pancake House in Ft. Worth and formed what is now known as The Black & Blue. We talked about some of the greats who purposefully limited themselves and that approach felt natural when we were together. This is how that sounds.

Mattie and Keite, the two of you create such magic onstage. What’s a studio session with the two of you like?

It can be quite intense! We both are passionate about art and have strong personalities. The chemistry is always there.

Who writes your material?

Everything is a collaborative effort. Someone could float a melody or play a riff and we start to build. Whole demos have been done and we put them through the grinder. What comes out is this sound.

What messages do you try to deliver in your songs?

I don’t think we write that way. Whatever our songs reflect is what was honest in the moment.

Tell us about the EP.

The EP is kind of like our live shows. It’s fast paced, hard hitting and never quite long enough. And

Aside from the EP, the two of you have individual singles?

KEITE: ‘In My Blood’ is a punchy, soulful thing I co-wrote with Mark and my buddy Casey Di Iorio co-produced it with me. It’s about that one that you can’t quite get out of your system. MATTIE: “New Love” is my freshman release I wrote it with my older/younger self in mind. The memory of a new love experience that actually doesn’t feel like a memory at all, It feels like we’re right there while the New Love is happening. With Keite producing it I just knew that the song would really come to life and that he would immediately get it. Well, he did and now we can’t stop singing it.

There seemed to have been a rumor about the breakup of The Black & Blue. Did that surface because of the two singles releasing?

The Black & Blue will never break up. We all always have other things on our plates and other interest but it never means we don’t enjoy playing with each other. The Black & Blue is just what happens when we’re in a room together.

Mattie Michelle and Keite Young are playing at the Liquid Lounge in Deep Ellum on June 13th @9pm.

Follow The Black & Blue on Facebook. Follow Keite Young (FACEBOOK) and Mattie Michelle Music (FACEBOOK). Twitter/Instagram @The BlackandBlue8 and @Keiteyoung and @Mattiemichellegoesin.

The Black & Blue EP, along with Keite Young’s In My Blood and Mattie Michelle’s New Love can be purchased at www.blackfridayexchange.org. - www.journalicious.us