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At eleven, Vivian Green wrote her first song. At sixteen, she was writing professionally for other artists. At nineteen, she was singing backup for Boyz II Men, and, later, Jill Scott. Now, at twenty-three, Green is enjoying the release of her debut album, A Love Story. Though she's been in the business more than half her life, for the first time it's all about her -- and it's all still a little weird.
"I'm definitely not used to ten people asking me if I'm OK," she says. "I'm like 'Are you OK? Can I get you something? That's how I feel [laughs]. I feel so awkward but I'm learning to deal with it and I never, ever want to come off as rude and say, 'Stop asking me!'" To unwind Green meditates, does breathing exercises and spends time alone. But not too much: "I only need, like, fifteen minutes of that."
Green wrote songs while on the road with Jill Scott for a year and began to see the machinery of the music industry, the toils of touring and the demands on an artist, but was not deterred. "At that point I either could have told myself, 'This is not for you,' or, 'If you think you can handle it then go ahead and pursue your own career,'" she says. "It didn't scare me, but I could see how it might have if I'd thought I couldn't handle it." Rather than opt for celebrity songwriting teams and producers, Green worked on her debut with the people who helped her get her record deal. "I made it a point to stay with those same people who helped me, because they believed in my talent," she says. "They've helped me through the years and I couldn't see any other way. They need a chance just like I had a chance, so why not give them one with my chance."
A Love Story is a songbook following a young woman in and out of love and showcasing Green's soaring vocals and soulful style. Green drew on her own experiences for the songs. "'Emotional Rollercoaster' comes from knowing you're in a horrible relationship but needing the strength to get out of it," she says. "And the hook goes [begins singing], 'Emotional Rollercoaster/Loving you is nothing healthy/Loving you is never good for me/But I can't get off.' So 'Final Hour' [the next track] is the next chapter and talks about me getting away, and I think that could be moving for anybody who really needs the strength to do it."
But A Love Story is also about a young, single woman trying to make the most of her life. "Wishful Thinking," the album opener and one of Green's favorite tracks, finds her rattling off everything she wants in life. "Some of them may sound a little far fetched, some of them could very well happen, but those are just my wishes," she says. "It starts out saying: 'All I want to do is wake up every morning and be happy and carefree' -- like, yeah right [laughs]. And the second line is, 'All I want to do is love my man and be sure my family is OK.' Now that," she says, laughing, "is a bit more realistic. And I talk about sending my little brother to college and I talk about going to Paris once a year with my husband and all kinds of stuff. It sets a great tone, a positive tone about what's to come on the album."
Green's voice and manner are light, girlish and good-natured, but she becomes careful and serious when she speaks about what she wants to convey to an audience with her debut record. "I want people to be moved by the story that I tell. It's a love story. About self-love and loving others. And it's not just my story -- it's everybody's story. I want someone to be able to turn on my record to get through something, or to use one of my songs for their wedding. There's pain on it, there's love, there's happiness. When I was in a bad relationship, I would listen to Sade. Other times, I wanted someone to turn me on. So I want to help too!"
Green will have her chance. She expects to be on the road through the end of this year and much of next, and her backup singers and crew will get to watch her go through what she watched Jill Scott go through. "I'm completely ready," she says. "I'm happy that I have the opportunity. I mean, how dare me not be ready?"
CHRISTINA
SARACENO
(December 13, 2002)