Some people think that after they sign their first contract their life is good. When you see videos and read the magazines, artists with major deals seems like their of the fast track to the easy life. Well that’s not reality, at least not any more.

The recession has hit the record industry as hard it hit middle-class America. So you know what that means. Budgets get shrunk, people get laid off and advances get smaller. If you want to be successful in the music industry today, you have to grind as if you never signed a deal.

Shire (Sh-ray) can tell you all about that. Signed to SRC/Universal for 2 years now, she’s just now ready to release her debut album “Picking up the Pieces” But while waiting for her release date, she didn’t sit around twiddling her thumbs. She hit the mixtape circuit and began to flood the streets with her voice and presence. Today, she’s on her way to New Jersey where she’s going to get fitted for an outfit. Later tonight she’s heading to Ohio to host the Cleveland Hip-Hop awards.

In between that time, Shire sat down with wordonthestreetsmag.com to talk about how she got in the game, what “Love Don’t Fail Me Now” means, and why you have to hustle twice as hard when you get that deal.

WOTS: How did you get into music?

Shire: I was in a group before. You know how it is with girl groups. You can go through your ups and downs with it. After being in the group I started writing and doing a lot of recording here in Philadelphia. I hooked up with Midi Mafia (21 Questions, When I see You) At the time they were everywhere. From there we just started doing with some records with them. He was in Universal Bldg where Steve Rifkind heard some of the records that I happened to be on. He said, “whose the voice, who’s the girl” He wanted to meet me. That night, I was in NY just running around and I was there. I went there and sang. He played the record again. We pretty much did the deal right after that. It was a wonderful situation ho

WOTS: What do you do aside from performing? Do you write or produce?

Shire: I write! I also act. I’m going to be doing a little bit more in that field as far as trying to get some commercial work. Of course I would love to get a show cracking. I have to get in the right circle so that they can see that I have a likable presence to myself. Pretty much, I’m grinding, finishing up the album, “Picking up the Pieces”

WOTS: Talk about “Picking Up the Pieces” what should we expect from the album?

Shire: It’s just me writing about the experiences that I’ve been going through now. I’ve been signed for about 2 years now. With the recession and records not selling like they used to, you have to have really grind and show them that I’m not going to wait for them to push buttons for me. It’s about any and everyone. We’re all picking up the pieces. Everybody has bills, and everyone is really trying to get their life together. Me, I’ve been in the situation where you had a deal before then it was taken away. I’ve gotten back on my feet and landed a new situation. I had to adjust to the way things are now. The songs are about me. I’ve been in love, out of love. My single “Love don’t fail me now” produced by Ivan and Carvin. Vidal did two records and Midi Mafia. And I’ve done some things on the mixtape circuit. I’ve done work with Young Chris and Freeway. If you listen to this interview and you send me some work, hit me up on myspace I’m down with working with artists, signed or un-signed. I’m just working

WOTS: “Love Don’t fail Me Now” that sounds optimistic, but I could be wrong. What’s this song about?

Shire: It’s about trial and error of falling in love. Sometimes you can see where a relationship is going but you’re just caught up. For whatever reason. You would want it to work, I know this particular person might not be the relationship type but I’m like “Love Don’t Fail me Now”

WOTS: There are a lot of up and coming artists who read the website. Let them know what it’s like to be a signed artists who is still out there pushing their music.

Shire: It’s challenging. I do my homework. You see other artists who are established right now and they got in when they got in, and they’re doing pretty well and they have their fan bases. But when you’re new, you have create your own buzz, you have to push your own records. You have to brand yourself. It sounds small, but the more followers you get and the more people that you give a piece of your talent or your creativity, you build fans. At first I was pessimistic, “would all this mean anything, would people really remember” but they do. If you do your thing and solidify yourself as the artists that you are, they will become fans of what you do and that will equate in sales. At least I know, when it works, I did this for me. I helped brand and sell me. At least I know I had my hands in it.

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