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Cheri Dennis
Cheri Dennis has proven that Cleveland's got what it takes. This twenty something songstress from Shaker Heights, Ohio is truly living her dream. Cheri began singing in her grandmothers church choir at the age of 8, and in her teenage years was a member of a group by the name of Too Spoiled. Now she is best known as being the Princess of Bad Boy, due to the fact that she is their first solo female release since Faith Evans, and for her first single "I Love You" produced by Ryan Leslie which featured Jim Jones, Black Rob and Yung Joc. When asked was it true that she just walked up to Diddy at a party, started singing and weeks later she was signed, Cheri replied "Yeah, that's kinda the way it happened, a friend of a friend that worked for Bad Boy invited Diddy to a party and I sang over the music that was playing." Within weeks Dennis had a deal, she believes she was in the right place at the right time, and says getting her deal was very easy it's all the hard work that came afterwards that has taken time.
For her next single Cheri says we can expect to hear something slow that is a little more in your face and explains the album as a variety of sounds, which is now scheduled to debut in the first quarter of 2007, "So Complete" and "It's So Good" are among her favorites from the album. On a more personal note Dennis proclaims she is very much single, and although music is her everything when she has spare time she likes to read, and enjoys seafood. So as you can see this intelligent beauty with the immaculate voice is well on her way to the top!
-Chinna Parker
Cleveland Paparazzi Media
Chinna: I conducted a local survey and the guys want to know if you're single?
Cheri: Very much so.
Chinna: The ladies want to know what do you do in your spare time and what's your favorite food?
Cheri: I haven't really had a lot of spare time lately, music is pretty much everything but I like to read, I read a lot. I guess seafood would be my favorite.
Chinna: So what part of Cleveland are you from?
Cheri: I'm from Shaker Heights
Chinna: So when did you realize you where blessed with such a beautiful voice?
Cheri: I have always been in music, back home I was in a singing group as a teenager called Too Spoiled, I've always been involved in music at some capacity, and singing in my grandmother's church choir would be the first real recollection that I have as far as being involved in music.
Chinna: Who are your musical influences?
Cheri: I just love music, I don't get caught up in who sings it, I love all kinds of music, I'm really just inspired by music, it could be an artist that I'm not a really big fan of, but if you make a song I like then I'll rock with it.
Chinna: So how long have you been with Bad Boy?
Cheri: I've been with Bad Boy about six years.
Chinna: Is it true you just walked up to Diddy at a party, started singing and weeks later you were signed?
Cheri: Yeah, that's kinda the way it happened, it was a friend of a friend that actually worked for Bad Boy invited him to a party and I kinda just sang over the music that was playing and that's how the ball got rolling. So it was like right place right time, getting my deal was fairly easy, it's getting it to the point that you see it at right now has been work for me. For some people it's the other way around, it takes them years to get a record deal, for me it was fairly easy but actually getting it to the point of video and radio took a lot of work.
Chinna: What can we expect from your next single?
Cheri: It's nothing like "I Love You", "I Love You" was a feel good universal record that everybody could relate to, and I think it was a pretty safe record the subject matter was pretty light. This record is slow and a little more in your face.
Chinna: Is that the same feeling we can expect from the album?
Cheri: The album is a feel good record it's going to have club records; radio records not just a bunch of ballads, a variety of sounds.
Chinna: What is your favorite song on the album?
Cheri: It switches from day to day and it depends on my mood. I like "So Complete" and "It's So Good" but I listen to my music so much it's hard to just have one particular favorite.
Chinna: Is there currently a release date set for the album?
Cheri: We're trying for top of the year, which is first quarter, like January. We don't have an actual date, but you could expect it in January.
Chinna: You've been referred to as being the good girl on Bad Boy, is there anything you'd like to convey or share with our readers that would give them just a taste of who you are?
Cheri: I didn't really know that I was referred to as the good girl on Bad Boy; I'm flattered by it maybe that's the vibe that the first single gave off. That's just one side of me I wouldn't necessarily say I'm a good girl, there is another side of me and I'm sure you guys will get to see that soon enough.
Cheri's final commit: I just want to say thank you so much for supporting me and just taking the time out to really just be interested in this movement it's been a long time coming I know people have been waiting and have always been supportive so I just thank you so much.
