TRT Latoya Interview

Back in February I had the unique opportunity to interview 4Ward Entertainment’s hot new R & B artist Kalu for TRT Publishing. Well ladies and gentlemen the hype continues! Recently I had the great pleasure of interviewing LaToya Lloyd, who will co-star with Kula in the upcoming video for Kalu’s hit single ‘Soo Long’. Toya, as she is affectionately known, beat out hundreds of young ladies in a contest put together by 4Ward Entertainment CEO Rick Lee, COO Mike Baylor and Chris Lee. I was part of the final selection committee and let me tell you; there were some very talented and smart young ladies to choose from. Once we narrowed it down to the final three, they each went thru a somewhat grueling interview process. At the end of that process, Ms. Lloyd was our winner! Personally, I felt LaToya had the “it” as they say. She had the style, charm, charisma and personality that spoke volumes and made her stand out in my mind. So when 4Ward Entertainment asked me to interview LaToya for an article for publication, I jumped at the chance.

LaToya Lloyd is a 19 yr old college student at Midlands Technical College in Columbia, SC. She was born in Junction City, Kansas to a Turkish mother and an African American father, giving Toya has a unique biracial heritage. She has a 5 yr old sister whom Toya proudly proclaims allows her “to strive to be the best role model in her life.” Growing up a military brat, Toya has lived all over the world, including Italy, Germany, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Maryland. She considers Maryland her home, where she spent her high school years and graduated from Westlake high School in Waldorf MD. She eventually wants to transfer to a 4 yr university and major in Fashion Merchandising or Broadcasting Communications. As she put it “I just love the entertainment industry!” By the way fella’s, Toya is currently single, by choice, she says, because “I’m just trying to remain focused on my goals so I can have a successful career for the rest of my life.” She is truly a fan of Kalu and his music.

I asked Toya how she heard about Kalu & his music. Amazing, she actually had a chance meeting while attending a family reunion in NY in the summer of 2008. Kalu was NY visiting as well and by coincidence Toya and Kalu were staying in the same hotel. Toya went on to say: “I over heard him in the lobby singing on the phone to someone and I couldn’t help but compliment him on his talent. I never thought we’d see each other again.” She also told me they exchange numbers (well, the boy aint stupid!)

I also asked her what made her a fan of Kalu’s? she told me “I’m a fan, not only because of his talent, but I admire the ambition and determination that he has to go along with it. He works hard to get where he wants to be in life and I admire that.”

When Toya decided to enter the contest to be the co-star in Kalu’s video, I wondered if the newly crowned co-star really knew how much Kalu had blown up since that meeting in NY. Over a million plays of his hit ‘Soo Long’ and nearly 2 million profile views on My space in less than a month. To that Toya responded - “I realized how popular Kalu was after he won the artist contest” (4Ward Entertainments battle of the songs.) “After thousands of plays and views on his new single ‘Soo Long’, I saw that he already had millions of fans who also admired his which is amazing.” Well, I guess she knew, huh?

Speaking of the video, I asked Toya how she came to hear about the Music Video Co-Star Competition. She received a friend request from 4Ward Entertainment and she decided to look around the site. She said “I went to the page to casually look and came across the Co-Star competition banner” (The site was designed by Matt Lee.) Did Toya having any concerns or fears about entering the contest? She told me her “thoughts entering the competition were all mixed up. I thought what if I don’t get picked, what if a do, is it beneficial to me, is this even a real contest! (Whoa, sorry I asked.) But then added “after thinking way to much, I decided it’s worth a try; I have nothing to lose.”

I asked Toya whose idea was it for her to enter the contest and who had she talked to about it. She said “It was completely 100%” her ideas to enter and “no one even knew I entered because I didn’t want to tell anyone and then not make it.” So she waited, and when she found out she made the top 11, she told “EVERYONE.” So did she feel she had an advantage living at the time in South Carolina, Kalu’s home state? No she says, “I honestly didn’t feel like I had an advantage because technically I’m from MD. I knew most of my votes would be coming from the DC area.”

As she began to watch the contest unfold on My Space, I asked Toya what were her thoughts; was she nervous? “In the beginning of the competition I was a bit nervous. I saw that there were a few girls way ahead of me with votes and I thought I’d never catch up. So I advertised and campaigned so hard and had help of my closet friends and saw a progress and kept it going. (She campaigned indeed – like Obama!)

Now that she’s won Video Co-Star contest, I asked Toya how it feels to know thousands of people were following this contest and know that you won, and what has been your family’s reaction? She replied “I’m completely excited to know that I’m known among many other people now because I won. It’s a great feeling to know that there’s people out there I don’t know who’re waiting to see what I have to bring to the table and the finished product – the video itself.” And her “friends and family are just as excited as I am, if not more. They have all been asking about the details of when the shooting of the video will take place and what will I have to do. They’re my biggest support system.

I asked Toya has anyone recognized her as the girl who won the contest on My Space? While in class Toya said “someone tapped me on the shoulder and asked me if I won and when is the video being shot. She said she no idea who this person was, “but it caught me off guard and made me happy to know that people know about this.”

Now that she is part of the 4Ward Entertain family, how does she feel about the company? Toya told me “I love 4Ward Entertainment Management (good answer!) They’ve been nothing but friendly and welcoming to me. They’re a team that has goals and goes hard at achieving them. I feel blessed to help and be a part of a movement that has a successful future ahead “ (really good answer – you hear that all you aspiring artists out there? – 4Ward Ent Mgmt!)

Toya not only has been made to feel like family, she’s been involved in the process from day one for her, being included for example on conference calls with the video’s producer Ryan Franklin ( remember his name cuz you’re going to hear that name again.) Toya said “I was actually pretty surprised to be included in so much detail the whole process. 4Ward Ent always makes me feel included because they continuously ask me my opinion on things. It’s a good feeling when you feel you can voice your opinion and be part of an amazing team.”

I asked Toya to compare her feelings when she first entered to contest to now. She told when she first entered the contest “I did not know what to expect. Now that I won, I feel like I made one of the best decisions. I was welcomed to a big opportunity full of excitement.”

I asked Toya to summarize her experience thus far and to say a few words in closing.

“This entire experience so far is full of different emotions. I’m excited, nervous, anxious, and even more ambitious. My final words for anyone trying to make it are to pick a goal, figure out what you have to do to achieve it, and go for it. Opportunity isn’t going to come knocking, you have to go knock yourself. In the end it’ll pay off. It’s just the beginning for me and there’s more of me to come.”

Wow, that was a powerful closing words. I was moved as a writer and believe me I’m not touched easily. I told you guys this young lady had “IT”! And I’m FOR REAL. I’m out.