Rojo talks influences, her sound, her new album and more with REHAB.

Alexis: Let’s dive right into your Killah mixtape. So we’ve been listening to it and some of the remixes on there are pretty damn cool. How did that project come about and how did you link up with DJ Kitty Cash?

Rochelle: Killah was just a project that came out sporadically and randomly. Throughout the year I had been playing around with different remixes and having a lot of fun creatively. So I was thinking why don’t we just put the songs out together for the fans who have been waiting to hear from me. We decided to include Kitty Cash and it just came together naturally and the fans liked it. She’s actually one of my biggest supporters out there in NY and she actually included me on her mixtape a couple months ago. So I was so grateful for that opportunity and I was like you know, let me just throw it back that way.

Alexis: Every artist has that point where music becomes more than just a hobby. When did you really decide it was time to pursue your music career?

Rochelle: Damn, when did I realize? Well, I’ve been singing since around the age of 8. Growing up I never took it too seriously. As I got a littler older, I thought let me try to make something of it. I decided to take it seriously and then I finally packed up all my shit from Toronto and just moved to LA to pursue music. I actually recently moved out here last year but since then things have been going in the right direction.

Alexis: Anyone whose been studying the music scene knows that Toronto is definitely coming up. How has Toronto played a role in your sound and aesthetic?

Rochelle: I was actually born in England and raised in Toronto. In terms of Toronto, It’s a very multicultural and diverse place. There’s everything from hardcore West Indian culture to Latin influence – it’s just an openly diverse vibe. I love Toronto for that. I also pull inspiration from my roots. My background is Jamaican and European. All of that I incorporate into what I make.

Alexis: A few people have compared your music to a more modernAaliyah. It was a legit comparison once I listened to your 4-page letter re-work on Killah, which was dope I must say. What artists have you been influenced by?

Rochelle: I’m highly influenced by what I grew up listening to. That goes anywhere from Mary J. Blige, Toni Braxton, and Missy Elliot, to Aaliyah. But then there’s the Paramores’ and Avril Lavignes’ I grew up listening to. I kindof just go with whatever vibes I tend to be attracted to. Also, my boys from Canada – my brothers that I grew up listening to like Drake and seeing him rise. That was definitely a big influence for me musically and just inspiring overall and creatively for my career. The Weeknd and those guys too. I’m kindof just a merge of everything.

Read the full interview @ http://rehabonlinemag.com/2014/10/30/feature-interview-rochelle-jordan/