An Interview With Quiana Parler (Clay's BackUp Singer)

The Clay Nation News has conducted a fantastic interview with Clay's longtime back up singer who has toured with Clay since the Independent Tour in Spring 2004.

On Singing

Clay Nation News: How long have you been singing professionally?

Quiana: Since I was 10 years old. I started in the production of Annie here in Charleston.

CNN: Did you always know you could sing?

Q: No. I actually started out as a ballet and tap dancer. That didn't work out. My dad was in a band and my mom was a singer also, and they would always rehearse for weddings at home. Being a married couple and trying to not argue when they were rehearsing, that didn't work out too great for them. So I would be my dad's rehearsal partner. So that's when I started singing.

CNN: The most common things we hear about you are: (1) somebody sign her already and (2) when is she putting out an album so I can buy it?

Q: Angela is the one that's signed. I'm in South Carolina, and it's hard, being here. I have so much work here. ... I'm still not signed to a record label, but I know that when the time is right God will bless me with one.

CNN: Tell us about that. You have a show that you do there. A 60's soul show?

Q: It's a Motown Tribute. We do everything from Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, to the Marvelettes. We try to do the most popular Motown artists. We've been doing it since February. (Eds note: the show ended June 10).

CNN: Is this a show you developed yourself?

Q: No, actually when they put it together I wasn't even thought of because they thought I was still going to be on the road. The other singer who was going to do the part I'm doing got sick and I ended up taking her place, so it was a fluke that I got it. I've always worked with this one guy, we've worked together for years. I would do a jazz series for him. Last year we did a tribute to Gershwin. Each year he tries to do a different tribute. When I was on the last tour they did an Andrew Lloyd Webber tribute. Now he's doing Motown.

CNN: Let's talk about a "mythical" CD. Because we know you're going to get signed. What kind of music do you see on there?

Q: Oh Lord. A little bit of everything. I sing jazz. Here, I'm a jazz singer -- in Charleston. That's my thing. I'm known as a jazz vocalist here. But I definitely want to mix the jazz with a little bit of an urban twist, so I can appeal to everybody. That's been my biggest problem. Trying to find music and a producer that can come up with the type of music that I want to put out, what I'm hearing in my head.

CNN: Maybe some R&B and Gospel too?

Q: Definitely, yeah.

I sing in Spanish, French and Portuguese, so I definitely would like to put out something with those three languages also. So, yeah, it's a work in progress.

CNN: Are you still teaching voice?

Q: I'm not anymore because I'm so busy doing the show. I've changed from doing vocal coaching to doing vocal analysis. That way fans from all over the U.S. can record a demo or send me their demo and I'll analyze it and send you my take on it and send you helpful information as far as vocal therapy. It's easier for me to do that than to have you spend more money to come here.

CNN: Who do you listen to?

Q: I listen to Diane Reeves, she's a jazz artist. Sarah Vaughn, she's deceased, also a jazz artist. Kim Burrell, she's a gospel artist. Queen Latifah. There's this kind of underground artist, his name is P.J. Mortin. His dad is a world renowned minister. I listen to so many different types of music. Diane Schuur, she's a jazz artist. I listen to everything and everyone. Anything I can get my hands on I try to listen to it and take from what they're doing and fuse it into my style of singing.

CNN: As a vocal coach, what kinds of things do you do to condition your voice and keep it in good shape?

Q: I try to get as much sleep as possible -- which was impossible on the Christmas tour. I drink lots of tea. I don't drink enough water. I'm working on that. You should always drink a lot of water as a singer. And stretching excercises. I mean a lot.

CNN: Do you ever give Clay tips on his vocal technique?

Q: We go back and forth. We have our moments. (laughs)

CNN: Who is your dream person to sing for?

Q: Oprah Winfrey! I love Oprah Winfrey. It's not so much "sing for" but I want to meet her. It was like "We're going to do The View so I finally get to meet Star Jones." So I've met Star Jones and I have one more person on my list and I want to meet Oprah Winfrey. She's a strong black woman and I love that about her. And the older she gets the better she looks.

CNN: Who's your dream to sing with?

Q: Well I've already sung with Clay... I don't know. I've never thought about that. Well, you know, I want to work with Jamie Foxx. He's an incredible musician. He's a writer, he's a pianist... Right now that's about it.
photo credit heatherw.com

On Touring

CNN: You toured a lot in 2004. Is that the most you've toured before? What did you take from that?

Q: That was my first tour ever, with Kelly and Clay. That was my first tour. You learn as you go. Like on my first tour, I packed too much stuff. I learned on the second, that I ... still packed too much stuff. And I shopped too much. And on my third tour, I didn't pack as much but I didn't pack enough.

CNN: But you can shop!

Q: Oh, God. I am a shopaholic. I spent more money sending stuff home than I did being on the road. I'm a big fan of decorating the house. If I see anything that I want for home, I'll buy it, I don't care where I'm at. On this tour, I will definitely try not to shop as much.

CNN: How do you stay grounded on tour -- emotionally, physically, spiritually. Do you have certain routines to keep yourself sane or is it "full speed ahead" until it's over?

Q: Everyone on the last tour were all Christians. And we pray constantly. That's the biggest thing right there. None of this would be possible without God. It's amazing because I never in a million years would have thought any of this would have happened to me. I think that's what kept us together. We're all Christians and believe in the power of prayer and know that without Christ none of this would be possible.

CNN: Are you able to stay in touch with Angela between tours?

Q: I talk to Angela and Jacob a whole lot.

CNN: When you're touring, do you prefer the smaller venues or do you like the big arenas? Both?

Q: Both. You guys show so much love, it doesn't matter where we are. Just to have the excitement and the hype from the crowd, it means so much to us. It pushes us even harder on stage.

CNN: Do you guys really have as much fun as you seem to on stage? It looks like you're having a blast.

Q: We are. And more.

The funniest thing to me is to see the same faces, night after night, in every single city. But it's a good thing to have the love. How do you afford to do that? Is there a secret we don't know about?

CNN: Do you have any venues or cities that you're becoming partial to after so many tours?

Q: Definitely Minnesota. They have the Mall of America! Angela and I, this is what we do. Everyone likes to go site seeing, our thing is if we can get to the mall you can tell a lot about a city by their mall. That's what we do. We go to the mall. If we can get to the mall we can tell you everything about the city.

CNN: Is Clay ever going to be able to get you on one of the thrill rides?

Q: Oh no. No. Never. You're talking to somebody who's afraid of the Scooby Doo rollercoaster, and that's for toddlers. He tried everything down to wanting to buy me a puppy, because I want a puppy so bad. But I passed.

CNN: When you guys toured and you started adding the duets, "Chain of Fools," "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," "I Knew You Were Waiting" whose idea were those songs?

Q: I think all of us came up with those together, but it was Clay's idea to add the duets.

CNN: Is there someone you idolize that you've had a chance to meet through your touring who's shown appreciation for your voice?

Q: Just the fans. I don't get to meet many people other than the fans and the people I'm working with. If I'm not shopping, I'm in the dressing room on the internet or on the phone.

CNN: Or getting locked in your dressing room! Did they do a lot of pranks on tour?

Q: Oh gosh yes. It's Clay and Nick. It's always Clay and Nick. It was never anybody else. It's impossible to get them back. They're so smart. Even when we tried stuff on them, they figured it out. Yeah, it's Clay and Nick; they're very funny.

CNN: Are you going to be on tour with Clay this summer?

Q: Oh yeah. You guys are really going to enjoy this tour. Its going to be a lot of fun. Angela, Jacob and myself will be there in full force, ready to entertain you guys.
photo credit charlotteclayfan

On Clay

CNN: We all know you met Clay when you both auditioned [for American Idol]. Is that when your friendship started?

Q: It did. It started in L.A. We spent so much time together because we were both from the South and it was our first time in L.A. Southerners tend to gravitate to Southerners, you know? He had a very kind spirit, and, I don't know, we just clicked.

CNN: Is that you that we see in one of the second season episodes where the guys are going out? Are you the one telling them they ought to be going to bed?

Q: That was me! When I look back on it I think, "Did I take the audition part of this too serious?"

CNN: We still don't understand how you didn't make it farther, but obviously all worked out well.

Q: All things happen for a reason.

CNN: Is that how you ended up on tour with Clay? Because you and Clay knew each other and he knew your voice?

Q: Yeah, basically. He offered for me to come out and audition for his tour, he and Kelly. He set up an audition with me and Randy. Well, it wasn't really an audition; I was just thrown on stage and it was like "sing this." Everything just came together, just simple as that.

I think I'm still in shock. When I see him from where we were when we auditioned in Atlanta to where he is now. He's grown so much and I'm so proud of him. Because I know what we went through. He's an actual activist now. He's an activist and he's a performer. To be a singer and be able to sing and also a have a meaning and something you really believe in. I think it is the best thing in this world. And I'm so proud of him. He knows how I feel. He knows I'll cry in a heartbeat. He's like "Quiana, don't cry." I say, "You don't understand how blessed you are and how proud I am." To have a book and to be triple platinum. Who would have ever thought this would happen?

On The Fans

You guys do not understand how good it feels to me to have the acceptance from you. I just want everyone to know how grateful and thankful I am for their support, especially those who have traveled here to see me perform, because they didn't have to do that.