Singer Olivia Longott seemed to have bizounced from the entertainment scene entirely after departing VH1′s “Love and Hip Hop.” However, the former reality star is back with a tell-all book, Release Me: My Life, My Words, and of course has found her way back into the studio. In the memoir, Olivia describes how she got her start, gives a peek into her love life including a secret on-and-off relationship with singer Shaggy, and chronicles the ups and downs of the music business, including her split from 50Cent‘s G-Unit.
Olivia spoke with UPTOWN to discuss Release Me, why she walked away from her ratings-grabbing manager Rich Dollaz and reality TV, and what stirs her creative juices now.
UPTOWN: You have probably been asked a million times, “When is Olivia going to release new music?” So what was the reasoning behind putting a book out before any new music?
Olivia: I spoke about the book maybe two years ago. I was talking to Tony Gaskins Jr. and he said I should write a book. I thought, well, I have 12 godchildren and I always wanted to write kids books. But he said no, it’s time that I told my story. I still pushed it to the side, and then when I got with author Carl Weber to work on his new series. He told me also that I should do a book, so I thought maybe this is a sign. I have been writing poetry since I was a teen and I write my own music, so I thought I can do this. I knocked it out in a couple weeks. That’s what is so crazy to me, you would think people would know more about me. This book gives them a peek into my world and how I am.
UPTOWN: Release Me takes the readers along on a journey with you, was that on purpose?
Olivia: Yes, I wanted it to read like a novel and not like a biography. That way you can see the conversations that I had with vice presidents and executives. I wanted you guys to physically feel like you were there.
UPTOWN: From watching you on “Love and Hip Hop,” and reading your book, there seems to be a complete contradiction.
Olivia: [LHHNY is] nothing like who I am at all. I try to explain to people without saying it’s scripted, but we had to follow a certain storyline. So it won’t be what we want to talk about, it’ll be about where the producers want us to go. So of course on the show, you wouldn’t see Olivia because I’m following something that they want to chase. And it’s nothing that I would talk about in my everyday life, or even hanging with folks that I would chill with. So I’m basically like, “Bitch I don’t want to be sitting across from you, are we done yet?” (laughs)
UPTOWN: A lot of times, reality television stars blame editing on why their behavior comes off the way it does. What do you think about that?
Olivia: Producers are going to try everything to get the story they want, but it’s up to you whether or not you fall for it.
UPTOWN: Now the previews for the reunion of the current season of “Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta” tease a huge physical fight, but you never took part in any fights.
Olivia: Absolutely not, I would not do that for ratings. I wouldn’t do that in my personal life, because my parents didn’t raise me like that. I don’t feel like I have to act a fool and partake in all those shenanigans. I’m an artist and you guys should love me for my music, which is my talent. I don’t have to do any of that stuff; I have morals. I have too many little girls and other women that look up to me, to even stoop that low or subject myself to that.
UPTOWN: Is that the reason you left the show?
Olivia: It is definitely a reason. When we first started, when it was me, Chrissy [Lampkin], and Emily [Bustamente], it was nothing like it is today. Even when we did the second season, it still wasn’t as crazy. When we got to the third season, I was still there. Remember Chrissy and Emily had already left by then? So it was already turning into something else. I had to think about whether or not I wanted to return for a fourth season, and of course they sent over the paperwork and thought I’d sign off and show up for work. I decided that it just wasn’t where it was at, so I left.
The other blessing was after I left I auditioned for a role with Carl Weber and I got it. So I thought real acting is where it’s at and I should really hone in on this. I started auditioning more and getting the gigs. My acting coach Tracy Moore, I have been working with her for six years, so everything I audition for, I get called back or get referred for something else. Real acting is what I should be doing, so it’s become my second love, aside from music.
UPTOWN: Do you think being on the show helped your career at all?
Olivia: It did help me because I didn’t act like the other girls. People would always say Olivia was always the classy one. I loved that people paid attention to that fact. I would go audition and people would say, “Oh no, not from ‘Love and Hip Hop,’” and then someone would say she was the one that was not fighting, and then they’d say, “Yeah, we want to see her.” I feel like it didn’t hurt me because I kept my integrity.
UPTOWN: Karlie Redd from the LHHATL cast said in an interview that Tyler Perry turned her down for a role because of the show.
Olivia: All he had to do was pull up the reel. You can’t hide that (laughs).
UPTOWN: If you had to do it all over again, would you do it again?
Olivia: I wouldn’t change a thing. I think everything happens for a reason. I am a God fearing woman and I believe that whatever I go through, I’m supposed to go through to learn a lesson. I feel like “Love and Hip Hop” was just another stepping stone for me and I got to show off my talent and perform some of my singles. Everyone got to be reacquainted with me, so it didn’t hurt me and I wouldn’t change a thing.
UPTOWN: Are you working on new music?
Olivia: Of course! The music is almost wrapped up. I changed so many things. I did fire Rich Dollaz, and I just needed to get away from all that. I felt like he liked the spotlight from “Love and Hip Hop” too much, and as a manager he was letting that take away his ability to be looked at as a serious manager. So when people looked at him and me on the show, they were like this doesn’t match. They would question if that’s her manager is that the type of business he does like on the show. So I didn’t want any of that to be associated with me at all. So I changed everything up, and I’m finishing up my new label deal right now. I am very excited and I have a lot of producers that I am working with. I am just so amazed at my artist friends and the ones who aren’t that jumped up to work with me on the album. I have a record with Estelle and Luke James, Blaze, Wale. I love Wale! I think he gets a bad rap and the public picks on him too much, but he’s a great lyricist. Ne-Yo wrote me an amazing record, there are so many big and great names that worked with me on this. I am really excited, so when you guys get the music, you’ll see why it took so long.
Release Me: My Life, My Words is available now. And Olivia’s new album titled, Where Do I Go from Here, will be released early-2015.