Walmart Soundcheck

Soundcheck sits down for a one-on-one with Solange Knowles: a talented singer/songwriter and rising pop star. Stepping out from her famous sister Beyonce's shadow, Solange is ready to soak up the spotlight. Her soulful new album, 'Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams' channels the romantic sounds of the '60s and '70s while managing to still sound current. Better yet, it's already generating a ton of buzz. Check out our illuminating Q&A session with Solange - and pick up a copy of her dreamy new disc, 'Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams,' online and in Walmart stores nationwide.

-The Crew at Wal-Mart Soundcheck

Highlights from our Q&A:

On Traveling Back to the Future:
"'Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams' is my new project and I've been working on it for the last three years. It's a collection of '60s and '70s-inspired soul music songs. I really took from that era; I listened to a lot of Dusty Springfield, The Marvelettes, The Supremes, which is very evident. I also was really inspired by electronic music. I traveled to Europe a lot over the past eight years and listened to a lot of downbeat electronic music, and I have hints of that in the record as well."

On Partying with the Producers:
"Cee-Lo, who I literally had to beg and stalk to work with on my record; he wanted to give me my freedom, which he doesn't do with a lot of other artists. I said to him "What do we have to do to vibe, Cee-Lo?" and he said, "We gotta go out and party!" He and I really got to vibe and interact and get to know each other and that definitely helps when you're writing with someone. It's very difficult to get to open up with someone and tell your story when you've just met them an hour before."

On the Songwriting Machine:
"I actually have been writing since I was about eight, believe it or not. There was a contest in Texas, a foundation called 'The United Way.' They had a statewide competition for all public school students to turn in a jingle as part of the music and arts program. I think 30,000 students submitted and my song won first place. That was a big deal for me. Writing is definitely a better form of communication for me than anything. I can always get my point and emotion better across when I take the time to sit down and format it. I've written for my sisters, Kelly and Michelle. All of them I know very well and I can pinpoint the emotion they want to get across."

On Inspirations in Music and Art:
"I'm inspired a lot by all kinds of music. There's an artist who probably single-handedly inspired me. When I was about 13, I came across this record by Shuggie Otis. He was a '70s guitar player but he also played (every type of) music. What's interesting about him is that he was such an incredible artist that The Rolling Stones - at the height of their career - actually asked him to replace their guitarist. He turned it down, which at the time was unheard of. He was so in touch with his artistry. If you listen to his records, none of his songs have formats. Clearly from top to bottom how he felt; he had a thousand chord changes and instruments. He was a true artist's artist. Also, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye… and a lot of new artists. John Mayer, I love his writing, I love his lyrics. Sia, I identify with a lot but I get inspiration from my music everywhere, not just musical artists but also artists: Basquiat, Murakami, Damian Hearst. I'm really inspired by art as well."

On Acting Vs. Art:
"I plan on doing more acting in the future when the role is right for me. In the past I was young and eager to soak up any opportunity. Now that I've had my son and I've truly been able to see joy and what that feels like, well I want to do things that are passionate for me and not because the opportunity is there. I'm just waiting for the role that will actually change me and grow me because if it's not going to grow me in any kind of way then - other than the check which is nice too - I'm really not benefiting from it!"

On Motherhood:
"I remember the first time my son was brought into the world. I was 18 years old - and 18 is when life really starts taking a toll and having meaning to it. It's the only thing in my life that at the end of the day I know will always be there. My career may come and go; my friends may come and go, but my son will always be there. Every decision I make will affect him and that's a beautiful thing. Now I have someone to inspire and who inspires me, and that I can teach and who can teach me so many things. Seeing his boldness and his fearlessness has impacted me as a person as well. It's definitely not a breeze in the park - but at the end of the day it just feels amazing."

On Her Record's Social Conscience:
"It was really important to me to touch on things that had some kind of social consciousness to it. It is important to me to stand by things and not just do things because they look or sound hot. To have songs on the album that actually inspire people. I have songs on the record that touch on everything from the war to the Katrina situation to just the state that our society is in right now. I feel that the older I get the more things that our parents thought were really risqué are really second nature to us. I think that I definitely have a sense of consciousness, and I want that to reflect in my music."

Solange Says:
"Listen to my record as a body of work. I know that the music and all the imagery now is really in a state of partying and going out. It's fun - I love and support those records - but I really hope that my generation wants more than that. I really hope that they can be inspired with this music and this record. It does have a social consciousness. My video does touch on the civil rights movement and all the things that paved the way for us. I hope that the fans enjoy that and respect that - and it feels good to them - because that's what I made it for."