Syleena Johnson Brings Her Couples Therapy Album To Life WIth Musical Film
Couples Therapy was released on BET as an original musical film that documents a couple’s roller coaster ride through heaven and hell as they fight to save a damaged marriage. The musical film is the brainchild of Tangie B. Moore from Tier 2 Films and based off the new album from Grammy-nominated R&B singer Syleena Johnson; titled Chapter 6: Couples Therapy.
When the pair first started on the project, it was only supposed to be a music video, but the content was more powerful and dynamic than they could’ve ever expected. Soon a request for more footage came in, footage that would capture it into a one-hour TV special. That set the wheels in motion for Moore and she envisioned something better. “People know that I’m the type of person to always wants to push the envelope. When I heard about the special and then heard how amazing Syleena’s album was—I didn’t want to limit it to what had already been done before. I didn’t want to pigeon-hold it and just put it in a box. I felt there was enough content and material off of each one of those songs to tie them into an actual storyline and write a script based off of the album and that’s exactly what I did,” Moore explains.
Tangie also talked about the depth of Johnson’s album and how listening to it from beginning to end took her through emotions at different times. Chapter 6, the album, is was not only deep, but it’s also real, as we mentioned in our review when the project was released late last year. “It’s very rare that music today, can have that type of emotional impact on you; like back in the day—music would take you through different dimensions and layers of emotions and now a lot of music is lacking in that. With Couples Therapy the album, I found it so multi-dimensional that I was able to create a whole world and Syleena fell right into character for the film,” says Moore.
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Although Syleena Johnson has had a starring role on R&B Divas, filming a movie was a little different. She credits being in a positive environment and being surrounded by an incredible and supportive crew for helping her through. In preparing for her role she said, “I only read the script halfway through, because I already knew the story. I had just sung the story. Now there were different elements that I had not experienced before, like the character Jasion played by Hajii Golightly having a baby outside our marriage or the experience of losing a child, but I have to say that life got me ready for the role.”
Since releasing her Chapter series of albums, Johnson reveals that most of them have been based on her actual life. She discussed how the first album in the series, Chapter 1: Love, Pain & Forgiveness was written about a man that ran off and got married to another woman, whilst being in a relationship with her. He came back wearing a ring and lied about it. Although that was many years ago and she’s happily married now, she’s still learning and still healing.
Syleena and husband Kiwane Garris appeared on the last season of Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars, not because there were problems in their marriage, but because they wanted to learn how to communicate with each other more effectively. Often times there’s a stigma in the African-American community against therapy. Johnson’s urges folks to take heed, especially women, explaining that many times women carry too much. They are trying to be everything to everyone without taking out time for themselves. In regards to therapy Syleena openly offers, “If you get stabbed in your arm and it’s bleeding, and it hurts, don’t you go to the doctor? Don’t you try to nurse it? Don’t you try to stop the bleeding and stop the pain? It’s no different going to a head doctor—it’s for your head, your heart, your mind and your spirit. There are also behavioral things that we need to learn how to deal with and therapy can help with that. In medical school, they branch off into specialties because not one doctor can deal with every part of the body. Don’t be afraid to go and talk to someone. I love going to therapy.”
When Couples Therapy aired on BET, Moore talked about how funny it was to follow along via Twitter and read the comments. It was a very positive response and they are planning to go back to BET and discuss re-airing it without the cuts to commercial; referencing the cut of the highly anticipated “Harmony” duet with Syleena and Dave Hollister. Additionally, Moore reveals that Tier 2 Films has more projects in the works, some with Johnson. There may perhaps be a few more TV films and fans should also be on the look out for a reality project.
Johnson is continuing to stay busy and encourages fans to purchase Chapter 6: Couples Therapy and follow her on twitter @Syleena_Johnson. Stay tuned to your local listings for the next airing of the film version of Couples Therapy. The film will likely be on DVD soon as well.
Check Out The Film Trailer Here:
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