Surviving TLC members Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins and Rozanda “Chilli” Thomas are practically MTV Video Music Awards royalty, having collected five Moonmen and 11 nominations in their storied career. But even seasoned performers are surprised to discover which current artists are fans of their work.
Take, for instance, Lady Gaga, who contributed a song, “Posh Life,” to the group for their forthcoming release on Sony Music Epic Records, a collection of hits with four new tracks.
“We went to the studio to meet her, and I didn’t know how much of a TLC fan she was,” Watkins told The Hollywood Reporter in a backstage interview at the Barclays Center Sunday night. “I was like, 'Wow. That was just amazing.' You never know who likes you, and I was floored she was such a big fan.”
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Also on tap: a new song, “MTB (Meant To Be),” with hit maker, Ne-Yo, and the new biopic, CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story, set for Oct. 21 on VH1.
The film stars Keke Palmer as Thomas, Drew Sidora as Watkins and Lil Mama as Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez.
“We are very hands-on with the director,” said Watkins. “We were with the girls daily. This is our project -- our baby.”
TLC is enjoying a resurgence of their biggest hit song, “Waterfalls,” thanks to its inclusion in the Jennifer Aniston-Jason Sudeikis film, We're The Millers. How did Watkins and Thomas feel about how their song was used in the comedy?
“He went in! It was so good,” said Watkins of actor Will Poulter’s big scene, in which he raps Lopez's verse in all its word-for-word glory.
She added that her daughter sent her a video directly from the movie theater the second she saw it.
“It warmed my heart,” said Watkins.
