Talk Magazine (2001)

The Fire This Time Talk Magazine, September 2001

TLC's Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes goes solo--but will she finally simmer down?

The most combustible member of a trio that always seems ready to go up in smoke, TLC's Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes looked for a moment as if she were ready to grow up: The 30-year-old singer got engaged to longtime flame, NFL star wide receiver Andre Rison, just seven years after she set fire to the $1.5 million mansion the couple shared in Atlanta. But just a week before the wedding her rep delcared that the couple had called it quit. Meanwhile, her relationship with bandmates Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas and Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, whom she once pubicly challenged to a battle of solo albums, may be ready to ignite. Lopes's first CD, Supernova--a mix of tough-gal raps, exuberant Latin-tinged jams, and Prince-esque soul psychedelia--is a radical departure from her girl group roots. As the left-of-the-center album reflects, Lopes remains the joker in the TLC pack.

What have you got in your hand?

It's a dodecahedron, a 12-sided ball--which is the same as the number of songs on the album. When you buy my CD you get a puzzle that turns into a dodecahedron. You throw the ball, and when it lands on a particular song, you play it. I call that game "Eyenetics."

How does this record stand apart from your work with TLC?

It represents me and who I am. The TLC records don't. I don't stand behind all of the songs. Like "Creep." I wasn't too hot on the idea of telling women that if their man was cheating that it's all right to cheat back. I wanted to wear tape over my mouth in the video but the record company begged me not to.

What's the state of your relationship with Chilli and T-Boz?

It's deeper than a working relationship. We have feelings for each other, which is why we get so mad at each other. I usually say that you cannot hate someone unless you love them. So, we love each other. That's the problem. [Laughs]"