Sunshine Anderson: Sun Therapy

When Sunshine Anderson broke out humming on a cafeteria line at North Carolina Central University, she inadvertently cued the double edged saber that is serendipity at times. A well-connected someone in the audience introduced Anderson to Mike City, then A&R; Vice President of Soul Life/Atlantic, the label under which she eventually signed, nabbed a manager in Macy Gray, released a hit track, “Heard It All Before,” pieced together an album that debuted fifth in 2001 on the Billboard 200, then skidded, uncontrolled, into darkness.

Now, five years later, the Charlotte native returns with Shining Star Inc. - her imprint on Matthew Knowles’ World Music Group label - an album, Sunshine At Midnight, come January ‘07, and a single “Something I Wanna Give You,” making the radio rounds with her trademark lambasting out of hibernation.

Vibe.com caught up with the no nonsense singer to talk about male bashing, her darkest hour and why music will make room for the sun.

Vibe.com: “Get your coat, get your knapsack, get your lazy butt off my couch, I want you out…” Woman to woman, who are you singing to in this single?

Sunshine Anderson: [Laughs] The whole song isn’t directed at one person but it’s definitely a situation that I may have been in at one point. It’s like, “Heard It All Before” part two, except this song is kind of misleading because it starts off sweet.

So “Heard It All Before” isn't for someone specific either?

Sunshine: Well, I can’t say anybody specific. The girl that wrote my current song, Candace Nelson--I wish I could have been there with her so I could figure out what was going on in her life when she wrote it. I hate to beat up on the fellas so bad. I meet guys all the time that tell me, “You had me in the doghouse!”

Are you in a relationship with anybody now?

Sunshine: I am, I am.

How does he respond to the man bashing?

Sunshine: I’ll come home from the studio so excited about this record, and I’ll say, "ok, listen to this." He’ll kind of just sit there and won’t say anything. When it’s over, I have to say, “Well? What do you think?” He’ll tell the truth. He’ll go, “you dogging me out right here, but I like the beat.”

I bet it might make a brother nervous when you say “I had faked it in bed more than once…”

Sunshine: [Laughs] No, I don’t think so! I think he’s pretty secure in a few areas when it comes to us, so he’s not nervous.

You didn’t write the song but to sing something like this, you have to relate to it. Is music therapy to you?

Sunshine: