Tweet's first steps into a career in the music industry first began when she enrolled in her local Performing Arts School. In 1990, at the age of 19, Tweet gave birth to her daughter Tashawna. The name came from a mixture of both parents name "T" from Tweet and "shawn" from Shawn, and the addition of two "a"s.
In the early nineties Tweet joined the female quintet Sugah, leaving her daughter with her parents in Panama City, Florida, while Tweet relocated to Virginia. Sugah was comprised of Tweet, Susan Weems, and Rolita and was a part of Devante Swing's Swing Mob collective. While there, she met Timbaland, Magoo, Missy Elliott (who at the time was a part of the Hip-Hop/R&B group Sista), Playa, and Ginuwine who were also all apart of the Swing Mob collective. During her time with Sugah, Tweet formed a close friendship with Elliott.
Around 1999 with Sugah going nowhere, no album to show, and many broken promises, Tweet returned to her parents' home in Panama City penniless and depressed. Tweet fell into deeper depression after a string of bad relationships and a number of jobs, all the while hiding her depression from her family. The depression got so bad she had planned to commit suicide. The day before she was to go through with her fateful decision she received a phone call from an old friend. That friend was Missy Elliott. She was calling to ask if Tweet would contribute background vocals on her latest album Miss E ...So Addictive. Tweet felt she could tell Elliott about her situation and what she was going through. To this day she calls Elliott her "Guardian Angel".
In 2000 Tweet began recording vocals for Elliott's album and was also reunited with her old friends from the Swing Mob days, Timbaland, Magoo, Playa, and Ginuwine. She also recorded vocals for Timbaland & Magoo's follow-up to their platinum selling 1997 debut album Welcome To Our World and Timbaland's solo album Tim's Bio: Life From Da Bassment. In 2001 Elliott released her Platinum selling third album Miss E ...So Addictive with Tweet contributing vocals to five tracks. 2001 also the release of Ja Rule's Pain Is Love, Beat Club Records Bubba Sparxxx's Dark Days, Bright Days, Petey Pablo's Diary Of A Sinner: 1st Entry and Timbaland & Magoo's Indecent Proposal, all of which Tweet contributes vocals. Meanwhile, Tweet was signed to Elliott's record label, through Elektra Entertainment Group, The Goldmind Inc. with the help of an impromptu performance of "Motel" for Violator Management's Mona Scott. Not only was she signed to The Goldmind Inc. but also to Violator Management. With this Tweet began recording her debut album. In November of 2001, Tweet made her debut on the single's charts as a feature artist along with Ginuwine on Elliott's "Take Away", a tribute to Elliott's late friend Aaliyah. Timbaland & Magoo's "All Y'all" featuring Sebastian (Timbaland's younger brother) followed.
n March 2002, Tweet flew onto the charts with her debut solo single "Oops (Oh My)", a risqué song about self-loving and masturbation. The song was produced by Timbaland and featured guest vocals by Missy Elliott. The single hit #1 on the R&B Charts and #7 on the US Pop Charts, with the help of a Remix featuring Fabolous.
In April, Tweet released her debut album Southern Hummingbird to rave reviews. The album featured production by Craig Brockman, Nisan Stewart, guitarist John "Jubu" Smith, Timbaland (who contributed four tracks) and Tweet herself. It also featured guest vocals by Elliott "Oops (Oh My)", Bilal "Best Friend", BeatClub Record's Ms. Jade "Sexual Healing (Oops Pt. 2)" and featured a bonus new track from Elliott "Big Spender". The album was filled with soul stirring vocals and lyrics taken from Tweet's own life experiences, some of which were at the time written on napkins. The album spwanned another two singles, Timbaland produced "Call Me" and the radio single "Smoking Cigarettes", which had a video shot for it and directed by Little X but was never released. The album reached #3 on the Billboard album charts, behind Murder Inc.'s Ashanti self-titled debut album. That year Tweet appeared as a guest vocalist on Trina's second single from her hit album Diamond Princess. The song was called "No Panties" and was written and produced by Missy Elliott and Nisan Stewart. Tweet also appeared on Meshell Ndegeocello's Cookie: The Anthropological Mixtape, Karen Clark Sheard's 2nd Chance, Ms. Jade's Girl Interrupted, Whitney Houston's Just Whitney... and Elliott's 2x Platinum selling album Under Construction. Tweet appeared on four of the tracks and also made a cameo performance in both videos released from the album, "Work It" and "Gossip Folks". Tweet was nominated for a Soul Train Lady of Soul Award (among others) for Best New Artist but lost out to her rival Ashanti. But that year Tweet was awarded the Key To The City for Rochester, New York. Along with Missy Elliott, Lil' Kim, DMX, Toni Braxton, Queen Latifah, Ananda Lewis, Playa, Jamie Foxx, Lil' Mo, AJ, Free (among others), Tweet appeared in the late Aaliyah's posthumous hit single "Miss You".
With 2003 came more guest vocals appearances, Madonna's American Life The Remixes Single, Monica's After The Storm, Mark Ronson's Here Comes The Fuzz and Angie Stone's Stone Love on the 2004 Grammy nominated song "U-Haul". Tweet turned to acting, having a cameo appearance in the film Honey, directed by music video director Billie Woodruff and starring Jessica Alba, Mekhi Phifer, Lil' Romeo, Joy Bryant and Missy Elliott. Tweet's other acting credits include an episode of the comedy series The Parkers in 2002, in which she performed "Oops (Oh My)" and "Smoking Cigarettes". Tweet also appeared on the Honey Soundtrack on the Missy Elliott produced "Thugman" which sample's The Wu-Tang Clan's "Y'all Been Warned". Tweet also performed the Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins produced track "Hypnotic" in the film, but it doesn't feature on the soundtrack.
Tweet's third studio album, "Love, Tweet" has had several delays. As of late Summer 2010, Tweet was currently heading to L.A to finish recording the album as confirmed via Twitter on September 14, 2010 also the album may be double disk. The albums' lead single is "Love Again." The album is said to be complete. No official release date is known at this time.
Outro: I Surrender
Tweet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My heart is broken in so many pieces
But here I am to receive love from you (here I am)
Ooh, ooh
With all the patience
And arms wide open
You said you would
That you would handle me well (handle me well)
You take my heart
And you love the pain away
You said you would
That you would embrace it
So I kindly place it in your hands
Today, today, today, today, today
I put it all in your hands
Today, today, today, today, today
It'll get better
Today, today, today, today, today
Each day I walk with you
I know it will
Today, today, today, today, today
It'll get better, better (today)
Today, today, today
Better, better, better
Yeah, today (day)
Better, better, better
I know it will
Today, today, today, today
Better, better, better
Better, better, better
The song "Outro: I Surrender" by Tweet is a song about surrendering oneself to the healing power of love. The singer of the song is someone who is broken, and in need of healing. They have been hurt so bad that their heart has been shattered into pieces. Despite this, they are still standing, holding on to the hope that love can make them whole again. The singer expresses their willingness to surrender themselves, their pain, and their broken heart to the person they love. They have faith in their love, believing that this person will handle them delicately and will love the pain away. They put their trust in this person and are willing to walk with them each day, knowing that it will get better with time.
The lyrics of "I Surrender" illustrate the idea of vulnerability and the power of love in healing. It's about allowing oneself to be vulnerable, trusting and surrendering. It takes a lot of courage to stay faithful when one is emotionally damaged, but the singer of the song has the strength to rise above their pain and surrender to the power of love. The song encourages listeners to have faith and trust in the healing power of love, as it can help one overcome their toughest battles.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm faint, but I'm standing (standing)
Despite feeling weak and exhausted, I am still standing on my own two feet.
My heart is broken in so many pieces
My heart is shattered and fragmented due to painful experiences.
But here I am to receive love from you (here I am)
Even though I am wounded, I am open to accepting love and support from you.
With all the patience
You have all the necessary patience.
And arms wide open
You are ready to receive and comfort me with open arms.
You said you would
That you would handle me well (handle me well)
You promised to take care of me and help me heal from my pain.
And I believe you will, so delicately
I trust in your ability to handle me with care and gentleness.
You take my heart
And you love the pain away
Through your love and compassion, you help me ease the emotional pain within my heart.
You said you would
That you would embrace it
So I kindly place it in your hands
You promised to embrace my broken heart, so I am willingly entrusting it to you for healing.
Today, today, today, today, today
I put it all in your hands
Today, I am surrendering my broken heart to you completely.
It'll get better
Today, today, today, today, today
Each day I walk with you
I know it will
Even though my heart is broken, I am confident that things will improve as I continue to walk with you every day.
Today, today, today, today, today
It'll get better, better (today)
Today, I believe that my heart will start to heal and things will improve for me.
Today, today, today
Better, better, better
Yeah, today (day)
Today is the day when things will start to improve for me, becoming better and better.
Better, better, better
I know it will
Today, today, today, today
Better, better, better
Better, better, better
I am confident that things will continue to improve and become better every day, starting with today.
Writer(s): Craig Xavier Brockman, Charlene L Keys, Charles W Bereal, Jairus Lemuel-jada Mozee
Contributed by Brody W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.