Posted by | Ray Cornelius
Singing siren Amel Larrieux recently sat down with The Huffington Post to talk about her new album, Ice Cream Everyday.
The 39-year old singer, who’s currently in the middle of a three night engagement at NYC’s Blue Note Jazz Club, also shared her thoughts about today’s crop of R&B talent, the joys of being an independent artist and what she and Groove Theory partner, Bryce, have been up to. Check out a few excerpts from the interview…
On not feeling pressured to record trendy music…
I remember when I was on the major label that I was signed to, and one of the biggest qualms that they had with me, therefore I had with them, was that I didn’t sound like what was on the radio [production wise, writing wise, vocal arrangement, etc.]. And that actually has been my saving grace, because for me personally I’m very opinionated.
I will tell you straight up what I don’t like about my stuff…I don’t do trendy stuff, and I don’t feel like anything that I’ve ever done is dated. And that’s absolutely because the internet took everyone by surprise. I don’t think these big labels thought that their heyday would ever be challenged due to people’s access to this other world. And I have to say that I really, really, really, really love this album more than anything that I’ve done, and I don’t think I said that before about anything else that I’ve done.
Amel Larrieux with GT partner, Bryce
Her views about today’s R&B music and artists…
I probably don’t listen to what you would consider “straight R&B.” It’s really weird because I feel like those lines have blurred a lot. I remember when Usher was “R&B,” but now he’s considered “Pop,” but that’s only because of what “popular” is, so I don’t know. For me, R&B is about Rhythm & Blues, so that would be a soul kind of singer. Though she is not commercially successful, I think Georgia Anne Muldrow is the best thing that has happened in the last decade. Her voice is R&B to me. But I don’t necessarily run into what would be considered mainstream R&B, but I don’t run away from it. When Drake sings to me he’s R&B, and I like Drake.
On releasing new Groove Theory material…
The only reason we haven’t done anything is because we would like to be offered a good situation. So far, the offers that we’ve had aren’t what we’re looking for, because we both have other careers and stuff…Almost two years ago Bryce and I did five nights in Tokyo, and this past summer we performed at the Blue Note Jazz Festival at Summer Stage. So we’ve done live stuff, but we’re not recording. He moves around a lot because he’s still pursuing his film career, so we’re not always in the same place. But it’s been nice to have the opportunity to go out and do live stuff. It’s a great way to have a second life…
Click here for the full interview and check out one of our favorite tunes from her and Sade’s band, Sweetback…
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