Rising R&B/Pop sensation STAN GENIUS is ready to take the music world by storm. The Singer-songwriter released his first project LightSkin Issues in 2017 followed by A Genius Holiday. I caught up with Stan Genius to discuss his latest single "Cross Your Mind", Upcoming Project, Musical Influences & much more...
TERRANCE: First, tell us a little about where you’re from and when you realized you were ready to share your gifts with the world.
STAN GENIUS: I'm from Atlanta, Georgia. Music is always something I knew I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to share my gift with the world by age 5, by putting on my first “homemade” concert as well as selling original CD’s.
TERRANCE: Who were your musical influences growing up?
STAN GENIUS: Michael Jackson, Charlie Wilson, Luther Vandross, and Stevie Wonder were all very influential to me at a young age.
TERRANCE: In one word describe your sound.
STAN GENIUS: FUN! It's RnB with a Pop appeal.
TERRANCE: As a songwriter, do you usually write from the experiences of your own or the experiences of others?
STAN GENIUS: Hahaha.. both. I can see something casual in life that may not pertain to me that I think is a good concept for a song, but the more personal and serious ones are usually experiences of my own.
TERRANCE: Talk about the inspiration behind your single “Cross Your Mind”.
STAN GENIUS: "Cross Your Mind" was a very fun song to write haha. Me and B (my writing partner) wrote it literally in like 30min over FaceTime. Just thinking of that place in a relationship where it seems like things have hit the fan but you don’t want it to end, which I think is a very relatable feeling for everyone.
TERRANCE: What can you tell us about your upcoming project Star Burst?
STAN GENIUS: Of course. I can definitely say that this music is the best I've ever made and I can’t wait for my fans to hear. It’s very fun and has a great energy. I believe it will make you happy!
TERRANCE: Do you consider social media fundamental to an artist career and independent music in general?
STAN GENIUS: No, I think what’s fundamental is your product, your music. Not a number of followers. I think it can be a great platform to reach people and show your work but I think it's sad that there's so many talented people that do not get the shot they deserve because everything is based off that number.
TERRANCE: From your perspective, what’s a key quality that makes an artist great?
STAN GENIUS: That artist believing that they are intact great.
TERRANCE: What are your aspirations outside of music?
STAN GENIUS: Love this question. One of my biggest goals outside of music is to buy the Falcons when I'm older.
TERRANCE: Are there any upcoming shows, special events or appearances you can tell us about?
STAN GENIUS: I will be performing at the HotLanta Music Festival this month as well as my on going High-School Tour with Hot 107.9 and MEG in Atlanta.
TERRANCE: What advice would you give to the aspiring artist who aspire to do what you do?
STAN GENIUS: Don’t let anyone tell you want you can’t do. Find ways to keep inspiring yourself to keep going EVEN when you DON'T see the results! That's what makes the difference.
TERRANCE: Any final words you would like to share with the readers, your fans and followers about yourself and your music?
STAN GENIUS: I love you all so much, can’t wait for you to hear this new music! Till next time.
Emerging singer/songwriter, LORELLE HOWARD, has spent the last two years preparing a three part, experimental album based on her love of the number 7 and her fascination with the moon. Reconnecting with multi-platinum French producer, Blastar (Pusha T, Tyga, Dinos) in 2017, they began working on the independent project and finished recording the final songs in Paris. The first part, SE7EN PHASES: Moonscape, features a unique blend of genres and includes a track for each type of listener. Each song lures you in and then builds, leaving you inspired to hear more. More importantly each track has a message and discusses relatable themes. Written and recorded in Montreal and Paris, Moonscape is available across all platforms and her latest visual for her single, “Black Sheep” can be found on YouTube. If you happen to be in London, you may catch Lorelle singing one of her originals at various open mics.
'Se7en Phases: Moonscape' is available on all digital streaming music services
TERRANCE: First off, congratulations on the release of your debut
EP Se7en Phases: Moonscape. What has the feedback been like thus far?
LORELLE
HOWARD:Thank you so much. So far I've had some pretty
good feedback. I'm currently in London and I've met some incredibly talented
people who have been super supportive. It's been just over 2 weeks though, so
we will be pushing Moonscape for a
bit.
TERRANCE: How would you describe the creative process behind this project?
LORELLE
HOWARD:Moonscape
is just one piece of who I am. With this part, we wanted to actually explore
sounds that I normally didn't use. My first single, “Shadows”, was an original
I wrote and played acoustically and my producer elevated it to give it a more
current sound, but it was super R&B. We wanted to push my capabilities with
this Moonscape and it really worked.
We discussed concepts and sounds and were led by that. Every single track has a
little story behind it and that helped us to remain really creative. We also
decided to do a 3 part project because we understood that there was no way to
portray our artistry over 7 tracks. So Moonscape
is just a glimpse. Also, each part features a song that is
"other"...one that is not like the others. In this case, “The Moon”
is the track that is different than the rest. It's simply an expression through
sound. The other 2 parts will feature the same thing. It's truly an
experimental project.
TERRANCE: Talk about the story behind your single “Black Sheep”.
LORELLE
HOWARD: “Black Sheep” is a really personal song. With
Blastar, my producer, we had many conversations about my sound and his music and
I expressed feelings of self-doubt and feeling like I wasn't making popular
music. We both have so many stories about this exact feeling and we wanted to
create a song about it. Sort of how other people can put you down. It's this
idea that as an artist you should be as creative as possible, but don't be too
"other". Don't go too far or else it won't be understood. So it's a
song about trying to find my voice as an artist and sort of questioning what
I'm doing because I think everyone questions what they are doing at some point.
But at the end of the day, although I'm saying I may feel like a black sheep
sometimes, the message is to keep working and fighting for what you believe in.
No matter what.
TERRANCE: What was the filming process and experience like behind
the visual?
LORELLE
HOWARD: I love thisvisual because it was
really a last minute decision. We wanted to capture something moody and dark
and one day my producer said let's walk around Paris and film. So it's 2 half
days of footage spliced together. It was raining at one point, but it added to
the overall vibe. We had other ideas too, but this just happened to work. We
wanted to be literal. Like I'm a black sheep so I'm alone. Trying to find my
way. And that's what the clip is. Super moody, dark and me trying to find my
path.
TERRANCE: Is there a particular song on the EP that was harder to record than
others?
LORELLE
HOWARD: I'm like a speed recorder normally, but I was
sick when I finished recording “Landmine” actually. This is always difficult.
When you feel your voice wanting to give out, but you already paid for the
session so you have to make it work. “Ascent” was also interesting as I only
sang twice all the way through and we chose the best of each take. It's an
emotional song so I had to control the urge to cry during that one.
TERRANCE: What role does Brooklyn play in your music?
LORELLE
HOWARD: Brooklyn is where I spent majority of my adult
life. I have seen so many things. I've watched my neighborhood change
completely. I've worked in various places throughout Brooklyn. Majority of my
friends are in New York and so songs like “No Change”, which is about staying
loyal to the crew you have already, reminds me of Brooklyn and the people I
love there.
TERRANCE: Are there any artists you would like to collaborate with
in the near future?
LORELLE
HOWARD: Of course. As an independent artist, there are
literally a ton of independents I would love to work with. In terms of mainstream,
I would say Janelle Monae would be first. The life in her voice is incredible.
Brandy is someone who I would just like to sit in a room with and listen to her
sing. I've dreamed of working with her. Next I would say Jaden Smith and
Childish Gambino. I think they are both super talented and intelligent.
Independents would be KO-lition and Chris Brown, who actually
happen to be friends of mine. Super talented brothers who are making waves
right now. There are also some incredible artists I've met while in London:
Geo, SOA, Laura Roy and Marc TC. Great talent. Go look them up. You won't be
disappointed.
TERRANCE: Outside of music, what inspires you?
LORELLE HOWARD:I can be inspired by
anything actually. Sometimes it's one conversation with my mom. Sometimes
watching the people around me whom I love grinding. Nature. I'm inspired when I
hear the laughter of a child. Honestly, we have a lot to be inspired by.
TERRANCE: Can we expect to see you hit the road anytime soon?
LORELLE HOWARD: My main plan is to do some smaller shows in NY and Montreal,
which will hopefully turn into a tour. I also am working on the 2nd part of Se7en Phases, which will be out pretty
soon. So we will see as I still have recording to do.
TERRANCE: In the next five years, where do you see yourself as an
artist?
LORELLE HOWARD:Honestly, every day I'm evolving. My life is always changing; the
world is changing. I always try to tell stories that reflect my present and I
hope people relate. So I hope in 5 years, I'm doing something bigger that will
affect change within people. My goal is always to inspire so as long as I stay
true to that, I'm good.
TERRANCE: If you could create the ultimate throwback R&B
playlist, what songs would you feature?
LORELLE HOWARD:Aaliyah for sure. Anything Aaliyah.
Mary J. Blige - Real Love
Brandy - I Wanna Be Down
Brownstone - If You Love Me
Blackstreet - No Diggity
Ginuwine - Pony
Total - Can't You Se
TLC - What About Your Friends
Soul For Real - Candy Rain
112 - Only You
Faith Evans - Love Like This
Mya - It's All About Me
SWV - I'm So Into You
Add any Erykah Badu, D'Angelo, Jodeci, Xscape, Tony Toni Tone,
702, Next and we're good.
This list can go on forever....
TERRANCE: Lastly, what
do you hope listeners take away from the Se7en Phases: Moonscape
experience?
LORELLE HOWARD:I hope people find a song that resonates within them and their
lives. Each track is so different, but each song has a message if you listen. I
also hope people love the music. A lot of work went into choosing each song. I
want people to know that this is just a taste though!
Grammy Award-winning Recording artist TAMELA MANN has dropped the music video for "Mason Jar" from her latest collaborative album, Us Against the World: The Love Project with husband NAACP Image Award-Winning Actor and Comedian DAVID MANN.
"Mason Jar" showcases Tamela's tender vocals paying tribute to her grandmother, mother and the love of her life, David.
Last year, RnBJunkieOfficial caught up with David and Tamela Mann for an Exclusive interview to discuss their album, book, tour and much more. See HERE!
Meelah who is best known as the lead singer and one-third of the Platinum-selling 90's R&B group 702 that brought the music world top forty hits such as "Steelo", "Get It Together", their feature on Missy's "Beep Me 911" and breakout top five ladies anthem, "Where My Girls At?", returns with her latest singles "Desert Love" & "Now You're Mad" available on all digital music platforms. I caught up with Meelah to discuss her upcoming long-awaited debut solo album, motherhood, return of 702, Unsung, State of R&B and more...
TERRANCE: You released your latest single “Now You’re Mad”, so update us on that and other forthcoming projects. MEELAH: "Now You're Mad" is a song I recorded while I am in the studio working on my solo debut album. I released "Now You're Mad" and "Desert Love" over the course of two months really to just put something out there for the fans to hold everybody over because it's been taking me oh so long to record this album. I just kind of wanted to test the waters and show the fans that I appreciate them for waiting on little ol' me and also feedback as well. I thought, let's put two out there and kinda just see what catches what demographic and go from there. I'm definitely making sure that I do something for everybody. I'm trying my best to be versatile, so those two songs I feel are not anywhere near the same but yet still me. I’m really kind of a chameleon of sorts when it comes to everything I do, so I definitely wanted to make sure my music is given to people with a little versatility.
TERRANCE: Can you share any producers or guest features you’re working with on the album?
MEELAH: So far I’ve worked with a lot of up and coming producers. J-Trx is a producer who I met here in Atlanta and he’s the one that did, “Now You’re Mad” and “Desert Love”. Super dope producer and writer as well. I mean, he’s so talented and when it comes to versatility he definitely embodies that and that’s why he and I just clicked because he can do every genre. We meshed and just had such great chemistry in the studio. I’m working with Kennard Garrett who I worked with on my children’s album We Are Different. I’m really happy about that because he and I since 2012 created really cool songs and magic. I’m working with TC who has written for Brandy and he’s done a lot of Tamar’s stuff. He and I have been working for a few years now as well. He did “Stupid In Love” which I already have out on digital platforms, so we’re no strangers in the studio. We’re working on some new stuff and I just love his style and his vibe and we co-create really well, that’s like my little brother and I’m always excited to work with TC. Of course I’m working with Musiq Soulchild, not necessarily a duet but we will definitely have a song or two that he produce and we write together. We do have really cool chemistry sonically, so that’s always fun to look forward to. As far as features, none yet but I won’t say there won’t be any.
TERRANCE: How has motherhood changed your perspective as a woman?
MEELAH: I think being a mom opens you up to just finding that inner fighter in you and just that inner hustler in you. You just really realize and recognize how strong as a person you really are. For me, it’s made me want to go harder and tap into all of my gifts because I want to be able to show my son and lead by example that he can do anything. My son has special needs, he’s autistic and I want to be that person to show him that you can beat the odds no matter what diagnosis may be put on you. You can still be your best and do whatever God put you on this Earth to do. It changed me in that regard and as far as a woman, I want to challenge and surprise not only myself but him. Just push, push, push the envelope and be the best Meelah I can be. I’m not a spring chicken no more, T (laughs). Like okay, I’m really truly a woman now.
TERRANCE: One of the biggest surprises in music came last year with the return of 702 after 15 years. What prompted this reunion?
MEELAH: Well, I reached out to Irish and LeMisha back in 2016 because I just hadn’t spoken to them since my son was born in 2009 and that was very brief. I haven’t been around them or spent any time with them since our last album in 2003 outside of the untimely and unfortunate death of their sister Orish in 2008. Life is just way too short and I wanted to reach back out to them because 8 years had gone by since their sister passed and I just wanted to know how they were doing and what was going on with them. So I reached out to them and we weren’t really thinking about getting together for any business, we generally just wanted to reconnect, rebound, re-establish our sisterhood because at this point we were all mothers and grown women, so it’s funny how life works and how God’s timing is. I literally flew out to Vegas in 2016 just to meet them and they came to my hotel and we chopped it up and we had a good time and picked up where we left off. Then here we are a year later on the red carpet in November 2017 at the Soul Train Awards in Vegas. We did that and after that came the Unsung opportunity. I don’t know what’s going to happen or what else is going to transpire, but I do know we’ve at least started to perform together again. We’ve done three shows thus far in Atlanta, New York and D.C. and we will be in Louisiana for the Essence Festival and we’re just pushing through man. There’s a lot more dates on the calendar, so God is good and I’m grateful. We’re still healing and trying to figure it out day-to-day because it’s a process and after so much time passing by we’re learning each other all over again. We’re grown women now (laughs). That’s another layer of Meelah which I’m grateful for. I’m able to do my album and reconnect with 702 and work with my non-profit organization for Autism Awareness and so I’m just trying to keep myself busy.
TERRANCE: You mentioned Unsung. How did it feel to track your journey and to tell your story?
MEELAH: It’s bittersweet but still grateful, humbled, flattered and honored that a show such as that would even deem you worthy to tell your story especially when you’re an avid watcher and viewer and fan of the show. You learn so much about your idols and inspirations and it’s like, oh wow, you’re telling my story? You’re almost in disbelief, so I’m grateful for that but then it’s like you got to start from day one. It’s different when you’re a solo artist and have an Unsung and I’m not discrediting having to revisit the past but having to relive stuff and reopen and reignite some of those wounds and see things resurface and whatnot, that’s touchy and creates a little hesitancy, you know? I didn’t know I would be ready for Unsung two years ago when I was approached when I did R&B Divas on TVOne and fast-forward I went ahead and said, okay I’ll try it, let’s go for it. I’ve seen the edit that will be shown to you all and it’s like, wow this is what was captured over the span of three albums in 55 minutes or less and having to share it with two other women? It’s not easy because you feel like that’s not how it happened and that’s not what was done and that’s not what I said and that’s not what I meant. But I’m grateful to TVOne for giving us the platform and hopefully it will open up doors for bigger and better things and introduce us to a demographic and crowd that maybe we’re not even privy to or aware of who you are, so yeah looking at the glasses half full (laughs).
TERRANCE: Were there ever any initial reservations about doing Unsung knowing how social media might react or view you all?
MEELAH: Absolutely. I already know somebody going to have something to say about me, about Irish and about Misha. I mean, it’s social media and the world we live in. I felt my story wasn’t exactly the way I wanted it to, I still know somebody is going to have something to say. It is what it is and so you sign up for that when you agree to do those type of shows, so either take it or leave it. I’ve put myself out there and I’ve already done it. It is what it is and I can’t change it as much as I would like to go back and edit and cut and paste and it’s not even about editing, for me it’s about truth. I would like to go back and edit their edit (laughs) and let my truth be told, but I’m not in the control room so I don’t have no control over that. It is what it is and hopefully like I said, something bigger and better will transpire from this Unsung episode.
TERRANCE: What are your views on the current state of R&B vs. when you first came on the scene?
MEELAH: Well, of course it’s much different. We live in a more digital world, imagery world and social media world where people have more accessibility to just come on and say whatever they want on your timeline as if they know you or know your scenario, your life, like they truly are your family or friend. I don’t think it’s solely about just true talent now. You don’t have to sing your face off and do all of these vocal acrobatics. Now you can just look cute and have a body type and two bundles of 29-inch weave and you’ll be alright (laughs). If your numbers are high on social media, you put out a catchy record with some auto-tune on it, then you good to go, so it’s a little different for sure. We did have to work a little harder I think back then when we were recording. There was no cutting and pasting, no melodyne and no auto-tune. We had to sing the first hook, the second hook, the last hook, the bridge, we had to really re-sing these things. We didn’t have the technology there is now so it’s different but it’s okay that things have evolved. I’m definitely not one of those artist that’s a Bitter Betty, it is what it is, you evolve with the times and you go with it. It’s no different from how I’m sure our parents viewed our music and how my music sounded to my parents. I'm sure it was different from the process when they were coming up in the 70's, so it's all good.
TERRANCE: A while back, R&B songstress Lyrica Anderson & Wiz Khalifa sampled “Get It Together” in their song “Freakin”. What are your thoughts on this generation embracing the 90’s sound?
MEELAH: That’s always flattering and humbling and it feels really good. History repeats itself so it’s no different from when the Kanye’s and P. Diddy’s and all of these amazing people sampled music. We’ve all sampled at some point as artists, producers and musicians. I’m glad that these kids are realizing that it’s not just all about them and their sound and they’re doing their homework and I think that’s dope.
TERRANCE: If you could give advice to a 17-year-old Meelah getting started in the business, what would it be?
MEELAH: Speak your mind, don’t let anybody run over you and use your kindness as your weakness. Make sure you let people know that you do have a voice other than singing (laughs). Speak up and let people know you ain’t no punk.
TERRANCE: Anything else you would like to add?
MEELAH: Those were some really great questions, T. Thank you so much. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me.
Legendary and Grammy-nominated R&B singer-songwriter and musician Jeffrey Osborne who’s one of the most recognizable and distinctive voices in music from his earliest beginning with his band L.T.D., “(Every Time I Turn Around) Back In Love Again”, “Love Ballad”, to his iconic solo career, “You Should Be Mine (The Woo Woo Song)”, “On the Wings of Love”, “Only Human” to name a few, has returned with his new album Worth It All, a 12-song collection of all original material, which is available on all digital and physical platforms. I caught up with Jeffrey Osborne in an exclusive interview to discuss the album, the importance of touring, his longevity, state of R&B and much more...
LISTEN TO HIS SINGLE “WORTH IT ALL” BELOW:
TERRANCE: Congratulations on the release of your new album, Worth It All. How does it feel to still be able to do what you love after more than 40 years in the business?
JEFFREY OSBORNE: It feels great. It’s been awhile since I’ve had a new recording out of original material. I had a Jazz standard album out a few years back and before that I had an R&B album of cover songs, but this is the first album of original material that I’ve had out in about 13 years, so it feels really good. It’s been a long time coming and so I’m happy to finally get it out there.
TERRANCE: What prompted you to come back to R&B after going in the Jazz direction?
JEFFREY OSBORNE: Well, I’ve always just wanted to do a Jazz record. I’ve never really left the R&B realm. George Duke had produced most of my solo albums and we had been talking about it for years and we finally got the opportunity to do it. But interestingly enough, this new record is with Mack Avenue Records which is really a Jazz label and so they heard my jazz record and they approached me about doing a smooth jazz record and so we talked and I said, okay and then I started writing and then when I started writing I realized my writing was not going towards smooth jazz, it was going more towards my old R&B roots and so I got back together with them and told them I think I’d like to do an old school R&B record. They said they didn’t have anything on their label like that, so they were happy to have something like that, and so that’s how this project actually came about. It came about through the creative process with my writing. Once I started writing it took me back to my roots.
TERRANCE: The title track has climbed to No. 30 on the Billboard Urban AC Chart. What inspired that song in particular?
JEFFREY OSBORNE: That song is about what I guess we all live as people in relationships. I’ve been married 36 years and through those 36 years we’ve had a few bumps in the road, we’ve had a couple of hurdles to get over and we’ve had trials and tribulations and I think everybody goes through that in long relationships, but I think the most important thing is that you pull it together and if you really love somebody, it’s worth going through all of that and it’s worth fighting through the hurdles and pain you may go through every now and then, because why start over? Now you gotta go through a whole new set of problems that might arise, so it’s best to hold on to somebody you love, work your way through it and that’s what the song is saying and in the end, love is worth all of that stuff you have to go through and that’s what it says, ‘love is worth it all’.
TERRANCE: Compared to previous releases, what was the recording process like this time around?
JEFFREY OSBORNE: Well, I produced it myself so it’s a little different when I produce it myself than when others produce for me. I kind of enjoy doing it myself actually because I’m more relaxed when I’m doing my vocals and I don’t have to impress the producers. I know what I kind of want so I can take my time when I do it myself. I miss having someone like George Duke because he was the epitome of class. He was a musical genius and so I miss having someone like him around, but he allowed me to learn so much over the years from him. He did a bunch of my albums and I got a chance learn a lot working with George, so I decided to put all the things I learned from George into the project of producing it myself. I’d say it’s a longer work load. When I do an album and George is producing it, all I gotta do is show up and sing. When I produce it myself I gotta be here through the whole process so it’s a lot of responsibility but I really enjoyed it. The beautiful thing about this record is all the guys that are in my band who’ve worked with me for 20 to 25 years are the ones that played on the record, so it felt real close-knit and there was a brotherhood vibe and so it was kind of cool.
TERRANCE: Your son Jeffrey Osborne, Jr. is featured on the song “Work It”. What was it like working as father & son?
JEFFREY OSBORNE: (Laughs). First time ever for me. My son is kind of a late bloomer in music. I didn’t really think he was going to be into music because he was into basketball. He was a great High School basketball player and then he went to College and then he came home one time and said he been hanging out in the dorms with his boys and they’ve been rapping. I’m like, you’ve been what? I’ve never heard you rap before, so he kind of picked it up late in life and he’s been doing his own projects, writing a lot and he’s really grown a lot. He’s working with me now on the road. He does sound engineering for me, so he’s come a long way and when I approached him with this record I said, you have a more youthful approach to music than I do so maybe we should do something together and so he said, okay I’m going to write the track for you and he writes the track and it ended up probably being more of an R&B song than any song on the record. I thought he was going to give me some Hip Hop stuff (laughs). I actually thought it should’ve been the first single. In this business once you’re in it for years you learn to kind of go with the flow and go with the majority. When you put a record out, everybody at the record company and all of these people around you, everybody listens and you kind of see what everybody feels and kind of go with the majority. The majority was feeling, “Worth It All” as the first single and I was still feeling, “Work It” as the first single and I still think it should’ve been the first single, but it is what it is. We got a lot more room to go on this record, so it might be the next single.
TERRANCE: You spoke about being on the road, so what’s the importance of touring for an artist such as yourself?
JEFFREY OSBORNE: Well, it just keeps me in front of people I think that’s the most important thing. I love what I do and I enjoy performing live more than anything. I prefer that over being in the studio. I think there’s a certain chemistry you get in front of an audience. It’s kind of a give and take. You give the energy and they give it back, you don’t get that in the studio, so that’s kind of my favorite part. Now that I have a new record, it just kind of bring more energy to the tour now. People are looking forward to hearing it and so I love touring. I don’t like the traveling aspect of it anymore. Traveling kind of sucks (laughs). You know having to get to the airport early, the PSA's and all that you have to go through, but once I get on the stage man that’s what it’s all about. I’m still enjoying it and I got a bunch of dates this Summer to do and I just came off a bunch of dates in Seattle and so I’m staying busy. The tour dates are listed on my website www.jeffreyosborne.com so people can keep abreast of where I’m at and what I’m doing.
TERRANCE: What are your thoughts on the current state of R&B and soul music respectively?
JEFFREY OSBORNE: I don’t even know if there is a current state of R&B music (laughs). I mean, it’s all gone basically to kind of a Hip Hop and Rap state. Not a lot of R&B is being played anymore. It’s totally different from when I started, but that’s the nature of evolution. When I was coming up my brothers and sisters were listening to Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and all of those jazz people and they kind of got phased out and that’s what’s happening now, you see these old R&B artists almost kind of getting phased out in this new generation of R&B and Hip Hop. But I think the music to me doesn’t have as much character as the music back in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. We wrote differently then. We wrote a verse, we wrote a bridge, we wrote a chorus. I think today’s music is shallow in comparison to the old school music, but it’s not to say it’s not good, it’s just totally different than the way we approached music back in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.
TERRANCE: You’ve witnessed many of your peers come and go in your industry. What has been the key to your longevity?
JEFFREY OSBORNE: Well, for me it’s been taking care of myself. I’ve always taken' care of myself and always been into physical fitness and working out. I workout 4 or 5 days a week. I’ve been running everyday since I was 17 years old. I just celebrated my 70th birthday and I’m still running everyday and working out. I’ve turned vegan almost a year now and it might be the best thing I’ve done. I feel better. I have way more energy and I don’t have any aches and pains anymore. It takes all the inflammation out of your body. That’s what has kept me going along with the fact that I’m always out there. I’ve never stopped touring and I think being out among people keeps you young and keeps you vibrant. The worst thing in the world you can do is sit around at home and not exercise and not take care of yourself and then the quality of life goes down quickly. The most important thing is the quality of life. People can live a long time but they may not have a good quality of life. They may have all of these ailments and that’s the one thing about being vegan to me, I’ve noticed that a lot of my friends that have gone vegan and witnessing other vegans, let all pharmaceuticals and drugs go out the window. You don’t need those meds anymore, because you’re actually eating stuff that is healing your body. Meds only put a band-aid on it and it’ll keep you coming back for more, but there is a healing process with food and if we realize we have to eat to live and not live to eat. I loved seafood and I grew up on it on the ocean in Rhode Island and that was the hardest thing for me to give up. I loved steaks. I loved all of it, but I’ve learned now that it’s not so much about what tastes good that’s important. It’s what’s good for you and so for me it’s working. I can’t push what I do on everybody and I never will do that, but I’ve opened the eyes up to a lot of people and I’ve seen a lot of people starting to go that way and it’s a lot of people in the industry surprisingly you wouldn’t realize are vegans. Even in sports like basketball and football, there are a lot of people now that are going that way. It’s something you have to try or just see people on it. It’s the testament when you see it happen. My whole family went vegan at the same time and I could see the results in everybody and it’s just so positive, so I’m a believer right now. That’s what keeps me going, but I’ve always been health conscious. I’ve never been overweight. I’ve always been running and working out, so I feel good.
TERRANCE: How do you feel about your music being sampled over the years by everyone in Contemporary Hip Hop and R&B from 2Pac to Rick Ross, Future & Trey Songz.
JEFFREY OSBORNE: (Laughs). I guess it’s a compliment. It really is. That people would be able to listen to what you do and take a little bit of it and have another creative process on top of that, so it’s like I’m enabling more creativity through what I did. It’s kind of an honor. When it first started it wasn’t so cool because they were just ripping us off and no one would get paid for it, but now everyone is getting compensated when they sample your music. It’s kind of flattering that people would go ahead and take my tracks and do what I never thought I would do on top of it (laughs), so it’s kind of cool.
TERRANCE: Not many may know you wrote “All At Once” for Whitney Houston’s self-titled debut album. How did that come about?
JEFFREY OSBORNE: That’s interesting because I didn’t write that for her. I wrote that for myself and I guess I was recording the Stay With Me Tonight album. I wrote that song with a good friend who’s not here anymore, Michael Masser, who wrote a ton of number-one hit records. So I wrote it with him and we decided not to put it on my record because we had so many ballads that I didn’t use it but then he called me and said, I’m producing this young girl by the name of Whitney Houston and I said, I ain’t never heard of her and he was like, well she can sing and I was wondering if I could use the song on her since you didn’t put it on your record and I said, go ahead and use it, and that’s basically how that came about.
TERRANCE: Overall, what do you hope listeners take away from the Worth It All experience?
JEFFREY OSBORNE: Well, I hope that they leave satisfied. I hope I was able to satisfy what they wanted to hear from the ballads to the uptempo's and just good storytelling and going back to the old days of love because I’m a romanticist. I write a lot about love and I kind of think we need a little more of that in the world today. There’s so many dark things going on out there and songs that have dark stories with them. So I’m hoping that they listen to it and they feel that spark of romance maybe and that it takes them back to those good ol’ days in the 70’s and 80’s. This is what I think my audience would like to hear. I feel sometimes like they say, well music doesn’t sound like this anymore, so they kind of put it in a little box and can’t open that box because this is old, but people still want to listen to good music and they still want to hear vintage R&B. I think we take listeners for granted. I’m hoping that when people listen to this record they get fulfilled a little musically and they can feel that same love that they had for music back in the 70’s and 80’s.
