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Category: Music
Type: Interview
Author: Alex Kucharski
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Author: Darrin Lee
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Category: Music
Type: Interview
Author: Joe Zabukovec
Robin Thicke: The Evolution of an Artist
Category: Music
Type: Interview
Author: Lynle Go
Although Robin Thicke is a veteran in the music industry, producing and writing songs for some of the biggest names in hip-hop (Mary J. Blige, Usher), his own debut as a solo artist in 2002 (entitled "Beautiful World") did not give him much-warranted commercial success. With the release of his sophomore effort, "The Evolution of Robin Thicke", success was found. A triple-threat with his good looks, sultry voice and Grammy Award-winning lyrics, the question is not so much whether he's ready to take on the world, but rather, is the world ready for Robin Thicke?
CX: Pharrell has once said that you "are going to change music." How do you plan to live up to such a powerful proclamation?
RT: I think Pharrell was heavily-medicated at the time. I don't know why he said that. The funny thing is, in a way it has turned out to be true. I've been #1 on the Urban Adult Contemporary charts since January, and I'm a white guy.
CX: You started penning songs professionally at the age of 16. Do you remember the first song you wrote, why you wrote it and who you wrote it for?
RT: I started writing songs for Brandy and for awhile; I worked with Brian McKnight. I think the first song I wrote was "You're The One"... or no, it was "Livin' on the Moon". Very happy, fluffy stuff (laughs).
CX: You alluded to the fact that in the last couple of years you faced some really difficult times. What's the story behind the song "Got 2 Be Down" with Faith Evans?
RT: Actually this song was written before the real struggle happened but it is about relationships, about the woman that I love and about everything that we've been through. That after all the tough times, there is nobody I'd rather be with. And I got to be down with her.
CX: She is one lucky lady. You've mentioned before that the song "Shooter" featuring Lil' Wayne was inspired by a real-life event. Care to elaborate?
RT: Yes, I was in a bank, and these guys came in with guns. And one of them pointed it right to my head. So yeah, this was about my experience, and about five years later, I wrote the song. I have a semi-photographic memory - I'm not very book smart but I do have a very keen memory.
CX: So do you have a favourite song from your second album?
RT: It's different all the time but right now, I like listening to "Would That Make U Love Me", whenever I get a chance. It was the last song I wrote for the album, at that moment I didn't know whether anybody would accept the album or would accept me, and they kept pushing the album back. Finally they said, "Okay, we're going to put it out and good luck." There were no promotions, no marketing. We shot a video for "Lost Without U" and that was it. And I thought I was going to die. So I wrote "Would That Make U Love Me." I started to question how much people would have to change about themselves to make others love them. Would I have to change the colour of my skin, the way I talk, for people to like my music? I was really asking if I love myself for who I am and wanting others to love me for who I am.
CX: Music critics have often likened your style to Jamiroquai, Lenny Kravitz and even Justin Timberlake. Do you think that's a fair comparison?
RT: No music critic has ever likened me to Justin Timberlake and no, I absolutely don't think it's a fair comparison. Justin and I have nothing in common. I have more in common with Lil' Wayne than I do with Justin Timberlake.
CX: Now that you've made it big as a solo artist, do you ever plan to go back to being behind the scenes again (producing, writing songs for other artists)?
RT: I will only write for a couple of people that I love and for close friends of mine that I would like to collaborate with, but I'm not going to call anybody. So besides working with Pharrell, I have no desire to work with anybody. Pharrell, Lil' Wayne and Usher, that's about it. And Mary J. Blige, of course.
CX: I read a recent interview where you were asked to give advice to struggling musicians. I got the sense that you were a bit jaded with the music industry. Do you still feel that way?
RT: Did I say "sleep with everyone in the industry"?
CX: No, but you told them to go to law school, instead.
RT: It's not that the music industry sucks, I mean everything is equal parts great and equal parts bad, but it is not as glamorous as you would think. You spend more time alone, being insecure, wondering, worrying about whether you would be successful and of course it breeds desire for more success and it's never enough. It breeds a world of insecurities.
CX: Ok, so what's downtime like for you, if you have any free time at all?
RT: When I have some downtime, I normally get really high and I dance all night; I get drunk and I party until I can't party anymore and I surround myself with close friends and great food.
CX: Do you miss having long hair?
RT: Absolutely not! Too much maintenance, I don't know how you women do it!
CX: Alright, one last question. What do you like most about Toronto?
RT: I would have to say my family. I have family in Brampton, in the suburbs. I visit my family in Brampton every year.
Type: Interview
Author: Lynle Go
Although Robin Thicke is a veteran in the music industry, producing and writing songs for some of the biggest names in hip-hop (Mary J. Blige, Usher), his own debut as a solo artist in 2002 (entitled "Beautiful World") did not give him much-warranted commercial success. With the release of his sophomore effort, "The Evolution of Robin Thicke", success was found. A triple-threat with his good looks, sultry voice and Grammy Award-winning lyrics, the question is not so much whether he's ready to take on the world, but rather, is the world ready for Robin Thicke?
CX: Pharrell has once said that you "are going to change music." How do you plan to live up to such a powerful proclamation?
RT: I think Pharrell was heavily-medicated at the time. I don't know why he said that. The funny thing is, in a way it has turned out to be true. I've been #1 on the Urban Adult Contemporary charts since January, and I'm a white guy.
CX: You started penning songs professionally at the age of 16. Do you remember the first song you wrote, why you wrote it and who you wrote it for?
RT: I started writing songs for Brandy and for awhile; I worked with Brian McKnight. I think the first song I wrote was "You're The One"... or no, it was "Livin' on the Moon". Very happy, fluffy stuff (laughs).
CX: You alluded to the fact that in the last couple of years you faced some really difficult times. What's the story behind the song "Got 2 Be Down" with Faith Evans?
RT: Actually this song was written before the real struggle happened but it is about relationships, about the woman that I love and about everything that we've been through. That after all the tough times, there is nobody I'd rather be with. And I got to be down with her.
CX: She is one lucky lady. You've mentioned before that the song "Shooter" featuring Lil' Wayne was inspired by a real-life event. Care to elaborate?
RT: Yes, I was in a bank, and these guys came in with guns. And one of them pointed it right to my head. So yeah, this was about my experience, and about five years later, I wrote the song. I have a semi-photographic memory - I'm not very book smart but I do have a very keen memory.
CX: So do you have a favourite song from your second album?
RT: It's different all the time but right now, I like listening to "Would That Make U Love Me", whenever I get a chance. It was the last song I wrote for the album, at that moment I didn't know whether anybody would accept the album or would accept me, and they kept pushing the album back. Finally they said, "Okay, we're going to put it out and good luck." There were no promotions, no marketing. We shot a video for "Lost Without U" and that was it. And I thought I was going to die. So I wrote "Would That Make U Love Me." I started to question how much people would have to change about themselves to make others love them. Would I have to change the colour of my skin, the way I talk, for people to like my music? I was really asking if I love myself for who I am and wanting others to love me for who I am.
CX: Music critics have often likened your style to Jamiroquai, Lenny Kravitz and even Justin Timberlake. Do you think that's a fair comparison?
RT: No music critic has ever likened me to Justin Timberlake and no, I absolutely don't think it's a fair comparison. Justin and I have nothing in common. I have more in common with Lil' Wayne than I do with Justin Timberlake.
CX: Now that you've made it big as a solo artist, do you ever plan to go back to being behind the scenes again (producing, writing songs for other artists)?
RT: I will only write for a couple of people that I love and for close friends of mine that I would like to collaborate with, but I'm not going to call anybody. So besides working with Pharrell, I have no desire to work with anybody. Pharrell, Lil' Wayne and Usher, that's about it. And Mary J. Blige, of course.
CX: I read a recent interview where you were asked to give advice to struggling musicians. I got the sense that you were a bit jaded with the music industry. Do you still feel that way?
RT: Did I say "sleep with everyone in the industry"?
CX: No, but you told them to go to law school, instead.
RT: It's not that the music industry sucks, I mean everything is equal parts great and equal parts bad, but it is not as glamorous as you would think. You spend more time alone, being insecure, wondering, worrying about whether you would be successful and of course it breeds desire for more success and it's never enough. It breeds a world of insecurities.
CX: Ok, so what's downtime like for you, if you have any free time at all?
RT: When I have some downtime, I normally get really high and I dance all night; I get drunk and I party until I can't party anymore and I surround myself with close friends and great food.
CX: Do you miss having long hair?
RT: Absolutely not! Too much maintenance, I don't know how you women do it!
CX: Alright, one last question. What do you like most about Toronto?
RT: I would have to say my family. I have family in Brampton, in the suburbs. I visit my family in Brampton every year.
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