Macy Gray seeks return to glory with new album
COPENHAGEN (Reuters Life!) - With a new record label, new production team and new album, raspy-voiced soul singer Macy Gray aims to return to the forefront of pop music.
Her debut CD, "On How Life Is," sold 7 million records worldwide and won her a Grammy for the 1999 hit "I Try."
But subsequent efforts did not fare nearly as well, and 2003's "The Trouble With Being Myself" did not sell .
After falling out with Epic Records, Gray sought a career rebound at Geffen Records. Produced by will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas and Justin Timberlake, her fourth studio album, "BIG," which launched on Tuesday in the United States.
Gray talked to Reuters about her hopes for the new record, her troubles with the law in Barbados and her work with the non-profit M. Gray Music Academy.
Q: Why did you leave Epic Records?
A: They wanted me to do something I didn't want do, so I left. They wanted me to do a 60s covers album and I wanted to do original stuff.
Q: Your last record didn't sell so well. Do you feel like you have anything to prove?
A: I'm not holding on to any of that. I got over my last album. I learned a lot and it was the best thing that could have happened to me.
It's exciting to be on a label with a lot of big artists like Eminem, 50 Cent, Gwen Stefani, U2. I'm going to be in that club and I want to sell a lot of records. (This album) is one of the greatest things I've ever done and I hope everybody checks it out and that they like it.
Q: Why did you name your album "BIG"?
A: It's named after my big brain, my big heart and my big butt.
Q: You've been raising three kids as a single mom for a while now. How difficult is to do that while working in show business?
A: Being a single mom is challenging and difficult in itself. It could take up your whole life. Being gone and having to depend on other people to help me with my kids is tough. It's going to be fun to see how they come out and what kind of people they turn out to be. They usually go on tour with me, but it's hard to be away from them when they don't.
Q: You almost got arrested in Barbados in January. Take us through that incident.
A: I had no idea that it was illegal to curse in public there. It was crazy. I went on stage and went on talking about stuff, it wasn't like I was trying to be an asshole or anything. I apologized and it was okay.
Q: You worked with will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas and Justin Timberlake on your new album. How did you get along in the studio?
A: Will.i.am is like my brother. Will introduced me to Justin. It was really dope, Justin is a very focused, very driven person. Definitely someone who has mastered his craft. He's new at producing for other people and I got to catch him while he was still hungry.
Q: What do you hope to achieve with your music academy?
A: It's an environment for kids to come and learn music and how to write together. This is the age of independence, where you can make your own album and put it out. The academy is about cultivating self-expression, which was something that was not really available that much in California schools.
Q: Should other artists become involved in their local communities?
A: Everybody should really give back. If you want progress in the world you should be part of the process. Find a cause and do everything you can about it instead of just getting mad at the president or whatever.
