The man with the voice is back showing us love on the dancefloor with Stereo Palma
Craig David is quite simply one of the UK’s most succesful male solo stars of all time. During his ten year plus reign at the top, he has sold over 13 million albums, achieved multi-platinum status in more than 20 countries, has amassed numerous awards from around the world and in a recent MTV poll, his debut album ‘Born To Do It’ was beaten in the Greatest Album Ever by one Michael Jackson with ‘Thriller’. Ahead of a new album, Dan Prince speaks exclusively to our main man as he is setting dancefloors alight with production superstars Stereo Palma and their ‘Our Love’ smash…
Hey Craig welcome to DMCWORLD towers young man. Where in the world are you right now?
“Hi Dan, I’m currently in the sunshine in Ibiza.”.
You are currently setting dancefloors again with your latest track, your ‘Our Love’ tune coming out on the mighty Ego label with Stereo Palma – talk us through the track…how did you guys hook up in the first place?
“The Stereo Palma guys approached me about an instrumental that they were working on and felt I could bring a new element to it with my style of melodies and lyrics. When I heard it I was fully in to it and knew I could write something cool over the top of their music.”.”
DMC love what Attila and Zsolt are doing at the moment, Hungary’s finest by a mile. Was this record created via the internet or did you get in the studio together?
“This was created between our studios with Stereo Palma working out of theirs and me working out of my home studio in Miami. We communicated over the internet which worked really well.”
Are there future plans to record together?
“I’d like to work with the guys again as they are really talented producers.”
We have all been hearing about a new album that you have been busy with, set for release in 2013 – what can you tell us about it, collabs, any name for it yet, how far down the line are you with it?
“I’m currently recording it between London and Miami. I just wanna enjoy the creative process of this album without any boundaries. No collabs as yet as I feel that many R&B Pop albums nowadays seem to have way too many collaborations on them which in my opinion takes your focus off of the persons album you’ve bought and instead feels like you’re buying a compilation album. I’m a quarter of the way in to the album and it’s feeling really good right now.”
You are planning a full world tour in 2013 promoting the album hitting Asia, Australia, Europe and then America. Which out of those territories do you think is going to love your new material, and where do you think may take a little winning over?
“I would love for all the territories to enjoy my music and I believe if the songs are strong enough anything is possible.”
You were brought up on the tough Holyrod Estate in Southampton. A Jewish mother and a father from Grenada – what was the music blaring out in your house when you were growing up?
“My Father loved Reggae/Revival music so from him I’d be listening to the likes of Beres Hammond, Dennis Brown, Garnet Silk…while my Mum loved her Soul, R&B Pop Artists like Terence Trent D’Arby, Soul to Soul, George Michael, Whitney Houston.”
What is the record that changed your life?
“Terence Trent D’Arbys – “If You Let Me Stay” was one of those songs that I wished I had recorded and inspired me to want to become a song writer as well as a singer.”
When did you realize that you could sing, not just sing, really sing?
“At the age of 15 I started to understand the gift of my voice and embrace it rather than always feeling I was never quite good enough because of the level of the people I was listening to ranged from Michael Jackson to Boys to Men who where some of the best vocalists around.”
What were your thoughts when Elton John called you the best singer in England after your debut album smashed the two million salesmark?
“His compliment at the Brit Awards was extremely kind coming from such a prolific singer songwriter himself.””
Who are the DJs past and present that would get you up on the dancefloor – not that you would need any encouragement?!!
“When I was listening to jungle music it was all about Brockie, Shy FX, with MC’s like Skibadee & Det. For Garage I loved the Dream Team, Sunship, Norris Da Boss Windross, MJ Cole. As for present DJs, I enjoy Kaskade, DirtySouth, Avicii, Morillo, Quentin Mossiman…”
DMC are the organisers of the DMC WORLD DJ Championships – has the art of Turntablism / Scratching ever interested you?
“It’s interested me from the time I watched the film “Juice” back in the day as there was a big element of scratching in the movie which I was fascinated by as it’s a real skill and talent to be able to push the boundaries like these guys do!”
This seems to be the happiest you have been for a long time, what do you put your current contented mind set down to right now?
“I’ve come to realize that true happiness comes from within and that since I started following my intuition rather than my head rationalizing everything all the time and living more in the moment than planning for the future my life has improved tenfold.”
What would be your idea of a perfect Sunday?
“Great work out in the morning followed by a some great food. Then kick it by the pool, enjoy the sun, then get comfy on my sofa in the afternoon, watch a few movies while enjoying having some friends over too and then more good food and long sleep fresh for Monday…”
Hitting the top of the charts around the world at the tender age of 19 must have been a massive buzz. What was the biggest celebrity led party you went to back then and who were you a little starstruck to have met?
“Puff Daddy. His parties are wild too!”
You once admitted your biggest vice was Adidas Superstar shell-toes which dates back from when you were a kid and couldn’t afford them. So, how many trainers do you own in 2012 and now that you have a few quid, what is your biggest vice you enjoy splashing the cash on now?
“I have a good few pairs of trainers…! And still my biggest indulgence is buying new trainers. Box fresh trainers are something that I still love to smell and feel when I put them on.”
What is the song you cannot get out of your head at the moment?
“Apart from the new song I recorded last night. It would have to be a track that Erick Morillo played me that is gonna be a big record for him.”
Money isn’t a problem for you anymore, what is the motivation that keeps you in this very difficult industry, climbing on planes week after week, hitting the studio ’til the wee hours all of the time?
“My motivation is to just be happy and make music that I love without the ego getting involved which in turn makes you worry about how well it does. If I’m happy with it then that’s all that matters to me and then I hope that others enjoy it as much as I do and did making it.”
You once bought your manager an Aston Martin. What is the biggest gift you have ever bought a partner?
“My relationships have been more about spending money on great places to enjoy each others time in rather than jewellery and material items. I prefer lots of smaller frequent gifts being bought rather than one costly one.”
It may not be good for my image, but Craig David really loves…
“The styles available of womens Adidas hi top trainers…”
Not many people know this, but Craig David is really good at…
“Badminton.”
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
“Just do me and don’t allow myself to fail on anyone else’s terms.”
What is the greatest album ever made?
“‘Thriller’.”
And finally, gotta ask this question that has been niggling away at me for a while. Your immense debut album ‘Born To Do It’ – did the title really come from the film Charlie & The Chocolate Factory?
“Yes. My favorite film growing up and still to this day.”
But the single here…
Stereo Palma – Our Love Feat. Craig David [Ego] out now on Beatport
http://www.beatport.com/release/our-love-feat-craig-david/924014
Stereo Palma – Our Love (feat. Craig David) out now on iTunes
http://itunes.apple.com/it/album/our-love-remixes-feat.-craig/id535460242
