Craig David
a.k.a.
Craig Ashley David
SLICK BRIT
With His Second Album, U.K. Superstar Craig David Aims for American Idol
American pop and R&B fans were skeptical about the U.K.'s latest music export, but British singing sensation Craig David charmed his way into their hearts with his platinum debut, Born to Do It. Mixing up British 2-step beats with contemporary soul crooning, an 18-year-old David became the youngest artist to simultaneously top both the British singles and album charts, and for once, the hype translated overseas. With his edgier sophomore disc, Slicker than Your Average, David hopes to win over even more Yanks with songs such as the club jam "What's Your Flava?" and the Grammy-worthy duet with Sting, "Rise and Fall." Prior to the disc's release, the suave crooner spoke with Barnes & Noble.com's R&B/Hip-Hop editor, Tracy E. Hopkins, from his label's New York City office about his new record, the reality show American Idol, his love affair with the U.S., and more.
Barnes & Noble.com: How does this album differ from Born to Do It?
Craig David: This new album reflects the last 18 months of traveling, touring, and seeing the world. Through that, I've gained more composure to decide what I wanted to say and to take it where I wanted it to go musically. It's an edgier take on more club-based tracks. But at the same time, the most important thing for me was to maintain the song element of the tracks -- to make the song be at the forefront and the production be the icing on the cake. It's another chapter in my life and where I stand at age 21.
B&N.com: Did you write most of the songs on this album?
CD: I wrote all the songs on this one again. [Production-wise] I worked with Mark Hill, Soulshock & Karlin, and two up-and-coming producers called the Ignorants.
B&N.com: Slicker than Your Average has a more urban sound. Did you achieve that by working with new producers?
CD: Working with Mark Hill was great, because I wanted to get the same essence we had on Born to Do It. But I felt the Ignorants -- whom I first met when they did a remix of "Walking Away" -- were hungry and eager and showed they had the potential to produce records. They ended up getting six cuts on the album, which are more of the hip-hop, R&B, club-leaning tracks. Soulshock & Karlin -- being based in L.A. gives them American sensibilities but being brought up in Denmark gives them European sensibilities. So they were similar to Mark Hill, but we pushed the boundaries slightly more.
B&N.com: You used to rap and deejay? When did you discover that you could sing?
CD: Yeah, I was rapping and deejaying, and that helps you to hone your craft, because you find the things you like. And it allows you to do things slightly different in songs, rather than the same-old, same-old. I really found the comfort and self-esteem to go for it when I won the National Songwriting Competition in the U.K. [at age 16]. That inspired me to keep writing music and to say, "Hey, you can do it." The track I wrote, "I'm Ready," went to No. 3 for a group in the U.K. Next thing you know, I was performing, singing, and then sitting in Atlantic Records in 2002. It's so crazy.
B&N.com: Who are your biggest musical influences?
CD: I was heavily influenced by Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. At the same time, my mother was a big fan of Terrence Trent D'arby, and he sounded in between Stevie and Michael. So I used them as the benchmark of artists to work toward. Through the journey of doing that, you find your range and your style and what you feel comfortable doing.
B&N.com: As a whole, I like this disc better than Born to Do It, perhaps because "You Don't Miss Your Water" reminds me of Boyz II Men.
CD: Hey, it's funny, because I never really mention Boyz II Men. But I was really into them when they were in their "End of the Road" phase. For me, they were the quartet that no one could really touch. They were so phenomenal. On this album, I was inspired by Prince [on "Personal"], and "World Full of Love" is very much Beatles- and Beach Boys–inspired. So I've been taking different elements from people I feel I have an affiliation with, and I tried to put that in a way that kept it unique.
B&N.com: And on "Hands in the Air" you integrate lyrics from Missy Elliott's "Hot Boyz."
CD: I love your vibe! Missy is someone I have a lot of respect for. She's so innovative. She's always trying to push the envelope with her music, which I wholeheartedly respect. There are too many people nowadays that fall into the same old route of being reactive and following a trend, as opposed to being proactive and being a trendsetter.
B&N.com: How did the collaboration with Sting come about on "Rise and Fall?"
CD: I took the first four bars of the guitar melody from [Sting's] "Shape of My Heart" and wrote a new pop line over it about the trials and tribulations of an artist's career. Off the back of that, I sent it to Sting to ask him to clear the sample. He came back to me and said he loved the song and the essence of what it talked about. [He felt it mirrored] his career and the trials and tribulations he'd been through. So I asked him if he would sing on the track. I thought it would be perfect to have Sting in the chorus as the elder, wiser statesmen saying, "I've been there done it, Craig. Listen to me 'cause these are the pitfalls you can fall into." [He agreed and] when he came over, he put the finishing touches on the track that I'd always [wanted]. As a songwriter, using his guitar riff felt a little foreign to me. So to have his blessing on the track made the whole thing fall into [place]. It's a perfect highlight for me.
B&N.com: Elton John called you the best singer in Britain. How does that make you feel?
CD: It was very flattering. It gave me a lot of self-confidence and more motivation to keep doing what I do best and to not let anyone change that. There are so many great singers in the world and in the U.K. So it wasn't an ego thing, where I was, like, "Man, you are the best singer." Just to be able to touch people with my music is such a great feeling. And it's wonderful when someone so highly regarded -- an international singer-songwriter supremo -- says that you sing well.
B&N.com: What are some of your favorite albums of 2002 thus far?
CD: I'm really feeling India.Arie's new disc [Voyage to India]. Avril Lavigne's album [Let Go] is really cool. Vanessa Carlton has some nice songs on her album [Be Not Nobody]. I also love L.L. Cool J's new single ["Luv U Better"]. Who else? This guy called Craig David's Slicker than Your Average is really bangin'. [laughs] I love it. I don't know about him, but I love his music.
B&N.com: 2-step was the last big music trend to come out of the U.K. What's the new trend?
CD: There's this Craig David sound...sorry. [laughs] It's funny because it always jumps between a couple sounds. The 2-step garage scene has kind of taken a turn, and it's very dark at the moment. [Brits] have this tendency that when something starts to get commercial, to make it cool again you have to make it even darker than it was before, which I could never quite understand. You're trying to get this whole scene heard, then you make it so dark that it has no melody or elements you want to get down to. At the moment, drum 'n' bass is starting to get a lot of love again. It's the scene that's up-and-coming and the old style and sound is starting to be embraced.
B&N.com: Did you watch either the American or British version of American Idol?
CD: I caught a little of the U.K. one. A lot of artists are, like, "Oh man, this is wrecking our industry. How can we do this reality TV stuff?" At the end of the day, if you want longevity as an artist, people want to believe that you're genuine and have something to say. So enjoy the limelight if you've been picked by the nation as being the No. 1 artist. They're living out their dream, and they've had to work in some way. They can't be completely wack. At the same time, don't try to compete. If you're looking for No. 1 chart positions, you're gonna be in for a struggle. But if you want to be around for years and years to come, when people have gotten tired of certain things, that's when you need to stay focused. But people love reality and dysfunction. That's why they love The Osbournes.
B&N.com: What do you like most about America?
CD: I love the camaraderie -- the way in which people feel like they're one country. That's nice to see, that there's that union of people, especially after September 11th. I think that really brought people together in a different way, and people are taking more time to do one thing that's right to help one other person, as opposed to thinking of themselves 24-7.
B&N.com: Did it feel good to break in in America with Born to Do It?
CD: It was phenomenal to be embraced by the American community. I was, like, I'm gonna drop off all my bags of success from the U.K. and Europe and just work it like I'm a newcomer here. And to see people go from the stage of "I like that 'Fill Me In' track, but that English guy sings it" to "I like 'Seven Days,' that Craig-English-guy sings" to "I love 'Walking Away,' that Craig David track." It was really nice to see the progression of people recognizing my music at the forefront and then getting to know who I am. I'm lucky to be here and to have a chance to do it all over again with the new album. I just hope people will grow with me. It's not really about how many albums I sell. On the business side, it would be great to sell more albums. But I want people to enjoy the journey I've taken the last year and a half. It's been cool.
October 23, 2002
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