Heather Headley
HEADLEY FOR STARDOM
Broadway Diva Heather Headley Makes Her Recording Debut
Broadway enthusiasts will remember Heather Headley as the powerful, honey-coated voice of feisty lioness Nala in Disney's blockbuster musical The Lion King and as the lead character in Elton John and Tim Rice's pop-rock version of the grand opera Aida. Headley earned a Tony for the latter role, but these days she's got her eyes set on a Grammy. The Trinidad-born daughter of Baptist ministers hopes to dazzle the world of popular music with her debut disc, the neo-soul-tinged This Is Who I Am. Prior to the album's release, the lively and deeply spiritual singer spoke with Barnes & Noble's R&B/Hip-Hop editor, Tracy E. Hopkins, about how the disc came together, why she left the neon lights of Broadway, and much more.
Barnes & Noble.com: How did you decide on the album title, This Is Who I Am?
Heather Headley: I didn't want people to think that I was saying, "This is me and not the Broadway girl." It's more about who I am as a woman and an artist. I went through each lyric with a fine-tooth comb to make sure the lyrics reflected who I am. I'm a Christian, and that's important to me. So I didn't want the album to say anything about sex, drugs, or money. I wanted it to be about the good and the bad of relationships. I'm also saying, "This is me with my fears and my accomplishments, this is how I sing, this is my body, this is my hair, this is who I serve." I hope people can sit down and listen and see that pain and joy are universal. That was the kind of reflection I went through [making the album]. I had to learn to love myself. As girls we all go through that. I'm saying, "This is who I am and I love me."
B&N.com: How does the pop music world differ from Broadway?
HH: How many pages do we have? [laughs] I'm glad I went to Broadway first. It was such a preparation. If I was planning my life I wouldn't have done it that way, but that's why God is God. I never thought the music biz was as difficult and crazed as it was. I had to [get used to] the stop-and-go thing. On Broadway, if I mess up a song, I can fix it the next night. With music, you sit there and wait for everyone to figure out if it's okay or not. I have no patience, so that's scary. I can't stand the waiting. But I can say that this album is the best I did at that time. If I did it today, would it be better? I don't know.
B&N.com: With your natural beauty and funky sense of style, you fit nicely into the neo-soul category. Are you comfortable with that label?
HH: I don't usually like labels, but I don't mind that. I wanted to be neo-soul but more across the board. I want to reach a lot of people. [But] if that means being in the company of India.Arie, Jill Scott, and Erykah Badu, who wouldn't want to be neo-soul! I met India for the first time recently. I was like, "Girl, we need to sit down and talk." She's sweet, and I love her music.
B&N.com: The song "He Is" has a gospel vibe, and it almost sounds as if you're singing about God.
HH: There's a gospel feel to it. We wanted to put something out that was me vocally me. I wanted it to sound positive and speak to who I am. When I first heard the song, I wanted it to be neutral. I wanted people to embrace it as a song about great men. I'm loved by two great men -- my God and my boyfriend. But I want people who don't have a [boyfriend or husband] to be able to relate, too.
B&N.com: You worked with famous producers like Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Dallas Austin, and Shep Crawford. What songs did each produce?
HH: It's hilarious because in the beginning when people heard I was doing an album they were sending me a lot of Broadway stuff, like [sings dramatically] "I love him!" But it's an R&B album. These producers have enough Grammys to sink New York. They don't need me, or RCA's money. They can pick and choose whom to work with, so I'm honored. Jimmy and Terry did "I Wish I Wasn't." They are great as producers because they have their [signature] sound, but they want it to be more about the artist. Their beauty is they incorporate your voice and make it work for Heather. Then they can do another song and make it work for Whitney or Deborah Cox. Shep produced "Always Been Your Girl," and Dallas did "Like Ya Use To," which is my mother's favorite song.
B&N.com: You wrote three songs on the album. Was that a different experience for you?
HH: I like singing other people's songs. For example, Shep's "Always Been Your Girl" -- I would have never thought of [the lyrics]. But there are times when I like to speak my mind as well.
B&N.com: Who are your musical influences?
HH: CeCe Winans, Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, and '80s soul music like Vesta's "Congratulations." That's when R&B reigned supreme. But I'm also greatly influenced by gospel music. I love Fred Hammond and Donnie McClurkin. I'd love to have Fred on the next album. Maybe I can be on his next album singing backup. [laughs ]
B&N.com: You say in your bio that you want your record to be a source of comfort in uncertain times. What records do you listen to for comfort?
HH: When September 11th happened, I was like, "Who wants to sing?" but I had to. Fred Hammond and Commissioned sing a song called "Strange Land" [where they ask], "How can we sing when we're in a strange land?" and that's how it felt. I tried to find the right music to listen to, and I turned to Donnie McClurklin, CeCe Winans, and lots of Stevie Wonder. I didn't want something shallow. I needed such comfort on September 12th.
B&N.com: Were you were still in New York on September 11th?
HH: I left Aida the Sunday before September 11th. My boyfriend's birthday is on September 11th, so I wanted to get out of town [to celebrate with him] and also because a new person was starting the show [Aida]. That's like seeing your ex-boyfriend out with another girl. So we left 24 hours before [the terrorist attacks] happened.
B&N.com: Would you ever consider going back to Broadway?
HH: Not anytime soon. In order for me to do a show like Aida, from its inception, takes years. I hope to return for a week here and there. That's the beauty of Broadway. I could be in my 80s and still go back. With this album, I'd like to bring the pop music audience to Broadway. There are artists on Broadway who can do R&B, pop, and rock but haven't been given the chance.
B&N.com: Ideally, who is your album's audience?
HH: If you're a fan of Whitney, Lauryn Hill, Toni Braxton, Deborah Cox, or Jill Scott, you can listen to [This Is Who I Am]. I want all kinds of people to listen. It's funny that my mom, a 50-something-year-old woman, likes it. I'm like, "Mom, you're surprising me."
October 1, 2002
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