[ d e s ' r e e : c h a p t e r . 3 ]
[ t e x t . o n l y . v e r s i o n ]
by Cyclone Wehner
With its organic instrumentation, Des'ree's folksy British soul pre-empted the Neo Soul wave of D'Angelo, Maxwell and Erykah Badu. Now, after a spell away from the international scene, the London-based singer is back with her third album, "Supernatural". It includes the ardent ballad "I'm Kissing You", which Des'ree so memorably performed in Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet", as well as her cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire", which she recorded as a duet with Babyface for the recent "HavPlenty" soundtrack.
This time Des'ree is clearly hoping to consolidate the US success of 1994's "I Ain't Movin'", the album that spawned her signature, "You Gotta Be". Indeed, the critical response to "Supernatural" suggests that Des'ree hasn't in fact moved so very far away from her previous work. Whatever the case, Des'ree is full of her usual confidence.
CYCLONE WEHNER: What kind of response have you had to "Supernatural" so far?
DES'REE: It's been great. To be away for four years can make you really a little nervous. I suppose that's the industry that does that to you. Oh, you know, "people are goin' to forget you and dah, dah, dah. We want the album now, etc, etc". But I said "No, I want to take my time. There are a lot of things I want to experiment with and try. I've got lots of ideas and I just want to get them all out and then pick the best of the bunch." And so, in fact, "Life" is #1 in Japan and in about six or seven countries in Europe. So I couldn't have hoped for a better start.
CW: Has there been any kind of backlash to the success of your last record?
DES'REE: I think a lot of people said I've got a lot more pop, the critics have said I've got more pop, which I disagree with. I think what you're hearing now is a different side of my personality, basically. I think people always think of Des'ree as being as reflective, pretty serious, pretty cool but they haven't really seen the other side of me, the more bubbly side, having fun, sense of humour, bit quirky sometimes so I think some people have been a bit surprised by this record . . . it's so upbeat . . . I think it's about going to the next level. It's like chapter 3 really. Yeah, it wasn't consciously, it's just really where I am right now. A few years older, a few more adventures, just evolving all the time, all part of the metamorphosis.
CW: There's no such track as "Supernatural" on the album. Why did you go for that title?
DES'REE: Why, I guess it's taken from the song "What's Your Sign?" and in a way it's two fold. I talk a little about superstition and horoscopes and stars and all that stuff and I then also try to make music from a very natural perspective, you know, the old-fashioned way. When I'm working with producers like my guitarist, Prince Sampson, we'll sit down and we'll talk about how we should approach it and it's always "get the musicians in and let them do their thing and put their energy in and do their part". So it's like a "supernatural", I don't want to take too many short cuts basically -- that's why it took such a long time to get together.
CW: Which tracks on the album mean the most to you?
DES'REE: "Best Days", to me that's got a real upbeat, kind of youthful innocence about it. I suppose I sing in a different pitch which I thought was a good thing. Because I sing up there sometimes and it was all about da, da, da, very joyful, very playful song. "Darwin Star" that was a challenge to sing that vocal. Especially since it experiments with ad libs and so on and little chants and things like that. That was quite a challenge to do. "What's Your Sign?" because I'm into star signs and it's kinda tongue in cheek in a way, that song, because everyone seems to be into star signs these days. You'll read them in the newspaper and the magazines. "Life", that was written towards the end of "Supernatural" when I was putting everything under the microscope and "Gosh, am I pleased with the vocals?" I thought: "Stop it you're getting anal, you're obsessing, just relax, stop taking it so seriously". That's when "Life" popped into my head, like it was my saviour at the time . . . Yeah, because I think sometimes if you do have a bit of a dark mood just thinking about a light mood, can make you feel, you can smile again.
CW: You worked with Babyface which surprised a lot of people because you always seemed very autonomous. What made you decide to work with him?
DES'REE: Well, really the song was for his soundtrack for "HavPlenty" and I was a little nervous about how that would be seen. "Oh, she's been away for a while, she's gotta get one of the big names to ensure launching her success again". But so I thought "well, it's for his project, it's for his soundtrack, his film, cool". So, I flew out to LA and we worked together and it was great. Because he's so very quiet though. Very humble and very modest, he's a very good guy.
CW: How did you find working with him? Was he easy in the studio?
DES'REE: Very, very easy. Because I was looking, watching from a production point of view. Because I'm always trying to learn about different people's technique in the studio. What can I pick up, how do they do this? Aw right. Yeah, . . . he just tried to capture the vibe, the atmosphere, not doing too much, just kinda keeping it simple, so it works. Which is how I would, how I like to approach making music.
CW: Is there anyone out there you would love to work with or are you happy to go with the flow?
DES'REE: I really am happy to go with the flow and I never really make plans in that respect because I don't know where my head will be. I might say I want to work with this person now but in two years time I might be in a different state. That's why I would be reluctant . . . because I don't even know right now in fact. Even with this record a lot of the songs were written with members of my band I'd been on the road with. We just struck up this musical chemistry that was beyond them just being in my band and then in most instances we not only co-wrote we co-produced the tracks together. So I'm always into, I guess going with the flows.
CW: What do you think about the sampling culture? Do you think it is a good, bad thing?
DES'REE: I see it as a good thing in a way that it's nice to, it's like a cycle. Maybe like Curtis Mayfield, you know, bring up those old tunes but then again, this generation, the younger generation don't know about, don't know where those samples came from, which is a bit of a shame cos they might think that they're brand new in way so I don't know whether the artist where they came from would necessarily get recognition immediately other than from those who would take the time to find out. I think it's interesting, especially with rap cos it's taking it to another place, really. Because who would have thought you would have rap mixing Bee Gees, we wouldn't have thought that five years ago. We wouldn't have thought was where rap was heading. That is why rap is so unpredictable and it's like . . . it's just constantly evolving. Because people thought that rap would die but to me it seems stronger than ever.
CW: Do you think your albums have helped to popularise Neo Soul as a musical trend?
DES'REE: A lot of people say I have done and the feedback I always get from artists like . . . "I've always been a really big fan of yours". And yet to me I've never really strayed away from "Mind Adventures" [her first album]. I'm not one of these artists that keep up with the trends. Like those terms ['Neo Soul'], I haven't heard those terms. I wouldn't listen to a record and look and think who produced it or where it was produced. That I suppose is how naive I was at the very beginning. I didn't know that various studios meant certain things. And in the music world there were various musicians. I didn't know that there were famous bass players and stuff like that. I really didn't know about a bass until I started recording and I thought "Oh, a bass is a bass guitar, oh how interesting." . . . So, there were so many things. And I suppose in a way I've still kinda kept that up. When I'm making music, I don't even listen to the radio, I don't even want to know what is happening out there. I don't know if that's because I don't want to be influenced by it but it's like, I suppose I don't want it to be because I don't want it to in any way dictate what I would do. For example, if wanted to do something and I thought well, "Gosh, well what's happening now?" People are not gonna like that, because I would be in the studio for ever. I would never get records out.
CW: What do you listen to when you're not rehearsing or recording?
DES'REE: Right now in my collection I've got from Angelique Kidjo, Sarah McLachlan, Wyclef, Missy Elliott, Natalie Merchant, Bill Withers, -- who else is in there? . . . Frank Sinatra, Jesse Norman. So a bit of . . . everything.
CW: Have you ever considered writing for other artists? You must have a lot of material you don't use.
DES'REE: Yes, I do. And do get approached for songs from time to time. So I think that might be the next thing, is writing for other artists or maybe even producing or co-producing if I get invited to, that is. I'd like to explore that because I now feel a lot more confident in the studio. I know my way around a lot more. I'm not so afraid of studios as I used to be.
CW: Have you been approached to do any more acting after your "Romeo + Juliet" cameo appearance?
DES'REE: I have in fact, I've had a few scripts sent my way . . . There was one where I would have been like a rock star I guess and would fall in love with a character from a rock band, but my death was a bit tragic. I thought "no, it might be a self-fulfilling prophesy" . . . I don't know whether I'm ready to investigate the film world just yet because my commitments are to music. And I guess I'm not ready to follow someone else's script, I suppose because I've got such input into what I do it would be hard to sometimes. But then again, I don't know, that would be limiting myself if I couldn't be a part of someone else's vision, so I would never say "never".
CW: Could you tell me a little about the sampling controversy over Janet Jackson's "Got Til It's Gone"?
DES'REE: Well, really she just infringed the copyright to "Feel So High" basically. I mean there was no hair pulling. I think the media kinda blew it out of proportion, I got this amount of money and stuff like that. All I wanted was an acknowledgement of the infringement and a credit as a writer and that's exactly what happened.
CW: Do you think it was a conscious or a subconscious thing -- where the song has influenced someone?
DES'REE: I don't know to be honest. I've never spoken to her to find out . . . If I'm in the studio and I remotely slip something in the song that sounds anything like anybody else, I scrap it and I start again. I'm very, very conscious of that.
CW: Are you going to tour on the album? Do a full scale tour?
DES'REE: That's the plan. Because what I like to do, is do promotion first and then get my band together. In fact, while I was in the States I did some of the Lilith Fair dates. It was great because a lot of the artists I hadn't heard of and so it was good for me to see other artists and watch other female artists do their own thing and express their individuality and so on. And so it really gave me a taste for being back on the stage, definitely. So the plan now is to go back home, rehearse with my band. We should be coming to Australia around the end of February, March, that's the plan.