{Photo credit: GoMillion & Leupold}
The last year has seen Miguel catapult further into the realm of the recognised with the release of his debut LP ‘All I Want Is You’.
Indeed, the “eclectric” set has spawned three US R&B top ten singles in the form of the album’s title track, ‘Sure Thing’ and steamy ‘Quickie’.
Ever striving to ask the questions you really want answers to, That Grape Juice presents an exclusive interview with 24 year old; one which sees him address everything from his inspirations, to his short lived feud with Lloyd, to his forthcoming LP. The cultured crooner also sets the record straight about the speculation surrounding his sexuality. A must-read.
Interview by: Patrick (of That Grape Juice TV)
Patrick: In the short time you’ve been out, you’ve established quite a unique sound; how do you describe it?
Miguel: Ah, I would describe my sound as seeing a unique painting using colors and textures from classified Funk, Hip-Hop and Soul and I have used my own individual perspective on life, romance and society and so on and so forth. I think the blend of those elements and my perspective and my style of delivery even down to annunciation of certain words is all delivery and part of the representation of my lifestyle. It’s what I like to call eclectric.
P: People have really received your eclectic style really well, how does it feel …
M: Eclectric
P: Oh, Eclectric style, my bad. So people receive ecletric pretty well, how does that make you feel and did you doubt that it would catch on at any point?
M: It is a great feeling. I think any artist whether it be a musician, street artist of visual artist so on and so forth, they want an engaged audience. We don’t only do it for ourselves; we do in the sense that we have to be creative. We want people to appreciate our perspective. So it’s a great feeling to find people who the music resonates with. I don’t know if I ever doubted it, I figured if they have a market for it toy monkeys that clash symbols there has to be a market for Miguel.
P: (Laughs).
So someone told me about you a long time ago (pre-deal) and I was listening to your ‘All I Want Is You’ LP and I was wondering which song do you like that is not a single?
M: I would probably have to say, ‘My Piece’.
P: We’ll have to check that out.
Which artists out right now are you listening to and do you respect?
M: There are so many! Who am I feeling? Definitely watching Jhene Aiko – who is actually a friend of mine. The Weeknd, Frank Ocean – who is also a friend of mine. They’re the one’s getting the most play outta me at the moment.
P: If you could compare the music industry to a High School class room, who would be in your class or the varsity starting line up.
M: The same folk I’m listening to now. Absolutely
Like I said, I’m listening to my peers. I think the artists that I named have kinda been cut from the similar cloth. Not necessarily perspective, but similar objective. Each brings a high degree of individuality and are fearless about their own perspective.
P: I hear that.
Now, I know Lloyd’s new haircut and tattoo got a really interesting response from you on Twitter. I know you say imitation is the highest form of flattery. Do you see people swagger jacking or do you feel like your ‘out there’ style is being respected and adapted by other acts?
M: I think it’s dope. I truly feel it to be a form of flattery.
It’s funny because I’ve seen pictures of little kids whose moms took them to get their hair cut like the back of mine, and that’s pretty cool.
As for the Lloyd comment, I meant what I said and I told him that (to his face) – but I don’t think it was appropriate. It wasn’t appropriate, but this is one of them things that I have come to understand boils down to knowing how to conduct myself when you’re watched all the time. There is a bit of influence and that is what I’m looking for, to influence people to broaden their horizons. So as for aesthetics, I invite them to embrace a more worldly view of art and culture and society and I think that’s what I’m hoping to do with everything that I put together…
P: I respect that because everyone heard the audio tape of you two seeing each other for the first time after you tweeted that and I respected that you stood by what you said, but at the same time you where very apologetic…
M: Absolutely. I mean, as a man, I went to his room on my own accord by myself to address the whole “beef thing” because I didn’t mean it in an attacking way. But it can be misconstrued by the way people spin it. Same thing with my music; sometimes I say things that are unique to who I am and my perspective and I don’t expect people to always like that or to agree with it. But I stand by my word, be it music or something I say in public or what have you.
P: Awesome. So we just finished watching your new video for (your new single) ‘Quickie’ and…
M: You like it?
P: We indeed do. Tell us a little more about the clip…
M: Sure. The video kind of reminds me of the night I wrote the actual song. I really wanted to give people a realistic or (should I say) more true to life visual to my music than my prior videos. As such, this one kinda speaks for itself. It was really important to me that things felt real and honest. Director Alexandre Moore was instrumental in executing that vision.
P: And what certainly grown and sexy vision that was.
What is next, though; what are your future goals?
M: Man, future goals, hmmm… I think the biggest goal is to reach a point where, like I mentioned earlier, I can influence positivity on a grand scale. Be it to embrace other things or things that you wouldn’t necessarily introduce to yourself or be open to. I really hope to be a bridge in some way shape or form; you know bridging music to the Urban crowd and bridging Urban elements to other spectrums. At this point in time there’s so much available to use as far as information goes, there’s no reason why we can’t all be cultured individuals and the more cultured we become the more we realize how similar we really are and the less reason we have to separate ourselves from each other. I think at this point in time, our history as human beings, it’s a necessary step towards evolving as a society. So where I can influence positivity, I will.
P: Something that I really admire about you is touching on something you said about being cultured, is that your musical influences range from a James Brown to Bowie to Jimi Hendrix. That’s something that probably a lot of urban kids or people who listen to urban music wouldn’t have those same influences. Do you think that because you have different influences and you do things a little less traditionally, that people say that’s gay or want to say you’re gay because of that?
M: People, you have to remember that we are all in some regards creatures of habit and when something is unfamiliar we are quick to judge it or to. So being raised the way I was, you know coming from a multicultural background, I was raised not be subject of ignorance. My upbringing was always about informing myself and that’s why I was able to learn about David Bowie, about Prince, about James Brown, about Jimi Hendrix about Queen… and about so on and so forth. Regarding my sexuality – I think if I were White no one would question my preference. My sexuality, I truly believe, under those circumstances, wouldn’t be a topic. But because I have brown skin and Black people are used to a certain presentation and a certain way of speaking and a certain dressing, that the moment they see something that is not along those lines they’re quick to judge it. It really is ignorance. I think at this point I don’t pay attention to it; I was raised not to. I was raised to embrace diversity; you know what I’m saying? I have gay fans – shout out to my gay fans. I’m not gay, but I promote individuality and that’s all that matters.
P: That is awesome. How important is it for you to stand out and kinda some of those things that you where talking about? Whether it be if dress differently or look different to what they’re used to seeing. How important is it for you to stand out or be different from your peers that are out? Is that something that you think about? Or is it something that is natural.
M: I’ve never been the type to wake up and I’m going to dress myself, or when I’m shopping to think: “what can I do that no one else is doing?” I’m thinking about what looks dope to me, you know what I’m saying. And that’s pretty much where it all comes from. There was a certain point in my life when I decided I was going to be and do what I thought was dope what I thought was ill. So, no, it’s not necessarily what can I do to standout. It’s not about that at all. It’s just about what resonates with what I feel I represent.
P: Are you working on a new album what can we expect in the future as in music wise?
M: Man, always new material, I’m always working on new music.
P: I heard something with David Guetta not to long ago.
M: You know what, that’s not actually David Guetta.
P: No?!
M: That’s Paul Oakenfold
P: Oh Okay
M: Paul Oakenfold, I don’t know who kept uploading that and saying that’s David Guetta. Really funny, but Paul Oakenfold is kinda like the godfather of Dance music; the number one DJ in the world for years and years before those out now and definitely before Dance was really-really “cool”. Paul’s just really-really dope.
But, as for new material, I can say that I am working on a new mixtape right now.
P: Really, is it going to be similar to the album or is it going to be, are you going to take us the new direction are we going to get some more eclectric?
M: There will definitely be more eclectric, I can’t tell you exactly what it’s going to sound like, but expect it to be pushing the boundaries of R&B.
P: Miguel, thank you for your time!
M: Thanks Patrick!
{Transcribed by: Ricky Robinson}
———————————-