MUSIC
INTERVIEWS
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Stevie Wonder shares his ‘Love’ By CHRISTINA SCHROETER Daily Titan Staff
For almost two hours, the media waited in a cool Warner Bros. studio for him to arrive. Nibbling on catered cuisine, sipping on cold sodas and mingling with each other, many wondered when the time to love would come. But what is two hours when the world has been waiting 10 years for Stevie Wonder to release his long-awaited album, A Time to Love? “I was never afraid to put this record out,” Wonder said. “That was not the issue, ever. Because I do believe that God has given it to me, and it’s just a matter of me getting it the way that feels right.” Wonder’s new album is his first of new material since 1995’s Conversation Peace. A Time to Love contains an eclectic mix of African drums, digital composition and legendary UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP Stevie Wonder holds his family near to his heart and guest musicians like Paul McCartney, Prince and Bonnie Raitt. credits that love as an inspiration for the new album. While some songs are classic Stevie Wonder, others embrace a poppy, fun and more modern sound. “I wanted it to sound contemporary but sound, still me,” Wonder said. “I wanted to sing about things that were relevant but still had the essence of me still in there.” Although his music has evolved, Wonder physically remains unchanged. CHRISTINA SCHROETER/Daily Titan White beads are During a studio visit in Los Angeles, Stevie Wonder laughs and jokes with mem- asymmetrically strewn bers of the media while whole-heartedly explaining the inspiration for and cre- through the long black ation of his first new album in 10 years, A Time to Love. braids that dangle to the small of his back. He still smoothly weaves his head back and forth when he talks and sings, sporting his signature black sunglasses. But instead of Gucci or Louis Vuitton, he wears glasses with the A Time to Love symbols etched along the side (which he drew himself ). “Its really something that has come from life experiences,” Wonder said of his new album. “The joys and the pains. The moments of sorrow and the moments of happiness.” The first song on the record, “If Your Love Cannot Be Moved,” features vocals by gospel singer Kim Burrell, as well as unusual sounds like a voice beatbox and African drums. The song is very elaborate, but knit together seamlessly. “You Are The Sweetest Somebody I Know” highlights a sexy funk sound meshed with R&B and authentic Stevie style. UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP
“The title really says what the song is about, but it really speaks of someone which we all know,” Wonder said. “Someone like this or a couple someones like this, that have a very, very selfless spirit. They’re more concerned with the love that they can give and helping others than thinking about just themselves.” Love is very important to Wonder, especially the love of his family. His son, Kailand Morris, busts in at the end of “You Are The Sweetest Somebody I Know” shouting “Daddy, Daddy! OK, that’s enough!” His daughter, Aisha Morris, is also featured, singing on two tracks on the album. On the smooth, timeless track “How Will I Know” both Wonder and Morris classically sing together alongside an acoustic piano. “It was amazing because I always imagined we would do something together but I just didn’t know it would be that kind of song,” Wonder said. “Positivity,” another song Wonder sings with his daughter, is an upbeat hand-clapping feel-good song meant to brighten gloomy days. In the song, Wonder quotes his father, “You can always look at the negative but you should always live in the positive.” “I had fun doing this song and it’s sort of like reminiscing the love,” Wonder said. Wonder has sold over 72 million records, won 19 Grammy Awards, received various lifetime achievement awards, and written songs that have hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop and R&B Singles Charts starting at the ripe age of 12. He still remains grounded, appreciating all the small things in life, hearing the small sounds in life – the sounds many people today take for granted. “Hearing my children being born; that’s a beautiful sound,” Wonder said. “Creating those children; that’s a beautiful sound. I just think that life itself is beautiful. I think hearing people, you know, when you see people that are in distress and you see people caring, and you hear them doing everything that they can to save someone’s life, that’s a beautiful sound.” To Wonder, a part of love is humor, and he hopes to someday show the world the importance of humor by making a silly album. Although Wonder has released 35 U.S. albums, he still has creative plans for his future. He hopes to work with rock musicians like John Mayer as well as rap and hip-hop artists like Nas, Jay-Z and Eminem. He also looks forward to creating a musical, an opera and a country album. “I’m a music lover so there is nothing that I can say I wouldn’t want to do except for…I’m not really with negativity,” Wonder said. “I’m not really feeling that.” A Time to Love focuses on what is most important in his life. Wonder is influenced by everything around him: his family, the media, society, past experiences, others’ experiences and his imagination. “The balance really is finding what fits together best in that puzzle you’re creating,” Wonder said. “It’s no different than painting a picture. It’s the same. You use your imagination.” A Time to Love is currently available for download on all major music sites and can be purchased in stores Oct. 18.
