International pop artist Kelis just released an excellent new album, the fun and electro-pop-drenched “Flesh Tone. ” Even better: She’s on the road with one of our favorite international pop singers, Robyn, for the All Hearts tour, which hits town Aug. 3.
We thought we had tons to talk about with the outspoken artist, who spent the last decade bouncing around to different major record labels, touring the world and turning out hits such as “Caught Out There” and “Milkshake.” Surely, she had a lot on her mind and would give us some insights on her new artistic direction and her years in the music industry.
If she did, she wasn’t telling us.
PGN: The All Hearts tour sounds like a brilliant idea. Whose idea was it for you to tour with Robyn? K: I thought of the name and it was a joint thought for Robyn and I to go out on the road together. I think she’s great and we get along great.
PGN: This tour is only doing a handful of cities and a lot of the dates have already sold out. Did you ever consider doing a longer tour of bigger venues? K: We figured we just wanted to hit it and quit it.
PGN: At any point will the two of you perform together? K: We haven’t decided.
PGN: Your recent appearances on late-night television have been amazing. Will your stage show for this tour be anything like those performances? K: I don’t know yet, my dear. I don’t know what we’re doing tonight so we’ll see.
PGN: Were there any particular artists that influenced the direction of the new album? K: I don’t know. I sort of just take things as they come, particularly on this record. The music drove it. There wasn’t a master plan of as to who I like or who I wanted to work with. It was like, wow, this really feels really good to me. Let me write it and go back and produce that. I just take it as it comes.
PGN: Do you think the press will still label you as an R&B/hip-hop artist after the more-electronic direction of “Flesh Tone”? K: I don’t know who considered me that before. I never called myself any of the above. I guess people need titles to digest things. To me, it doesn’t make any difference what you call it.
PGN: Does being on Will.I.Am’s [of The Black Eyed Peas] label give you more creative freedom than you would have on another major label? K: What gave me more creative freedom off the jump was the fact that my album was already done before I was signed. I think being signed to another artist is helpful.
PGN: In your opinion, what is the most significant change in the music industry since you started? K: The Internet, for sure. We’re way more accessible as artists. We’re able to reach more people. There isn’t an outlet for videos any longer. Now it’s online and you end up doing more interviews for blogs and magazines.
PGN: What has been the highlight of your career so far? K: I think, for me, I feel really good when I have a vision and I am able to get the right team around me to help pull that vision off. And then when it comes out the way I saw it or better, those are the moments that stick with me.
PGN: Are there any places you look forward to performing when you go on tour? K: I enjoy performing outside. Any kind of summertime festival is really fun. Those are always the good ones.
Check out the All Hearts tour with Kelis and Robyn at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St. For more information or tickets, call (215) 922-6888.
Larry Nichols needs people to meet him halfway if they want to sound interesting in print and can be reached at [email protected].