It's official! Kelly Rowland's fourth solo studio album, Talk A Good Game, is now in stores. Led by the singles "Kisses Down Low" and "Dirty Laundry," the project taps into the Golden Era of R&B (90s) for inspiration, and with Kelly's love for the genre, we think you may share her excitement. Check out the first part of our intimate chat with Ms. Kelly as she shares details around the record's creation, her love for R&B, career and more.
The Creative Process: The creative process of Talk A Good Game started with a board and on my board I had pictures, I had different things that I wanted to talk about…It was five different titles in between…but the album just really came together itself…It was through conversation, through great fun in the studio…that's how everything sparked.
Inspirations & Influences: The artists that inspired the record were actually 90's artists. I just thought about the first time I cut the radio on and heard R&B, I heard Bobby Brown, I heard Whitney Houston…Pebbles…Babyface…New Addition, and the way R&B made you feel. It has a soul and a pulse to it, it's sexy, it's sultry; I wanted that feeling for this record…Even the newbies know what that feel like, they know what 90s R&B is, they know it's some of the best times in music.
Maintaining Longevity: Hard work; you think of ways to recreate, whether it's music or ideas in your head; making a new.
Career: My career is on a path where I want it to be, and I don't feel like I'm giving up anything, I make time for the things that I wanna make time for.
The State of R&B: I feel like it's coming back. We were in a circa where it was pulse driven, all dance music, and I think that we're about to come out of that. You still have your dance remixes, because they are so important…they actually increase your fan base as well. I love dance music, but I think R&B is about to make its comeback.
Love for R&B: The fact that you can't be still when you listen to it, everything about it just makes you move or just feel something. I love R&B!
Judging on The X Factor: [You will see] a little bit of everything. I am very honest, but I'm also not a dream crusher.
Career Love: Everything really, even in the crazy moments you have to love because I wanted this, I wanted this ever since I was a kid, I wanted to sing. I remember telling my Momma I wanted to sing like Whitney Houston, and I didn't know everything that came with it, I just knew when I did my first solo at church, and I got on that chair to sing with that big poofy cupcake-looking white outfit that my mom put me in, this is what I wanted to do, I wanted to sing. I felt alive, and I'm happy.
Purchase your copy of Talk A Good Game now!
Founder and Creator of Singersroom.com and IncredibleWork.com. Follow me on Instagram at @gary.gentles.
