by Two-time Grammy nominee Eric Robeson never seems to amaze his fans as an independent artist. As the “forefather of the independent movement,” Roberson worked with several notable artists including Dwele, Vivian Green, Jill Scott, and Musiq Soulchild. The singer, songwriter, and producer released his latest album, Earth in April.
Earth is a completely different album from his previous albums because it’s a part of the EP trilogy series, Earth, Wind, and Fire (Roberson will be releasing two more albums, Wind on July 21st and Fire on Oct 20th). Each element has a different subject matter such as empowerment and love. Roberson completed the trilogy series within a year and continued to use his voice to address newsworthy topics. About the album’s concept, Roberson says, “I was writing songs that didn’t feel like they belong together. One song would be about empowerment and another about love. The trilogy EP was the birthed. ”
I spoke with Roberson about his latest trilogy project, working with Glenn Lewis, first single “Million Dollars,” and more.
Check it out!
Album, Earth: Earth is the first album from the trilogy album series, I released Earth in April. Basically, I was working on this album while I was writing and recording songs. I was writing songs that didn’t connect well with each other. So I decided to separate them into different categories. Earth is about pushing forward and aiming for success. It also touches important issues in life and how the choices we make determines our path.
Recording Process Of the Trilogy EP, Earth, Wind, & Fire: When I was working on the trilogy EP, it was completely different. The music came first, and then I started writing the songs afterward. Each song for each album went into a different folder based on the theme. I would have to say Fire was the hardest album for me because I wasn’t fully prepared. The ideas didn’t come right away because of Fire’s theme. I avoided timelines to complete the trilogy EP because I didn’t want anything hanging over my head. I didn’t want anything interfering with the quality of the work.
Tribute to Legendary Group, Earth Wind & Fire? I respect Earth Wind and Fire, but I came up with the title based on the themes for each album. The title just fits well with the concept I had for the trilogy EP.
Albums, Wind & Fire: Wind will be released on July 21st and Fire comes out on October 20th. Wind talks about the highs and lows of love. There is a song on the album called “God in You,” that talks about self-love. “Lover” is another song that is comical. We argue and fight with our lovers, but you want to love her all night. He or she complains every day (lol), but it’s all good because your love is too strong to end the relationship. Fire is more political, and there is a song that talks about Donald Trump and the current state of our country with a different approach. Fire mentions that we idolize people on dollar bills, but most of them were slave-owners. It’s like, how can we celebrate slave-owners, but not each other? We have to start thinking about the betterment of ourselves so that we can survive. So for the Fire album, I wrote whatever came to mind politically.
First single “Million Dollar Bill” from the Earth Album: The lead song is the introduction to the album. Everyone would like to have million dollars, but you have to realize money doesn’t make you happy. You can’t buy happiness. Once you understand that, you will find your way back home; home meaning God, your faith. Growing up, we knew who God was in the church, but as time goes on, sometimes we lose our way. But in the end, you find your way, rediscover your foundation with God, and make the right decision.
Touring: I am definitely going on the road to promote the album, starting this month. We will be on the road until October.
Working with R&B Artist, Glenn Lewis on the song, “Superman”: He is an amazing artist and a great friend of mine. We worked together before on a song called “Chasing Goosebumps.” The turnout was great, and we decided to work together on another album. The duet on the album was phenomenal. I believe Glenn Lewis doesn’t receive credibility vocally; I mean, he is a dope artist. He is still one of the main artists we can reckon with vocally. Glenn’s voice is powerful.
Earth‘s Overall Message to Fans: I want fans to understand that in life, they can do anything they set their minds to. Have confidence and push the envelope. This is the message I want to deliver in my music and let my fans be empowered. I want to record songs they can take a step back and think about lives, their goals, and dreams. They can pray more, spend more time with their loved ones, and be open to new ideas.
For more information on Eric Roberson, follow him on his social media platforms and visit his streaming sites and website:
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ericroberson
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/earth-ep/id1224238507
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EricRoberson/
Twitter:@IAmEricRoberson
Instagram: @erro44
Website: www.EricRobersonMusic.com
