The multitalented producer, songwriter and artist Taio Cruz is tired today. He’s been out ‘til all hours with a cast of R&B A-listers including Estelle. Tiredness isn’t going to stop this man though, as he proves with his engaging politeness and sporadic bursts of singing during our interview. Described as a mix between Babyface, Timberlake and John Legend, we caught up with the man of the moment for a chat about how the Lion King inspired the last single amongst other things.
What made you want to be an artist?
I always wanted to be an artist from when I was younger and watched my idols, Michael Jackson or Mariah Carey, on TV. That subconsciously taught me how to produce music. I learned how to play the keys and production quite early, and became quite useful to people in that respect. It was quite comfortable, but there’s always been something inside me that wanted to make my own album.
You co-wrote Will Young’s Brit-award winning single “Your Game”, as well as songs for Britney Spears, Usher and MYA, do you wish you kept a track for yourself?
Not really, I look at it like children: they go off and do well and you are just as proud as if you would have done it yourself. I still know that I wrote and created it.
Rihanna’s “Umbrella” was originally pinned for you. Was that a tough blow?
It wasn’t a blow at all. Basically Tricky Stewart who I was producing with at the time wrote the song. I thought it would be a smash so Tricky let me record my own demo of it that I could play it to the label [whispers] but they didn’t think it was going to be a hit. Whilst we were still deliberating it was sent around to different people, Britney Mary J Blige and Rihanna, who took it.
You released the first three singles 'I Just Wanna Know' in 2006, 'Moving On' and ‘Come On Girl’ in 2007 and now the new single released May 26th. How come the album has been so long coming?
Everything I did I dished out to someone else. ‘I Just Wanna Know’ was the first song written for me. I didn’t expect it to do that well and be all over the airways. I got a call from Motown Records in the States and Universal Records UK, Island Records, back home who signed me; all after this one track.
Do you think people will be surprised that your album is more geared towards a pop?
Being black, people assume that it will be R&B, but as a producer I like so many styles of music. I think Timbaland and I are very similar in terms of what kind of music we like. I didn’t want to go too far on this album and confuse people going from hip hop to rock and so forth.
There are big string sections on the new single 'I Can Be’ and on the album; did you try to make it more epic?
Yeah definitely. I just love film music, especially John Williams’ theme tunes, his Indiana Jones tune in particular; it’s just so big. I will definitely take it even further, make it sound really ‘po-epic’.
Tell me about the new single ‘I Can Be’. Estelle features in the remix, why she?
It was actually written after I went to see the Lion King at the theatre, the music and the vibe was so uplifting and it inspired me to write a song that had the same kind of feeling. Estelle is a really good friend of mine and I wanted to have a girl on the track to complement me instead of a male rapper, especially another Brit.
What components make a hit song?
Originality and easy to sing-a-long to. One of the number one songs, except ‘Umbrella’ which is fantastically simple, is Whitney Houston’s ‘I will Always Love You’ [sings: ‘and Iiiaaa will aaalwaays love youuu’] the whole song is just that one line. When you are making music for the people, you have to make something that they can get into.
Would you agree that there’s a lack of British urban talents?
Definitely!
Why?
The truth? (Laughs cheekily) The truth of the matter is that Britain is not really designed for R&B and Hip Hop. Garage started to work mainly because it comes from dance music, and there was a movement where people started owning their own record labels, creating their own scene. Whereas R&B and Hip Hop doesn’t have that so that’s why it doesn’t work.
Who would you like to collaborate with in the future?
Everybody who’s talented. Not in the typical ‘urban’ genre, people keep putting me in that category. I would love to do some stuff with Keane, I think they’re awesome, Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs. It would be different but cool!
Anything else you want to add to the listeners of Kiss?
Buy the album ‘Departure’ and the new single ‘I can Be’ out May 26th. I have a range of sunglasses coming out so look out for them!
Thank you very much and good luck!
Interview: Julia Dinome
