Craig David: So Much Slicker

Unique, 22-year old R&B star Craig David has model good looks and is still devoted to his mom who supported his career when he was growing up in Southampton, U.K. and wanted to D.J. in clubs at age 14. David listened to Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder growing up. His dad was into reggae and the baselines are reflected in some of the artist's diverse work. On his album "Slicker Than Your Average", whether he's performing a fun hip hop tune like "What's Your Flava", a techno street anthem like "Fast Cars" or a sexy ballad like "Personal", David's talent and clear, beautiful voice shines through.

For this easy-going artist it's all about the lyrics and getting the message across with style, rather than allowing a heavy base beat to drown out an angry rap lyric. When we chatted with Craig on the phone recently, we were wooed by his lovely English accent, his easy-going, polite manner and his willingness to answer our questions from his heart.

TeenMusic: Where are you calling from?

Craig: I'm in New York at the moment. Good morning!

TeenMusic: Hi! How young were you when you wrote your first song? What was it about?

Craig: Probably when I was about 14 and the song was called "Do you Need Somebody?". I came up with this concept of Do you Need Somebody because I wanted a girl to go out with me and she wasn't really feeling the same way so I'm like feeling sorry for myself. It kind of sounded okay. I listened to the tape the last time I went back to my parents' house and it wasn't too bad. I would have signed that guy!

TeenMusic: Are you still close with your mom? How did she help you get started in your career?

Craig: She allowed me to do things that a lot of parents probably wouldn't get their teenage sons do. I was D.J-ing when I was fourteen. I was hanging with this guy who was ten years older than me who had me as his protégé. He was a D.J. as well. She allowed me to hang with him. He was my chaperone and I kind of grew up and matured a lot quicker than other fourteen-year-olds. I feel like I haven't missed out on my childhood because, as much as I'm on the road and doing stuff, I've been in the clubs and been D.J-ing and seen what goes on. She was really cool and I knew she always had my back which is great.

TeenMusic: Do you still drop in and D.J. anywhere?

Craig: I do once in a while. I'm really passionate still about that but it's been really difficult to D.J. and do all the promos as well. I love to sing and go out there and really vocally put on something that's quite hot and it's difficult when D.J.ing because it's always late night. You end up burning the candle at both ends and you lose.

TeenMusic: We hear you have a huge CD collection! Who are you listening to now?

Craig: I buy so many CD's it's crazy. I support the cause. Even if I don't like your album too much I'll go out and buy it because I like to have it in my collection. I end up listening to older albums again and again. I'll listen to Donell Jones "What I Want to Be" album which is one of my favorites.

TeenMusic: What has been your weirdest fan encounter so far?

Craig: When I was staying in one of the hotels in New York, we were on tour and these three girls were outside my room when I came back.... in towels. I was a bit curious as to what was really going down and they were telling me that the afterparty was in my room. They'd just come prepared for the night. One part of my brain was saying 'Craig, how can you ever turn this down'? And the other part was saying 'Craig, do the right thing. You've got a show tomorrow as well'. So I did the right thing in the end but wow, I'm not going to lie, my mind was racing around.

TeenMusic: Ideal date activity?

Craig: Go for some good food firstly, a good meal. I'm a kind of easy guy. I'd like to catch a movie or spend time with the person I'm with and find out what they're like. Sometimes people opt for doing things that make you have less concentration on the person you're with and more on whatever it is. I want to try and get to know the person a bit better so I'd have a nice meal, maybe a movie and then find somewhere quiet where we could talk.

TeenMusic: You aren't as angry in your music as some artists. What makes your sound so mellow?

Craig: I'm a big fan of sort of mid-tempo and balance. I think you have time to think about what you want to say and emotionally can really come across with it vocally, where you want to take it. Sometimes without tempo tracks, it's very much about the beat, the backing track than what the person is actually singing.

I think the old school of classic songwriting is very much mid-tempo to ballad. It's so much about wanting to be contemporary today and make sure your stuff bangs in the club. As soon as you get to a certain BPM and beat of a track, the production comes to the forefront. I kind of want the songs to breathe, moreso than having to rely on the track so much.

TeenMusic: What is your songwriting process?

Craig: I dictate the melody into my Dictaphone and from my Dictaphone I may sometimes feed that into my computer and cut the bits out that I don't think are cool and then loop them a thousand times so I don't forget it. I found it's so much easier when you can start to lay things down and then listen back to it. I always get a sore throat if I try to sing it a thousand times so laying it down helps the process.

TeenMusic: What is the weirdest thing you've ever written lyrics on?

Craig: Usually I'm on an intimate island by myself when I'm writing. There was a lyric that I had to write and I couldn't find anything to write on and it was on one of the pillows which the hotel wasn't too happy about because it was one of those permanent markers. But that was an important lyric. That was in the song "Personal" that I used the pillow case.

TeenMusic: You got Sting to be on your album on "Rise and Fall". Who else would you love to do a duet with?

Craig: I've got a lot of respect for Justin Timberlake and Usher. I think that would be a cool duet if I did something with them because we're contemporaries, about the same age and have something to say. Sort of the same way that Brandy and Monica did "The Boy's Mine". I think that would be the cool way to go or actually even R. Kelly. I'm a massive fan. He's written some great songs. He'd be a cool person to work with.

TeenMusic: You have the looks. Want to be a film star?

Craig: Oh, you're a sweetheart. I think you have to be in a position in your musical career that you are content with what you do musically before you get into films. I think it's a foregone conclusion today that if you can sing or write songs that somehow, you can act.

Often I think, why did you give up the day job? Go back to what you do best. I think maybe years down the line if I feel like I want to do something totally different because I feel I've really come far with my music....but even then I would probably stay true to what I do.

TeenMusic: Have your songs been on film Soundtracks?

Craig: I'm not sure but "Fast Cars" would have been great on The Fast and The Furious.

TeenMusic: You don't wear all the bling bling jewelry..just the one CD necklace all the time it seems. Does that necklace have an interesting history?

Craig: I'd always said I wanted a pendant like that growing up. For one of my birthdays my mother got me this white gold pendant. Then, after a few albums sold and a couple of royalty checks came in I thought it was maybe now time to put a few little diamonds in there, give it a little something. On one hand it's something my mom had given to me and also it kind of is a symbol with my name on it. It's not like the CD is going to give me super powers but it's got good vibes so I'll keep it close to my chest I guess. My thing is like a joke compared to some of the things I've seen out there. But less is more.

TeenMusic: What is the biggest misconception about you?

Craig: Sometimes my sense of humor can sometimes be perceived as being arrogant because if you don't get what I'm saying and take it literally, you'll feel as if I'm insulting you in some way. Actually I'm just playing with you. It's frustrating sometimes when you have to explain you're joking with someone. You're like "come on!" You have to know when to tone it down. Certain people, you go into a situation knowing they're not going to get things. Instead of even telling any jokes now, I'll just keep it simple.

TeenMusic: What is the theme song of your life?

Craig: Wowsers! I probably would say "Rise and Fall". I haven't necessarily experienced the fall in my career but the lyrics are very poignant highlighting that if you take things for granted it can easily be taken away from you and also, if you get caught up in the wrong things. As quickly as you've had your experience in the high life, it can be your fall. I think that's something I try and stand by. When you start to feel too much pride for a second, remember "Rise and Fall" and it will bring you back.

TeenMusic: Do you have any advice to teen singer/songwriters?

Craig: I say don't be the world's best kept secret. If you've got talent, let people know about it. Even if you're shy and your personality doesn't suggest that you should be running around singing to everyone, do the talent shows and let people hear you. You have to be quite a good judge of character.

There are people out there that will want to help you and manage you and take you to the top and look out for you but there are other people who want to abuse that and take you for their own means. It's difficult to find a guardian angel who is going to look after you. You have to be a good judge of character and hope that the person you eventually do meet that may have a break for you is going to be the right person.

Check out Craig's Website

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Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.