For a singer who has sold in excess of 20 million records and, in ‘All Around the World’, produced one of the classic singles of the 90’s, it has been a long absence. Lisa Stanfield returns with her new offering, Seven, her first record for 10 years. By Kiesha Meikle
So, you have a new album out. Does that mean you are back for good?
“It’s really gorgeous to have people say to me it’s good that I’m back. Not that I had a break. People think you had a break because they haven’t seen you, but I can tell you I have been busy!”
Well, you have to admit that it has been a long time since we heard anything from you musically…
“I didn’t think there was anywhere I really fitted in. There wasn’t much stuff that sounded like the music I make, and if you are making music and people don’t even know about it, you might as well make an album and put it in the loo and flush it away. There is no point banging your head against a brick wall. So I didn’t see the point.”
What was it like making the new album?
“It was both the quickest and longest album to make, because I spent ages writing loads of songs, but then took just six weeks to record it. And the nice thing is, when we play the songs live, there is as much energy for the new tracks as the old ones. It’s not like people are heading to the bar when they hear tracks they don’t recognise!”
Now you are back in the ‘industry’, what do you think of the newbies?
“It is brilliant… Lady Gaga, Adele, Jessie J… they are all female artists in control of what they are doing – they are amazing, it’s great to see.”
I remember loving ‘All Around the World’ when it first came out, do you still play it?
“After 25 years, I have been through it all with that song. There was definitely a time when I fell out of love with it. But then I thought to myself ‘it’s a product of me and a product of who I am, it came from my head and if it wasn’t for that song I wouldn’t be here today’. So I made my peace with it. Now, I am just glad that I wrote it and not somebody else.”
Do you think that the internet and social media has been good for the music industry?
“I’m not sure it makes that much difference. It can if you use your nous and use it to your advantage and be more in control of yourself. I think you can be less controlled as a commodity, because that is what a lot of record companies see you as – a commodity. Younger artists are on the case with it, which is great for them, but I’m not sure it makes too much of a difference to me.”
You must be tweeting, everyone is tweeting…
“I do tweet, but I have to go through a filter and have somebody check it for me before it goes out. Otherwise, I would get into trouble… I know what I’m like. I don’t want to get drunk and then wake up with a hangover and see that I’ve put a compromising picture of myself on the internet for the world to see!”
Lisa Stansfield’s new album, Seven, is out on February 10.