Many R&B fans should be aware that RL of the group NEXT has been working on his own solo album for some time now, if you didn’t, well now you do. In fact, over the past 2 years he was very dedicated to the project. However, due to a ton of leaks via overseas fans the singer-songwriter scrapped the whole album, with plans to record more new music.
“I re-did the whole thing,” RL confirmed in an interview Tuesday night. “Some of the records got leaked.”
RL has been working behind the scenes as a songwriter ever since the group thing wasn’t finding the same success they once had. During these past years, he has been finding his own voice and style, as he is now prepping his solo album, and guess what a new album from NEXT as well.
“I’ve been behind the scenes for a while but now I’m back working on my project as well as the group’s,” RL told the Nikki Rich Show. “I just want to keep it sexy and grown.”
While RL is focused on keeping his forthcoming material mature, he did break down his thoughts on sexuality in music and the state of the industry as well. Claiming less focus should be placed on gender, sexuality, or even weight, RL believes people really need to focus on talent.
“If you are genuinely yourself, you will be successful,” he said, noting talent like Cee-Lo and Adele who are simply “authentic unbridled talent.”
According to RL, Adele proves there is no “blueprint” or perfect recording artist.
“It shows you there is no blueprint. There is no perfect artist. I don’t care what your weight is. I don’t care what your gender is or your sexual orientation is. If you have talent, look at Adam Lambert. He’s just straight up ‘I’m a gay man, but I’m rocking. So what, buy my album’ and they (people) do,” says RL. “People are worried about the wrong things.”
Taking it a step further, RL says “music is music.”
“I feel like music is music. I think we classify things too much,” says RL. “I think there are artists who are searching for themselves and that’s on them. A lot of albums aren’t working because they’re not being authentic. All of a sudden they (fans) press play and it’s something totally different.”
