SheiFunmi Interviews Lloyd

With the release of his latest single, the hugely massive “Dedication to my Ex (Miss That)”, veteran R&B singer Lloyd has achieved his biggest International success to date with top 10 chart positions In the UK, Ireland, Denmark and Australia among others. HIs forthcoming single “Do It Again” featuring UK rapper Chip (Chipmunk) will be released In the Summer and he recently performed at Jazz Cafe In London after touring Australia and New Zealand. SheiFunmi had the privilege of catching up with him to discuss his latest album King of Hearts, cutting off his trademark locks, his love for Sheperd’s Bush and so much more.

HI Lloyd, nice to see you again! How are you enjoying London so far?

I know man! You follow me everywhere (laughs) So far so good! I really haven’t been here that long so I haven’t really been able to gauge It. My favourite part of the city Is Sheperd’s Bush, this is where I saw Amy Winehouse perform live for the first and only time In my life and I got a lot of memories In Sheperd’s Bush.

First of all, I must start with congratulations on your fourth album, people are curious as to why you named the album ‘King of Hearts’, is there any story to it?

Well it’s rather self explanatory if you think about it, I mean, I guess in my own cocky, arrogance, in my own vanity, I will consider myself the King of hearts, the woman’s heart but I think the music itself took a more complex approach, it’s a lot more grandiose, its more wriggle than most of the other songs I’ve ever released you know. There’s strings, there’s horns, there’s me playing the piano, you know, I started working with a full band and it just sounded like music fit for a king. It had a certain richness about it, a royalty if you will, my pattern is always revolving around the ideas of love whatever that may be, you have to just find a way to connect to it, I think that’s where the hearts come into play.

How has the reception from fans/critics been regarding the album ‘King of Hearts’?

Well I’ve spent a lot of time touring since releasing the album and I think just being given the chance to perform live is the most important thing because it’s hard to keep anyone’s attention span for more than 20 minutes you know. I think when you perform live you always stand a chance of gaining fans forever so right after I released the album, I went on tour with [Lil] Wayne for the Summer then I did Europe and Australia and got the chance to perform my new music and so far people are loving it.

Do you think the album is getting all the buzz and reception you expected it to?

I expected worse *laughs* just kidding, but of course I think setting your expectations high isn’t always a bad thing because when you expect the best then most of the time you prepare for it. We always felt like what we were doing, all the work that we were putting to it, all the endless sleepless night, the endless sessions, you don’t want them to just go to waste so you always expect the best but you can’t predict the future.

How would you describe the style of music coming off this new material, what are the elements you have infused in it to make this one different?

I just like Soul music, anything that has a soul that comes from a deep place, from a core, something that requires you to reach in and pull out, that is the kind of music I’m always into, that is the kind of music I grew up listening to and that’s just what we do where we from. Anything is soul and I don’t necessary mean neo soul, you can make house music but if you put the soul into it then it connects.

Of all the songs on the album, which one is your favourite?

It varies man, today I will probably say “YOU Part 2” (because of) the music behind it, the message and it is one of the only songs on the album that I actually wrote, so I think you’re always partial to the work that you do.

I definitely must ask you, why did young Goldie take the locks off? it seemed to be one of your selling points.

I found out that I could give it to a greater cause being Locks Of Love, giving it to charity, having the opportunity to do something greater than myself just felt good.

As of right now, which UK artiste is your favourite?

Oh it is still (Amy) Winehouse for me, I mean Winehouse was just a little darker and I like dark.

Did you think “Dedication to my Ex” would be so massive internationally?

That was the idea, the idea was to do something that would transcend genders and boarders, stuff like that, I didn’t know if people would like it but that was the idea behind it.

What are you hoping to get from your trip to the UK this time?

Well just a little more culture, more acquaintance with the people and the customs of the land, again performing “Dedication” for the first time in a lot of places seeing how that works and the new record that I’m releasing here called “Do It Again” which features Chipmunk, I’m excited about performing that for the first time too.

Thank you for your time and granting this interview.

No, thank you man!

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