![\"JasonDerulo-1\"](\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/JasonDerulo-1.jpg\")
<\/h1>\n<\/h1>\nBy Russell Hall<\/p>\n
Jason Derulo\u2019s songs are fixtures on the pop charts, but he\u2019s hesitant to label his music as simply pop. He\u2019s proud of his many influences, and his latest album, Everything Is 4<\/i>, features an array of musical styles. For some artists, that could spell a lack of cohesion, but Derulo\u2019s collection gels through the sheer force of his personality. \u201cThat\u2019s the one thing that\u2019s constant,\u201d he says. \u201cThe whole album is my reality. It\u2019s not contrived. Everything, lyrically, has to do with my life. And the music I\u2019m making is music I know well.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u2019s not the only one who knows his music well. Since releasing his self-titled debut in 2010, the R&B\/pop artist has sold more than 45 million singles worldwide. His 2014 album, Talk Dirty<\/i>,
\nspawned five platinum hits\u2014including the title track, \u201cWiggle\u201d and \u201cTrumpets\u201d\u2014an achievement that catapulted him into elite company with the likes of Katy Perry, Beyonc\u00e9 and Taylor Swift. A slew of industry honors has also come his way: Five BMI Pop Awards\u2014including a 2011 \u201cSongwriter of the Year\u201d trophy\u2014as well as three Teen Choice Awards.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m the kind of person who lives my art,\u201d says Derulo, 25. \u201cIt\u2019s not necessarily that I want to do that, it\u2019s that I have to. That\u2019s how I write songs\u2014it\u2019s always been that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Born in Miami to Haitian parents, Jason Joel Desrouleaux began dancing as a preschooler, inspired by Michael Jackson and MC Hammer. By age 8 he had written his first song, and at 13, he was spending time in a recording studio. \u201cI told myself that if I wasn\u2019t making music for the world by the time I was 16, I was going to give up. Then 16 came and I was like, \u2018Wait, I\u2019m going to extend it a couple of years,\u2019\u201d he says with a laugh.<\/p>\n
By his mid-teens Derulo was majoring in musical theater at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Manhattan. The grueling studies further forged his personal foundation of discipline and determination, and by 17, he won the Apollo Theater\u2019s coveted Grand Championship. That same year Derulo wrote and sang the chorus to \u201cBossy,\u201d a key track on southern rapper Birdman\u2019s 2007 album, 5 * Stunna<\/i>. Suddenly, Derulo was an in-demand writer, penning tracks for Sean Kingston,
\nLil Wayne and Sean \u201cDiddy\u201d Combs, among others.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was singing, dancing and having the time of my life,\u201d he recalls. Soon success forced him to make a career decision. \u201cI landed a role in Rent<\/i> on Broadway,\u201d he says. \u201cIt could have been a secure job, but I would have been locked into theater forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Derulo turned down the offer to focus on his music. With the exception of a near-tragic accident in 2012\u2014while attempting an acrobatic dance move he fractured a vertebra, necessitating a lengthy stint in a neck brace\u2014Derulo\u2019s career trajectory has since moved steadily forward. The rapid evolution from behind-the-scenes writer to platinum-selling recording artist may have surprised some, but not Derulo. This summer, he shared his experience and wisdom as a panel judge on the TV reality show, So You Think You Can Dance<\/i>. \u201cPeople love music that moves them,\u201d he offers. \u201cTo be lasting in this industry, you have to set trends. Otherwise, you\u2019re one step behind the curve.\u201d<\/p>\n
Everything Is 4<\/i> further consolidates the multigenre, ebullient spirit that\u2019s fueled his previous albums. Writing and recording in his tour-bus studio, the singer accumulated more than 100 songs. Those featured on the album blend urban sensibilities with silky R&B, often punctuated with sensual dance beats and \u201980s synth-pop flavors. \u201cI made a lot of \u201980s-style songs,\u201d he says. \u201cSome made the album and some didn\u2019t. But about half have that strong \u201980s backbone.\u201d<\/p>\n
A team of producers\u2014Ian Kirkpatrick, Johan Carlsson and Ricky \u201cWallpaper\u201d Reed among them\u2014helped accentuate the crazy-quilt approach. Guest players figured heavily as well: Rock guitar sensation Orianthi features prominently on one track; country star Keith Urban and R&B legend Stevie Wonder share the guest spotlight on another. \u201cHe\u2019s one of the most influential musicians of all time,\u201d says Derulo of Wonder. \u201cIt was definitely a pleasure to make that happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
But the glue that holds these disparate elements together is Derulo himself. For all his ambition, the artist sums up his goals succinctly. \u201cI was blessed with a desire to succeed at this,\u201d he says. \u201cThat\u2019s the bottom line. What drives me is my desire to achieve great things that are based on helping cheer up someone\u2019s day and making them forget their problems.\u201d<\/p>\n
Did you start with a goal for the record?<\/b><\/p>\n
I wanted it to be big\u2014larger than life\u2014and I wanted it to exemplify who I am as a man and as an artist. That was my mindset, rather than focusing on a particular sound. It was all about experimentation. I never know, going into making an album, what it\u2019s going to sound like. What\u2019s in my heart on a particular day is what I run with. I let my heart lead me first.<\/p>\n
You wrote and recorded on your tour bus.<\/b><\/p>\n
Writing on the road is something I had never done before. We had a couple of rooms on the bus decked out with state-of-the-art equipment, along with couches and so forth. It was really special\u2014comfortable and different. I would go directly to the studio after the show. Sometimes it served as my quiet time, other times it served as party time. The fans give off a special energy that I was able to carry into the booth. We also created a room specifically for after-show parties\u2014decorated and everything\u2014and that played a part as well. That party energy, along with being single and living life free, played a part in how the album turned out.<\/p>\n
Recall any magic moments?<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cGet Ugly.\u201d Wallpaper came up with this amazing, crazy beat, and we were having a great time coming up with verses and melodies. But we didn\u2019t have a title. I thought about that facial expression people make sometimes when they hear a song they love\u2014kind of an ugly face. That phrase became the hook, but the way I was saying it wasn\u2019t quite right. My security guard, Big Marv, was at the front of the bus. \u201cHey, Big Marv,\u201d I shouted. \u201cCan you go into the studio booth and say \u2018Get ugly\u2019 for me?\u201d So he says it to the music, but it sounds like he\u2019s trying to sing it. I said, \u201cThis time don\u2019t sing it\u201d\u2014but he sang it again. (laughs<\/i>) I turned off the music and said, \u201cOK, we don\u2019t need the music at all. I just need you to say, \u2018Get ugly.\u2019\u201d He said it\u2014and it was perfect. I yelled, \u201cCrew, we\u2019ve got ourselves a smash hit!\u201d<\/p>\n
You wrote more than a hundred songs. How did you whittle them down?<\/b><\/p>\n
That\u2019s the hardest thing. I\u2019m attached to all of them, but with time some fall by the wayside. It\u2019s like listening to a favorite album\u2014after a while certain songs aren\u2019t favorites any more. It\u2019s the same way when you\u2019re making an album. The songs sort themselves out and fall away of their own accord, especially when you\u2019re working over the course of a year. Still, at one point I had like 40 songs I really loved. That\u2019s when things become tricky\u2014and that\u2019s when I start seeking other people\u2019s opinions.<\/p>\n
What did you want to convey with the title?<\/b><\/p>\n
Four\u2014and \u201cfor\u201d\u2014represent several things to me, things that are relevant to my life. Four legs of a chair represent a strong foundation. Four seasons represent change, being able to accept change. Everything happens for a reason. Everything is for the standing ovation. Everything is for the big ending. Everything is for my family. Everything is for my mom. Everything is for my fans.<\/p>\n
When did you choose music as a career?<\/b><\/p>\n
I\u2019ve always known I wanted to be an entertainer. When I was a kid I wanted to be just like Michael Jackson. Along the way I got a bit lost, because I was exposed to so much\u2014musical theater, gospel, jazz. As a teenager I was trying to find myself. I went through a variety of phases, including singing neo-soul music, which at one point I thought I wanted to do. Eventually I realized I didn\u2019t have to choose at all, that I could just make music from the heart and be myself.<\/p>\n
![\"JasonDerulo-3\"](\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/JasonDerulo-3.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Recall writing your first song?<\/b><\/p>\n
Definitely. I had a crush on a girl in my class. Her name was Amy and I wanted to give her something, but I didn\u2019t have any money or anything. So I decided to create something. I was already singing, so I thought, \u201cWhy not try to write a song?\u201d It was called \u201cCrush on You.\u201d I never sang it for her, but it started me on my songwriting journey. The second song I wrote was called \u201cTrue Love\u201d\u2014I was 8. It was love songs right away, although I had no idea what love was.<\/p>\n
What was the takeaway during those years studying musical theater?<\/b><\/p>\n
Work ethic. It was the hardest time of my life. Musical theater school is all about memory. I had to go home and study Shakespeare, and come back the next day and act out a particular section. I would study all night long, but then go to class and be unable to recall what I had memorized. The teacher would tell the class, \u201cSee, when you don\u2019t work, when you don\u2019t put the time in, this is what happens.\u201d It was heartbreaking, because I put every waking moment into studying. But in the end it was a case of breaking me down to build me back up. All I could do was pick myself up and continue to work hard, in hopes things would take a turn. Eventually they did, but I had never experienced that sort of intense work. I had always danced and sung on my own time, but it\u2019s very different when it\u2019s structured.<\/p>\n
What do you feel is your greatest strength as a composer?<\/b><\/p>\n
Melody is so important\u2014I think that\u2019s my strong suit. Guys don\u2019t listen to lyrics, so you have to tell the story with the melody. Women do listen to lyrics, so you can\u2019t just have a great melody\u2014but I do feel a strong melody can carry just about any song. If it\u2019s a good song, you should be able to play it with just an acoustic guitar.<\/p>\n
Where do you write lyrics?<\/b><\/p>\n
Usually the vocal you hear is me coming up with the lyrics in the booth, kind of freestyling. I\u2019m not a sit-at-a-desk sort of writer. I write from the heart. I get into the booth, and go with whatever\u2019s on my mind.<\/p>\n
Consider yourself R&B or pop?<\/b><\/p>\n
If I had to categorize the songs, I suppose I would put them in the pop category. But I really think my music crosses genres. In what category would you put a song like \u201cBroke\u201d? There\u2019s a strong country vibe. I also think the songs are more vivid now, more mature. I speak differently at 25 than I did when I was 19. The songs are coming from a different voice.<\/p>\n
![\"JasonDerulo-4\"](\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/JasonDerulo-4.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Know a hit when you hear it?<\/b><\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t hear it in the case of \u201cWant to Want Me,\u201d the album\u2019s first single. I thought it was a good song, but it was the first song I recorded so I wasn\u2019t able to judge it right away. It was only when I began playing it for people that I realized how special it was. But I do like to think I know when a song\u2019s a hit. There\u2019s no criteria\u2014it\u2019s just a feeling it gives me.<\/p>\n
Describe watching Steve Wonder work.<\/b><\/p>\n
He was really on point about getting the perfect sound. He went through 15 or 20 harmonicas, making sure he chose the right one for the song. Then he went into the studio booth and let it rip, really came alive. It was amazing. I filmed him with my phone, just like the fan that I am.<\/p>\n
Any pre-show rituals?<\/b><\/p>\n
My dancers and I do a song and dance we\u2019ve created. It takes about a minute. Actually it involves dancing and kind of chanting at the same time. There\u2019s no name for it, but it gets us keyed up, warms us up. We also gather in a circle and pray.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s surprised you most about fame?<\/b><\/p>\n
You hear stories\u2014more money, more problems\u2014but you never really believe them. It sounds crazy. But the things I\u2019ve seen happen in my life have been shocking. I\u2019ve seen many things fall by the wayside. Family relationships have broken and friendships have been lost, just because of who I am. I haven\u2019t changed, but a lot of people around me have. It\u2019s the strangest thing.<\/p>\n
Was your neck injury
\nlife-changing?<\/b><\/p>\n
It had a huge<\/i> impact. You don\u2019t know what you have until it\u2019s gone, or nearly gone. On one level, I became much more active at the gym, a real gym nut. But on another level, getting a second chance made me want to enjoy every waking moment. Since then I\u2019ve been living life to the fullest.\u00a0 M<\/p>\n
![\"CAPITAL](\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/JasonDerulo-2.jpg\")
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MAGIC MAN Mixing genres and producers, chart-topper Jason Derulo conjures up his own brand of pop By Russell Hall Jason Derulo\u2019s songs are fixtures on the pop charts, but he\u2019s hesitant to label his music as simply pop. He\u2019s proud of his many influences, and his latest album, Everything Is 4, features an array of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4835,23],"tags":[7731],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15275"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15275"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15275\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15280,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15275\/revisions\/15280"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15275"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15275"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15275"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}