Perdita
26-10-2008, 17:44
Since winning American Idol last May, Jordin Sparks has done very nicely indeed, selling more than a million copies of her debut album and conquering the charts with 'No Air', her brilliantly emotional duet with Chris Brown. Earlier this week she jetted over to the UK to promote 'Tattoo' - her nearly as emotional follow-up single - so we took the opportunity to ask Jordin a few questions.
What's your new single, 'Tattoo', about?
"Well, I kinda feel that it's about anyone who comes into your life and leaves a mark on you whether it's good or bad. You can't erase it no matter how hard you try and it's going to be there permanently, kinda like a tattoo is."
Who do you think of when you sing it?
"Probably my family or some of my friends who've come and gone. Sometimes I think of people I've known who've passed away, so it can get a little emotional."
Your previous single, 'No Air', is pretty emotional too. Why do you think it's proved so popular?
"I'm not really sure, but I think one aspect is that it's a real singers' duet. People do a lot of collaborations but 'No Air' is actually two people singing a song and that doesn't happen that often now. When I first heard it, something about it touched me. My jaw dropped to the floor and I thought, 'I just have to have this song'."
Was it always going to be a duet?
"Actually at first I wasn't going to have any collaborations on my album. After I'd recorded the song, someone said it would make a great duet and asked me who I wanted to sing it with. I was like, 'Chris Brown? Please! Anybody? Chris Brown!' They sent him the song and 20 minutes later he called back saying he loved it."
What was he like to work with? It seems to get pretty intense in the video.
"He's really, really cool but he's bouncing off the walls 'cause he's so full of energy. Every time the camera stopped rolling he'd go stand in front of the mirror and dance. I was like, 'Woah, I couldn't move like that even if I tried!' We've actually talked about doing another song together, and maybe doing some writing too, but I don't know when that's going to happen because we're on opposite ends of the world at the moment. I'd love to work with him again though."
There's a rumour on the internet that you've recorded a track with Timbaland too. Is that true?
"Oh my gosh, I read that on the internet too and I was like, 'Really? Does he really wanna work with me?' I don't know if that's going to happen but if the track were right I'd love to work with Timbaland. Timbaland, if you ever read this interview I'd love to work with you, so have your people call my people and we'll work it out!"
And what about Leona Lewis? That's another duet people would love to see.
"Well, I've said in the past that I'd like to do a duet with her, and apparently she's said she'd like to duet with me, so hopefully it will work out. I would love to! It would sound so cool because our voices have such different tones. We could be the next Whitney and Mariah? Oh my gosh I did not just say that, don't quote me on that!"
Have you seen Simon Cowell while you've been in the UK?
"Well, last night I went for dinner and when I left the restaurant Simon's car was waiting outside for me. I got to ride back to the hotel in his Mercedes! I wrote him a little note and left it in the car for him, but I haven't seen him while I've been over here, except on The X Factor which I caught on Saturday."
What did you think of it?
"It's awesome and the stage is insane! The coolest thing is that they let groups and soloists perform, because it's just soloists on Idol. It made me sad though because I watched the results show and I just totally felt how they were feeling, not knowing whether they were staying or not. The women judges are beautiful by the way and their hair looks great. Simon and the other guy judge just sit there with their arms crossed saying things like, 'That's absolutely horrid'."
Jordin Sparks's single, 'Tattoo', and album, Jordin Sparks, are both out now.
What's your new single, 'Tattoo', about?
"Well, I kinda feel that it's about anyone who comes into your life and leaves a mark on you whether it's good or bad. You can't erase it no matter how hard you try and it's going to be there permanently, kinda like a tattoo is."
Who do you think of when you sing it?
"Probably my family or some of my friends who've come and gone. Sometimes I think of people I've known who've passed away, so it can get a little emotional."
Your previous single, 'No Air', is pretty emotional too. Why do you think it's proved so popular?
"I'm not really sure, but I think one aspect is that it's a real singers' duet. People do a lot of collaborations but 'No Air' is actually two people singing a song and that doesn't happen that often now. When I first heard it, something about it touched me. My jaw dropped to the floor and I thought, 'I just have to have this song'."
Was it always going to be a duet?
"Actually at first I wasn't going to have any collaborations on my album. After I'd recorded the song, someone said it would make a great duet and asked me who I wanted to sing it with. I was like, 'Chris Brown? Please! Anybody? Chris Brown!' They sent him the song and 20 minutes later he called back saying he loved it."
What was he like to work with? It seems to get pretty intense in the video.
"He's really, really cool but he's bouncing off the walls 'cause he's so full of energy. Every time the camera stopped rolling he'd go stand in front of the mirror and dance. I was like, 'Woah, I couldn't move like that even if I tried!' We've actually talked about doing another song together, and maybe doing some writing too, but I don't know when that's going to happen because we're on opposite ends of the world at the moment. I'd love to work with him again though."
There's a rumour on the internet that you've recorded a track with Timbaland too. Is that true?
"Oh my gosh, I read that on the internet too and I was like, 'Really? Does he really wanna work with me?' I don't know if that's going to happen but if the track were right I'd love to work with Timbaland. Timbaland, if you ever read this interview I'd love to work with you, so have your people call my people and we'll work it out!"
And what about Leona Lewis? That's another duet people would love to see.
"Well, I've said in the past that I'd like to do a duet with her, and apparently she's said she'd like to duet with me, so hopefully it will work out. I would love to! It would sound so cool because our voices have such different tones. We could be the next Whitney and Mariah? Oh my gosh I did not just say that, don't quote me on that!"
Have you seen Simon Cowell while you've been in the UK?
"Well, last night I went for dinner and when I left the restaurant Simon's car was waiting outside for me. I got to ride back to the hotel in his Mercedes! I wrote him a little note and left it in the car for him, but I haven't seen him while I've been over here, except on The X Factor which I caught on Saturday."
What did you think of it?
"It's awesome and the stage is insane! The coolest thing is that they let groups and soloists perform, because it's just soloists on Idol. It made me sad though because I watched the results show and I just totally felt how they were feeling, not knowing whether they were staying or not. The women judges are beautiful by the way and their hair looks great. Simon and the other guy judge just sit there with their arms crossed saying things like, 'That's absolutely horrid'."
Jordin Sparks's single, 'Tattoo', and album, Jordin Sparks, are both out now.