Jaguar Wright ‘Very Turned On’ By Ryan Leslie, Drake

Jaguar Wright is ready to drop new music again. The Philadelphia soul singer has been in the studio crafting her third album, 3D, set for a summer release. Initially intended as a five-track digital EP, the disc will be the follow-up to 2002’s Denials, Delusions & Decisions and 2005’s Divorcing Neo 2 Marry Soul.

This past fall, Wright dropped the first cut off the project, “Beautiful.” The vibe of the album, she said, is the same soulful grit she’s been bringing.

“It’s gonna be grownup, smart, funny, relevant, not complacent at all,” Wright told VIBE. “There will be things in it that you will not expect of me. [As far as] my contribution to soul musicmakers and just good musicmakers, there’s a hole there for a lot of us.”

Wright admitted that titling the album 3-D was more a marketing move than a creative one. “It made great sense. One thing that I am focusing on is not just the artistry but the business,” she said. “I am a businessperson and I have to think that way. So rather than making everything based around just the artistry I’m learning the importance of making sound marketing decisions and ideas with the personal work.”

Two artists in the marketplace that Wright is excited about are Ryan Leslie, who’s built a cult following with two solid albums, and Drake, whose anticipated debut, Thank Me Later, drops later this year.

“I’m very turned on by what Ryan Leslie and Drake are doing right now. Ryan Leslie just stumbled upon a comfort zone in his songwriting," said Wright. "Once he expands his mind to take it a little bit further, I think we’re gonna get some really, really great music out of him. I’m excited about that.

“I feel the same way about Drake. Once he really settles into who he is musically, I think it’s gonna be bananas,” added Wright. “Because he’s a kid. What does he know about interpreting life through music? He knows what’s popular. He knows how to make things sound interesting, but I can't say he understands the purpose in music and taking all of these ideas and making groundbreaking music. I think that’s coming, though.” —Clover Hope