Between Teena Marie and Justin Timberlake –
though some may agree his black card was revoked during to
the legendary 2004 wardrobe malfunction! - there have been
few white artists who could successfully break into the
selective and critical world of R&B/Soul music. However,
if there is anyone who can make that leap almost
effortlessly, it is the bountiful soul artist Robin
Thicke.
Sound a bit familiar? Robin Thicke is the artist formerly
known as Thicke, who made a light splash with his 2002
release Beautiful World, which garnered critical
acclaim and musically matched soul artists at the time like
Musiq, India Arie and Jill Scott.
Still sound familiar? Robin Thicke is the son of Alan
Thicke, one of the most beloved television fathers from
the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains. Robin Thicke is
returning to music with his first and last name, a fresh
sound and an album titled The Evolution of Robin
Thicke, which will hit stores this Valentine’s Day.
His first single, “I Wanna Love You Girl,” which he wrote
and produced with Pharrell Williams, is already
creating a buzz on radio stations across the country.
left Don’t think because Robin is the son of a big-time
television dad that his road to the music industry has been
paved in sitcom-esque gold. Robin stresses he received no
breaks because of his last name, “In music there’s no
connection to sitcom television unless you’re Eve and you
were already in music. Sometimes in movies and TV you can
get by on good looks and charm, but in music you still
gotta be able to put down a record – so there was no help.
My father encouraged me to learn and grow, but he didn’t
encourage me to be a star. I always had my own path and
followed.”
Robin does have an illustrious path in the music industry
having written and produced for artists such as Usher,
Mary J. Blige and Michael Jackson. Robin’s own
journey as a singer/songwriter has been complex and full of
life lessons. “I had a record deal when I was very young
and it took seven years from the time I had my first deal
for the first album to come out. I was afraid of failing
and had a fear of people not liking the music as much as I
did. I had long hair and was calling myself Thicke, and I
was still kind of hiding … where I’m at out now is maturing
and learning, as we all do - we get more comfortable in our
skin. That’s why I called the new album The Evolution of
Robin Thicke because it’s about a person, like all of
us, whose growing and trying to be a better person in every
way.”
Robin’s “evolution” as an artist is evident in the new
album, and as a newly singed artist to Pharrell’s Star
Trak Records, he owes a large part of his growth to
Pharrell Williams. “He was a fan of my music and we hooked
up. He’s been a huge help to me in finishing the album.
Pharrell is God sent and I’m lucky to be associated with
such talent.”
The new album also includes songs with Lil’ Wayne
and Faith Evans.
With a complete reinvention, it is almost as if Robin Thicke
is a born-again artist, still soulful, passionate and raw,
but presenting a more exposed, uninhibited version of
himself. “Evolution is about somebody who is soul
searching, who’s got demons, drugs, sex, temptation and
problems that he’s trying to make it through. At the end,
he is appreciative that he can sing it all. it’s a tale of
things that every person goes through.”
Read more vibe.com online exclusives.
Article tags: Robin Thicke, Wanna Love You Girl, The Evolution Of Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams, Star Track, Alan Thicke, Growing Pains, Lil Wayne, Faith Evans, A Beautiful World
Page printed from:
http://www.vibe.com/news/online_exclusives/2006/01/robin_thicke_evolving_soul/
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