You must be used to Trey spending, and all that sweet wining and dining, but you won’t find that on Trigga. The crooner’s sixth album finds him in the most brash musical space of his career, and Mr. Songz makes no apologies. Mirroring a time in the singer’s life where love is just not on the menu, Trigga reaffirms R&B’s current ruffian route. All for the sake of authenticity.
— Iyana Robertson
VIBE: So it’s a big day, if you’re into releasing albums and stuff. Trigga is album number six. How many moments did you have where you were just like “Damn, number six?”
Trey Songz: Ah man, I’ve definitely been thinking that the whole time I’ve been promoting it. While I was creating it I knew it was album six, but when you have a conversation about it and you’re talking to people, it’s kind of like ‘Wow. I’ve been doing this for a while.’ [laughs]
Felt a little old there, huh?
It felt very, uh, seasoned [laughs]. But I’m excited about it. I think it’s my best album.
You told Larry King that you still remember the grind you put in for your first album. How has your creative process changed since then?
You know, the creative process then was for you to try to get the world to listen to you. And the creative process now that I’m established, is how do I evolve with the same staying power? And how do I show the same passion musically than when I’m not trying to get on anymore? Back then, you’re making music out of necessity; you’re doing it because you’re really trying to get on. Right now, it’s being on and having time to myself and having been made five albums, and between the fifth and sixth being able to really live a little – which I never really got to do in between albums. With this album, Trigga, I was my own boss more-so than ever, and I was never that in the beginning.
Let’s talk content on Trigga. It’s different than what you might expect from the average R&B album in regards to love. It’s almost like, when you’re in love on this album, you’re fucking it up. And when you’re not talking about love, you’re just trying to get with different girls. Was that the intention for the theme of the album?
I mean that’s really what’s been happening [laughs]. When I tell people that this album is the most honest album, it’s the album that speaks to what’s happening in my life right now, while I was making the music.
Like, if you listen to “Yes, No, Maybe,” it’s a song where I’m snapping because the girl I think is supposed to be down with me forever has now moved on and I’m like “What? Damn.” But on the same album, I have a song called “What’s Best For You” where it’s like, “If you’re moving on, then you’re moving on. If I can’t do for you what somebody else can, then I applaud you. I want you to do better.”
And the thing about being an R&B singer is, people want you to be in love, people want you to sing about love, and of course we need more songs about love. But that ain’t my truth right now. I’m not in love. I don’t have a girlfriend; I ain’t even really looking for one right now, you know? That’s definitely showcased in the music.
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