Maxwell is a man that cannot be rushed, and in 2009 upon the release of his applauded BLACKsummers’night album, the singer-scribe promised fans the first LP would be a trilogy. Some seven years later, music lovers lusting after the type of sound only Maxwell can provide all but gave up on the follow up. Well, we’re happy to report Max is set to release a new single and album this year.
While speaking with ESSENCE the 42-year-old entertainer, who made his musical debut nearly 20 years ago with his Maxwell Urban Hang Suite, couldn’t quite contain himself when describing his new sound.
“I’m so hyped about the new album coming out,” he said. “It’s fresh and it’s different, but it is what I do. It doesn’t make you feel like, oh, yeah, that’s going to come out in 1996. You’re not going to feel that. At least I hope you don’t.”
Maxwell, who also will be performing a two shows at The Barclays with Nas this Valentine’s Day, attributed the growth of his sound to the passing of his grandmother and cousin.
“I’m at the point with the album where it’s just like, with the passing of my cousin, and my grandmother, me turning 40, and being 42 now, and having a whole sort of new milestone in my life, where a lot of my mind is grown up, and I’m thinking in terms of the next 10 years, and what I’m going to try to do for the next 10 years, which is something I never really … I mean, I did it, but I’m not doing it as much as I do now. I’m just hyped. We have two and a half years of just consistent, around the world, going everywhere, traveling, doing shows…It’s funny, because I remember reading Marvin Gaye’s biography when I was, like, 17 years old, Divided Soul. He always said something that really stuck with me. He said, ‘You can rush to fail, or you can take your time to succeed.’ I’m happy that I haven’t exhausted people’s visions to the point where they’ll never want to listen to me.”
Maxwell also teased the name of his forthcoming new single “Lake By The Ocean.” No release date just yet, but when we know, you’ll know.