Pharrell: Women are my support group

Pharrell Williams is so infatuated with the ladies that he has dedicated his new album entirely to them.

The Happy star admitted at last night’s Brit Awards in London that his career would be nowhere without his army of female admirers.

‘The music has had an incredible fanbase, or what some would call family, and support system which has been women,’ said the 40-year-old, who performed at the awards show.

‘That’s kind of the reason why my new album is called Girl.’

He said he wanted to give a bit of warning to his fans about his new record – out on March 3 – as opposed to doing a shock release like fellow Brit performer Beyonce.

‘She didn’t give anyone any warning. She tweeted something and then took over the world!’ he told Metro.

Williams described his upcoming LP as ‘festive’, ‘celebratory’, ‘urgent’ and ‘visceral’.

The mega-producer revealed he was inspired by all the women that joined him in the studio during the record making process.

‘I can tell you is that me and all of the ladies that were all a part of the process and coming around to the studio listening to things, we all had a ball and we just want to share that with the rest of the world,’ he said.

‘I am just ready to go. We appreciate it and work really hard on it.’

It was a busy night for The Neptunes music maker, who was on hand to give the best international male solo gong to Bruno Mars.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Thursday 20 February 2014]

Mercuy nominee Laura Mvula: I'm friends with Jill Scott, John Legend and Alicia Keys

Laura Mvula may have been on the music scene for less than a year but is already receiving calls from A List stars in the USA.

The 27-year-old singer/songwriter has been inundated by the music elite since releasing her mulit-award nominated album Sing To The Moon back in March.

‘Jill Scott is my new bezzie mate. And a couple of others – John Legend has been in touch,’ the soulful star told Guilty Pleasures at the Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize in Camden on Wednesday – where her own record was nominated as one of the Albums of the Year.

‘And Alicia Keys,’ she went on, adding: ‘She heads up a charity called Keep A Child alive and she holds a Black Ball every year in New York. Carole King, Pharrell and me and her are performing. That should be cool. It kind of feels like I’m dropping all these names. I don’t think they realise I’m not all that huge!’

With famous names adding her to their speed dial and her album already featuring in BRIT and MOBO ceremonies, life has changed dramatically for the singer since her album was released in Spring.

‘It’s a bit strange this new world, but a lot of it is interesting and weird in a new way. I’m mainly focused on trying to tour this album which, I tell you, is quite exhausting! We’re literally flying to America tomorrow.’

Although the singer lost out to James Blake on the night, Mvula stressed she would spend her night celebrating hard whether she won or lost.

‘I assure you I will be hungover tomorrow! I don’t want to think about the flight!’ she laughed.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Thursday 31 October 2013]