Musiq Soulchild knows something about romance even if, as some in the music press have gleefully reported, he sings passionate songs without having fully committed to a romantic relationship himself. Of course, part of his Midas touch for soul can be traced back to a childhood in a Philadelphia house filled with ’70s soul music. But the romantic part, which has earned him multiple awards and Grammy nominations, has come from his own sleuthing.
“I’ve always been an observer. I’m an optimist, but I’m a realist as well,” he said of how he writes and sings heartfelt songs. “I don’t even come up with [the topics of my songs]. I have a lot of conversations with people at different levels in relationships … and just take their stories to the next level.”
| Onstage |
| Musiq Soulchild |
| When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday |
| Where: Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria |
| Info: Sold out at presstime; tickets may be available from online retailers; 202-397-SEAT; ticketmaster.com |
Although he’s shown plenty of flair for the up-tempo club music, such as his hit “Anything,” his latest album, “MusiqInTheMagiq,” roots Soulchild more firmly than ever in soul. He wouldn’t have it any other way although he admires artists who use their music as platforms to illuminate social issues.
“Personally, I would love to [write and sing about issues] but in my form of music, people want to hear about relationships,” he said. “It just comes down to knowing your audience and how to entertain them. If you attempt to speak on social issues [in soul music], people tend to shy away. What I do is do my best to incorporate sensibility into my songs. You don’t have to be crass of vulgar to get people to listen.”
Although he maintained that he has no formal songwriting process, he is very exacting about the way his sound to be translated by musicians. That also means often keeping distractions in the recording studio to a minimum.
“Environment and atmosphere does play a part,” he said. “It’s very important that I am able to convey the message I have. … For me, songs are like conversations, like I’m having a conversation. So I always want to incorporate a realistic approach. That’s the connection I was to make with the listener. … That is soul music.”
