Musiq Soulchild - Brief Article

Interview, Jan-April, 2001 by Vivien Goldman

MUST-HEAR SONGS FROM THE HEART, NOT THE WALLET

"Just call me Musiq," says Musiq Soulchild, the new soul man out of Philly's ever-fertile music scene. The singer was born Talib Johnson, and proof that he warrants the new name resides in the rich, narrative grooves of his new disc, Aijuswanaseing (Def Soul)--that's I Just Wanna Sing, spelled out phonetically for the pronunciation-impaired. Sing he does, with heartfelt old school harmonies that recall D'Angelo and echo soul greats past--from Stevie Wonder to Smokey Robinson. The easy conversation of "Just Friends (Sunny)," his first single, offers a clear-sighted, contemporary approach to romantic possibilities; and, from its dreamy opening strains, "The Girl Next Door" sketches a vivid, bittersweet picture of childhood innocence and missed chances. "I'm more of a storyteller than anything. Inadvertently or vicariously, I've experienced all of those situations on the record," reflects Musiq. "It's as real as I can get. That makes it accessible to everyone."

The eldest of nine kids, Musiq suffered typical adolescent angst, feeling restricted at home and patronized at school. At sixteen, he moved away from both. Nonetheless, surviving on the streets was tough. "I've learned a lot of things the hard way," Musiq concludes. "But I'm blessed, because now I really appreciate life. It's not a game."

When she's not writing for Interview, Vivien Goldman is composing songs with the likes of Massive Attack, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Coldcut. Above: Musiq wears tops by Nautica. Stylist: Chloe Conroy. Grooming: Gio Campora for Aveda/L'Atelier NY. special thanks to Sun Digital.