Q&A: Akon

In the midst of a tour with longtime friend Usher, Senegalese-American R&B singer/songwriter Akon is gearing up for the September release of his new album, "Stadium."

"It's a high-energy record [with] party songs, feel-good music," Akon told SoundSpike. "But I got mids, highs. I took it everywhere but I made sure that every song was international, that it can pretty much gravitate and relate to all audiences."

Akon is playing four new songs while on the trek with Usher, songs he feels fit perfectly within the set.

Born Aliaune Badara Akon Thiam in St. Louis but raised in Senegal, Akon rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up," the first single from his debut album, "Trouble." His sophomore effort, "Konvicted," spawned the Eminem collaboration "Smack That," which earned him one of his six Grammy nominations. He has since founded two record labels, Konvict Muzik and Kon Live Distribution.

He is also a stellar producer who has turned the knobs for artists such as Lady Gaga, Colby O'Donis and Leona Lewis. Akon is credited with giving Lady Gaga and T-Pain their chances at success.

Akon spoke to SoundSpike about "Stadium," his favorite collaborations and his brotherhood with Usher.

SoundSpike: So how long have you been working on "Stadium"?

Akon: That's the thing. With my album, there's no specific time. I'm working on new music every day. It's just a matter of how it feels at the time when it's time to put it out. I'm always working on new music. I don't even know when I started. I might have started that new record back in 2004. Every album there are songs that may fit a particular concept that didn't necessarily fit the last album's concept. I got so much material, when I come up with a concept I just pretty much rally the songs that fit that concept. For the songs I haven't had yet, those are the ones that I create at that moment.

Is that how you determine if you'll keep the song or offer it to another artist?

It's weird, because you never really know. When I write it I just try to write a hit record, or something that feels to me like it could be a smash. I hold on to it, and when I'm in the studio with other artist and they're planting music, I may play some music and they may hear something [and say] "Oh my God. I love that record so much. What are you doing with it?" I'd be like, "If you like it, you can take it."

It's that easy?

It's that easy. That's what happened with "Hold My Hand" by Michael Jackson. I played him that record and he fell so in love with it. He said, "I have to have that record. What is it going to take?" I said, "Mike, all it's going to take is for you to sing it. That's it."

Was he your favorite person to work with?

That was the most amazing experience. Him hands down and Lionel Richie. I had a great time working with Lionel as well. Between Mike and Lionel, those are my two best experiences.

Because I'm originally from Detroit, I have to ask how it was to work with Eminem.

I don't know how he slipped out of my greatest experiences. Yo, Em was another one. He's so funny. He's a character. You have so much fun in the studio with him. I was surprised to find out how professional he was in the studio. It's funny because when you look at him, depending on the song, he sings serious, but you know he's the clown that he is at the same time. He's very hilarious and makes you laugh a lot. He literally has a regimen that he follows, and rules that he follows. I never worked with someone in the studio that actually treated the studio like a 9 to 5. He comes in on time every day at 8 o'clock and leaves at a certain time in the evening. He doesn't go over that time. Then he actually takes his lunch breaks the same time everyone else takes their lunch breaks. That was kind of wild to me because I never seen anyone operate like that and [be] that disciplined. When I'm in the studio, I go in at midnight and don't leave there until the following day at 10 p.m. I don't leave until the song is finished and completed. He takes time out of his day to actually allocate time for his personal life. For us, it's kind of hard. Because we're so creative, we just don't do it. Maybe it's because he's so comfortable and he has so much money he can do that. At the time I was like, "Listen, man I gotta get it." [Laughs] I've nearly spent nights in that bad boy, man, by the time he got back the next morning I was still in there.

You've been nominated for multiple awards, including Grammys. Are awards important to you?

Absolutely not. Me and awards, it's cool to be acknowledged but I'd rather have acknowledgment from the fans. That's the hardcore and original. Those are the ones that count; the acknowledgments from the fans are the ones that count. The award shows are cool but it doesn't grab me as much as the concerts where you have thousands and thousands of people coming to see and praising the work that you're doing. Thanking you for bring that experience to their lives. It's different. I never really cared too much about award shows too much.

So you're touring with Usher. How long have you two known each other?

Man, since the beginning of his career -- way before the fame. Me and this guy go way back. I don't think it was a big issue coming on this tour as a special guest. He doesn't feel threatened me being on the tour with him. That's the beauty of it. The fact that he welcomed me, "Yo, come on this tour with me, man. What's you doing around this time?" At the time, it was just me producing and writing. [He said] "You should take time off and come tour with me in the States." I was like, "Why not? Let's do it. I got an album coming out. I can use it as a tool to promote my album." It all works. We put it together and made it happen.

- source

Send Akon Ringtone to Cell Phone