Alexander O'Neal talks about the show at Buddha

In an exclusive interview, Giles Brown spoke to international soul superstar Alexander O Neal just after his sell out show at Buddha Beach.

Alexander that was an amazing performance. What did you think of it?

This was my first time in Marbella. It was really wonderful and the crowd was great. It was a great evening and everything was really, really wonderful The great thing is to be able to keep going on stage and to keep doing it. Here we are in 2009 and we’re still doing it. I just thank God that he allows me to keep doing what I do. I try to make people happy with my music, and tonight it appears that we succeeded! It was a great crowd!

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m working on a new album that I have coming out entitled “Alexander O Neal. Five Questions”. I think that it’s going to be the definitive Alexander O Neal album. I’ve had two quests with this album. The first goal, and one I know that I can achieve, is to do an album to the best of my ability, and the second is to do and album as good as any that I’ve ever done before, which is a little tricky. But I think that we’ve managed to pull it off with this album. I’ve played it for some friends down here in Marbella and they think that we have a really good product. It’s going to be really interesting to see what my fans have to say about this. I have a lot of different fans, from Baby Boomers to young guys who have grown up on Alexander O Neal music, and it’s that I’m most concerned about, so I hope it will be a “must have” album for them.

Any younger person who buys this album is pretty much ahead of their time. Once my fans hear this album they will be able to appreciate it. We feel that there hasn’t been a definitive R and B album over the past 15 years, or at least one that the more mature audience can really go out and enjoy.

Do you still get the same buzz from performing live?

It feels wonderful. There are a lot of people out there who grew up on my music, and then we also get a few newcomers. But you can’t go around presuming that everyone knows your music. In some places people don’t know who you are or what your music is going to be. But coming to Marbella and having a crowd like this, wow, its incredible, what a great place!

Where are you living at the moment?

We’re based in Minneapolis, so I’m still in the United States, but I spend a lot of time in the UK. Cynthia, my life and I have a house in London, in Maida Vale. But I haven’t been home for seven months, so it’s been a long time.

What do you think about the British audiences?

I’m beginning to realise that everyone has their own destiny, and the UK and I have a love affair. It’s not just about the work, although that has something to do with of course, and I wouldn’t stay anywhere where I couldn’t support my family. The UK has been very good to me. In America you are only as good as your last hit record, but in the UK, when they have a love affair with you it’s enduring. It lasts for a long time and they give me a lot of love, and I try and give them a lot of love back in return.

I have two favourite cities – Chicago and London, but I never thought that I would be spending so much time early on in my career in London, and it’s just so good that I have a place that feels like home.

What was it like when Criticize became such a worldwide hit?

Ironically enough, I never really liked Criticize, in the beginning! It was just another song and I had several other choices that I though would have been a much bigger hit that Criticize. But the fans dictate to you what’s going to be a hit record, and I can see why now. I’ve had a lot of success with a lot of singles, and I’m thankful that Criticize is one of the songs that I’m synonimous with.

Your voice tonight was fantastic. How do you look after it?

I don’t doing anything special. It’s a gift from God. My voice belongs to God and he takes care of that. I’m not a religious man but I’m a spiritual man and I do pray a lot. My prayers are pretty simple, to let me be the kindest person that I can be, the most caring, let me be those things and I feel that I’m doing my spiritual thing. I have a reputation that precedes me, but the voice belongs to God, so I’m so glad that I don’t have to worry about the maintenance of it.

And finally, will you be coming back to Marbella soon?

I’m looking forward to coming back if Buddha Beach will have me and we’ll do it all again!

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