Keb’ Mo’ – HuffPost 9.4.14
Mike Ragogna: What advice do you have for new artists?
Keb’ Mo’: It’s almost like the same advice I’d have for someone in any business. You’re in a new era now. I don’t know how old you are, but I’m sixty-two and the whole world that I lived in is gone. Now’s the time for creative people. Everyone that’s doing well are creating things. They’re creating companies. The job thing is over. Now you’ve got to be a part of a creative thing. I think if you want to be famous as a musician and you want to be successful, you have to create it it in a way that hasn’t been done before. You’ve got your Facebook, you’ve got your Twitter, you’ve got your social media, but then you harken back to one thing that never changes: You have to ignite and excite your audience. You can’t just go out and go, “Okay, I’m going to try and get some followers on Facebook, I’ll get everybody following me on Twitter, maybe if I get on The Ellen Show people will buy my CD.” You have to ignite and excite. The very basic thing that motivates everything is word of mouth. If people are excited about something, “You’ve got to try this chewing gum! Have you tried this chewing gum?” It has to be so good that people have to tell someone else about it. As much as it goes in the future with technology, the more things are like the way they’ve always been. You have to excite your audience. James Brown excited his audience. You go back and listen to James Brown. James Brown on his death bed was exciting audiences. You look at his films and the work he did: Wow.
MR: I look at artists like Bruno Mars and I think he understands the stage.
KM: He’s amazing. Once again, the talent matches.
MR: How do you ignite and excite?
KM: I don’t know if I’m exciting and igniting as it were. I’m pretty clear on what I got and what I don’t got. What I try to do is create a very warm, ethereal, heartfelt evening and connect. People can come and they go home feeling good after the show. I try to write songs that are good enough that they’ll excuse my lack of vocal prowess. Songs that speak. Songs are the deal. However great your voice is, or not great, you still need a song. I go to the common denominator of the whole thing, which is, to me, the song. The melody, the lyrics, the message, the tempo, the accompaniment, the feel, every detail of it I try to really make sure that when people leave, whatever money they spent they felt like they got a really good deal.
MR: I love that. Do you notice any effect you’ve had on your audience?
KM: Well the audience is a mixed bag. I’m one thing up there. They can look at me or they can look at something on stage but I’m looking at hundreds of people. I wish I was looking at thousands, but I’ve got hundreds right now. Depending on what face I look at, there’s people having all kinds of experiences. Sometimes people are falling asleep. Not because they’re bored, but sometimes you see someone bring their girlfriend and maybe their girlfriend’s not into Keb’ Mo’, or maybe the girl is but the guy’s not or something and one of them’s falling asleep! Other ones might be up dancing, partying, having the time of their life. At that time instead of going, “Oh my god, I’m putting everybody to sleep!” I try to just find someone who’s having a really good time.