Estelle’s (American) Boy Problems

After nabbing a well-deserved Grammy this year with her crossover smash hit “American Boy,” British belle Estelle is working on a new album slated for a September release (tentatively titled The Project). She took time off from recording and from her current role as muse for designer Jonathan Kelsey to give us a good reason why gum-chewers should be barred from the Grammys, and to confirm that the drama’s the same with both British and American boys--although Southern accents definitely soothe some of the pain.

You recently took home a Grammy. Did you have a big speech prepared in case you won?
I was sitting in the seat thinking Omigosh—I might actually win this! I had the speech written in my Blackberry but I didn’t get to do it live, which pissed me off a little bit. But if I won a Grammy next year, I would want to thank the world. I would be talking until the wrap-up music came on. 

What was going on backstage before your performance with Kanye?
By the time I got dressed to perform they had me sitting in the audience, so I walk to sit down, I put my leg up and this lady’s like “Wah wah wah wah.” I’m not even hearing her because I’m trying to concentrate since I’m going to get on stage. But she’s like, “Oh, you’ve got gum on your shoe!” So I lean down and conk my head on the seat in front of me—and this is 30 seconds before I’m about to get up and walk onstage. So I’m grabbing my head and grabbing my heel and she’s like “Oh, I’ve got the gum!” I was having a complete moment and then the song starts and then there’s Clive Davis and every other music heavyweight right there next to me.

Did you ever imagine that “American Boy” would become such a smash hit?
I didn’t even want to put it out. I was like, “I don’t want it out, people are going to think I’m crazy, people are going to think I’m this pop chick.” I was so scared. But my label boss said Trust me, and I was like Alright, you’ve sold millions of records. So it went out and radio picked it up.

Which state has the best American boys?
I like southern guys. I think it’s the accent thing. I could just listen to them talk forever. When I go to Atlanta I’m just thinking “Oh, please keep speaking.” When I listen to people like T.I. speak, all I’m thinking is, “Oh god, Talk, I don’t care what you’re saying, just talk to me.” It sounds like they’re singing to me. But then if someone asks, Did you hear what he said? The answer is No, but he sounds so nice. I like New York accents too, but I’m used to hearing those more than anything else, so when I get out of town I listen to the Southern accents. 

When the single was released you had never been to Brooklyn, have you made it there yet?
I live in Brooklyn now! I live in DUMBO. People told me that was fake Brooklyn when I first moved there, but I was like, If I can get to Manhattan from there easily, I’m happy. I’m crap with trains, that’s the thing—if I was anywhere further in and I had to change trains, it would be too much and I’d get lost.

Where do you go out in New York when you’re not running around in the South?
I love GoldBar and The Eldridge.

Some artists are great on record but don’t have much personality at live shows. Between songs you’re very conversational, which helps you connect with the audience. Did it take you awhile to hone that skill?
No, that comes naturally. People never quite know how to take me when they hear the music, so when they see me perform I kind of figure that I should explain everything, especially since the songs are so personal. Every song I’ve written is about a personal thing I’ve been through and I think that if I don’t explain this shit, people are just going to be like okay, “Good song” but what I’m saying is like No, Really, This guy? I fucking hate him, and this is how I get rid of that hate. When I explain it, people get it, it helps them understand that okay I’m from London but it’s no different, it’s not some UK thing, it’s the same shit everywhere. So that helps people understand it better and I think it kind of closes the barrier. That’s easier, because a lot of songs are just “Oh baby, sweetheart, darling,” but these are more personal and I’m just purging.

You make R&B music that is very hip hop and reggae influenced. Where do those elements come from?
I’m Senegalese and Grenadian, but we had everything in the house, including soca and African music. We listened to a lot of reggae music because my stepdad was from Grenada and was a drummer in a band. I think the first musical thing I ever saw on TV was Bob Marley when I was three or four and he performed at the Rainbow Theater. He was just jamming, he looked like a spirit. I’d never seen anything like it and I think it kind of grabbed me. 

You performed with The Ting Tings at The BRIT Awards this year. They’re very different from your sound, was that a difficult show?
I love them—they’re just fresh. I like working with people when you can see the passion and the energy. I would see the lead singer doing sound checks and you could see that that’s what she does, she’s born to do that and she doesn’t fuck around. We did “That’s Not My Name,” “American Boy,” and “Shut up and Let Me Go.” People lost their minds for that show.

You have no boundaries when it comes to music, what are you experimenting with for the upcoming album?
I can’t move too far away from reggae because I love that, and I can’t move too far away from hip hop, but I have this whole new genre I’ve developed, which is kind of Marvin Gaye and Coldplay combined. It doesn’t make sense on paper but when you hear it you’ll be like, “Aw yeah!” I have this one song called “Time Away” and it sounds like ’50s Motown and then it goes into a guitar-heavy chorus. I went on tour with The Roots and Gym Class Heroes, and it was the best of all worlds—you had me doing R&B, The Roots doing soul, and Gym Class Heroes and their crowd. I want to do that, I want to be able to cross over to all different audiences and all the different genres.

You’ve just collaborated with British designer Jonathan Kelsey to debut Belvedere’s new limited edition ‘Belvie Bag.’ Are you a big accessories girl?
I’m a huge accessories girl. This bag is very fresh for me. I saw it and though it was so pretty. I just wanted to hold it and swoon over it and they’re like okay—you’re going to not have to put fingerprints on it, please! But the whole project came together very well, I love Belvedere and I love his shoes and his work as a designer. The bag is meant to be something that you can go from day to night with. It’s big enough on the inside, but it’s small enough on the outside so you don’t feel overwhelmed by it. It will be available in stores, but it’s limited edition, so if you get it now, you’ll have it forever.

Are you a big drinker?
Yeah I am. I mean, on the off days! I tested out Belvedere’s new Black Raspberry flavor with some club soda and I don’t even need to mix it more than that. I just have it with some club soda and I’m good to go.