13th
Blake Lewis Talks Pickup Lines, Michelle Obama and His New Album
In the midst of a relatively serious discussion about the status of labels in the music scene and his plans for his next album, Blake Lewis and I abruptly stop talking and start making frantic eyes at each other as a large posse walks by us in the small corridor.
Lewis turns back to me and gestures, “Oh my god! That was LL Cool J!”
We’re backstage at the Grammy Celebration Concert Tour, which has a rotating roster of artists filling in across the country. In New York Estelle opened for LL Cool J, while Lewis manned the turntables between sets.
In 2007 Lewis was a contender on Season 6 of American Idol. An accomplished beatboxer and 10-year veteran of the Seattle music scene, Lewis was something different for the television show that usually leans towards singers with big voices instead of out-of-the-box thinking. In his post-Idol career Lewis has jumped between performance, producing and spinning.
“When I spin it’s electro and rave style, very party,” says Lewis, which should serve him well for his next gig after the tour has ended, headlining the LA Pride festivities, usually territory reserved for the few out gay contestants or dance divas.
“I have a lot of gay friends and fans.” Lewis tells BGLB. “I grew up with a gay best friend and my parents were hippies, so I’ve always felt comfortable. Plus my music really fits.”
Not to mention that Lewis’ look gets him attention from both men and women, or more often men and women at the same time.
“Usually I get swingers,” Lewis says with a smile. “The guy will come up to me first usually, and ask if I’m gay. When I say no, he’ll point to his girlfriend and say that she wants me to come home with both of them that night.”
Lewis laughs. “I tell them my girl back home wouldn’t appreciate it, but thanks anyway. It’s very flattering though!”
Lewis was not your typical American Idol contestant. Before rearranging song became the norm for the show, Lewis was adding beatboxing twists on classics. He didn’t fit in the Idol mold.
“I didn’t want my artistic integrity to be taken away for television,” he says. “The producers tried to pigeonhole me and it didn’t work.” The “Blake Show,” as he calls it, carried him all the way to the finale, where he lost out to Jordin Sparks.
While he was rooting for this year’s eventual runner-up Adam Lambert — he says he knows “20 Kris Allens off the top of his head” — he wasn’t surprised with the eventual outcome. His own journey through the post-Idol world might prove a valuable lesson to Lambert or Allen.
Lewis’ first album, Audio Day Dream, was a bumpy road of maneuvering a major label and feeling like he lost support for pushing the singles.
“It was a learning experience and I know now what not to do. I was at the biggest Six Flags there is and rode the biggest coaster, but it’s nice to get off finally and check myself,” he said.
After taking some time off to produce and figure out where he’d like to go, Lewis signed with Tommy Boy and a for his yet-to-be-titled second album, out October 6th. Tommy Boy “has been doing dance music since day one” is the current home to artists like Lisa Shaw and Joris Voorn.
Lewis describes the 20 or more demos he has to complete the new album as ” like glitch pop, Zero Seven, Massive Attack, singer-songwriter, Beatles — just epic.”
In between writing an album and touring with Grammys, Lewis was able to fit in some unique experiences. He recently performed for Michelle Obama at the Congressional Clubs’ First Lady’s Luncheon. Aside from his crew and the bodyguards, Lewis was among the only men in the room.
The best part: “I got Michelle Obama to beatbox!”
— Rae, begaylittlebird.com
