Catching up with Taio Cruz

Last Friday Bangkokians finally had their much-loved shopping mall, Siam Center, back after five months of major renovations. Plus, they got up close and personal with British popster Taio Cruz for the first time, at his Thailand debut mini-show at the grand opening.

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The 27-year-old singer won the fans over with his upbeat, dance-floor-friendly hits such as “Break Your Heart”, “Dynamite”, “Dirty Picture”, “Higher”, and “Hangover” from his first three albums, “Departure” (2008), “Rokstarr” (2009) and “TY.O” (2011).
A London boy at heart with a distinctly American music accent, Cruz has worked extensively with hip-hop and pop heavyweights including Ludacris, Kylie Minogue, Travie McCoy, David Guetta, Flo Rida and Ke$ha. He’s also a pro?ducer and songwriter, with tracks recorded by the likes of Cheryl Cole, JLS, the Saturdays, the Wanted and David Guetta.
After a quick city tour to the Grand Palace and Jim Thompson Museum, Cruz in his signature all-black-and-sunglasses braved the Bangkok traffic to give us a short interview before the show.
You’re constantly on the road. Do you have time to write at all?
I was making music just now in the hotel before I came here. I make stuff on the plane, and I have a studio at my house. I have my laptop so I can make tracks on the road. It’s pret?ty cool. And if anything, I can book a studio in any city that I land in, so there’s always time to make music.

How do you make music?
Usually for me, it starts from whatever is the most inspiring part, whether I’m sitting in a aeroplane and I get idea for a drum beat or a bass line and then it spreads from there. Something that’s catchy, mem?orable. Nowadays the technology allows you to make music anywhere.

What’s your muse?
I don’t have one specific thing. And I did that on purpose because I don’t want to have a crutch or some?thing that I always have to have. Some people I know can’t write unless they have 15 candles. I hate that, because what if there’s no can?dles? You can’t write? I find it best not to stick on one thing. I just have to keep myself inspired by whatever.

What kinds of music did you grow up lis?tening to?
I grew up listening to a lot of pop music. Before then, my mother liked a lot of Motown and played a lot of that. But the music that I to listen to myself was people like Michael Jackson, Madonna, Culture Club and people that were on the radio in the ’80s. I still love that now, and I like whatever it is on the charts.
What do you listen to at the moment?
Mostly me [laughs]. I love Swedish House Mafia. I like to listen to pop, so I like to stay current in the music that I’m making for myself and for other people. I’m listening to the same things as you guys – the Top 40 songs on pop radio and all.

Are we hearing the new album soon?
I’m working on my fourth album at the moment. For a lot of people it would be the second album because a lot of people have only heard one. Actually this will be the fourth one. It’s exciting. So far I’ve been writing everything as ballad, just me and a piano, because fortunately I just bought a new house and a new piano. Then I’m going to figure out if it’s going to be dance, hip-hop or pop. I’m not sure yet. I really love all the songs, and it’s going to be a good one.

Which do you like better, producing or performing?
It’s the same thing. It’s being cre?ative in a different way. I enjoyed both of it.

How do you like the huge fame?
It’s cool. It takes getting use to. But I don’t want to say I’ve got huge fame. Lady Gaga’s got huge fame. I’m okay [laughs]. I can still to the shop if I want to and not get run down by the street by a thousand people. I like having fans, and I like to be able to share music with other people who are pretty much like me – people who like the same music I do, and get as excited as me when I made it when they listen to it. When people meet me they’re surprised that I’m British, first of all, and that I have soft voice. Also, they’re sur?prised that I’m as laid back as I am because my music is very party and up-energy. That’s what I’m like.
How did you enjoy working with all the big names on your songs?
They were all great individually. Kylie Minogue was amazing, you know. She’s a sweetheart and I was so excited to work with her. She is a legend and it’s definitely an honour that she said yes when I asked her to be on the song. She came to record it in the studio at my house, which was surreal. I made her a cup of tea.

What’s new with your clothing brand?
RXTR is just launched. We ini?tially started with sunglasses, as most people know. Now we’ve just launched clothing in the UK and online. I’m very excited because it’s the first collection we did for both men and women – we don’t want to leave anybody out. We’ve kept the price point at high-street prices, so it’s not crazy luxury, a thousand pounds apiece or anything like that. It’s very classic, and easy to wear with anything. Go check it out.
 

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