"To me a tour is less busy than any of the phases so far. Writing and recording is very intense. I like to hear things over and over, fix things, fiddle with things, change them, re-record them.
A tour, in a way, though I wouldn't want to tell them, is a bit of a break. It's just the gig." "We'd already arranged to do the tour together so it was lucky to (sing together at) the Grammys.
It was a good ice-breaker. I'd seen him before. I like his style .
. . He takes risks.
He's really interested in a broader aspect of music. I feel like it's a good match. We're doing a duet together, a Roberta Flack and Donnie Hathaway song (Where is the Love?
). "The first time (I met him) was in L.A.
where he owns a radio station; we were invited to go on his show. It was emotional just to meet him but also to hear he was into what I did . .
. It's amazing - my musical hero I wanted to meet my whole life, and to meet him from the point of being another artist . .
. is just ridiculous." "The first time I got to do anything in the UK it was the TV show Later with Jools Holland.
It's a great show because it's not genre-specific. You might get a world music band with a guitarist from Nigeria. And then you might get this kooky female harpist, then the latest American rock band, then some old soul singer from the '60s.
I've been very lucky to have my songs played on the radio and on the Internet as well . . .
It was hard for me. I'm not 16, but I've been working in music since I was 16." "It's a (benefit album) that's commissioned by Yoko Ono, and we were in Liverpool.
What would be a great thing to do? (I'm Losing You) is a great song, this is the blues. I like the sound of his voice in it, kind of edgy and paranoia.
That new documentary The U.S. Versus John Lennon .
. . puts it in context.
He risked his legacy to say something about the state of the world and was happy to align himself with different political moments, to put himself in the line of fire with the American government. I really long for that time in music, for musicians to have that kind of consciousness." American Idol winner Carrie Underwood bested Corrine Bailey Rae for best new artist at the Grammy Awards and Underwood's album Some Hearts has earned platinum status for sales of more than a million copies.
Here's what the other nominees are up to since then: James Blunt: The You're Beautiful guy is working on a follow-up to his Back to Bedlam album. Go to to download the parody You're Pitiful. Chris Brown: A post on his Web site has him appearing on Sesame Street in August, when his new album (Exclusive) is due.
Imogen Heap: The most unlikely nominee (her first solo album came out in 1998!
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