Q&A With Blake Lewis by Dana Lee Payne

Yesterday evening I got the opportunity to interview Blake Lewis. He appeared on American Idol and was well known as the beat boxing guy. Since being on Idol, Blake has released his first pop-rock solo album called Audio Day Dream, and is currently about to release his second solo album, Heartbreak on Vinyl. Below is the conversation we had about his new album and his view on GRAMMY Camp®.

Dana: How is your new album Heartbreak on Vinyl different from your first album?

Blake: “It’s kind of more in your face. It’s more danceable. It’s set up more as a dance record rather than the pop-rock, and it's got good melodies. It has the vocal presence of my first record.”

Dana: What did you get from the many songwriters and producers that you worked with for the new album?

Blake: “I’ve learned a lot everyday. I’ve been writing for two years and I love collaborating with people. I love getting into a room and throwing out ideas, then finding different melodies and it's good to me because I'm such a perfectionist. Collaborating with new producers and songwriters, the flow is just there.”

Dana: And they help with your creativity and stuff?

Blake: “Yeah, and they enhance it almost. The vibes are right.”

Dana: If, when you were growing up, you were able to go to GRAMMY Camp who would you have wanted to talk to ?

Blake: (Laughs) Quincy Jones, he is a producer. Michael Jackson, R.I.P, Ella Fitzgerald, Sting for songwriting, Bono because he is a great entertainer and songwriter as well, and Duran Duran. This is everyone that has blessed me in my life.”

Dana: So I know that you’ve done the Mobile GRAMMY Tour and you came to GRAMMY Camp today, what is your relationship with NARAS?

Blake: “I got asked to host the GRAMMY Celebration Tour which was amazing and it was fun to perform with all these other amazing performers. I’ve always been interested in the GRAMMY’s. I said, 'Who are the people behind the GRAMMY’s and where do they come together?' To me, it’s really special; there are great people and it is really fun.”