Adams, Oleta

DM) I heard that you're very excited about the new tour and album. Is it like doing it the first time again, every time you go out on tour?

OA) You know, it always is. When you're working with different music, you're hoping to attract, not only the same people, but new people. Making new friends. And I love singing new material and I think that the big test is that if you like practicing at home. And I love to practice to this stuff at home.

DM) This album seems a little bit different from what you've done before.

OA) Yes, it is. Different in many ways. Using different producers. But the original and the executive at Monarch Records came to me in the year 2000 and asked me to record a pop record or an adult contemporary record, and of course I have to still put my own influence into the whole thing so I don't lose any of the fans that I already have.

DM) I understand that you're husband is on this album?

OA) He's on all of the albums except for one album. I have to include him.

DM) Why do you have to?

OA) Because that's a part of my sound for one thing. And I love his talent. As a drummer, he's extremely talented and brings an awful lot to the sound. When I'm writing sounds it's fun for him to make the rhythm part for all of the stuff that I'm putting together. A great example of that is the song, "Power of Sacrifice" He inspired the whole thing. He just came home from the grocery store one day and said, "What if you were to write a song called, 'The Power of Sacrifice'". So I just took that as a challenge. I wrote the words and I wanted it to be something that he would be able to shine on, so the drums are so important. It was so fun recording the song and watching him in the studio. We were sitting in the control booth like cheerleaders screaming, "Go Go Go!"

DM) Has it been challenging working with your husband?

OA) It's never been challenging. We've worked together now for 20 years. Before I was discovered by Tears for Fears. John was playing drums for me and we were not married at the time. When it was time for me to record my first album, Roland Orzabal suggested that we bring him over to do the first album. That's him on most of the first album's tracks, except for the things that were done by rhythm machines. He has a wonderful style, he's very complemtary to a singer. He's a very melodic drummer. We go out every week to do gigs and it's all in the family. He's now tour manager slash drummer, besides being my husband.

DM) Does that make it easier on you having your husband there, so it's not "lonely" on the road?

OA) Oh my goodness. It is so much easier. Especially when you get along so well. We are best friends, first and fore most. We don't have children. We joke around the house where I'll say, "Why don't you hang out with your friends", and he'll say, "I don't have any friends". He'll say, "Why don't you hang out with your friends", and I'll respond, "But you're my friend". We just enjoy our time together. Whatever we're doing we're do it together. When we shop for the house, eh does it with me. All of the ladies sit around and marvel at how patient he is. He's got my back, when I'm on the stage, sometimes we get lost in each other. Sometimes I'm following him and he's following me. It's great, it's so inspiring.

DM) You were mentioning that the record company wanted you to record something more adult contemporary and pop. I also understand that you're very influenced by gospel. What style is most your own?

OA) I started out in church and you can hear... though I started out in church, I also studied classical music in school or a little bit. The experiences that I learned in my childhood, singing in musicals... all of that comes out in my music. All of that comes out in my music. I'm greatly influenced by my mentor. No matter what I think, it still has that flavor that brings up all of those things from the past. The lack of flowery singing... when you hear the hip-hop artists today, or what is considered to be R&B singers today, they use a lot fo phrasings where one word will go on for a long time and they will stray away from the melody. I don't' stray away from the melody, but only to embellish it for a little bit. But that doesn't become the whole meat of the song, embellishing. I only like to do that a little bit. I think that's carried out throughout all of my music.

Somebody said, when my gospel record came out. Somebody said, "You know when I listen to your gospel music, it sounds like you!" (laughs). I take that as a complement, because it I s. I have a low voice and I'm not going to sing in the stratosphere because I don't do that. I just try to stay true to what I know that I can do.