Stacey Jackson is one of the UK’s top dance music recording artists. The release of her latest album, Live It Up made it to number two of the UK Dance Charts and has brought her to the attention of America’s top charts as well. Her latest album features rapper Snoop Dogg and is one you won’t want to miss. We spoke with Stacey Jackson and found out what she has in store next for her rapidly expanding music career.
TheCelebrityCafe.com: How has your music career evolved in the past few years?
Stacey Jackson: Oh my gosh, it started off when I did a charity mo-town album for kids in the UK called Music For You and it was a covers album because that’s something that I always wanted to do. I guess it got some buzz and one of the songs got remixed and suddenly I’m sitting between Lady Gaga and the Scissor Sisters at number nine on the charts. It was surreal! And of course it all happened when I turned 40, so I had my first hit record when I was 40.
I think what’s happening now is that I found myself in a genre of music that is very fast paced and happening and becoming more and more commercial particularly in the US. I live in Europe so obviously dance music is embraced and its been great. Now I’m basically just taking it one day at a time and when the door opens I walk in it and last year I was able to present an award at the International Dance Music conference! It’s just one of those things where I just go with the flow and see where this goes and where this is taking me on this amazing ride!
TCC: Your songs are so fun and lively! What is the overall message you wanted your album ‘Live it up’ to portray?
Jackson: I have a big message! I am very fortunate. I find that my age is actually a good thing because I am really able to pull on influences from all genres of music that I literally lived through. 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s… So my message is basically you’re never ever too old or its never too late to live your dream. How many people do you know when they’re in their 40s and they’ve got kids, life basically gets in the way of living or fulfilling your dream. And I was lucky and I could of easily said ‘Oh no, I did my thing. I did the charity thing and it did really well and I’m going to leave it at that.’ But I saw an opportunity and I was like, ‘when else would I ever have this?’ I always wanted to do this since I was eleven.
So, I think the message is really just take a risk because you just don’t know what‘s going to happen. Some people are like ‘oh this will never happen to me, I’m too old-‘ but that’s not true! I think life is too short. You’ve got to really embrace every moment that you get and every opportunity that comes.
TCC: Snoop Dogg is in the music video for your track, ‘ Live It Up.’ How did you end up collaborating with Snoop Dogg for the single?
Jackson: Well it’s funny; it’s a good story. I told you I did this charity album and so one song got remixed into a dance track and I started getting calls from producers saying ‘this is great! Your vocal suits this genre of music do you want to write an album of dance tracks?’ And so I actually had a dream- a proper dream, my father had passed away during the first album and he came into the dream and it felt so real! He said, ‘Stace, it’s your time. This is it. This is your chance. This is what you’ve always wanted to do and you’ve got to do this.’ It was so vivid that I actually wrote a song about the dream.
I then thought I would revisit one of the charity tracks to do the rap on the song. At this point I technically had a hit record with that one cover. So my management changed and he basically said, ‘Look Stace, you’re in a different place now, let’s go for someone like Snoop Dogg.’ I looked at him like ‘Stephen really? what are you smoking?’ He said ‘No, no, no. I know Snoop and I’m going to see if I can get him on the track. If he likes it and he likes you, we’re done!’ Five days later, I was on a plane. It was ridiculous. The whole thing, like I said, a door opened and I just got on the plane and that’s it.
Sometimes you’ve just got to take those risks!
TCC: Your single ‘Pointing Fingers’ is great! Are you working on a music video for this track as well?
Jackson: Yeah! That actually just came out! It went viral on Friday and I swear to God I just woke up this morning and there were a quarter of a million hits already.
TCC: That’s great! What is the music video about?
Jackson: There’s a British hunky guy who plays my domineering boss and basically I break free from his control. I wrote the song about a proper professional relationship that didn’t work out because you know I have a head on my shoulders, and I don’t need someone to tell me, ‘this is what’s happening, and this is where you’re going.’ I know what I want to do and I know where I want to go with it. I felt sort of liberated and I wrote the song about that. So we thought the video was depicting a relationship. In this case it was a professional sort of boss who controls this secretary. Then she breaks free from his control. I think anybody can relate to it. Anyone who has been in a relationship that has not really been balanced or you know, that either was very controlling. I think that you can take it to any level.
TCC: What other artists have inspired your music?
Jackson: Oh my god. I mean well, if I had a dinner party tomorrow night I would have, Dianna Ross. I would have Axel Rose. I would have David G. My music has been so inspired by all of the genres that I have lived though and the times that I have went through. I think I just molded as I grew up and I think like I said being my age, that I feel like it’s an advantage and I can really pull on those different influences in my life. So I can’t really say that it’s one thing. I mean I was in a rock band in my teens. I was in a mo-town band in my twenties. You know, I think it’s just that I love to sing, and I love to perform, and I love to write. A song starts really at this basic level. I write the tune. I write the top line. I write the lyrics. It could turn into anything. I could throw on some heavy guitar and some drum beats and all of the sudden it’s a hard rock song, or a ballet you know. But this is the genre of music that has embraced me and I’ve literally just thrusted into it. It’s been crazy. So I’m just writing dance tracks now.
TCC: How does being a mother affect your music career?
Jackson: I can’t pick up and just go. Here I am at New Castle, but I am going back tomorrow because I can only take two days away at a time. When I get to LA it’s fast and furious. Jane has me literally scheduled up to my eyeballs. I really don’t have that much time to be away from my family. So if I had all the time in the world, and I didn’t have ties to my family then I think, I don’t know I think things would maybe even be going quicker for me. Who knows! At the moment I’m enjoying the pace because I have it balanced. My kids are very supportive and my husband is very supportive. And if it gets crazier which it probably will, I’m launching a big album with Snoop on it, and we’re predicating that it’s hopefully going to go somewhere. Obviously it’ll get a little nuttier and I think we’ll just have to deal with it when the time comes. I guess. I mean one step at a time. Go with the door, and then if it’s too scary- you can run away! So I think you’ve just got to take it one day at time.
TCC: What advice do you have for those who are trying to break into the music industry like you did?
Jackson: You know what, it’s all risk. It’s all risk. You’ve got to use every door that opens, go in it. Also have a really good head on your shoulders, because I feel lucky because I have a bit of a business sense. I’ve been around. I’ve worked in corporate world before. I’ve worked in TV. I do think that my age actually is an advantage you know. But I think that new people on the block, they really should give, pardon my French, but they really should give a shit about themselves because they’re the only ones that are ever really, really going to care about them. It’s about anything no matter what they want to do. If they open up a business, or they go into the music world, or whatever they want to do, remember that the only person that cares about you the most is you. That’s what’s going to make it work. If you want to get someplace, you’ve got to make it happen for yourself. And people are around you to support you and help you, but by all means it’s a job for them. For you, it’s your life and it’s your passion. Anything that you want to do, you have to do it for yourself. You’re the only one that really should give the most about it. That’s really my message I think for any career, anything anybody wants to do.
Obviously people have to rely on other people’s expertise and there’s value in that. I’ve had great management and I’m very lucky. But, I think you really need to question things and also, you know, just be ahead of the game and be on top of it because like I said, it’s your life and it’s your passion. It’s about you, and you only have one you.
TCC: What are your plans for the future?
Jackson: Well we’re going to finish up this album. We’re launching it in conjunction with a big event. It’s a big breast cancer event. Unfortunately, my mom’s dealing with this now. Which is another thing to juggle for me but she’ll get through it the whole campaign is ‘Don’t give up – Live it up.’ And we’re going to tie in obviously the album which is ‘Live it Up’ in the campaign because we believe so much that positive energy, music, love, support, and all of that positive advice will help you get through negative times and obviously will help your recovery. I think we’re going to be doing something for Breast Cancer Charities of America. So that’s going to be a big event in May, when the album launches. So yeah as of right now, I’m still in the studio and I’m always continuing to write. My first show is in London in fact from the eighth of March so when I get back tomorrow rehearsals will start for that. So I will be rehearsing Wednesday, Thursday and then the shows on Friday. It’s intense. I haven’t slept. I have to say I actually enjoy being in a hotel because it’s the one time that I actually can go to bed without any ‘mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy,” you know it’s like my time. Even though I’m working during the day I get to actually have like a proper sleep and I get Stacey time, you know!