FORMER NEW KID ON THE BLOCK JORDAN KNIGHT IS “LETTIN’ IT ALL LOOSE”
WITH A PAIR OF UPCOMING ALBUMS AND
A CLEAR CHANNEL SNEAK PREVIEW TOUR IN FULL SWING
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Knight makes his label debut on Empire Musicwerks with
Jordan Knight Performs The New Kids on the Block The Remix Album, March 30;
As-yet-untitled solo release streets in June
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Clear Channel Entertainment with selected Clear Channel Stations, and
House of Blues presents Knight’s intimate, three-month tour
Imagine seeing a world-class superstar performing in a club. It’s one of the most unique and special concert experiences to have. When the world-class superstar is former New Kids on the Block member and lead vocalist Jordan Knight, you’re not just seeing him up close and personal, but you’re part of the performance, as well.
Knight’s intimate, three-month tour, presented by Clear Channel Entertainment in conjunction with Clear Channel Stations and House of Blues, marks his return to the spotlight after a two-year absence. As you might guess, the response from fans and the media has been tremendous.
“I forgot what it felt like to perform, and it’s scary at first,” the Boston native confides, “but once I get back on the stage, it’s like I’m home again.”
And “home” for Knight, is furnished with a keyboard and an enthusiastic crowd of guests.
“I’m performing a few songs live-to-track, but most of the songs are just me and the piano, and I’m taking requests from the audience. It’s almost like I’m in a lounge or a piano bar, talking to the crowd, getting reacquainted and making it real,” Knight says, sounding pleased with the chance to finally close the gap between him and the fans that years of arena concerts necessitated as a New Kid.
“Some of the requests that I get, I can’t even remember those songs,” he laughs. “They pull ‘em from way back.”
His set list includes a lot of songs from a pair of upcoming albums, as he makes his Empire Musicwerks debut with Jordan Knight Performs The New Kids on the Block The Remix Album, hitting stores March 30; as well as an as-yet-untitled solo project that streets in June, which follows up his 1999 self-titled release on Interscope Records.
Knight is dividing his time between the tour and the studio, which is unusual, because most artists do one at the exclusion of the other. But then, Knight isn’t most artists.
“I’m finishing the solo album while promoting the New Kids album,” he explains, promising, “You never know what you can expect. It’s going to be new, fresh, different. My thing is that I like to do pop songs that are a little to the left with a hip-hop / R&B bottom to them. It’s going to be something that any club will play in 2004, with a lot of dance grooves and a few ballads.”
The solo project marks another auspicious songwriting-production collaboration between Knight and Grammy winning dynamic duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis (Janet Jackson, P. Diddy, Barry White), who, along with Robin Thicke, put together Jordan Knight.
“It’s always a pleasure to work with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis,” Knight articulates. “Every time I think I know their style, they come up with something new. They always surprise me.”
Weighing in on some of the other new tracks is fellow Empire Musicwerks producer Dicio, who hooked up with Knight to co-produce Jordan Knight Performs The New Kids on the Block The Remix Album.
“He’s phenomenal,” Knight states. “He’s 19, beyond his time, and just funky.”
Knight’s inspiration for the Remix Album began with a single song, “My Favorite Girl.”
Empire Musicwerks executive and producer Paul Klien heard the track and suggested that Knight do an album’s worth.
“It was a fluke, but it turned out really well. The vocals and melodies are the same, but the beats are new,” Knight describes. “We removed the echo on everything, stripped it down and made it a little funkier.”
The obvious question posed to Knight is, “Where have you been and what took you so long?”
Knight replies thoughtfully, “I got caught up in record business red tape, which I’m sure a lot of other artists have, too. But I’ve found a situation with Empire Musicwerks that is better than what I had, so I’m happy. I’ve gotten closer to the fans, and I am not such a perfectionist. I’ve noticed the more I come off real, it gives a warmer vibe, and I’m more fun. I’m lettin’ it all loose.”
