A few weeks ago, Akon called OC native Jeffree Star the next Lady Gaga. Akon had just signed the gay shock pop purveyor, and many critics called him delusional. Luckily, Star is used to haters.
In a recent phone interview, Jeffree Star clarified what Akon meant. “I think what he meant was when Gaga came out, there were a lot of
doubters and a lot of people were like, 'what's with this chick looking
all crazy?'”
Akon wasn't saying Star is going to be exactly like Lady Gaga; “He was
more saying you have to see [this guy Jeffree Star] to believe it, it's like a
special thing.”
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It's not a bad comparison, Star says. “To be compared to someone
who's sold 15 million records in two years is great–to be compared to
greatness isn't a bad thing,” he added, laughing. Akon and Star are working on the new album after Christmas. “There will be a Jeffree
Star feat. Akon track, and one with Ke$ha too,” he says. Here's what else Star talked about:
Getting signed and struggling: Akon and I have been talking for about three months; someone gave him a copy of (my second album) Beauty Killer,
so we met in Atlanta a few times. We really clicked–he's one of the most
intelligent people in the music business. Akon and his team are managing my whole career now, so i'll have an official website, radio push, and a whole new album in 2011.
[My career] has been a struggle because a lot of people don't know
what to do with me. That's why i signed a deal to
have my own label distributed through Warner Records. It's frustrating to have all this vision that gets clouded and ruined by all these business suits … so i
feel like it's finally my time to have someone take me under their wing.
[
Learning from Ke$ha and Katy Perry: When I first started making music I
had no clue what I was getting into. All the people I know in real life, like Ke$ha and Katy Perry, all taught me
that you have to go through a lot of drama to get what you want. They've been put on the back burner over the
years, been dropped by record labels…and now they've made it.
Akon's style–will it rub off on Star? I've
always loved his music, that's why working with him as a producer will be so exciting; he wrote “Just
Dance.” I'll also get to work withi his friends like David Guetta and
RedOne–it will take my style to the next level and make a whole new
genre for me.
Star, the first gay artist to work with Akon? No one in
hip-hop has ever worked with a gay artist. Aside from Boy George and Pete
Burns, who's a mainstream gay artist these days? There's Adam Lambert, but he was on a reality show. Nicki
Minaj is bi, but there's never been a male gay artist.
I think it's a good step forward for
the gay movement that someone like Akon who's sold 10 million records
and sells out arenas will work with someone like me. It's a very
macho world.
Who needs to be a good singer these days? People may say I'm not vocally talented like Mariah Carey
or Lady Gaga, but I'm doing a whole other route. People don't realize
you don't have to be the best singer to be talented . Look at Ke$ha's
style of music, she sold 30 million singles of “Tik Tok” and she's not a
singer.
