You would think that an R&B singer would be too busy perfecting their craft and working hard to have any extracurricular hobbies. But Lalah (pronounced Lay-luh) Hathaway, daughter of the late, great Donnie Hathaway, isn't afraid to fess up to her weakness: video games. The seasoned veteran admits that on days while recording her newest and fourth solo album Self Portrait, she would play Xbox with her producers when she just wasn't feeling the vibe. For days on end. Not only that, but Lalah admits that she's got to buy every new video game that hits stores. Didn't think an R&B star plays video games on a daily basis, did you?
But even though she spent much of her time with a controller in hand and eyes glued to the TV, she still managed to fit in recording Self Portrait in her schedule. The record, which captures the essence and ephemeral spontaneity of a live performance, is a 12-track snapshot of Lalah at the 18-year mark in her lengthy career. It's a slow-paced and clearly contemplated affair, her smoky vocals blending with the whirling instrumentation and personal lyrics serving as pearls of wisdom on each track. "Let Go," the album's first single, serves as a good representation of its vibe, featuring bass slaps, a bumping rhythm and independently assertive lyrics like "I refuse to remain / A pawn in your game / You won't have me again."
It's been a long ride for Lalah, though, who released her first single "Inside the Beat" back in 1987 and debut album Lalah Hathaway in 1990. If you listen to that album, you wouldn't believe that the Lalah on that disc is the same one on Self Portrait (she even laughs when she reflects on that one!). But you can hear her musical growth over the years, which included milestones like her collaboration album with Joe Sample on the 1999 album The Song Lives On and her participation on the Daughters of Soul tour, allowing her to grow as an individual artist and establish herself as a modern soul performer.
Before sitting down with Kiwibox VJ Kylie, Lalah was relaxing in the New York City offices of her PR company, putting down the newspaper as we walked into the room to get ready to chat. She was as calm and graceful as she sounds on Self Portrait, and in between talking to us about her favorite video games, she discussed what it was like to work with someone like Rashaan Patterson, what being the daughter of Donnie Hathaway has done for her career and how other "daughters of soul" like Simone and Indira Khan (Nina Simone and Chaka Khan's children) understand what it's like to be in the shadow of your parent.
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