Peyton
H: Peyton, How/when did you start doing your singing?
P: I've been singing since I was a small boy.
My father is a Pentecostal preacher in the US, so I was singing Gospel music in church from a very early age. That's where I learned to perform, and that's where I fell in love with music.
Peyton
H: What track is top of your list to sing and why?
P: This really changes for me on a regular basis.
I never decide what songs I'm going to sing until I get to the club, and feel the crowd, see the age group. hear what the DJ is playing, etc.
I have a lot of tracks, and I love singing all of them, but it's important to get it right . . . in the same way that a DJ has to feel the vibe of a party and try to figure out what's going to work best.
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy UK
H: You were the Food & Wine expert on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy UK; how did this all come about?
P: That was a long time ago . . . and I promise it's not such an interesting story.
Let's talk about music!!!
H: Would you consider going back doing TV work and if so, what kind would it be?
P: Actually, I would really like to do something again in TV, but it would be very different from Queer Eye. I've been thinking about pitching a travel show, based on my travels around the world, so you'd get to see all these far-flung exotic locations, and also see what clubbing is like in different locations. It could be an interesting combination of music, travel and performance!
Peyton
H: How do you keep up with what's happening within the music industry these days?
P: Well, I don't really. If I'm totally honest, I don't try to keep up.
I just write music, and work with good producers, and hope for the best.
It seems to be working!
Beatport
H: There is a lot of controversy surrounding blogs that provide downloads/download links.
What is your opinion on this?
P: The whole download situation is in many ways a nightmare for the music industry that isn't going away anytime soon. It has become virtually impossible to make money from the music and this has all sorts of negative implications for artists and record labels.
On the other hand, I can't help but find it flattering when I see a hundred or more sites giving away my music for free.
The way I see it is you've just got to find ways to accommodate the situation and make it work for you.
For instance, my new track A Little Louder with Kid Massive is out tomorrow on Beatport, but we've already released one of the remixes for free on the blog sites.
Sometimes you just have to beat them at their own game.
Kid Massive & Peyton - A Little Louder
H: You are travelling almost all the time across the world, where do you call home?
P: London is definitely home. It's my base, and it's where I actually hang my hat. Or in my case, HATS!! But of course, I still feel a sense of belonging when I go back to the States and see my parents. That is definitely still home to me. And then, there are certain cities like Sydney, Cairo and Prague where I have a big extended network of close friends and these places have become like a home away from home for me. I suppose I'm very lucky in this way. I have a lot of homes in the world.
London
H: You have done tracks with producers/remixers like Wayne G, Paul Goodyear etc., how do these productions come together?
P: Well, in the case of producers like Wayne or Paul, they are just good friends so usually it's a matter of one of us just picking up the phone and saying, hey . . why don't we work on this or that together.
Other times, I have picked out producers that I don't necessarily know but whose sound I really like and approached them about working together.
Wayne G
Paul Goodyear
H: Talking about DJ's & Remixers: Who are your favourites?
P: At the moment I'm a big fan of Carlos Gallardo . . . he's one of Spain's up and coming superstar DJ/producers and we're now working together, which is very exciting.
I'm also a big fan of Kid Massive, The Freemasons (of course) and Kaskade! I have too many favourites to list them all.
Carlos Gallardo
H: You are hugely successful in Russia, is the music/dance scene there similar to Europe/USA?
P: In many ways it is similar, but one of the advantages that Russian clubs have over Europe and the States is that the parties are often sponsored by alcohol or cigarette companies, so they can afford to bring over int'l artists and DJ's, and put more effort into the production. This is one of the reasons so many of the big House DJ's and singers are working more regularly in Russia than anywhere else. They have the money, and they're prepared to spend it.
Russia
H: There are many male vocalists out there, what makes you different from them?
P: Well, for starters, I think it's safe to say there aren't a lot of male House music singers out there.
Certainly not many who are making a full-time living running around the world singing.
In fact, I actually can't think of another . . . hmmmm! There must be, but nobody springs to mind.
How am I different? I really don't know how to answer that, although a friend told me recently that he thinks I have a very unique timbre in my voice, which sounds like an aeroplane taking off . . . powerful, yet soft at the same time.
I quite liked this comparison!
H: What are you working on at the moment?
P: I'm working on a few new tracks with Carlos Gallardo, and then we're about to start a whole album together. I've also just finished a track with John LePage in San Francisco called Love So Strong, which is being remixed by Wayne G, Paul Goodyear, and others.
H: The Pop/Dance/NRG scene has changed a lot over the past 10 years I think, do you agree and if so, in what way has it changed?
P: Music will always change, like everything else. Dance music is particularly influenced by changing trends in drugs, fashion, pop culture, etc. It's the destiny of anything creative to evolve and change with the energy and mood of a new generation. Personally, I've struggled with some of these changes in the past ten years. I like music to have soul, even though it doesn't have to be soulful, I want it to have a soul. When House suddenly seemed to be marginalised by Electro, I was finding it very hard and exceedingly boring to be in clubs. Thankfully that trend seems to have played its course, and we're moving back into a sound which at least makes me wanna dance again. . . . although I still get nostalgic for the days of good ol' fashioned happy uplifting vocal House.
Peyton – A Higher Place
Peyton – a Higher Place
H: Your music appear to have a huge Gay following, do you have any idea why that is?
P: When I had my first hit, A Higher Place, on Hed Kandi records in 2003 . . . it was about two years later that somebody told me it had become a big anthem in the gay community. I actually had no idea. I never set out to be a 'gay artist' . . . although I've always been very open about the fact that I'm an artist who is gay. Still, I would say about 98% of my work is on the straight scene, although there's no denying that I have a healthy gay fanbase, because every time I release a new track it seems that Gaydar Radio add it to their playlist. I don't know if it's coincidence or not, but the gay community seems to relate to my lyrics and my sound, and for that I'm very grateful. I have never been interested in focussing my efforts on any one particular community over another as I find this idea very limiting in a world so big and diverse, however I love being a part of the international gay community and the idea that my music gives something back to my gay brothers and sisters makes me very happy!
Gaydar Radio
H: Pride season is about to start again; do you go to/play at any Gay Prides and if so: which one(s)?
P: At the moment I don't know of any Pride events that I'm booked to play at this year, but I've been performing a lot recently for WE, the new gay brand to come out of Spain which seems to be taking over gay clubland. They really put on one hell of a party, with a lot of effort going into extravagant productions. I'm looking forward to doing some parties for them in Ibiza.
Gay Pride
H: What is your favourite hang-out?
P: Groucho Club in London
Groucho Club
H: What is your favourite tipple?
P: Vodka martini, very dry, very dirty!
Vodka Martini
H: You are to host/have the perfect party; who would be your dream guest list and why?
P: I would invite American author and poet Maya Angelou, because she's one of my heroes. I'd also love to have Obama and Oprah there, and perhaps Piers Morgan, Stephen Fry and Madonna. There certainly wouldn't be any need to worry about making conversation, as they're all conversationalists and intellectuals! Ok, well, maybe not Madonna . . . but I'd still just love to meet her!
Maya Angelou
With HUGE thanks to Peyton for doing this interview.
Below the Artwork and teh download link for the
DJ Spook & cre8ions
Peyton Megamix
<a href='http://www.mediafire.com/?m0t78gu3fptjtf7'>Link</a>
H.Xx
