Having performed shows in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, 19-year old singer and songwriter Sean Kingston was in Switzerland when he spoke with The Telegram about life, work and his upcoming show in St. John's.
The day before tickets for Kingston's Dec. 18 show went on sale back in October, the tents were up outside of Mile One Centre, preparing for the overnight wait.
The anticipation was to get tickets for the performer who made a first blip on the hits radar with his self-titled summer 2007 debut and the single "Beautiful Girls." He is now registering a more significant note with his September 2009 CD release "Tomorrow."
Singles like "Face Drop" are having their chart moments, while club tracks like "Fire Burning" have been on radio loop since early summer.
The songs from Kingston are themed around good times, self-confidence and positive thoughts in the face of sometimes painful criticism.
For example, in the lyrics to "Face Drop," the singer answers back to a woman who rejects him, saying that he needs to lose weight.
A mix of club music, R&B and pop-reggae, Kingston's songs avoid swearing.
"There's kids who are listening to my music, watching my videos - that's why I don't curse," he said.
Clean images
He also tries to keep the visuals in his videos clean.
"I try to just keep everybody fully clothed and have a good time," he said. "You don't have to have a girl almost naked to have a good video."
The early single "Fire Burning" had the most-played video on MTV in July. It stands as a perfect example of his image and style. A heavy beat drives the sound and Kingston is smiling and fist-pumping in the video's packed club setting.
For costume, while the short film is not without some women in thigh-length dresses and low rise jeans, they are scattered and mixed in with other club-going females in a range of styles from sporty hoodies to retro bell bottoms.
The emphasis of the video is on different types of dancing rather than body shots, including a set of suspendered swing dancers and a break dance crew in brightly coloured red-green-yellow track suits.
Kingston said the song "Fire Burning" was recorded at his home, immediately after he had left a club on Florida's South Beach and was struck by a beat. He raced home and stepped into his recording space.
"When I bought my house, before I got any furniture or anything in it, I got my studio. That's my pride," he said of the work area he developed after the success of "Beautiful Girls."
And it is a work space. In addition to "Fire Burning," Kingston holds writing credits on five other tracks on the "Tomorrow" album, including: "War," "Magical," "Twist Ya Around," "Shoulda Let U Go" and "Over."
The concepts for each of the tracks were first laid at the home studio, he said.
Sean and Kisean
Kingston's writing is credited under his birth name, Kisean Anderson.
"It's not that I'm trying to hide (my birth name)," he said, adding he decided to pick the stage name Sean Kingston to highlight a part of his legal name (Kisean = Sean) but also show the influence of his Jamaican roots (Kingston = Kingston, Jamaica).
"My momma's from Kingston, my dad's from Kingston, I grew up in Kingston - Sean Kingston," he said.
Kingston said he holds strong ties to Jamaica, but also to the United States, where he was born.
"I left Miami when I was young, around six."
He went to Jamaica, where he lived with his father for a time.
"My Mom wanted me to basically feel my culture."
He stayed and attended school on the island until the age of 13, when he headed back to Miami.
"But I used to go to visit (Jamaica) all the time," he said.
The connection to the island has been carried through to his music, with reggae-influenced singles like "Island Queen."
Busy schedule
Still, when breaking from his rigorous touring schedule, Kingston said he most often spends his usual two or three days in Miami.
Not that he is crying for time off.
"To maintain in this industry, to be a big name, you have to have a drive," Kingston said. "You have to have that hustle mentality."
The teenager said he is a fan of artists who he feels have a strong work ethic that keeps them moving - for example, Wyclef Jean, who wrote the track "Ice Cream Girl" for his latest album.
In particular, however, Kingston noted Jay-Z as an inspiration.
"I sat down with Jay-Z and Jay-Z told me you're on the right track, you're doing the right things," he said, stating his appreciation.
Encouraged, Kingston said he already has ideas laid out at his home studio for his next release. For today, however, he is enjoying the success of "Tomorrow."
Kingston's Dec. 18 show at Mile One will also include "Africa" and "Carrera" performer Karl Wolf, as well as hip hop artist Danny Fernandes. Doors will open at 7 p.m. and the concert will begin at 8 p.m.
afitzpatrick@thetelegram.com
The night before his interview with The Telegram, Kingston posted on his Twitter page: "Goodnight to all my 5* chicks. Sleep well."
Asked about the post, Kingston said one has to appreciate 5* chicks and explained the term.
"It takes a lot to be a 5* chick. It's like a 5* hotel. You've got to have everything. The whole package," said Kingston. "I want a 5* girl."
The singer said his image of a 5* girl is "an honest person, cool, down to earth, beautiful inside and out."
"She's got to have a beautiful spirit," he said.
The singer also described his ideal woman in a recent interview with Teen.com. The video clip is available through a link on the official Sean Kingston site.
Weblinks
www.seankingston.com
