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American singer-songwriter Jason Mraz will perform at the Melon-AX on Friday. / Courtesy of Private Curve | By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
American singer-songwriter Jason Mraz is preparing to release his long-awaited third album ``We Sing We Dance We Steal Things'' in May. Fans will get a chance to listen to his single, ``I'm Yours'' and other new material when Mraz hits the stage at the Melon-AX in Seoul, Friday.
Even though he's been away from the limelight in the last few years, Mraz has constantly been working on new material.
``There's a lot of stuff I thought would have made it onto the new album `We Sing We Dance We Steal Things' due out in May. But there is so much material I feel is still something that needs time to mature… There's plenty of new stuff coming out this year to keep us busy,'' he said, in an interview with The Korea Times.
Mraz, who plays both piano and guitar, started playing the piano when he was only three. ``I first sat down at the piano when I was three and loved it. But it wasn't until I was 7 that I made up my mind. Being a magician was a close second,'' he said.
A native of Mechanicsville, Virginia, Mraz briefly studied musical theater at New York's American Musical and Dramatic Academy and later moved to San Diego, California.
In 2002, he shot to fame with his catchy and witty songs like ``The Remedy (I Won't Worry)," ``Curbside Prophet," and ``Sleep All Day." His debut album ``Waiting for My Rocket to Come'' achieved platinum status in the United States. He followed it up with his second album ``Mr. A-Z" which earned two Grammy Award nominations.
Mraz admitted he was not expecting that kind of success for his first album. ``To me, I had already `made it' just by not having a normal job and able to support myself as a musician. To hear my songs on the radio was a big surprise, but not because I worked hard and visited a lot of radio stations. I was surprised that people were actually requesting my songs. I am still humbled by this experience and I say my thank you's everyday, " he said.
The 30-year old singer described his music as ``optimistic pop with some slam poetry and humor added to the blend of mellow peace and love.'' When writing music, real people and real events inspire him.
``I write all the time. I think it's important to have a regular practice of spilling out words and being able to say all kinds of things. That way when it's time to write a song, all I have to do is open my mouth and let my body define the melody and my relaxed mind should find the words. I rarely care to study a single topic. Music is best when it writes itself,'' Mraz said.
He's already played with a lot of artists and musicians, but someday hopes to play with former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, and collaborating with legendary musicians Willie Nelson and Neil Young.
When asked about his current plans, Mraz said: ``my immediate goal is just to stay present everyday. I want to live this life one day at a time and not be in a hurry to be anywhere else other than where I presently am.''
In the long-term, he would love to run a coffee house in San Diego and ``just live a quiet life by the beach and serve espresso.''
Mraz has fond memories of his first trip in Seoul in 2006, when he had a live performance on an EBS show. ``I loved my visit to Seoul and the people we got to hang with. I look forward more of the positive energy and having a shared experience (with the audience) at the show,'' he said.
Mraz will perform at the Melon-AX (Gwangnaru Station subway Line 5, exit 2) on March 28. Tickets are 88,000 won. For ticket information in English, send an e-mail to info@privatecurve.com. Visit ticket.interpark.com (Korean only).
cathy@koreatimes.co.kr | |
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