RS: A few more questions, when you recorded "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here", did you get the feeling that this was going to be the big one that would really exploded?
Deborah: Absolutely. When I first heard that song, it was a ballad but it had a lot more. It felt like a gospel song when I first heard it and it just moved me. I had this instinct and I just knew it. It was a very strange thing and as soon as I finished recording it, we were all in the studio saying we have something really special here.
RS: Hex Hector remixed that song as well as several of your other songs. What about his musical style fits your music and voice so well, do you think?
Deborah: I think it's his perception of knowing how to make a record build, keeping the integrity of the song in the music and really adding a lot of musical elements to compliment my voice and to compliment the song. He doesn't make it so complicated but just really allows the lyric to come through even though there's a lot of production going on. I think that's the key and that's the magic, it's making sure that people could still connect with the lyrics while they're on the dance floor.
RS: What was it like recording the "Same Script, Different Cast" with Whitney, have you ever done the song live with her?
Deborah: We've never performed the song live outside of recording it in the studio. That was a dream come true because Whitney, she's an icon and she's been one of my main mentors in this business. It was a dream come true performing with her and just being on the same record. So in my eyes, she was the epitome of a great voice and for us to share together was awesome.
RS: I'm guessing she was one of your role models and you mentioned Patti LaBelle earlier, do you have any other role models of singers you look up to?
Deborah: Yes, singers like her, Patti, Tina Turner, I revere them when I'm in their presence. Because the business is so different now than it was when they were coming up and for women back then, it was a struggle and now it's just a different struggle. I mean there's far more freedom now, but for women like that, it's just incredible to see that they're still standing in this time of this youth driven industry. That's what I admire about women like Tina Turner and Patti and Gladys Knight and Cher, it's a wonderful path to follow.
RS: May I ask, what's in your CD player right now?
Deborah: What's in my CD player? Oh, I have an I-Pod.
RS: Ooh, what are you listening to on your I-Pod?
Deborah: Oh, I just bought a bunch of CDs and downloaded them into my I-pod. I bought the Seal record, a Swahili drum album, and there's some original African drums that I listen to before the show. I picked up the Joss Stone album, Josh Groban, and the new Norah Jones. I love, love, love Norah.
RS: Going back to the show for a second, how long have you been preparing for this show and what special preparation have you been doing?
Deborah: I started rehearing in the middle of January and for preparation, like I said I went back to the video footage I had from when I went to Mozambique and Uganda, and that was my inspiration. But the process in rehearsal has just been about finding the real moments where I was indeed in love very, very passionately and I really think about the times that I've been through with my husband and all the stuff that we've been through together, and I think to those moments for inspiration for the role.
RS: And what's next after Aida?
Deborah: Probably another record and a vacation. I'm at a point where I'm going where the journey leads me. I've set goals but I don't get really hung up if I don't achieve those goals right away or in my time, you know what I mean? I think everything happens for a reason and everything happens when it's suppose to happen, so the next thing on my agenda is an album and them we'll see what happens.
RS: Cool. Can we go back to that Disney question, have you thought about what role you'd play in a Disney movie?
Deborah: I'm such a sucker for the Disney classics, I mean I love Cinderella, Snow White, and I love Bambi.
RS: That'll be interesting.
Deborah: Well, anyone of those I guess. Maybe Snow White, so I can boss the dwarves around.
RS: It sounds like you're getting a little of that diva thing in you after all.
Deborah: Yes, we'll just change it, we'll just tweak the story a bit.
AIDA performs Tuesday at 7 PM, Wednesday through Saturday at 8PM, with matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2PM, and Sundays at 3PM. Tickets are available at the Palace Theatre Box Office (1564 Broadway, NYC), through Ticketmaster at (212) 307-4747, or online at Ticketmaster.
Special thanks to Martha Tang at Fly Life Music for arranging this interview.
