RS: You were incredible at the Dancestar awards, how did you prepare for such a big debut?
Kelis: I didn't really. I mean I perform a lot, so I kind of just got up there and had fun. I had a lot of fun actually.
RS: Cool. I loved your version of The SOS Band's "Finest" that you did with Richard X. How did you tackle such a classic and what do you think of the end result?
Kelis: I love that record! I love that record and I was really honored that he'd asked me to do it. You know, he and I had worked together before, so I think he's great and I was really excited to do that. I don't know, I just sort of sang it how I sing.
RS: My personal favorite song of yours is "Young, Fresh and New." What inspired the story of that song?
Kelis: That's one of my favorite records off that album too, and I think it was really it's just about being young and being a female. As you say, all these people, your label and your counterparts that you work with kind of look at you like, Frankenstein, that you're sort of their creation. You get to the point when you want to ask questions and do things on your own, it's like Ahhh. They're angry or upset or stuff that, they don't understand why it is you chose to live your life the way you do. "Young, Fresh and New" is really good for me, it's saying that I'm young right now, I'm enjoying my life, I don't have to answer to anybody and this is who I am.
RS: Timo Maas' remix was incredible, did that remix lead to you working with him on the tracks for his album?
Kelis: Yes, definitely. I love the remix he did of "Young, Fresh and New" and then he called me and asked me to do a record with him and I ended up working on "Help Me." I was really honored and I think he's great and honestly I really enjoy doing records with other people because it kind of gives me the chance to dress up. You can kind of be any character and do anything and do some of those kind of things out of your limits..
RS: How is working with a dance producer like Timo Maas different than working with someone more hip-hop orientated like the Neptunes?
Kelis: There's no difference to me.
RS: No difference at all?
Kelis: I don't think so, I mean it's not about the genre of music is what you do, it's about people.
RS: Are there any other producers or artists that you would like to work with?
Kelis: I kind of just take it as it comes, you know what I mean. There's tons of people that I think are talented and dope, but I kind of just let life take its course.
RS: What was the recording process for Got Your Money with the Ol' Dirty Bastard like, do you have any good ODB anecdotes?
Kelis: I don't actually, it was pretty cool. It was like one of my first or second things that I had done.
RS: I've heard a version of "Fight For Your Right To Party" which has you singing on it, how did that one come about?
Kelis: Oh, Mondo Grosso actually. There's a friend of mine from Japan and she told me there was a DJ that really had some great stuff and was interested in doing some things with me. So when he came to the States, I met him and we kind of just kicked it. I really liked the idea that he had for doing Fight For Your Right, so I rerecorded it with my own twist to it and added a little bit of stuff here and there and that's kind of how it came out.
RS: Are there any other classic songs that you would like to take a crack at?
Kelis: I don't know. There's so many great records, you know what I mean. It's sort of just another situation is posed to me, I don't have anything in mind right now but you never know.
RS: I want to go back to your first album for a second, Get Along With You. The video is one of the best videos ever made, who came up with the concept for that idea?
Kelis: Oh, yes, yes, yes. I like to create my own world and "Get Along With You" was the beginning of doing that. I wanted to feel like I was flying around in my own world and there's light that can fill the world, you know, at least my world.
RS: The "Young, Fresh and New" video seemed pretty out of worldly also, was that sort of a continuation of that theme?
Kelis: It was not so much of a continuation, it's just a cycle. That's just kind of how I see life and who I am. Like I always see things from my perspective, whether it's "Get Along With You," or "Young Fresh and New," or "Milkshake" or whatever, that's just how I see things. I'm a really visual person and I think videos are a great way to express how you see the world.
RS: What's the next video going to look like?
Kelis: I don't know, I'm still working on it.
RS: Is there anything you want to say to your fans out there in the dance world?
Kelis: No man, just hey, what's up, My album is called Tasty, it's in stores now and I would love to do some more dance stuff for whoever's out there listening, just so you know.
