Interview for Jazzism (March/April 2015) - I can be happy

Jazzism March/April 2015

Selah Sue - I can be happy 

Text: Jean-Paul Heck       

Photos: Caroline Sikkenk/Photoline

It feels like a century ago that the Netherlands got to know her. With songs like Raggamuffin, Crazy Vibes and Zanna she gave out her business card. There were worries. Selah Sue was extremely open about her psychological state during interviews. Last year she let the Belgium media know that antidepressants are of an eminent importance for her. Meanwhile she is happy in her lovelife and she doesn't make a secret of that. Together with the Danish Rabin Hannibal and the Swedish Ludwig Göransson she recorded Reason in Los Angeles. She got help from Massive Attack-producer Matt Schwartz and Whitney Houston-producer Troy Taylor. That is quite something for this 26 years old Sanne Putseys from the Vlaams-Brabantse Leefdaal.

You took a long time for it. Your debut album comes from 2011.

“Watch out, ey! I have toured around the world with my first record for over three years. To make the songs for Reason, I have reserved four months and within that period of time it was ready. I had to wait a year and a half for good producers. I had a nice list of five producers which I got from my label, because I didn’t have any idea about it (or, I had no vision for it). That is also the reason why the record wasn’t ready until now. Who were on that list as well? Mark Ronson, but he was way too busy with his own record.”

You didn’t create an easy job putting two producers to it. Two captains on one ship….

“It has been a very hard way. I have tried to let Robin and Ludwig work together but that just didn’t work. In the end they both did five songs and have added elements of the other.

Off course I have thought a lot to just hire a Belgium producer during the process. There is enough talent in Belgium and it would have been a lot easier.

You are a true star now. Have you met your ambitions?

“It was never an ambition to be world famous. When I can write and play songs and make my money with it, I am already very satisfied. Nothing has changed. Of course I have seen many countries and that is special for somebody my age. I didn’t become alienated from my family and friends. In the contrary, the bond with them has only become stronger. ‘I don’t wanna die for succes’, I always say and I mean it. I am never away from home for more than three weeks and that is not going to change.

How did you start working on Reason? Didn’t you look up to it after the success of your debut?

“I totally didn’t think about what I would do. My tracks still come from a feeling within. All has to be spontaneous. One song takes a lot of time to make, the other one gets written rapidly. All is actually the same, because it remains very difficult for me to go for a uniform sound. My producers tried to make a complete piece of it and with Reason it kind of worked out. But like on my debut it is an eclectic collection of songs again.”

(Quote on right side of the page: “My songs come from my underbelly-feeling. Everything has to be spontaneous” )

(Quote on the left side of the page: “It is never the ambition to be famous worldwide”)

Your band members joined you to compose. That is kind of special.

“At least three tracks have been written with the band and I think that is cool. The song Daddy has been realized that way but also Stand Back, Gotta Make It Last and Time, which is on the extra edition and on my EP. I have also obtained beats from different producers and I have composed on hotel rooms and at home. Simply : acoustic with a guitar.”

Last year you were very open in the Belgium media about the fact you took antidepressants. That was a brave step.

“I go to a psychiatrist since I was fourteen years old and at home that was not a taboo at all. We talk very easy and open about it. But it was a big relief for me. People now know who I am better and why I behave differently sometimes.

The reactions to your openness were very heavy.
“Unbelievably! The impact was enormous and the satisfaction afterwards was unbelievable. No hitsong can meet that! But I want to give my attention and energy to it. I need help for my psychological disturbances, but that matters to millions of people around the whole world.