Keke Palmer Talks Her Deluxe Album, Working With Usher

Keke Palmer is in a susceptible place proper now. She has been since dropping her revealing “Big Boss” visible album again in May, which marked her first studio launch in nearly a decade. She had so much to get off her chest then and even right now, because the 10-track album has simply been upgraded with a deluxe model, which arrived on Oct. 20. No, the prolonged LP doesn’t handle Palmer’s busy summer time — which consisted of every part from relationship drama together with her kid’s father to a really viral trade turned shock collaboration with Usher in Vegas. Instead, it digs deeper into the evolution of Palmer’s “unique artistry” and presents up some relatable messages about self-confidence and independence.

Despite seemingly at all times being booked and busy, the mother of 1 tells POPSUGAR that “Big Boss Deluxe” got here collectively throughout a surprisingly calm interval, proper earlier than her lately wrapped tour. “It kind of was like, the tour was coming up, and then we also went on strike — my actors’ union did. So I was chilling in New York and wondering what to do with my time,” Palmer explains, including that she teamed up with a couple of producers to put down new materials and rerecord an outdated observe. Then, she says, “Before I knew it, we had a deluxe [album].”

“Big Boss Deluxe” options 4 new tracks: “Serious,” “Assets,” and “Crazy Things,” all upbeat songs, plus a shifting providing titled “Ungorgeous,” which Palmer made roughly greater than a decade in the past, although solely now has she felt compelled to share it.

“That’s the beautiful thing about music for me,” she says, noting that it permits her to “keep it real with all my emotions.” “. . . Through music, I feel like I have a lot of opportunities to do that, because you can just take the music for what it is.”

It appears Palmer treats the headline-making points of her life the identical: she bypasses the discourse her Usher collab stirred up when requested the way it got here to be, for instance. She’d fairly individuals take the artwork for what it’s and recognize her deep dedication to it. POPSUGAR lately hopped on the telephone with Palmer to debate her full-circle second together with her musical idol, plus her ideas on his upcoming Super Bowl halftime present. But first, we touched on her new music and, after all, motherhood.

Read all of it and extra forward.

POPSUGAR: First off, you simply wrapped your tour final month. In between that and being a mother, when did you discover time to place this deluxe album collectively?

Keke Palmer: In the in-between time of proper earlier than I did my tour. It type of was like, the tour was arising, after which we additionally went on strike — my actors’ union did. So I used to be chilling in New York and questioning what to do with my time. So I revisited this tune “Ungorgeous” after which received again with the producers that I did that with, after which we did a few new songs, and earlier than I knew it, we had a deluxe.

PS: I really like that. By the way in which, I beloved “Ungorgeous.” I assumed it was a really stunning tune. You recorded that some time in the past, proper?

KP: Yeah, so I rerecorded it. But the unique file and when the tune was first composed was like, I do not know, once I was like 19.

PS: Oh, wow. So a lot has modified since then.

KP: OK. Things have modified however that is the humorous factor. I beloved the tune then however I actually like it now. I believe it is from my development, my life, my experiences, and me with the ability to personal all of my emotions and transmute via music in a means that possibly I used to be not at all times as open and in a position to do earlier than. It’s at all times totally different of the tales that you could inform or that your expertise lets you inform and those you’re feeling snug sharing and the best way to let that out. That’s the attractive factor about music for me, particularly as an actor and being someone who’s additionally non-public and in addition wanting individuals to see me. Making them have time and desirous to have enjoyable, but in addition wanting to maintain it actual with all my feelings as a result of, no, I’m not at all times blissful. I do not at all times really feel nice. Through music, I really feel like I’ve numerous alternatives to try this, as a result of you may simply take the music for what it’s.

PS: Absolutely. The 4 new songs on the deluxe album — what do all of them have in widespread?

KP: That I’m an immovable pressure. With “Assets,” it is like, I’m an asset. Like, I include this. And loving somebody like me can drive you loopy, you recognize, “Crazy Things.” And then “Ungorgeous.” Even although I’m that woman, I too generally really feel ungorgeous. What comes with embracing who you might be is numerous great things, but in addition numerous tough issues, since you run up towards individuals who additionally do not embrace themselves. You come up towards the world that generally does not need you to embrace your self, so it is not at all times peaches and cream. I believe all these songs are observing issues from that POV.

PS: For certain. Would you say music has taught you to be extra fearless in life, or has life inspired you to be extra fearless together with your music?

KP: That’s proper. Life has made me be extra fearless with music, for certain, particularly when issues are out of my management. It’s additionally leaning into that. I believe as a Virgo, we attempt to management so f*cking a lot, however while you let go of what you may’t management, generally it finally ends up serving you extra.

PS: OK. I really feel that as a result of my greatest associates are Virgos, so I perceive the management half.

KP: Yeah, making an attempt to make every part simply so, what we wish to make it. But truthfully, after we let go and let issues rock, it is really good. Letting life do its factor as a substitute of making an attempt to think about what’s greatest.

PS: Absolutely, and a few surprising, superb issues can come out of that. Speaking of that, you had the pleasure of being in Usher’s “Boyfriend” music video this summer time. Tell me when and the way that collaboration got here collectively.

KP: So it was after I went to his live performance and everyone was type of speaking about us. L.A. Reid reached out to me and was like, “We have an idea.” And then Usher referred to as me and he advised me what he had an concept of. It was like this Fatboy Slim-inspired sort of vibe. Me being like Christopher Walken and nearly singing his tune and being him within the video, and I beloved it instantly. Especially ‘trigger I’m someone who likes to play with the masculine-feminine. Like, for me, it is all concerning the fluidity.

When I take into consideration Usher, I do know numerous instances we take into consideration individuals like him and it is like, oh, they’re heartthrobs, and completely, they’re heartthrobs. But for me as a child, I needed to be Usher. Like I keep in mind as a teen watching his movies like “U Don’t Have to Call.” Being someone that was in music, I needed to know the way someone turned that. So I used to look at lots of people like Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys, Usher, and I’d watch their movies to try to determine how have been they ready to achieve success artists, as a result of I used to be making an attempt to be a profitable artist.

The one factor that I really like a lot about Usher was all of the storytelling that he would do in his music movies, and it made us really feel like we knew him. Oh, he is the cool man, however he additionally was so foolish and goofy, and he is in a position to have a persona, and he winks at us, very tongue-in-cheek, and it appears like he is our good friend. But on the similar time, he allowed us to know who he was via the storytelling of his music. That’s what I at all times admired him for and that is what I needed to emulate. Even although I’m a lady, I felt like I used to be very tongue-in-cheek, but in addition I need to have the ability to provide you with these vocals and provide you with cool, but in addition, I wish to be approachable. All the issues that he was at all times in a position to do. So, clearly, when he requested me to do the video, I used to be like, “An opportunity to work beside you, side-by-side, to watch you and learn from you? It would be an honor.”

PS: And what a blueprint to check after which flip round and work with Usher.

KP: That’s what I’m saying. It was simply too good.

PS: How would you’re feeling if he referred to as you as much as dance with him throughout his Super Bowl halftime present?

KP: I’d say, “Absolutely, I’ll accept this role.” Like sure, what are we doing?

PS: What’s one tune you wish to see him carry out throughout that present? Because I do know everyone’s ready to see what the setlist goes to be.

KP: Now you recognize, “They call me U-S-H-E-R . . .” [“Nice & Slow”] OK, he has to do what began all of it. He has to go to the start. I keep in mind once I was somewhat woman, at the back of the automobile, we’d be listening to, “Tell me, do you wanna get freaky?” It was so humorous as a result of my cousin and my sister would tease me as a result of I hated the phrase “freaky” as a child, and so we would be within the automobile, and when he received to the freaky half, I’d be cringing and they’d pull my arms off my ears as a result of I’d be making an attempt to be like, “No, that’s nasty. That’s gross.” I at all times take into consideration that. That was one in all my earliest recollections of Usher. I used to be like 5 or 6 years outdated listening to him speaking about that, and I used to be being all cringe.

PS: But you then develop up and you then hearken to the tune, and you are like, “OK, I see what you’re saying.”

KP: I used to be like, oh, I do know what you are speaking about. Get into love.

PS: So who else is in your bucket listing of collaborations, whether or not that is musically or on the large display screen?

KP: I imply, I’d like to do one thing with Lil Durk simply ‘trigger we’re each from Chicago and I do know him.

I do not know if I essentially must do a tune with this individual, however I like Doja Cat as an artist and a expertise. I do not know what sort of appearing she’s completed, however I really feel like she may create a imply character or sketch. She’s type of humorous and quirky, and I’m additionally quirky and never afraid to be bizarre. So I really feel like we may do one thing humorous collectively. For me, it is like, I accomplish that many alternative issues. So it may very well be comedy, music, drama — there are such a lot of totally different vibes that I can get in. So once I take into consideration collaborating with an artist, it is like, what may we do throughout the board?

PS: Absolutely. Before I allow you to go I’ve to know, what are the most important classes you have realized about motherhood?

KP: To put myself first. The purpose why I say that’s as a result of in an effort to be the most effective in your little one and to provide your little one the most effective of you, you need to be doing good. You need to really feel good inside your self and your cup needs to be full.