Mayer Hawthorne is one of the most unusual soul singers in the history of the genre. Formerly known as avant garde hip hop producer Haircut, less than year ago he summoned up the courage to share his private soul project with the world and was swiftly signed up by Stones Throw Records boss Peanut Butter Wolf after hearing only two tracks. With an authentic old school sound that owes as much to Smokey Robinson as it does D’Angelo and Dilla, the 29-year-old explains how someone so young can have such an old soul.

 

Is it true that you started singing as a joke?

 

Mayer Hawthorne: It wasn’t so much a joke, it was a side-project I did for fun. I made the first couple Mayer Hawthorne tracks for my family and friends, but I never intended for it to get outside of that, let alone record a full album of it, or have a career singing soul music, that was never on my mind.

 

A lot of people are surprised that you’re a young white bloke, rather than an old black crooner. Do you like messing with people’s preconceptions?

 

Yeah, certainly, that’s part of the fun. But most of the time it’s not even something that I think about. It’s not like I went into this project thinking ‘hey, I’ll shock everyone with this because I’m white’ I just made the music that I had in me. A lot of people are consequently shocked by my appearance after they hear the music, but that wasn’t really part of a game plan.

 

Do you get annoyed when people call you a retro artist?

 

It doesn’t really bother me, but it’s important to me that people understand that I wasn’t even alive in the 60s, I grew up in the Hip-Hop generation, and my music is not throwback music, it’s new. It’s definitely inspired by classic soul and Motown, but I wasn’t even around then, so it’s definitely new music. Obviously it would have been incredible to be alive back then, and witness all the incredible changes in the world. But I don’t think I’d like to be in any time other than the present.

 

Soul music is powered by heartbreak. Is that what inspires your songs?

 

A lot of my songs come from heartbreak and pain, but a lot of them come from joy and positivity as well. You’ve got to have a balance. But definitely, it takes a certain amount of heartbreak to bring that soul out of you.

 

Do you find it hard to express your feelings outside of music?

 

Yeah, it’s tough for me, music is my release. I’m naturally more of a tough guy. It’s tough to get those emotions out of me just talking. It’s a lot easier for me when I can sing it in a song. When I’m able to put on the ‘Mayer Hawthorne’ persona, it’s almost like it’s not even me.

 

Is that actually your name?

 

‘Mayer’ is my real middle name, and ‘Hawthorne’ is the street that I grew up on in Michigan, south side of Detroit. I don’t know if you guys do that in the UK, but there’s a kids game where you take your middle name and the street you grew up on, and that’s supposed to be your porno name.

 

I always thought it was something about your first pet and your Mum’s maiden name. I’m Woody Paulley.

 

(Laughs) There’s a couple of different varieties, but that was how I came up with my name.

 

So it basically all originates with porn?

 

(Laughs) Pretty much!

 

 

MAYER HAWTHORNE’S TOP FIVE SOUL CROONERS

1. 1)Curtis Mayfield. When it comes down to being able to feel his soul coming through the record, nobody gets it done like Curtis Mayfield. You really just feel every note, and it’s so emotional.
   

2. 2) Barry White. I don’t think anyone has ever been more successful at getting people in the mood than Barry White.
   

3. 3)Isaac Hayes. I’m more of a “Look of Love”, “Walk On By” kind of guy, but “Shaft” is obviously a masterpiece. I like his seductive stuff.
   

4. 4)Al Green. He’s so amazingly well rounded. I don’t think I’ll become a priest but, you never know.
   

5. 5)Smokey Robinson. If there was anyone that I could sit down with and pick his brain, it would be Smokey. Some of the chord progressions that he came up with are just mind-boggling. He wrote a million hits.
   

 

© Tim Noakes 2009