Plenty of people spend adolescence sulking in bedrooms, making mix tapes and recording on a boom box or four-track. But few of those tapes win national competitions, and even fewer springboard their maker into international pop stardom. In 1996, fifteen-year-old Craig David, who was then spinning regularly at a local club, got his break when he submitted a track to a British songwriting competition; the winning entry would be performed by the British electronica outfit Damage. David's "I'm Ready" won not only the contest but also the attention of musicians, critics and producers, including the Artful Dodger's Mark Hill. Hill and David went on to launch a lasting collaboration, with Hill working on both of David's albums to date.

In 2000, David became the youngest British male to debut at the Number One slot with two consecutive hit singles, "Fill Me In" and "7 Days," from his 2000 debut Born to Do It. That album was warmly received, but ironically sales took off only after David was snubbed at the 2001 Brit Awards, where he failed to take home hardware despite six nominations.

Now David is back with his second album, Slicker Than Your Average, which finds him eschewing any dominant sound, and instead incorporating the full range of his influences. "If you listen to R&B and hip-hop non-stop," David explains, "you end up being reactive instead of proactive, and you follow what's hot at the moment." Slicker Than Your Average, in contrast, leads by example the way from electronica to R&B to rock to, well, Sting.

How does this album differ from the last one?

It's a new chapter in my life. I've been able to experience so many things in the last year and a half, so I felt it was important to reflect on this album -- to make it really me telling what I've been doing. I think musically it's been a progression in the sense that it's taken the best elements from Born to Do It -- working with Mark Hill, but also working with two up-and-coming producers who I kind of took under my wing, called Ignorance, from the U.K. And Soulshock and Carlin, just to push the production slightly, to complement the new songs that I'd written. I'm hoping people will grow with me on this album.

What are the constants in your work?

I love to write songs that are experiences that I've been through or things I can relate to. At the same time, I don't go into too much detail. I think it's important to keep it slightly generic so that people can relate to it in their own way. They feel that that song is written for them. That's something I consciously decide to do. Then there are other songs on this album that are actually deeper and personal, very personal -- sort of "Oh, that's how Craig feels." On this album I felt it was important that people find a slightly deeper side of me, where I have a point of view and an opinion without being self-indulgent.

What do you think of your music being labeled "garage"?

I think whatever happens with music, you'll be categorized in some way and you'll be put in some genre of music. I think I've been so influenced by American R&B and hip-hop, but at the same time, the Stings, the Elton Johns, even the Beach Boys and the Beatles are a big influence on this record. My [taste in] music kind of sways. It's got rock influences alongside the R&B, and some pop sensibilities. It's difficult for me to say "I am an R&B artist" or "I am this," but I think that people can appreciate that it's a good song. That's why I love doing the acoustic stuff, because it's hard to really say what that is, because one minute, an R&B track can turn into a folk song, can turn into some guitar-heavy rock song. So I like to throw different ideas in.

Is your music received differently in the U.S. and the U.K.?

I think in America, because of the way radio is formatted, it's segmented into urban, then crossover, then rhythmic, it's like how many different types of R&B stations do you want? Then alternative, then pop, then adult contemporary, and there's all these different formats and you think, "Well, all I've done is write a song that hopefully will fit into all of this." I think that's what makes people, not necessarily narrow-minded, but you've got so much choice, you can find yourself sticking to one that you like and then closing off to other styles of music. In the U.K., radio is very different, and you'll hear a hip-hop R&B track back to back with a rock track with a pop song. In the U.K., they allow you to be an artist. Over here, there are definitely the same qualities, but I think because radio pushes you in a certain way, when you look at feedback as to where you've been put and what's going on, you're more on pop stations, so you're a pop artist. It's dictated to you.

Does that contribute to why you're signed to an indie label in the U.K. and a major in the U.S.?

When I first got signed, I got signed to the indie label Wildstar in the U.K. The great thing about that is having success in your home territory, you can branch out and be licensed to a company that you feel can do the job for you in a different territory. At first a lot of people couldn't quite understand that, they thought, "You need to be with a major, have the power of a major." The only problem that you have with that is, if there was another artist in America who was similar to what I was doing, how would that record company really want to promote you when they've got their own thing they're doing? So you're kind of in conflict within your own company. I was lucky to have an independent and then find the right home in different places around the world. It worked out -- I am on a major, but I'm not.

Talk about some of your collaborations. Which were your favorites?

Sting [who lends his vocals to David's "Rise and Fall"] is such a true professional and a gentleman. He's someone that I aspire to be in years to come -- to be able to maintain my integrity and to have longevity as an artist. He's the one writing his own script. If he were to fail, he'd fail on his own terms. It seemed to be the perfect duet in the end, because of the lyrics being the trials and tribulations of being a musician.

Do you have a dream collaboration?

One dream came true in having Sting on the album. I think the Stevie Wonders of this world. Terence Trent D'Arby is someone who I think would be a really cool duet. It'd be interesting to see what he has to offer. I heard he's changed his name and he's done some crazy things recently, so I don't really know where he's at.

Did Sting give you any advice on how to respond to criticism?

Yeah, he pulled me aside and said, "I like what you're saying . . . Just stay focused and be true to yourself. Don't lose your integrity because that's the only thing you can protect."

What makes you slicker than the average?

With the title track, I was trying say, "I've grown up a little, I'm becoming a man." I think it's also going to throw the question as to "Is Craig being arrogant? Is he saying he's slicker, he's better than what's out there?" I'm not saying I am better than what's out there, and I'm not saying I'm not. I'm saying check the music and you'll soon come to the conclusion whether I'm slicker than your average, or I'm just average. And, there you go. You'll be able to tell me.

LAUREN HARRIS
(November 18, 2002)