Latest album: 'Now'
Maxwell: A born romantic
By Marc Balinsky
Showbiz Today Reports

September 4, 2001 Posted: 1:57 p.m. EDT (1757 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The sultry, sexy R&B sounds of Maxwell have fans demanding his album "Now." And that's no exaggeration. The CD, a follow- up to the well-reviewed "Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite" (1996) and "Embrya" (1998), recently debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

To R&B fans, Maxwell, 28, is a throwback. His songs are about romance, not just sex, and he owes as much to the soulful grooves of Marvin Gaye and Teddy Pendergrass as he does to the flashy funk and hip-hop of more recent days.

"Showbiz Today Reports" recently sat down with the singer-songwriter to talk about what was going on in his life now and "Now."

CNN: The reviews for this album have been phenomenal. Do you pay attention to the critics?

Maxwell: It's an opinion, (but) thank goodness it's a good, favorable one. I try not to believe the things too much, because it kind of gets in the way of what you have to do at the end of the day. But it's nice. Believe me, I've been in other situations.

CNN: Your music would lead people to believe that you're a big romantic. Is that the case?

Maxwell: Sometimes the music is not exactly who you are. (But) there's that deeper part of me, the side I'm not showing the boys when we're watching the basketball game. (And) there's also another part, a goofy part.

My highest hope is that one day I'll find the love of my life and one day we'll have kids and the whole thing, but you know, I'll have some fun along the way and I'll take things for what they are.

CNN: How do your fans react to you when they see you?

Maxwell: Girls are sweet, and guys are like, "Yo, thanks, last night was cool, we put your CD in." Stuff like that happens. It's a cool vibe with people who dig what I do.

CNN: You were born of West African and Puerto Rican heritage. What type of musical influences did you grow up with?

Maxwell: Having that music at the house -- Run-DMC playing outside, and my mom was into country music -- it made me see that the variables don't have to add up. When you come from a place of honesty, the sky's the limit.

CNN: Almost every article written about you compares you to Prince and Marvin Gaye. How do you feel about those comparisons?

Maxwell: My ego's cool with it, trust me. But I think I have so much living to do, so many experiences to have. Those guys had many more records before they were who they are now. I think I need a couple more records to even be close.

CNN: How does it feel knowing your music is a "mood setter"?

Maxwell: There's nothing more special than that moment and that time. ... (If) you can set the mood right with something (and) I'm part of the mood setter, that's nice. That's nice.