Pharrell is always a man with several things on his plate at once-- whether it's producing music, hosting the ARTST TLK for his I am OTHER channel, or, most recently, curating for eBay's "Follow It Find It" campaign.
The multi-talented producer spoke to Billboard recently about what he's been up to, including who he's been producing for, and also shed some light on what's happening with Beyonce's album, which has been in the works for some time now. Check out excerpts from Pharrell's Billboard interview below.
Joy seems to be the feeling you’re trying to infuse into your music this year. Is that an accurate idea? Everything you’ve assisted on or produced just feels good.
The impetus for all of my music texture-wise is “What is missing?” I don’t want to do shit that sounds like other people and what’s going on. Joy is something that the world needs more of right now. And it’s funny, because I almost tweeted that word the other day, “Joy.” But it was brought to my attention that there’s a much better word that was fitting for a couple of things. They’re the same thing, but it also serves a great, incredible purpose, which is that this video for “Happy” is coming. So I ended up tweeting the word “Happy.” People are forgetting that it’s the simplest things in the world that can make you smile. So “Happy” and “Get Lucky” and "Blurred Lines,” when you listen to the music, chord-wise, it’s just [sits up and pumps up chest] uplifting. Until we get enough of that, that will be the page that I’m on. I don’t want to make anything sad.
Who else are you producing for that we can look out for in the months to come?
Ed Sheeran. Usher. I’m going back in with T.I. Beyonce. Jennifer Hudson. Nelly has this really big record named “Rick James.” That’s my jam. Hans Zimmer and I are scoring “The Amazing Spiderman 2.” The “Happy” video, it just feels like people—good people that all remember that we are entitled to smile. I’m very excited about that.
How’s the Beyonce work coming along? She’s been crafting this album for a while.
B’s album is crazy. Let me tell you what it is. She’s very particular. She’s a Virgo. And she’s not going to put it out until it’s ready and feels like it’s right to her. She’s got a very specific taste. I guess that’s the reason she’s Beyonce. Her name is recognizable around the globe and that’s huge. That comes from someone that has very particular taste. When you know what you want, you won’t stop until you get it. [Other people are hearing her album] and are like “Whoa!” And she’s like, “Yeah, I’m almost done.” And she’s the queen.