On November 3, Sheryl Crow chatted at the Barclays Center press room following her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Crow was inducted into the “Performers” category along with Missy Elliott, the late George Michael, Kate Bush, Willie Nelson, Rage Against The Machine, and The Spinners.
Recording new album ‘Evolution’
On doing a new album “Evolution,” Crow said, “I had no intention of making another record… I want to just put songs out because people don’t listen to albums. This year, when the whole AI thing started coming out, particularly with The Beatles, and having witnessed how AI is being used in my art form, I wrote a song about it. I was terrified, and whenever I am terrified, I go to my studio.”
New song from the album
She just released the lead single “Alarm Clock” from the CD. “I had this song and I felt really impassioned by it, but I didn’t want to produce it, so I called Mike Elizondo. We produced it and he took it and made it into this incredible movie, cinematically. I found myself just writing one thing after another, and lo and behold, I had 10 songs,” she elaborated.
“I need to keep my mouth shut when I make proclamations like that,” Crow said with a sweet laugh, after previously vowing that she would never to do another full-length album. “You really can’t believe anything I say.”
Decision to name her album ‘Evolution’
On her decision to name the album “Evolution,” Crow said, “The song is called ‘Evolution,’ and it really does stand for the whole thing. There are a lot of things on the record that are very timely but also, I am at that point where I look back more than I look forward.”
“I have to remind myself there that there are a lot more years in front of me, and a lot more creativity to be had,” she admitted. “You get to a certain point when you start looking back, and it changes your perspective especially when you are raising people. ‘Evolution’ is very apropos for what is forward.”
The secret behind her successful career
“I think my success is due to the fact that I just love doing what I do, and it sort of has been a necessity for me just like when I was a kid. Music really helped me navigate my emotions. I’m a person who is outspoken about the high highs and the low lows. I didn’t understand it when I was coming up, but music really was an ointment, an excuse, and a place where I felt like I belonged.”
“Music really was a lifeline for me,” she acknowledged. “I love the work and I didn’t come up in a time of social media. I wouldn’t be able to do it now.”
What Sheryl Crow’s musical journey has taught her about herself
On her road to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Crow reflected on her musical journey. “Wow, it’s a weird thing when you reflect on 37 years,” she admitted. “I started out with the big hair with Michael Jackson while I was a schoolteacher. Life has taught me that I am a big believer in manifesting.”
“We manifest the events in our lives by virtue with how much energy you put. For me, all of my energy went into expressing my experiences through music and through words, and lo and behold, I got back what I put out, so I am very blessed but I am a believer in manifesting,” she elaborated.
“I didn’t manifest things such as wanting to be famous or getting the best tables at restaurants but I did want to be really good,” she added.
“Alarm Clock” is available on digital service providers by clicking here.
The 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is available to stream on Disney+ and ABC, will air a special on Monday, January 1.