New York, NY (Top40 Charts) "To everybody struggling with something, it'll be okay, just don't let it beat you. Buddha says 'concentrate the mind in the present' - and that's where it's at all the time."
Legendary R&B/soul singer Macy Gray has released the official music video for "Buddha" (featuring blues-rock guitarist Gary Clark Jr.) from her latest album, RUBY, following an exclusive premiere via Rolling Stone. The video was directed by the multi-talented Teyana "Spike Tee" Taylor.
"Buddha" finds Macy reflecting on her 20+ years in the music business, the disorienting nature of fame, and her quest to find her center and stay grounded.
"Underneath the Gary Clark solo, the incredible production by Johan Carlsson, and the Teyana Taylor-directed video is a little story about my battles with mental health. Though it has held me up and set me back many times, I was able to write this song because I am winning my war with it. And I'm able to celebrate my present and look forward to my future because of it. To everybody struggling with something, it'll be okay, just don't let it beat you. Buddha says 'concentrate the mind in the present' - and that's where it's at all the time."
Leading up to the video release, Macy hosted a cover art contest on Instagram and received over 300 submissions from artists hoping to win the $500 prize and have their art featured as the official "Buddha" single artwork. The winnerwas created by Jonathan Caustrita (@jonathancaustrita), an illustrator from Dallas, TX.
"Macy Gray's RUBY is named for more than just a jewel: it describes her polish, passion and the rich, regal countenance she's absorbed since reclaiming her focus and artistry." - Soul Tracks
"With stunning production and Gray at her most charismatic, [RUBY] is a showcase of an artist in her prime." - Atwood Magazine
"I love the gem ruby," Macy explains. "It's so regal. I really wanted a title that would stick. The stone is also red of course, which is my favorite color. It's rich and has history. It's classic -- and so is this album."
That unmistakable rasp, unshakable grasp on soul, and funky spirit ensured her status as a 21st century icon since her arrival with the triple-platinum album On How Life Is in 1999. Selling over 25 million albums globally, winning a GRAMMY® Award and two BRIT Awards, collaborating with everyone from Ariana Grande to Galactic, and selling out venues in nearly every corner of the globe two decades into her storied career. Macy's talents resound beyond music as well. She starred in Tyler Perry's Black Reel Award-winning For Colored Girls and would grace the screen everywhere from Brotherly Love and Cardboard Boxer to NETFLIX's hit Fuller House. Moreover, she made a now legendary appearance in Training Day alongside Academy® Award winner Denzel Washington one of many on-screen hallmarks.
Now, her tenth full-length album, RUBY [Artistry Music/Mack Avenue], reaffirms and reasserts that signature rarity millions continue to treasure.
Channeling the spirit of the "grimy" R&B and smoky jazz closest to her heart, Macy made a leap forward by looking back to formative inspirations. However, she updated those elements with enriched, entrancing, and enigmatic soundscapes brought to life by producers Johan Carlsson [Michael Bublé, Maroon 5], Tommy Brown [Jennifer Lopez, Fifth Harmony, Travis Scott], and Tommy Parker Lumpkins [Janet Jackson, Justin Bieber].
"They're all stellar producers, and they helped me craft an incredibly rich project," she goes on. "They were brilliant in integrating horns and strings. There are so many complex layers. I wanted something that never got boring in terms of the music."
RUBY canvases a wide spectrum for the songstress. Raucous horns that feel ripped from a classic seventies flick augment the grit on "Cold World" as "Jealousy" spins a covetous narrative that soars as it seduces. Gary Clark Jr. adds six-string firepower to "Buddha." Everything culminates on the reggae-inspired "Witness," which shuffles between mainland soul and island grooves as she croons, "I wish I was Jesus. I would make sure to fix it. Can I get a witness?"
"I think my sound reflects where I am," she exclaims. "I'm a little older...just a little [laughs]. I've had more experiences and influences. I want my sound to feel fresh and relevant. I feel that I was able to achieve that, and I'm extremely proud of this album." Audiences will feel that, too as she brings the record to life nightly in North America, the UK, and Europe on her 2018 tour.
In the end, RUBY represents Macy Gray at her most passionate, poetic, and powerful. "I hope audiences can feel connected to the record," she leaves off. "I hope that I can make them smile and make them reflect. I love when fans reach out with stories of how I've inspired, influenced them, or helped them get through a moment in their life. I want them to take away sincerity, honesty and authenticity. I'm hopeful that I am providing them with something that is meaningful and thoughtful. I'm still looking at how I can contribute more artistically and as a human. This is one way."
