Eric Bellinger Interview

Eric Bellinger, the Grammy-winning R&B artist and prolific songwriter, behind chart-toppers for icons like Chris Brown, Usher, and Brandy, who is igniting stages across the UK & Europe with The Rebirth Tour this April.

10 years since his Rebirth debut, which topped the US R&B/Hip Hop charts, Bellinger's latest double disc album The Rebirth 3: The Party & The Bedroom, released on Friday is the third instalment and features a star-studded lineup of collaborations including Mozzy, Sevyn Streeter, K Camp, Queen Naija, and Ne-Yo. You can listen to The Rebirth 3 HERE and below are a list of UK & European tour dates.

R&B's resurgence is in full swing, with Usher recently headlining the Superbowl and announcing 7 nights at The O2, as well as UK sensations like Mahalia demanding recognition for the genre and RAYE receiving 6x BRIT Awards on Saturday who highlighted its importance. Eric, the architect behind global hits, nurtures emerging R&B talent like Dom Belli, Liyah the Libra, and Isaiah Jermod championing the genre's global impact and revival.

With over 3 million monthly Spotify listeners, a Compton upbringing and a musical lineage tied to the Jackson 5, Bellinger is once again stepping out on his own proving to be a powerful bridge between talents in the industry and a true hit-maker.

Before the interview began I’d listened to the whole album and I was in the zone. I’d made food for the family and was dancing away in the kitchen lost in his latest body of work. I started testing out my new phone light that I had bought on TikTok and wanted to make sure my eyes weren’t blinded by it cos it was bright as hell. 

“Tell me how it all began. What sparked your love for music?”

Eric: “Ah man, so I was singing in church since I was a little kid. You know, I grew up in church and they would just always put me on the program every Sunday. And like I, you know, for a while I just was like complaining, but you know, I think in the long run it just, it really groomed me and, trained me to sing, you know, from a different perspective, not just from singing R&B music, but, you know, from, from singing on a spiritual level”.

I said “Yeah. To be fair, singing on a spiritual level is like, I feel like you're on a different wavelength when you start in church. I've personally found some of the greats have come from church, so yes. I can completely relate with that for sure”. Eric: “Yeah. Good. I was like, I hope she understands what I mean”.

I said “Yeah, no, no, I definitely do. I remember from a young age singing in the choir at church and it builds a foundation”. Eric: Yes. Amazing. So yeah, that did it. 

“That did it. And that was, that was where it started from. Amazing. I love that. Love that for you. So you've dropped an album, ‘The Rebirth 3, The Party and the Bedroom’. So I've got bops, you know, the dance floor. It's giving no skips. I love it. ‘Gang Slide’ and ‘Drop’ is just on repeat at the moment”. Eric: “Nice”. 

Yeah, so that the moves were coming out *giggles*. I was like, Oh no, I can't sit down for this. Can you tell us more about the album?” 

Eric: *giggles* Yes. So, you know, I wanted to do the double disc in the same format as the rebirth one and the rebirth two. This time I just kind of made it more intentional with the first half being like, you know, the party, the turn up, you know, like you said, ‘Drop’, ‘Gang Slide’ and you got ‘Run That Back’ and ‘La Perla’ you know. All those songs are just, you know, up tempos. Then when you get to the second half, man, you know, you gotta have that album when you with that special someone, then you just, Now I'm having to go to the crates and play some old music because back in the day you could do that. But I wanted to try and capture that, you know, with this new album”. 

“Amazing. I feel like you certainly have as well and you've decided to bless your fans with a series of music videos to accompany this album. Even an acoustic version of ‘All Of Me’. So can you talk a little bit about the process of some of those music videos for us?”

Eric: “Yes, yes. So when we first did the ‘All For Me’ video, you know, we wanted to do something futuristic. So, you know, we tapped into the AI vibes and, you know, made it about the robot, you know what I mean? We made it to where like, you know, the AI robot and I fell in love, we were actually robots. But we started to have emotion and we started to have feelings and, you know, kind of playing off of everything that's going on now. But making it into a music video, you know, it was really fun. And if you watch it all the way to the end, you see that our love story is alive until the robot, the female robot battery dies. It's kind of crazy. The battery dies, but then she still sheds a tear, you know? So it's like, it's just a deep video”.

I said “Yeah. Oh, that's so cool. Like I love, when people come up with these really intricate concepts for music videos. It just makes it more interesting and you're like, okay, I'm trying to figure out what the storyline is and where this is going. I just, I love when music videos are able to do that. Tell a story, it just elevates the song even more is what I feel anyway”. 

Eric: “No, really I've come to know that. You learn that when people see a song and they like it, you know, that's one thing. But when it has a music video, it's like everyone takes it more seriously. You know they're like you take it more seriously. So we're going to take it more seriously”.  I said “Absolutely! So you're currently on tour at the moment and the UK is very happy that you have some European dates”. Eric: Listen, every single date has been called out. I'm so…

“Excited” (as I finish his sentence) *Eric nods in agreement* 

“Yes, so crazy. So I'll just mention some of the dates I have here as well. So, April 2nd, Manchester, The Blues Kitchen. There is April 4th, Birmingham. They're really happy because Birmingham gets missed out a lot. So I'm pretty sure they are very happy and that’s O2 Academy Institute 2. Then on April 5th and 6th, you've got London at Lafayette. Yeah, so could you tell us about what we can expect from your live shows?”

Eric: “Yes, listen, a whole lot of sangin okay? *both giggle* I'm like, come on, yeah, cause I love, I love the UK, you know. I came out there so many times as a songwriter. You know, like I've done sessions with Rihanna, I've done sessions with Chipmunk, and, you know, Wretch32 and Angel, and to now. Have my own tour sold out.

It's like, it's the ultimate full circle. You know, this is both of my patches at the highest level. So, you know, I'm going to pour it all on the stage, you know, doing all their favourites and, you know, I even got some special guests that's going to pop out with me too, from over there”. I said “Oh, wow. They're going to get treated, absolutely treated and spoiled”.

Eric: “Yeah, because they've been holding me down, you know, while I haven't been there. They've still been listening. They still, I still get so many, you know, messages at the end of the year. Top one listener, top one percent. I'm just like, man, we have to go out there. And now that we have this opportunity, trust me, no stones unturned”.

“Yeah. Oh, that is amazing. That is honestly amazing. So it sounds like you're, you're all into giving back as well. So I could see, I was doing a little bit of research and I saw that you were the CEO of All Wins Entertainment. I saw from the site All Wins Ent. ‘provides everything artists need to create and share their music with the world’. I think personally, this is incredible because I'm an artist first and foremost, technically dancer then artist my two first loves, I wear a few different hats. So how important is this for you, this this company?”

Eric: “Oh man, I think this is my ultimate calling. I think my passion is music, but my purpose is the label, you know, like I love making music. I love writing songs, but to be able to stand in the gap and be the bridge and be the wings and be, you know, whatever I can be to wrap up the new talent. You know, pay it forward at all of the trials and tribulations, all of the downfalls, all of the things that I've learned. You know, kind of so that the newcomers don't have to, you know, I think that's what's really missing. A lot of times labels just are in it for themselves and for my life, I want to make sure that artists own their masters. They understand value and, you know, just do the opposite of what everyone else is doing, you know, except they can also you know, get, get hits. Being a songwriter for myself and for other people, I can really gauge, you know, what a hit is for an individual artist. Everyone's hit sounds different, you know”.

“For sure, absolutely for sure. I think as well with you being a songwriter you have experience from a different side as well. Especially things that artists don't tend to think about because they don't know, they might not have the head for it. For example all of the different splits that they might come across and things like that and it gets very confusing. They just have this oh well, I just want to do the music and I don't want to do any of the other stuff”. Eric: “Yeah, I don't want to question the nine to five part of it”. 

“Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So, I think what you're doing is absolutely incredible. So, All the props to you for that, seriously. What would you say is your proudest moment to date as an artist or songwriter?”

Eric: “Yes, it's gotta be the nomination for my album ‘New Light’ for a Grammy. Yes, I got a couple Grammys writing for other people, but a nomination for myself as an independent artist, it's like, no one else is in the category independent, you know what I mean? I'm up there with you know, RCA and all these different labels. It just kind of let me know, because I had always wondered in my career, like, do I need to be with the label? Like, do I need to, do I need it? That just kind of let me know that people were listening and that was the ultimate sign for me to just keep doing what I've been doing and just, you know, stay focused”.

I said “Yeah, absolutely. I think that's incredible. I love that for you. It's almost like that validation, isn't it? Sometimes we just need that validation, that affirmation to be like, do you know what? Yes, I'm doing all of these amazing things, but you kind of need to catch yourself and go, okay”.

Eric: “Right. They've acknowledged it. Like, yeah, I'm not crazy. I'm not delusional. Yeah, absolutely. It's true. So true. I'm in my head. I'm like, are y'all crazy? But now I'm like, okay, I'm like they know”. I said “They know. Great. So Oh, I love this question. So could you name three artists who you've been vibing to at the moment? Like three new artists you think, oh my gosh. Yes”. 

Eric: “Yes. Tyla is killing it. Oh my God. Yeah. She is going crazy. Her sound is crazy. Her look is crazy. Her stage performance is crazy. Her smile, her charismatic energy is crazy. I'm like, where's she been? You know what I mean? I guess she's funny in the interviews, you know I think she's amazing. I also have been listening. Of course, she's not a newcomer to, you know, the world, but on the mainstream, she's really starting to get her flowers. Victoria Monet, super, super proud of her. Oh, my God”. I said “Yeah”

Eric: “Her music's amazing and another artist, I have an artist assigned to All Wins, and I want to shout him out. His name's Steven G, so he is another one that's just super,  super dope. You know, he's from L. A. and I was like, all right, I gotta, he's the one that I want to like really take under my wings. I brought him on tour with me this year and he has been doing amazing and I'm just excited to be in a position to do things like that”. I said “Yeah, it's so rewarding. And it's like, I did a good thing and it's for someone else”. 

Eric: I did it for someone else. People don't know that joy. People do not know that joy of seeing someone else smile because they're too busy trying to find their own joy. But there's so much joy in shining the light on someone else.

I said “Completely agree I'm the same, I'm literally the same. Even just, even just now, before the interview, I've seen that there was an opportunity to play a festival. There’s this festival doing a competition to DJ and I started tagging all of these people. I'm like, oh yeah, this would be great for this person, and this would be great for this person. Then I just got some voice notes like thank you so much, because like I see these things and I miss them or I forget. Thank you so much for doing that. I'm like, oh, it's nothing off of me. I've just seen it and I just thought of you”. Eric: “Yeah, but it's big. It's big when someone knows, like, man, you thought of me, you know? That's just, that's what I'm about, you know?”

“Amazing. Okay, cool. We're actually coming to the last few questions now. So, what would you say the best concert or gig that you've ever attended? And do you remember where it was?”

Eric: “Yeah, I recently saw Beyonce at her concert. Oh my god. It was so good. It was perfect. I'm a perfectionist and I was like, this is perfect. You know? It was like my itch. It was incredible. I was just like, okay, yeah. This is what I need my show to be. I mean the grand scale of how many people, the feeling that emotion and just capturing, you know, the essence of the music people just want to come to the concert and sing the songs. You don't have to do too much changing the music, you know, like people try to add the live band and the beat drops in the ultimate hits. But I just want to hear the song and sing the song, you know what I'm saying? And she did that and just provided an elevated experience”. 

“Oh, I would love to see Beyonce live. I'm so jealous” Eric: “It was insane. I was like, okay, it doesn't do justice. Just listen to the albums, you know?” I said “One day, one day, I hope we will go and see her. Yes”. Eric: “You will for sure”. I said “Because I need to, it's like one of those bucket list things. So I'm like yes” Eric: “That was my first time like seeing her live”.  

I said “Oh amazing”. Eric: “And I had my nice, I was on some frequencies and yes”.

“Ooo nice frequencies. So, I know that you've worked with, like, a whole plethora of people. But if you could name three people that you'd love to work with and why?”

Eric: “Definitely want to work with like Kendrick Lamar. Being in LA, that's like, you know, a big bucket list goal for me. I definitely also want to do a song with Travis Scott. That would be fire. Love Travis Scott and also Jazmine Sullivan”. I said “Oh, Jazmine Sullivan. Yes”. Eric: “I have a song that I want her on. I'm saving it until she says yes”. I said “I love that. We're putting out that energy. Jazmine. I hope you're reading this”. Eric: Yes. Yes. Yes, I believe, I believe,

“I believe it. I believe it. You believe it. So it's going to happen. Amazing. Okay, cool. So this is actually the last question. So what is the album or song that you would say has been a chokehold at the moment? It's like, I just can't get away from this”.

Eric: “I can't get away from this album. It has to be, let me think, let me think. You know, I think it's Alina Baraz. Oh my goodness. She has an album called ‘Urban Flora’, and it's literally the best album I've heard. As far as for the hair, my ears, you know, everyone has a different style that they love of music. for me, that album nails it. So that's it”. 

I said “I have to take a listen. I think for me when you said for your ears, I think for me, it's like Erykah Badu. She's like, I can listen to her any, any day, any time. Like, it's just it for me”. 

Eric: “I know what you mean. Like for her, you know the song that's my favourite song by her? ‘Next Lifetime’. Oh my God. How is it so good? How is it so good? The concept, the vibe, the music. Oh man, so good”. I said “Like how dare you?” Eric: “How dare you?” *both giggle* “Is there anything else that you'd like to plug that's coming up or anything else you want to add?”

Eric: “Oh man, I think from the tour to the artist to the new album, that is my main focus. Definitely want to shout out my family and just acknowledge that, you know, my home system and my partner, my kids, they're the ultimate Grammy. They're the ultimate victory to where I can, fully create from a place of a freedom, you know of, non cluttered confusion, you know, I have everything. That's so comfortable and in place and routine and just full of love that I'm able to exude my energy through the music and it's genuine. So, you know, to anyone that's listening and if you feel the positive vibes and you're wondering, like, how's it, how am I feeling this with this music is because it's so authentic and I'm appreciative to, you know, all the support”.

“Love that. Amazing. I did share with like one person that I was doing this interview because my boyfriend is like a day one fan”. Eric: “Nice”. I said “Literally today he sent me ‘G.O.A.T’. He was like thinking of you and then he sent me your song and I was like oh my gosh you're such cheeseball”. 

Eric: “That's amazing. See, he's still, he love anybody that's dedicated to music. You know, now it's like, yo, they are a green flag, you know, and especially if it's my music, it's a double green flag”. 

Eric Bellinger's new album The Rebirth 3 is out now. Tickets for the UK & European leg of The Rebirth Tour are on sale now at ericbellinger.com