I only get involved with projects as a producer if I feel creatively inspired.
Creatively, I just like interesting characters. So straight, gay, or whatever – like, whatever, wherever the characters are coming from or their lifestyle.
I always say I’m just eternally grateful for this role because Raven Reyes defies all stereotypes. It’s revolutionary for a character on television, and it’s also extremely creatively liberating as an artist.
‘Dawson’s Creek’ was my introduction to the industry. It put some money in my pocket and it put me in the position I wanted to be in, where I could audition for projects that I wanted to be a part of. I didn’t find it creatively fulfilling in any way though.
From a young age, I learned to focus on the things I was good at and delegate to others what I was not good at. That’s how Virgin is run. Fantastic people throughout the Virgin Group run our businesses, allowing me to think creatively and strategically.
The thing I love about hip-hop is that it’s so creative. It’s so creatively rewarding. When you hit it, and you hit it big, there are no words.
I always saw songwriting as the top of the heap. No matter what else you were going to do creatively – and there were a lot of choices – writing songs was king.
It isn’t till now, in the American Century, as we have recklessly dubbed it, that tribal pressures toward conformity have been brought to bear so ruthlessly upon men and women seeking to work creatively.
The key to this collaboration – which we undertook after much deliberation – was to stretch creatively. New characters, new locales, new form (the novella).
It’s so much fun to be able to collaborate creatively with someone you grew up watching.
Songwriting is the other weight on the opposite side of the scale from touring. They balance me out creatively.
