Will Smith reveals debut album recorded in Swiss Cottage Holiday Inn
Will Smith surprised Capital Breakfast listeners this morning by revealing he recorded his very first album in a London Holiday Inn.
Speaking to Jordan North, Chris Stark and Sian Welby ahead of his headline performance at Capital’s Summertime Ball with Barclaycard this weekend, the global star shared how he and DJ Jazzy Jeff laid down their earliest tracks in Swiss Cottage.
“Jeff and I recorded our first album here. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Swiss Cottage,” Will said, adding that all their first music was made in London after signing with Jive Records.
The Hollywood icon also looked back at meeting Mariah Carey when they were both teenagers. “Mariah and I met… we were probably like sixteen. She was a background singer for Brenda K Starr,” Will explained, admitting they haven’t seen each other for over a decade but hinting at a possible collaboration soon.
Opening up about his music career, Will told Capital Breakfast that acting took over his original passion for music, saying: “My acting career swallowed my music career. There’s a piece of me that never got to do music fully the way I wanted. So, I’m taking this summer and putting together the show I’ve always wanted to do.”
Will’s new album, Based on a True Story, came from “deep soul searching” and he promises his Summertime Ball setlist will be full of fan favourites, including Summertime and the Men In Black theme tune.
There’s even a plan to recreate The Carlton Dance live on stage with help from Capital’s Jordan North.
Will Smith is performing at Wembley Stadium this weekend, marking a huge musical comeback for the star whose Fresh Prince theme tune still gets sung to him regularly although he revealed it never earned him a penny as a single!
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