Popular American dance music singer Duane Hurden is also the DJ, songwriter and record label boss, whose two hit singles of 1999 are “U Don't Know Me” by Armand Van Helden and “I Got What U Need” by Powerhouse.

He also cooperated with Bob Sinclar “Love Generation”, Sean Kingston “Party All Night (Sleep All Day)”, and with Erick Morillo “Live Your Life”, “Stronger”.

But nowadays he is ready to create his own solo album.

Interviewer:  Hey Duane! Where in the world are you right now?

Duane: Hey! I’m in New York City with spring-like weather in the dead of winter.

I: Well the wait is finally over! #NB4U (Naked Before You) finally sees the light of day next week after you decided to hang on in there for your good friend Bob Sinclar to deliver his “What You Need” remix. You must have both wanted that tune on the album dude!?

Duane: Yessss! Bob Sinclar has been a fan of my work for such a long time so it was perfect for him to be on my first album and what better way to do so than with a remix of my disco influenced classic “What You Need” track. I wanted the Bob Sinclar style from the days of his “Champs Elysees” album.

I: Were you nervous the moments before Bob played it to you, he must have been!

Duane: No, not at all. Bob Sinclar and I have worked together for so long that we have been able to get friendship, egos, attitudes and opinions out of the way. When you are able to get these things out of the space, all that is left is the ability to create. So when I received the test demo of his idea, I knew that whatever he created wouldn’t be a “Duane Harden” mix or a “Bob Sinclar” mix, it would be “beautiful music”.

I: Okay let’s talk about the long player, your debut album no less! What is very refreshing about the album is that it has a flow, it seems as if the tracks were organised very carefully. Was that intentional?

Duane: Wow, so glad you get it. Very few people know that I am a DJ as well. To me the art of DJing is being able to select the right songs and play them at exactly the right time. I ordered the songs on this album in such a way that I want you to feel like I am right there in your presence wherever you are listening to them. You are able to experience the musical journey exactly the way I intended for you. Enjoy the ride.

I: Magazines and producers always it seems have to make up new genres, I suppose it gives a new slant on things and gives people something to talk about. You however come from the school of ‘genre – what genre?’ – you seem to cross so many boundaries?

Duane: As an artist releasing the first ever “songwriter’s mixtape” in the dance music genre, I knew that I wanted to create an album that would breakthrough these silos of genre’s that we as the music industry have created. I find it so funny that people are now debating what is “deep house” and what is not. When you get down to the root of things, there’s just music. An artist can fully express themselves when we don’t pigeon hold them to a genre. I set out to create #NB4U to dispel all of that.

I: The album features a plethora of talent, Pussycat Dolls’s Jessica Sutta is on there, Australia’s Got Talent judge and Sony Platinum recording artist Timomatic, Ne-Yo’s protégé Adrienne Bailon and one of the voices of David Guetta Chris Willis all sing their hearts out. How long did this album take to create and were you able to physically get into the studio with everyone?

Duane: We were able to have recording sessions with some of the artists and most not. We used Skype a lot during the creative process. And so funny you mentioned the timing as I was just having a conversation with George Hess from Strictly Rhythm only yesterday, complaining about how long this thing has been going on as it’s taken over 2 years to get #NB4U finished and released. And he was like, “Dude, relax, it takes a woman nine months to grow a baby”, so lord knows I’ll be glad when I pop this thing out on next Monday. This “baby” is well overdue LOL.

I: 13 delicious tracks then…please give us one small sentence on each tune…

Duane: You “Show Me Some Love” and yet I didn't realize what a “Beautiful Life” we had and now that you're gone it feels like I'm “Dying Inside”. It’s funny because I know I have “What You Need” and yet I “Still Don't Have You”. You are perfect for me. You “Like It Ruff” and always “Got Me Going Oh” so what can I say...I can't help myself...you leave me “Wanting More”. “This Is Ya Life” and I respect the choice you made but now both of our hearts are left beating in darkness. I hope someday I can “Turn Ya Light On” but until then as these “Days Go By” I will “Never Stop” until we “Fly On Love”.

Album Preview:

I: You are renowned for putting a smile on people’s faces on the dancefloor, after a hard week slogging it at work we need our release on a Saturday night!! What gives you inspiration for some of your lyrics?

Duane: You’ve said it. I think about what people might be dealing with in their lives. I see the dance floor as a place of escape so I get inspired to write the lyrics that allow you to escape exactly where you want to be.

I: Check out some superstar shout outs for the album here...

Give us 10 big tunes you’ll be dropping this weekend…

Duane: Delicious DJ Joynny Yip “You Can’t Deny It (Clubmix)”
Powerhouse feat. Duane Harden “What You Need” (Bob Sinclar Remix)
Duke Dumont feat. Jax Jones “I Got U”
Nervo, Ummet Ozcan, & R3HAB “Revolution” (Vocal Mix)
Duane Harden, Paolo Ortelli, Luke Degree & Christos Gontevas “Beautiful Life”
Duane Harden & Louie Vega “Never Stop” (Sunset Ritual Mix)
Armand Van Helden feat. Duane Harden “You Don’t Know Me” (Michael Woods Remix)
Greenskeepers “Who Give You That High” (Original Mix)
Inner City “Big Fun” (Full Intention 88 Remix)
D Train “Music” (Original Mix)

I: You are one of the hardest working guys in the music industry. You are a songwriter first and foremost, a DJ, producer and also the CEO of your beloved Soltrenz Records in New York City. What are the next release plans for the label…?

Duane: And I’m also a serial entrepreneur owning several businesses as well as a published author! The next release planned on Soltrenz is the Deluxe Version of #NB4U.

I: A delicate subject but one I’d like to touch on. Your brother Cedric had a voice of an angel and it was he who was into music in a big way until his tragic death. You decided to pick up the mantle and “live out my brother’s dream through myself”. I would imagine every beautiful song you write has part of your brother in there somewhere…?

Duane: Yes, you can say my brother is my Angel who’s played a big part that started with my overnight success with the creation of my Armand Van Helden’s “You Don’t Know Me” hit and now continuing to guide me with #NB4U.

I: Who were the artists you were listening to in your childhood bedroom growing up?

Duane: That list goes from Aretha Franklin to Stevie Wonder, to Rev. James Cleveland, to LL Cool J, to Bon Jovi, to Simon & Garfunkel, to the Beatles and on and on and on. I guess I’ve never been a genre biased listener, hence, the vast range of sound on the album.

I: The first time you performed “U Don’t Know Me” was in actual fact to Armand van Helden himself…in his living room where moments earlier you had just written the lyrics! Tell us about the first moment you and Armand looked at each other and said, we have a ‘monster of a track here’!

Duane: Well actually those who know Armand know he is often a man of very few words. When I called him to come back in the studio to listen to what I had recorded to his track the response was more like, “Yeah, it’s perfect”. Knowing that it was going to be a #1 record was never on our radar. We just wanted to create music.

I: It’s your birthday, who are the 3 DJs you ask to come and spin…and who is the 1 singer dead or alive you’d want singing you Happy Birthday’?

Duane: My 3 DJs would be Axwell, Louie Vega and Nervo and Whitney Houston would be singing Happy Birthday to me.

I: And finally, gotta ask…have you ever been confused with the best selling author of the same name who writes book on financial freedom!!!!???

Duane: LOL. Yes, I am that same guy who wrote “5 Easy Steps to Financial Freedom: Do What You Love & Get Rich Doing It” and I’m currently working on my second book titled “Will You Marry Me? How to find the right business partner for your business & your pocket”.

Wow! Thank you Duane, appreciate your time sir.

Duane: No...thank you!

Interview materials are taken from: http://www.dmcworld.net/