Delious Kennedy [Of All-4-One]: Back To Basics

Let’s hop right into this brand new single, “Friendship After Love” — Tell me about this particular composition? How did it even come to fruition?

I actually wrote this song back in 2004, and ended up putting it in a pile of songs to record but never got around to it. The idea comes from the pain of all of us good guys, with good jobs, who are faithful but who get left behind because your girl wanted to try something more exciting, somebody with tattoos. This song, just says, “I ain’t even gonna trip, go ahead and go but don’t come back when you realize I was the one”…and that could work from the girl’s perspective as well.

I’m assuming here, but does “Friendship After Love” come courtesy of your official debut solo project — And if so, what all specific details; i.e. title, favorite selection(s), producer(s) credit(s), cameo appearance(s), etcetera, can you reveal and / or divulge regarding upcoming said set at this particular point in time?

“Friendship After Love” serves as a debut single for an EP that I’ve been working on during this pandemic downtime so that I didn’t go crazy. As for a favorite single, it’s a tie between this one and a great O’Jay’s remake called “Your Body’s Here With Me,” which will probably be the second single.

Also why has it taken you so long to opt to record solo music?

That’s got to be the question I’ve gotten the most. The answer, I don’t know. Maybe just being very comfortable performing with All-4-One.

I’m assuming again, but this by no means signifies the end of All-4-One, correct?

Not a chance! All-4-One has been performing around the world for over 25 years, and I’m not ready to totally abandon my boys and our fans who’ve stuck by us for this long.

How then does this new solo material either differ and / or compare to what you are already known for as 1/4 of All-4-One?

Before All-4-One, I was a solo artist. I think this new music sort of takes me back to the style of music I was doing when I was still solo in 1992. All-4-One has been more of a Pop / R&B group, and the first couple of singles on my solo stuff feel strictly old school R&B.

Reflecting, tell me your whole inception into music — When did you first become interested in it? And, how did it all begin for Delious Kennedy?

I’ve been singing since I was about 6 years old. As most R&B stories go, it started in church and then moved on to theme park shows at Six Flags Great Adventure while I was still in high school. After college, I moved to L.A. with $900 dollars, rent was $625, and I had no job. I met two of the fellas in All-4-One at a Karaoke show a year later, trying to win some money because I was broke, broke. They claimed they had a record deal – like everyone else in L.A. – we all lost the contest, but I sent my losing tape to Arsenio Hall for his “Flava of the Future” contest (and) I won! The guys called me to be a part of the group – they ACTUALLY had a deal – and in two months we had our first Top 5 hit with “So Much In Love,” followed by “I Swear,” “I Can Love You Like That,” etcetera…

Now you’re a Manhattan, New York, native? So growing up in the ‘Big Apple,’ who all did / do you consider to be your strongest musical influences?

While I was born in N.Y., I didn’t grow up there. My dad was in the Air Force, so we moved every two years. My strongest musical influences are Luther Vandross, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Peabo Bryson and Patti LaBelle.

With that being said, how do you classify your overall sound and / or style?

I guess if I had to classify it, it would be classic soul singer style primarily…but I do like to venture every now and then into the Pop / R&B vibe.

What particular string of events then led your initial linking up with Jamie Jones, Alfred Nevarez and Tony Borowiak, ultimately forming All-4-One?

As for the 4 of us, It was the Karaoke contest where we were all trying to win money…but in the long story, I actually met Jamie when he was 9 at my church youth choir anniversary when I used to live in California. The full story is crazy! God ALWAYS had a plan.

The last time the masses heard from you all was back in July 2015 with the release of Twenty+, All-4-One’s seventh studio collection — That said, what all had / have you been up to, both personally and professionally speaking, within the past nearly six long years?

The past 6 years have been amazing! After the release of Twenty+ we did a lot of TV opportunities, then we signed on to do the “I Love the 90’s” tour with some of our peers like Salt-n-Pepa, C+C Music Factory, Rob Base, Color Me Badd, TLC and more. It lasted 5 years. Then we did a Las Vegas Residency. On a personal level, I’ve also kept busy running a Hollywood film festival I co-founded 11 years ago called The Catalina Film Festival [www.catalinaff.org], and an online live studio audience talk show called Flashback Tonight on YouTube.

How have you either changed and / or evolved since your whole inception into music?

I think being in the business has changed my approach to music. I used to think you had to throw every run, big note, etcetera…into a song, but after 25 years, I know subtle and vulnerability is JUST as strong.

In having said that, when you sit down to pen your lyrics where do you draw your inspiration from?

My inspiration can come from personal experiences or just hearing about and feeling somebody else’s experiences; a news story, a friend’s story or my story, can inspire me. I mostly like to write about things that people can relate to.

Switching gears here, what exactly do you want people to get from your music?

I want people to take whatever they need from the music. After I make it, I just put it out into the universe with the hopes that it finds whoever it’s meant for or whoever needs to hear it.

If you could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?

A duet with Luther Vandross would’ve been my dream! Luther was like my teacher as a child.

If you could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?

That’s a tough one, ‘cause I’ve played a lot of them with All-4-One. I guess if I had to pick, maybe The Hollywood Bowl.

In terms of longevity, what do you feel has been the key to your longevity? And, of course, what is it that will continue to sustain you in this grueling industry?

The key to longevity, in my opinion, is finding “career songs.” In the beginning with All-4-One, we were young and wanted to do cool “of the moment” songs, but our management wouldn’t let us. Thank God! Because we’ve been touring all over the world for 25 years thanks to songs that have attached themselves to the feelings of so many people. Songs like “I Swear,” “I Can Love You Like That” and “So Much in Love.”

Do you have any other outside / additional (future) aspirations, maybe even completely away from music?

I do want to start my own music festival one day. Maybe a restaurant as well.

To date, what has been your biggest career moment(s), at least thus far anyway?

I think winning a Grammy, and singing on the telecast with all of my musical heroes watching me.

“I Swear” and “I Can Love You Like That” are bonafIde classics — How did these songs actually come about? Who came up with the concepts? And, please describe for me the overall studio vibe on those fateful days?

“I Swear” was never intended to be on the original debut album. All the packaging was done when the president of Warner called us into his office and asked us to critique the country version of the song…then he told us that he wanted us to go back into the studio with David Foster to record it. The studio session was very relaxed; I literally played with David’s kids [Brody Jenner] until it was time to record in his pool room. It didn’t feel like work at all. We had no idea it would be the worldwide hit it became. “I Can Love You Like That” was sent to us while we were touring in Asia. The songwriters got sneaky, and sent us a R&B version of the song and sent a country version of the song to John Michael Montgomery. We both picked it! All-4-One recorded it first, but John Michael Montgomery released it first. Neither of us knew the other was recording it. We both had massive hits with it in our respective genres.

Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you see yourself?

LOL! Approaching retirement!

As for the immediate, what’s next for you, Delious?

I’m just gonna continue promoting the upcoming singles, and hopefully the world will open up and allow us to have concerts again ‘cause I’m really missing performing.

Is there anything I left out or just plain forgot to mention?

This was pretty informative!

Any “closing” thoughts for our readers?

Just that I appreciate all the support after all these years, and I hope that if you have a chance to come see me or All-4-One, you’ll come.