David Guetta "Love Is Gone" Video - Plus Interview With Chris Willis

 

I kind of love this video for its, um, unlikely troubled couple and even more for its unlikely setting and characters. I mean ... a drum-playing granny next to two cops making out for no reason? That's pretty amazing.

"Love Is Gone" comes courtesy of French power DJ David Guetta and gospel-turned-house singer Chris Willis. The World Music Award-winning song is the first single off of DJ Guetta's Pop Life album, but it's not the first collaboration between David and Chris - who rose to fame in 2002 for his vocals on Guetta's "Just a Little More Love" track.

 

 

Check out NewNowNext's interview with Chris Willis - and his "Tomorrow Can Wait' video - after the jump!

 

So you performed at the World Music Awards. What was that like? Any crazy celeb sightings?

Celine Dion was there, Prince was there ... My favorite celebrity sighting was not only a sighting, I actually got a chance to talk and dance at the after-party with Patti Labelle.

Really? What song did you dance to?

“Love is Gone.” It was down in a club, and they played a bunch of just current dance tracks. But “Love is Gone” was a great one ... Akon and everyone was up on top of chairs dancing and stuff.

And you performed at the show as well? How did that go?

It went so fast. There was all this build-up, and I worked really hard to get a good outfit from Thierry Mugler, which was fun. It was a sequined kind of top with leather pants, and I wore some boots that I have.

But it was really kind of intimidating: At sound check it is easy because nobody is there, but once the people are in the house, you know, Patti Labelle is right there, Shaggy’s right there, so it’s like, Don’t fall, don’t trip, don’t miss your cues. But I think I did all the right things. And I saw the show actually broadcast in New York. It was Thanksgiving night on TV, and people are calling me like ‘Are you on TV right now?’ It was really cool.

So you started out in gospel music, right?

I started out in gospel. Isn’t that crazy?

Did you ever think house music would be the direction you would take?

Never in a million years would I have ever imagined house music. I didn’t even really realize there was a correlation between house music and gospel until I was talking to David [Guetta] and [producer] Joachim [Garraud], because in Chicago ... the jury is out: either Detroit or Chicago is where house music started ... was where gospel kids from the church would take their favorite gospel songs and spin it to dance beats.

And me coming from gospel, then kind of having this advent in house, has really been significant, because, in a way, gospel is a very specific entity in and of itself, and house music is very much a religion. So I went from one church to another.

 

 

Is house music really big with the gays in Europe, or is it just big with everyone there?

That’s a very good question. One of my favorite experiences was going to the gay pride day in Paris, which is right around the Bastille, and they have a huge party right there. You know, in Europe the whole scene - as far as the gay scene and the convergence between the hetero scene - it’s not as clearly defined and there’s not so much of the stigma.

It’s not such a big deal as it seems to be in America, and the culture in Europe is way older than it is here. We’re virtually a young country - if I hear another European say that ... but it’s so true - they are always saying America is such a young country, and I think we have a lot to learn amongst ourselves. So I feel lucky to witness the kind of graying of the convergence of that, socially.

So there, musically, it isn’t particularly gay music, it isn’t a particularly straight music - it’s the music of the people. And I’m really proud to say that - to be able to witness that for 8 years is really great.

I also read that you've worked with a lot of Idol winners? How did you get those gigs?

I was working with a producer name Desmond Child, and it was really great to work with Desmond because he treated me like one of the family. And I met Clay, and I met a bunch of artists ... I never met Fantasia because a lot of times in the studio you do the vocals and they slap the lead on later.

I understand how it goes. It was just equally great to work with the Idol projects, because we could see the instant response from the people for the songs.

What’s Clay like in real life?

Our interaction was very brief. When you’re recording an album, it’s a time to be really really focused. So he was very focused, very cordial, very friendly. No real criticism there.

Any other Idol people you worked with?

I did some back-ups for Kelly Clarkson for some songs on the first album.

So, if you don't mind, how would you define yourself?

Generally, sexually ... you know, I don’t know. I’m just me. This has been a topic that is just a sore spot for me in my life, and it’s recently that I’ve been able to walk into a Pride... I’ll never forget when I came out to my family ... it was really important for me to know how they felt about how I felt, because I didn’t feel like I could really, truly walk into my destiny, or into my truth, or into my future, unless I knew where they stood. And they gave me the most encouragement and support and love that carries me to this day. It gives me wings.

I feel like I fit in the middle. I know who I am as a person. I know what is attractive to me, but I don’t know that that really matters to the public at large. I think, if anything, I live to say, whatever it is that makes you happy, that isn’t hurting anyone intentionally or maliciously, we owe it to ourselves and to you to be respectful of that.

And so, it’s all about respect and decency and love more than anything. And what a great opportunity to have so many songs with love involved. And I hope I am a lovely a person, a lovable person. I feel like I have lot of love to give. If nothing else comes through in my music, it’s that.