WORD ON the street is that you guys have a couple of days left to get your tickets for Ryan Leslie’s upcoming gig at the London O2 Academy Islington, this week.

The Harvard graduate will be touching down in the UK to perform some classics from yesteryear, as well as songs from his new album, ‘You Know My Speed’, which was released last month.

The Voice caught up with the maverick to find out where he’s been following a ten year hiatus from the music scene and what fans can expect when they take in the show.

“I think it’s important in anyone’s life to just experience life. And I think really for me. I’ve had an incredible past decade,” Leslie said.

He added: “It’s all about love. It’s all about living. It’s been all about building businesses, and really continuing to touch the lives of so many through my various business ventures. 

“So to be able to come back and really just get back in the bag, get back in the lab and write about those experiences, was just very healthy and I think a natural return.

“I wanted to make sure that whenever I drop and get back on record, I have something that I really want to talk about, and something that I really want to say.”

Leslie, for those that don’t know, is a producer, songwriter, performer, and businessman with an illustrious career with his own music and working with the world’s biggest stars, from Beyoncé, Kanye West, Mary J Blige, Fabolous, Ne-yo, Britney Spears, Craig David and Chris Brown.

He released his self-titled album on Motown Records in 2008 and quickly followed up with a Grammy-nominated album ‘Transition’, in 2010 and the independently-released third album, ‘Les Is More’ in 2012.  

His fourth album ‘Black Mozart’ was released in 2013 and is only available via Leslie’s #Renegades DirectToConsumer Club. 

He’s lauded for his diverse talents all over the world.

Speaking on his latest new studio album ‘You Know My Speed’, he explained how the focus track ‘This Love Thing’, was different from what he’d put out previously.

“I’m glad you brought that record up actually, it’s a re-master. 

“Over the years there are likely hundreds of records which no one has heard and that record was just a standout. 

“For my die hard (fans) if you search on Youtube, you will probably find that record nine, 10, maybe 12 or 15 years ago. I think the beauty of music is that when you hear a song for the first time it is brand new. 

“So that record, when we think about my early days, coming from where I was coming from, a kid at Harvard, but basically homeless, in a garage behind a barber shop in Randolph, Massachusetts, and then, Boom, came to New York City in 2003 and caught that break.

“There was so much going on. There were so many elements, especially being in the music business. 

“What is the press going to say? What are the fans going to say? What are your other compadres and compatriots and colleagues in the music business going to say?

“And so that record asks a very important question. Tell me what we’re going to do about this love thing? I want to know your plans and I don’t want to take the chance if you don’t want to take the chance. I think it’s very straightforward.” 

Leslie says he wants anyone listening to the track to imagine a young man who had just transplanted his life to an epicentre of ‘business, of music, of entertainment, and and all of the great stories the movies we’ve seen on the backdrop of that of that skyline in New York City’, and then try to imagine him navigating his way through love.’ 

If you do that, the 45-year-old says: “I think you feel that in the energy of that record. I think you feel the tension and the pace of the thought process. I think it’s all right there in the recording.”

Looking ahead to performing this week he said: “London serves as a fitting backdrop for a long-overdue return to stage as many nights have been spent rehearsing, recording, and performing in landmark venues and studios.”

Renowned for his live performances he vowed to keep even his closest bandmates on their toes in anticipation of what he plans to deliver.

“I think fans can expect the unexpected,” he said.

“On our live shows, I think even my band in some cases are like, ’okay, Ryan, are we going to get a set list tonight? Or are we just going where the energy takes us?’ 

“And I think usually it’s the latter. 

“We now have so many beautiful moments that we can touch on from the Ryan Leslie album to the Transition album to the Les Is More album and the Black Mozart album. 

“So I believe it’s going to be a night that, for any of my longtime supporters, this is that time to go and bring a friend. Tell a friend to bring a friend, because this is going to be that night where we just have an incredible night of reverie, of music. Nostalgia in some cases and you know, all of the colours that come with all of these records in these moments.

“I’m thoroughly excited in anticipation of what is actually going to transpire that night.” 

Fans of Leslie love him for his music but his business acumen has also seen the American garner a staunch fanbase. 

His direct to consumer approach fostered many moons ago and a strategy increasingly adopted by every top tier entity keen to engage with their customer base, is a big part of the Leslie business world view.

Speaking on bringing SuperPhone to market over a decade ago, a service that enables ‘deep, personal relationships by interacting on a one-to-one basis with your audience, bolstering conversion to sales’, Leslie explained: “SuperPhone was really the productization, if you will, of an idea that I had where, I just wanted to be closer to those that supported me.”

He added: “I feel like the number is a more powerful social handle than an Instagram or a Twitter handle. It’s a phone number, right? And so that number is +16468876978.

“That’s that’s been the number, and folks have definitely tapped in. 

“I’m always an explorer of curiosity. And so when I had that curiosity that said, Okay, I could do this just with my regular phone, what else could I do by layering technology, layering intelligence over this messaging? How many more people could I reach? How much more could I grow my business? And then could that be a blueprint for other artists to follow? 

“And so that really birthed this concept of SuperPhone, and we were able to raise a good deal of capital from not only great investors but also from our customers and our community. 

“For me, focus is ridiculously important. And so when folks saw me when I first got started in music, the focus from my side was undeniable. 

“So when I decided to set foot and set off on a journey in building a technology company, I wanted to do so with the same kind of focus with which I approach my music career. 

“When folks say, ‘did he take a hiatus?” Well, I needed to actually have real case studies, business use cases of this technology platform to illustrate how scalable, how valuable it truly could be. 

“And so here we are 10 years later, with SuperPhone and being able to deliver that value and service. 

“And we’ve done this not just for me, but for Zain, from One Direction. Miley Cyrus, Cardi B. the list goes on. So way above what my little experiment back in 2013 could have could have delivered. 

“We’ve been able to touch many of the far corners of the globe with this technology. And so, I think it’s been an important step and definitely an important milestone in my life’s work.”

You Know My Speed captures the last decades’ experiences well.  

Sharing how these experiences shape the themes and sounds of the album, Leslie said: “They (the experiences) definitely have shaped the themes. 

“I’ve always enjoyed life. So when you listen to a record like a Top Notch, or you listen to the energy of You Know My Speed, it really is just a narration. These are the soundtracks of my many journeys, my many travels, my many experiences and hopefully, for those who one day aspire to live at this level.

“I think, obviously, there are levels to life. But for me, and especially for those that are part of our entire investment fund, our Wealth Building Club, the Wealth Plan crew, literally, the goal is to be able to engineer a life that allows you to do what you want with who you want wherever you want for as long as you want. 

“And I think that when you listen to this, this is a sound track, not only for the journey to get there, but also, for when you do get there.”  

Music ready then, we’re looking forward to seeing him, but how much is he looking forward to seeing us?

“It’s definitely been a minute and when we look at my history in the UK, from the early days working with Craig David, who jumped on the Diamond Girl record, for me to come back and remix the 6 of 1 Thing record. 

“To driving down Park Lane with my bro Zeus, straight through the park, all of those fun times, and being in some of the cool studios in the UK, working on Watch The Throne, with Ye and Hov up at Peter Gabriel studio in Bath. Just so many amazing experiences that have been part of my story. 

“And so I think, we just need to make sure we make this a night to remember. 

“And I think that’s what’s gonna happen. In fact, I know that’s what’s going to happen.”

Ryan Leslie in concert on March 21 – London, O2 Academy Islington, tickets here