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It was magical," says a soft-spoken Taio Cruz, explaining how a life writing love songs for Britney, Justin and Leona all began.
"It was a dark summer night. The temperature was 27 and a half degrees. It was the evening. A chill went down my spine. The phone rang [pause] three times before I answered. ‘Who is this?' I said. The voice spoke softly, calmly. It was a male. It was comforting."
The beginnings of a cheeky smile emerge, but Cruz looks away for a moment before returning deadpan. "He said, ‘Luke, this is your father'. I told him he had the wrong number. The end."
His audience in stitches, Cruz promptly apologises for the fabrication, saying he wanted the story of his big break to be interesting. But Cruz should not worry about make believe tales, as the true story of his fame is worthy of a Hollywood screenplay.
Sheepishly he said: "Ok, so here's the real one. A friend of mine was playing a home-recorded cassette tape of mine in her dorm at university because she liked my music.
Her dorm mate's boyfriend worked for Def Jam and happened to be on the phone one night and heard my tunes in the background and asked who it was.
The next thing I knew, I was meeting with him and writing songs for a living. It couldn't have been more a case of being in the right place at the right time — with the right person on the phone I guess."
Playing his first gig in Dubai tonight at Alpha, Cruz has come along way since then. A natural ear for music doesn't even start to explain his talent — he has a heart for music.
"My earliest memory of music is not actually mine but my mum's, which let's face it, are often more honest anyway. She says she caught me aged three or four dancing on the couch to Sexual Healing like it was my last day on earth. She also says I was singing a long time before I was speaking."
And for the former public schoolboy, the proof is most definitely in the pudding. Far from bragging, the politely spoken son of a lawyer knew Rihanna's hit song Umbrella was always destined for the top.
"I knew it was a smash," he says. "But I couldn't convince my record company to release it."
Working as part of American hip hop producer Tricky Stewart's Redzone production team, Stewart had originally put forward his own composition, Umbrella, for Britney Spears's last album. When it wasn't picked up, Cruz asked if he could have it for his own album.
Proof is in the pudding
"He said yes but said he was going to keep sending it to the ‘Big Boys' too and eventually Rihanna went for it."
"It could have all been so different," he said with a smile.
A Brit Award winner at 21 for co-writing Pop Idol winner Will Young's Your Game, Cruz has the undeniable talent of being able to create a hit song.
"Simplicity and sentiment is key. I play many instruments but I don't play one better than another." Incapable of not enjoying a joke, Cruz makes it clear he is about to divert. "I was a triangle virtuoso at school. Cracked that one."
Back to the serious: "I believe it helps me to remain a producer and not a musician. Musicians often over-complicate songs which means it's hard for them to write pop in today's market. They may be able to write a song with every chord sequence and progression but that is not what sells a pop tune. The audience can be distracted quite easily, so you want something they can sing along with immediately."
Last year, Cruz peaked with two self-released singles in the UK top 30. This year, signed to Island records, he scored a top-five hit with Come On Girl and his debut album, Departure, entered the charts at number 17.
His latest offering She's Like a Star made it to number 20 in the UK album charts. X Factor supremo Simon Cowell has also predicted Cruz is the next big thing, hiring him to write and produce tracks for Leona Lewis's new album.
Public school boy
But it wasn't always as easy getting his songs to be liked by all. Educated at public school in Sussex, Cruz recalls his first encounter with controversy.
"My first song was about ‘crushing' the boys in dorm seven at boarding school with pillows which I wrote after a giant fun fight after lights out. My teacher was disgusted and said I shouldn't write such nasty words and from then on it was love songs all the way. So really I have him to thank for all my success and future success," he joked.
Cruz is now working on new tracks for Britney's new album.
"It is great writing for others and yourself as you get the best of both worlds. I sometimes meet the person or talk to them on the phone to chat about things happening in their life. But other times you just write pure fabrication and see what comes out. Both can work as well as the other.
"I will always write for others because I think there definitely comes a time when you are too old to be dancing around on stage."
Quickfire
Breakfast? Orange juice — if I have time.
If king for the day I would... outlaw greed.
Superpower of choice? It would be telekinesis (the power to move things with your mind).
Three essential items for a desert island? Speed boat for watersports, a guitar and my laptop to make music (and for Facebook).
I feel sexy when... I buy new shades.
Tickets
Priced at Dh75 for women and Dh100 for men before midnight and Dh100 for ladies and Dh150 for men anytime after, tickets are available at the door at Alpha, Airport Meridien.
Doors open at 9pm and Cruz is expected to perform at around 1am.
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