The house music legend teams up with the queen of NYC nightlife to bring us an evening of sonic symphony splendor
INTERVIEW >>>
Hello, Crystal Waters. Thanks for finding the time to chat with us. I know this is a busy time! I don’t know if you’re currently in the New York /New Jersey area, but as of this writing, it’s still quite warm in early October. Do you long for sweater weather, or do you like this overlong summer?
Hi, how are you? I’m mainly on the east coast. I like jacket weather, but I prefer summer, hands down.
You’re very well known as a performer for queer Pride events across the globe! How did this summer go as far as Pride shows went…and did you notice a different energy in the air with the current political climate?
The Pride shows went very well, always fun as usual.There was a bittersweet ending with Mariah Hanson’s last event with the Dinah Shore party. I’ve been doing this party for decades and was honored that she chose me as the entertainment for her final year with the party. As for the political climate, I didn’t notice a change of energy. What I do notice when I travel is that despite what you hear on the news, people are out still having a good time just trying to live their best lives.
What inspired you to start working Pride events and collaborating with queer artists? I remember seeing you in the Wigstock documentary back in the day and being shocked to see a “mainstream” artist performing with drag queens! Well, the Queer community has had my back since day one When my first song hit, it was mainly queer parties that I performed at. Mainstream events came later. The dancer community took me in and a drag queen taught me how to do my makeup. Back then, most mainstream artists didn’t want to be associated with Pride events, but I loved it, and I still do.
Right now, I’m trying to finish up my album so I’m constantly trying to find time to do it. So it’s a back and forth for me. It’s business, then music, then back to business. I would love to spend more time just being creative.
You have a very interesting story because you come from a long line of amazing artists. (Your great aunt Ethel Waters was groundbreaking in music, theater, film and TV, your father was a jazz musician, and you were an award-winning poet as a child… but ultimately you went to school for computer science!) Do you think if you were a kid coming up today, you’d end up creating your own electronic music, lol?
Yes I do ! Oh how I wish I had a laptop back then, lol. I used to spend hours in my bedroom, listening to music, making my own mixtapes. I’m sometimes surprised that I didn’t become a DJ, but I definitely would have created my own electronic music.
And I understand you got your start in music as a background singer.What was that experience like, and did you have an understanding and appreciation for house music from day one or did that appreciation come more gradually?
My first background singer experience was for a South African singer. I wasn’t very familiar with that style of music, but when I did it, the lightbulb went off and I knew I wanted to be an artist. Back then, it wasn’t specifically called House music. It was the music they played late night in the club. I was familiar with it, but it wasn’t until I met the Basement Boys (the producers of “Gypsy Woman”) that I got into it. That’s when I started hanging out in clubs in New York and I got it, I loved it and I knew this was the community I wanted to be a part of. Please understand that House music is more than just the music, it’s a community full of love and positivity.
Who were some of your favorite musical artists growing up, and did you have many “meet your idols” moments over the years as a performing artist?
Oh, my favorite was Michael Jackson. Never met him, but I would have probably fainted if I did. I also loved Prince, Chaka Khan, Ella Fitzgerald and Gil Scott-Heron.
“Gypsy Woman” was such a masterpiece, and a really unconventional dance track…it’s an actual song based on a real woman set to an amazing beat, and it’s probably been sampled a hundred times. What is it like to have contributed to pop culture and people’s enjoyment in such a way?
It’s amazing! I thank God every day for this song. I had no clue that this song would still be so relevant all these years.
“100% Pure Love” is my jam! I remember watching people cut up to that on the Dance floor! Does it annoy you that folks don’t generally go out and dance the way they used to, being preoccupied with their phones or just very self-conscious about looking crazy?
Yes, it does annoy me! I think they are missing the whole point of “dance music”. It’s supposed to make you dance. The dance floor should be a place where you can let all your troubles go and just be yourself. Let the music flow through you, uplift and inspire you. Can’t do that with a phone in your hand, worried about your next instagram post.
“Umm Bop” totally puts us right back to the glory days of House, but also feels fresh and Very Necessary! It’s one of many fantastic recent tracks you recorded with Swedish production duo ManyFew. How did you all come together, and what was that collaboration like?
I met ManyFew thru my Apple podcast “I AM HOUSE Radio”, which is on 39 stations in 63 countries and can be heard on
SiriusXM Utopia, Saturdays at 7pm, Sunday & Thursdays at 8pm. I mainly play new House vocal tracks. I’ve been doing this show for five years and every time these guys sent in songs, I loved every one of them. So I reached out to them and they sent me several tracks. They are very talented, great producers. They saw my vision and were a joy to work with.
When you’re not working or performing, do you still go out and experience nightlife?
That’s a funny question. I spend so much time in nightlife, I can’t tell if I’m working or not, lol. But I do go out after a show if I know one of my friends is Djing somewhere. Sometimes I’ll sneak out on the dance floor.
When did you meet the goddess of NYC nightlife, Susanne Bartsch, and have you worked with her often?
I’ve been trying to remember if I ever met Susanne back in the day, but as far as I can remember, we just met back in the spring of this year.
I’m really interested in this upcoming collaboration you have with her: I AM HOUSE live on the Sony Hall stage in Hell’s Kitchen, November 20th! You’re going to be performing dance numbers, as you often do…but accompanied by a live orchestra! How did this idea come about?
I’ve been doing performances
with orchestras in Europe for years and I always said I want to do one of these in New York with American House artists. Europeans have been doing orchestrated dance music for decades and I can’t explain to you how much fun, it’s so uplifting. So when me and my team started producing the event, we knew we needed a premier promoter! That’s when I had a meeting with Susanne to see if she would join the project.
As if seeing you perform with an orchestra wasn’t exciting enough, you’ll be joined by fellow house music legends Robin S., CeCe Peniston, Blackbox, Inaya Day and more. That is going to be a kiki backstage, isn’t it?
Yes, it will be. We see each other often, so it’s going to be a lot of fun. I have to give big love and thanks to each of the artists. I know they all have busy schedules, but when I asked them to be a part of this, no one hesitated to say “yes” and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. Just a note: Inaya Day is also a co-musical director of the orchestration, along with Simon Jay.
You’ve also been touring and performing all year, and will continue to do so ‘til it’s 2026 (and then some)! Local fans can see you on the Dance Now America Tour with a legendary lineup, and November 1st they can see you at Westbury Music Fair’s Flagstar on another great bill: the 14th annual Monsters of Freestyle! Do you still enjoy live performance as much as you always have? And is the house music community you came up with very tight with each other…Are you all on a text message chain, lol?
Yes, I still love it, but I will tell you as the end of the year comes close, I looked forward to some time off in January. Yes, we all have each others’ numbers, singers and the Dj’s. We all have no problem reaching out to each other if there’s ever a need.
I have 6000 more questions, but you are a busy woman, so I’d better stop myself! What else is coming up for you, or is there anything else you want to mention or discuss?
Thank you. Those were great questions! Let’s see, I told you about my IAMHOUSE Radio show. My new album is coming next year. I am planning on having more IAMHouse Orchestrated events in the future. I’m also planning an IAMHOUSE DJ-fueled event at Art Basel Miami December 4th at 1800Lucky and a documentary is on the way. I have my fingers in a few more creative events, but hopefully we’ll talk again.
Finally: When you’re not touring or making music or being with family, do you binge-watch anything fun on TV or streaming?
No, I stopped watching TV years ago. If I watch something, it’s on my laptop and it will probably be a home improvement show.
Photographer: Takahiro Ogawa
Stylist: Carlos Alonso-Parada
Makeup Artist: Marc Cornwall
Hair Stylist: Marco Maranghello
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