Raphael Saadiq on Miles Caton “When I heard it [Miles voice], I was like, “Wow!” It just makes you want to write the songs and give them to people with voices like that, I love to hear voices like that.”
Four-time Grammy Award-winning music artist Raphael Saadiq recently provided Latasha M. Ford with an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the musical elements of “Sinners” and the hit song “I Lied To You.” During their discussion, Saadiq and Latasha explored the spontaneous songwriting challenge that evolved into a viral hit, delving into the creative process, divine intervention, and the importance of preparedness for opportunities.
This interview is essential viewing for aspiring creators. This lively chat unveils how a simple telephone phone call led to a musical collaboration with Ryan Coogler and Ludwig, and delves into the creative process behind the film’s soundtrack, which blends blues and Christian life. Saadiq and Latasha’s conversation covered the transformation of music, from tangible competition to follower counts, and debated whether the “golden age” of music predated streaming services. The interview explores music’s evolution and its impact on contemporary artists, vinyl-worthy creations, and the lack thereof. Saadiq also highlighted the incredible vocal talent of Miles Caton and his unique connection to soulful music, emphasizing how his voice perfectly complements the artistic vision of the “SINNERS” journey and offers a glimpse into a timeless sound.
The iconic star delved into the persistent demand for “impact singles” in the music industry, exploring how artists and producers navigate this challenge—from completing albums to crafting a single hit—with lessons learned from music legends D’Angelo and John Singleton. Raphael discussed the challenges of creating impactful music under tight deadlines, revealing the secrets to delivering greatness under pressure. Saadiq uncovers how artists achieve project focus by disconnecting from distractions, exploring personal strategies for intense creative periods and contrasting them with the pre-social media era of music creation. The interview further delves into whether the best music was created before the streaming era, offering insights from artists and legends on creativity, authenticity, and the evolution of sound. The evolution of music production, from intricate orchestration to modern streaming, and what defines “vinyl-worthy” music in today’s changing landscape for artists was yet an additional topic of conversation. Check out the full interview below:
About ‘Sinners’
The film is a haunting Southern Gothic epic centered on twin brothers and veterans, Stack Moore and Smoke (played by Michael B. Jordan in a powerhouse dual performance), who return to their Mississippi home as bootleggers intent on opening a juke joint.
However, their dreams are quickly overshadowed by a rising tide of supernatural evil as vampires, Hoodoo, and buried trauma converge in a blood-soaked reckoning. Set in 1932, Coogler’s film operates on multiple levels and acts as a horror send-up that conceptualizes the terrors of the Jim Crow South’s social construction as a figurative sundown town.
At its core, “Sinners” is a blues movie that revolves around Black spirituality and music’s place in the Mississippi Delta community’s evaluation of righteousness and iniquity. The narrative draws references from Black Christianity and Hoodoo, pitting piety against profanity, with music functioning as a turning point toward both salvation and damnation. The twins, Smoke and Stack, return to Clarksdale, Mississippi, aiming to establish their juke joint in a sawmill purchased from a member of the Ku Klux Klan after working for (and ripping off) Al Capone’s Chicago Outfit. Their cousin, Sammie (Miles Caton), a pastor’s son known as Preacher Boy, is an aspiring musician. Despite his father’s warning that the blues is supernatural, Sammie is set on leaving town to pursue a career as a singer and guitarist.
Official Trailer:
