Q&A: Jill Scott

"I feel like it's going to be a great night of music -- real music, real musicians, real vocalists in real time," she said. "I think that's fantastic not only for the people who are going to come but us as well. Within the music industry as a whole, there is a market for live performances. I think the industry may have forgotten there's a market for something that is genuine."

Scott spoke to SoundSpike about her forthcoming album, her connection with the fans, and her work on "Law and Order: SVU."

SoundSpike: What can you tell us about your forthcoming album "The Light of the Sun: Words and Sounds, Vol. 4?"

Jill Scott: That's a difficult one. I expect it out this year. The precise date: I have none. I'm still not finished. I just know that it's this year. I feel strongly about it coming out in 2010. I'm not rushing. I look at my work as food. I have to cut the wood, and then I have to make the fire, and I have to take my time with it. It's not microwave food. I'm a potbelly stove.

I understand that the subject matter is "very revealing."

It's very revealing about myself to a certain degree and also there's a lot of genres of music that I've tapped into. I'm a method singer so I have to be in the emotion in order to sing a song. I'm digging in a couple places. I'm freeing myself -- and hopefully other people as well -- from hurt and loneliness and confusion, in a sense. For me, I'm the kind of artist where I like to explore those things in myself.

Is it difficult to sing those songs?

It can be. But I've chosen to go into the studio and just sing. Most of it is freestyled so that there's nothing blocking. I'm not in my way. That's freehand but without the hand.

You've done some amazing things in your 10-year career. What are you most proud of?

I think I'm most proud of my audience. I fully foresee and hoped in the very beginning that I'd have a career, something like Frankie Beverly or Barbra Streisand or Bette Midler. Where, even when I'm 60 years old, I'll go out and perform a show and it'll be sold out. I'm hoping and praying for longevity. Ten years is great but I'd like another 15, 20 if I can--maybe more. I'm really proud that when the audience comes out, they know the words. They sing along. They put their arms in the air, they enjoy themselves and they allow themselves just to be for a night, without dealing with issues. Or sometimes I look out and people are crying. That means I've tapped into a place that they need to let go of or look at or be honest with. That makes me feel really proud.

What do you feel is the highlight of your shows

I sing "Golden" and people will just jump up, they sing along and dance. It lets them forget about whatever issues or problems are in their heads and their hearts. That's what music was supposed to do. It's supposed to free you or allow you to say, "Yes, that's right," or whatever the case may be. Or feel romantic, want to make sweet love or passionate love or stay in a relationship or get out of it. That's what I feel it's supposed to do.

I recently watched the "Law and Order: SVU" in which you played Janice Raleigh, a woman who abused her ill sister.

That is my show. I watch "Law and Order" marathons like nobody's business on a day off. I keep it on.

What do you prefer? Acting or singing or writing?

It's all the same thing to me. I'm a lover of the word. My job is to express that word authentically and as genuinely as I possibly can -- whether I'm writing for Essence or acting or I'm singing. It's all using words. I'm a fan of it. I'm a fiend for it. It's all the same thing to me. I'm method everything--method writer, method singer, method actor. I try to allow myself to get into wherever it is and get myself out if I can. Janice Raleigh was not my kind of person at all from "Law and Order." She's definitely not someone I want to be around or even a portion of myself. But I enjoyed the writing so much and I love the fact that she's hurt. She's mad at the situation. I enjoyed being there for awhile.

What else do you have planned for this year?

I'm going to continue recording my album. After this tour, I'm going to take a brief vacation -- maybe about a week or so -- because I just want to be with my kid. I want to be with my son every day. He's going on tour with me this year. He's a year old and this is his first time on tour. After that, I will go back to the studio and finish up the project and put it out and hopefully I go out on tour with that as well.