Muni Long poses for a portrait on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Gary Gerard Hamilton)

NEW YORK (AP) — Muni Long is keenly aware of the preciousness of time and its unpredictability. In some ways, the weight of the concept is intertwined within her music with songs like “30s,” “Time Machine” and her megahit “Hrs & Hrs.” Life can move at an unforgiving pace, so the Grammy winner works as if her career is on borrowed time.

“Years ago, I had an opportunity to work with Kendrick (Lamar) and I was working with another artist. And so, I just kept pushing it back, like ‘Can we move that session?' This was before he had ‘Swimming Pools’ … and then, he blew up,” recalled the Grammy-winning songstress. “I understand what that feels like to feel like you missed out on something or feel like you won’t get an opportunity like that again... I will never forget that, ever.”

Carpe diem is always top of mind for Long who recently released her latest project, “Revenge,” the follow-up to her 2022 debut “Public Displays of Affection: The Album,” which earned a best R&B performance Grammy for “Hrs & Hrs.” Her newest work has defied sophomore slump. “Made for Me,” the viral, tenderhearted ballad, ambiguously inspired by her baby son, reached No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed at No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay for seven weeks. (Long revealed this week that the massive hit isn't eligible for Grammys consideration due to the timing of its release.)

As R&B has experienced a mainstream resurgence, Long is recognized as one of the genre’s flagbearers fueling its comeback.

“I definitely can tell the impact that I have on culture … and it’s not just a certain demographic. It’s children. It’s older women. It’s Christian groups — sometimes they don’t be listening to secular music like that, (but) they listen to mine,” said Long. “They even sing in the pulpit sometimes: ‘I could praise you for hours.’ It’s incredible – even ‘Made for Me’ as well.”

Cutting through the present era of vibey, party-first R&B and the dominant melodic rap climate with a more back-to-basics, emotions-on-your-sleeve sound, many fans and critics believe the 14-track project, which includes writing from industry titans like The Dream, Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox and Tricky Stewart, and a feature from rap star GloRilla, is one of the best R&B releases of the year. Long believes it, too.

“We really put a lot of effort into this music. We were intentional about the instruments, about the lyrics. This is one of the first times I went back and tweaked lyrics,” said Long, whose “Make Me Forget” hit No. 1 on Billboard’s adult R&B airplay chart and “Ruined Me” entered the top 10 of that chart this week. “People gravitate towards light and love... I believe in fairy tales.”

But not all fairy tales result in happily ever afters. While rolling out the album, Long revealed that her nearly decade-long marriage to husband and business partner Raysean Hairston was rocky. Her marital woes, along with proving to industry naysayers that her viral hits and talent are not flukes, set the tone for the project — opting for happiness over bitterness — making it even more personal than her first album.

“There’s some songs I just can’t sing and are very difficult to listen to even. The first time I ever cried in the studio when I was making something was on that album, and I didn’t like how it felt, so I didn’t do it again,” said the 36-year-old, reflecting on her debut. “Through therapy and counseling and prayer and meditation, all those things, I’ve developed tools to help me feel my feelings and sit with issues that I may be having — trauma and drama as I like to call it — and process it. And this album is a way for me to process.”

Long recently wrapped up select dates on Chris Brown’s 11:11 Tour and is working through her marriage woes. Peace is her goal, she said, adding that her lupus diagnosis is not conducive to stress. Long points out that she hasn’t used the term divorce, but “when you talk about ending something, there are so many different ways that people have done that.” The talented singer-songwriter spent more than 15 years behind the scenes as Priscilla Renea, penning hits for powerhouses like Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Ariana Grande and Kelly Clarkson before rebranding herself as Muni Long in 2020. Yet, growing frustrated with industry politics and unsure if solo success would be hers, Long nearly walked way.

“At the end of the day, it’s about not quitting. It’s about not giving up. Eventually, time will show you that the reason why you’re getting these things is because you were prepared," said Long. "In the beginning, I was entitled. I thought that because I was talented, people should give me things. And now, on the other side, I work for everything.”

___

Follow Associated Press entertainment journalist Gary Gerard Hamilton at: @GaryGHamilton on all his social media platforms.

News from © The Associated Press, 2024