When we saw Lenny Kravitz sign on for a short series of concerts at Park MGM, we thought, of course. He’s an icon, famous on every level, and his generation-spanning blend of funk, rock and soul is as accessible as it gets. And he won’t need to wear that big scarf when he visits Vegas in October.
He’s kicking off the U.S. portion of his tour behind this year’s 12th studio album, and the Weekly caught up with the ageless (he’s 60!) rock-and-roller to dissect his process of performing, writing and recording, and just being Lenny Kravitz.
Why was this the right time for you to do some Vegas shows?
It never lined up before. I wanted to do it, and I was asked to do it, but it never worked out, and I made it a priority this time early in the tour. It’s a short run, kind of a nice introduction, and I’m really happy to be doing it. I’ve never done a gig where it’s two weeks staying in one place and I’m looking forward to that.
It feels like a sneak preview to a possible residency gig. Are you open to something like that in the future?
We’ll see what it turns into. Whatever life has for me, that’s where I go. But I have no idea what to expect because they’re not normal shows. You’ll have your fans but also there might be people who just might be in Vegas and want to catch something, and wouldn’t necessarily come to your show in their town. It should be a mixed crowd and I’m looking forward to seeing what it actually turns into.
Are you making some space for spontaneous moments in order to take advantage of that?
I always react to the energy. Every night is something different based on the people in front of you. It’s an exchange of energy. This is a very interesting place to be right now because I’ve been touring for so long—I just did Europe for three months—and there are some differences every [night], but you also kinda know what to expect based on playing these places for so many years. But I really have no idea what this is gonna be.
How has your approach to live performance changed through the years? Has that part of your life as an artist evolved?
I think that I’ve grown tremendously, and I’ve become more at ease with it, not that I wasn’t comfortable before. I’m up there to be completely open, to be a conduit, and I feel more comfortable onstage than I ever have. I’ve been doing this 35 years, since the first album, so to feel more comfortable, more open, more relaxed is a great place to be at this point in my life. I’m extremely grateful.
Your first album came out in 1989, and your latest, Blue Electric Light, came out this past May. Has your approach to songwriting and the process of putting an album together also evolved since the beginning?
It’s the same approach, which is: I don’t try to do anything. I stay out of the way. I’m an antenna, waiting to receive the signal, and when I do, my job is to go into the studio and make what it is I’m hearing in my head. It’s the same process now and I trust it more and more every year, every time I make music. Be patient, live your life, take in all these emotions and feelings and experiences and wait for them to come out in the music. I never go into the studio to write. I know who people who do, and they keep a schedule. I don’t do that, I wait until I hear it. Most of the time it comes to me in sleep, in the middle of the night, and I go into the studio and get to it. As I’m getting into that process of making an album, that vortex opens up more and more. … And when the album is done, I can’t tell you how I did it. Honestly, I don’t remember doing it. When I’m in the moment, it just comes through me.
Was it harder to be that antenna when you were younger?
It wasn’t harder, I just think as you do things you get to a place in life after this much time, you’re now in a place of mastery of your craft. What comes with mastery? Being better at it, being more fluid and more open and having more faith in what you’re receiving. It’s constant refinement—every time I make a record I learn more and that becomes part of the repertoire. You just become smoother at it. It’s still hard work. The way I do it requires a lot of faith. You’re waiting for something to happen. Will it happen again? That requires a certain level of faith.
LENNY KRAVITZ October 18-19, 23, 25-26, 8 p.m., $54-$750. Dolby Live, ticketmaster.com.
Click HERE to subscribe for free to the Weekly Fix, the digital edition of Las Vegas Weekly! Stay up to date with the latest on Las Vegas concerts, shows, restaurants, bars and more, sent directly to your inbox!
