As Eric Bellinger breezes through flawless vocal runs and self-crafted melodies prior to the opening show of his sold-out U.K. tour, it’s clear that he is a master of his craft. GRM had the privilege of sitting down with the Grammy Award-winning R&B hit-maker backstage before his Manchester show, the first performance of the Rebirth Tour’s European leg.
Despite some technical issues just two hours before showtime, Bellinger remains totally unfazed, continuing his impressive vocal warm-ups with ease. Later, he tells us, “Did you see what was going on during soundcheck? I was the only one who wasn’t frustrated. Because what’s the worst that can happen? It may be a slower soundcheck, someone may be frustrated with the muffled sound, but is that going to do anything to Eric Bellinger’s trajectory? No: it’s promised. Tomorrow is not promised, but my destiny is. This is 40-year-old wisdom right now, I just had my birthday last week!”
And as he enters his fifth decade of life armed with an abundance of wisdom and talent, Eric Bellinger can be thought of as a true pioneer of modern-day R&B. Hailed by Usher as “one of the most incredible voices of this time”, Bellinger has written for and collaborated with some of today’s biggest stars, including Brandy, Usher, Drake, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, The Game and Rick Ross, to name just a few.
Bellinger has also curated an incredibly vast discography of solo music, with his big breakthrough album, The Rebirth, now reaching its 10th anniversary. He celebrates this milestone with the third iteration of the record, The Rebirth 3 album, alongside The Rebirth Tour, both paying homage to the original body of work.
During this era of rebirth, Bellinger is able to reflect on how far he’s come. From singing in his first boy band as an adolescent in the early 2000s to becoming an R&B giant, writing timeless hits and touring the world 20 years later, his journey is one for the books. Eric Bellinger’s talent is truly home-grown, even running in his bloodline. He credits his late grandfather, the notable music artist and producer, Bobby Day, as his deepest inspiration. From him, Bellinger learnt to be an independent and resourceful architect of his own music.
“My grandpa had a studio in the garage of his house, with a piano and a booth,” he tell us. “Everything was there and I would see him working on his own music, putting it out, dancing with my uncle in the living room, coming up with the choreography, and then they would travel the world and tour. So I had the blueprint. It was like that saying, ‘use what you’ve got to get what you want’.”
His grandfather’s grit and determination is still alive in Bellinger’s spirit and, as an independent artist, his artistic voyage is that much more remarkable.
“I always wanted to be independent so that I could be in control. But as time went on, I realised that it’s difficult because you don’t have the same tools or budgets or resources. So that made me work so much harder. I’m proud of what we built… I’m at peace knowing that we built something so bulletproof with such a strong foundation. It’s a goldmine. I have everything and everyone I need. We’ve now created a blank canvas that’s waiting for me to paint it with different singers, artists, rappers, producers, songwriters, dancers. Man, I feel like life is just beginning.”
Like Bellinger says himself, the creation of this empire took hard work, but he wouldn’t trade in any of the tough times. “I wouldn’t change anything at all. I think that lessons are learnt through failure. I saw a quote today, it said: ‘the person who wins the most has probably lost the most’. I felt that because man, I’ve been hit with so many things that were meant to take me down. But because my heart is so determined and because I’m the type of person who never gives up, all my failures just taught me how to keep going.”
Bellinger believes it’s all about perspective and lessons can be learnt from the way he frames his wins and losses. For example, his 2021 Grammy nomination for Best Progressive R&B Album was one of his proudest milestones, but not winning the award was a temporary knock to his confidence. The star opens up about this chapter of his story, saying, “When I got the Grammy nomination, I was super excited. I started thinking about the possibility of winning it, then I started comparing myself to the other nominees who were signed to labels, since I wasn’t signed. I told myself, ‘but it could still happen’. So when we didn’t win, it felt like a loss. But in hindsight, I see that I’d already won – just hearing my name and being recognised? That was a victory. It’s all about perspective. Even though we may have lost, that was still a win.”
But amongst all that he’s accomplished, Eric Bellinger takes pride in the fact that his greatest achievement is his family. “Merging two to become one, raising and taking care of my family and still having an independent label. I think that’s my biggest accomplishment,” he discloses.
This heartfelt nature shines through Bellinger’s art, and he doesn’t skip a beat when asked about his favourite songwriting topic, “It’s definitely love. It always has been and always will be love. Love is that light in the darkness in the music industry.” As portrayed in the lyrics of his favourite track on The Rebirth 3 album, “Writer’s Block”, the ink from his pen never runs dry when he’s writing about love.
His legacy and influence have already carved a place in the history of today’s popular music, but Bellinger is passionate about continuing to inspire the generations after him, focusing on pouring energy into his record label, All Wins. He reveals, “When people say ‘it’s all about connections’, I think that’s 100% right… When you have someone who’s been there and is able to help guide you, then all you need to do is come to the table with the talent and the willingness to work. That’s who I want to be.”
The rare ability to make timeless music is something that only few are blessed with, therefore Bellinger’s winning formula is priceless. When it comes to writing the perfect song, his key ingredients are: “intention and feeling… emotion and vulnerability. When people try to be hard and tough, we lose the sincerity.” As for his recipe for a perfect live performance, Bellinger hones in on prioritising the communal element of the art, saying, “One thing that I’ve learnt is to give people time with the music. You need to have songs that people have lived with and grown to love because it makes the live show more of a communal celebration where everyone can fully immerse in the music. Their songs are my favourite songs too… It creates a full circle moment.”
During his Manchester performance that night, the fans immerse themselves just like Bellinger hoped they would. The energy is exhilarating as fans belt along to his most groundbreaking hits including, “G.O.A.T”, “Drive By” and “Type A Way”, whilst also embracing beautifully performed tracks from the new album. As a natural-born performer, his spirit fills the stage and his vocals saturate the air. When watching him perform, it’s clear to see why Eric Bellinger was always meant to be a star.
This musical powerhouse has truly grown with the industry and has been integral to the evolution of modern-day R&B, both on the mainstage and behind the scenes. In a rapidly-changing musical climate, Bellinger has been a constant force of creation and innovation, with talent flowing from his mind to his voice and his pen. With twenty years in the game, this type of longevity is something that only the greats can achieve; we can be sure that Eric Bellinger is here to stay.