Maxwell is back! The two-time Grammy-winning artist has returned to the R&B spotlight after a seven-year hiatus following the release of 2009’s BLACKsummers’night, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The “Pretty Wings” singer first rose to fame in the '90s and has since released four albums, including 1996’s Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite and 2001’s Now.
Before the release of his newest album, blackSUMMERS’night, on July 1, the Brooklyn-born singer, 43, shared 25 interesting facts about himself with Us Weekly!
1. My first job was as a dishwasher at Pizza Hut.
2. Before a show, I like a thick pasta with Alfredo sauce to lubricate the vocal cords.
3. Have to say, I love a good manicure and pedicure.
4. I sometimes travel with an inversion table to do sit-ups and keep the blood rushing to my vocal cords.
5. I really enjoy the work I’m doing with APJ (Artists for Peace and Justice), which serves poor families in Haiti through educational, health care and arts programs.
6. I wear sunglasses almost every day. My favorites are the Louis Vuittons I wore in the “Lake by the Ocean” video.
7. I love pop-culture TV — I watch Game of Thrones and House of Cards.
8. I usually wear a suit to perform because I feel the music and audience deserve the respect of good attire.
9. I generally eat very healthy — almost vegan — but every now and then I gotta rock a good steak!
10. I love bike riding around New York City. It gives me a chance to clear my head.
11. When I’m asked to do commercial projects, I ask myself, “Is this something Marvin Gaye would do?”
12. I just discovered Mason Pearson hairbrushes and they are game changers.
13. I love older comedians, but I do love the younger generation, like Key and Peele.
14. My favorite drink is Hibiki or Yamazaki whiskey. The older, the better.
15. I still get nervous before performing.
16. I always have fresh orchids at home.
17. I’m a big fan of Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks.
18. I haven’t settled down yet, but I’m getting close. I haven’t found the right woman. Music is my mistress.
19. I would love a pet, like a great dog, but I am on the road, so I don’t feel right about getting one right now.
20. I recently got to spend time with one of my idols, Harry Belafonte.
21. My music is inspired by my life experiences, so I take time between doing music to experience life.
22. I collect art and appreciate and love its creative process.
23. Some of my latest kicks are from a French brand called Ami (the French word for friend). They’re pretty fly.
24. When I travel, I never leave without my Vocier supersmart luggage. Basically, I never need to worry about my stuff being creased.
25. My favorite thing about what I do is the people I get to do it with.
