Maxi Priest’s first album in five years drops September

Declaring that "too much of anything is never a good thing", Grammy-nominated artiste Maxi Priest says that come next month, he will be blessing his fans with a brand-new compilation. The project, titled ' It All Comes Back To Love', will be the singer's first album in five years.

Noting that saturating the airwaves was never a goal for him, Maxi Priest told The STAR that each project he releases must be of a certain quality - and that takes time. "It's better to come and do something special than to continue releasing material that has no substance," he said. "All my albums have been memorable bodies of work, and this one will be no different. In order to produce the kind of work people have been accustomed to from me, I have to take time to do things right. So the album will be released at the end of next month, and it will be awesome."

UNFORGETTABLE

The 14-song compilation, set to be released by BMG Records, was produced by fellow entertainer and Grammy-winning artiste Shaggy. Maxi Priest said that working with Shaggy was unforgettable. "It's produced by Shaggy and his crew at the Ranch Entertainment, and we had an awesome time. Working with him just made it even more special. It's given it a purpose and a belonging and a home, and I guess it will be given even more life," he said.

While acknowledging that Shaggy has a "Grammy golden touch", Maxi Priest said that he was not necessarily eyeing music's most coveted award with this project. More than anything else, he wants the album to stand as a testimony to his longevity in music. "I don't think about anything when I release albums - no awards, no accolades, nothing. I just give thanks for life. At the end of the day, to be here in the business for so long, that, on its own, is a huge achievement. I am blessed to be doing what I love. This is my life. So long as I can maintain and keep going, what more can I ask for?" he expressed.

If nominated, though, the album would land Maxi Priest his third Grammy nomination. His last nomination was back in 1997 for his effort Man With the Fun. He has yet to receive a Grammy award.