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Eric Bellinger Says Upcoming Usher Album Has "Whole New Sound"

Eric Bellinger gives BET.com the inside scoop on Usher's next LP, preps his own project.

You may not know the name Eric Bellinger, but you're most likely familiar with his music. As a renowned songwriter, he recently crafted, Usher's next potential single "Let Me See" and Jennifer Hudson's "Think Like a Man." But now Bellinger is making the transition from pen to the mic with his new mixtape series Born II Sing. The second installment features the seductively tongue-in-cheek Dr. Seuss-inspired steamer "Green Eggs & Ham," which shows off not only Bellinger's warm, inviting voice, but also the songwriting — smart, funny and sexy at the same time — that helped him get his foot in the door.

 

But even with his singing career just taking off, Bellinger hasn't forgotten about his bread and butter. In an exclusive interview with BET.com, he revealed he's looking forward to hearing the response for "Let Me See."  "I'm definitely excited about [it]," he says of the song, which is slated to drop within days. "Rick Ross is featured on there; Jim Jonsin produced it. It’s really going to live in the clubs for a long time." 

 

With his songwriting "Let Me See" leading the way, Bellinger is ecstatic about Usher's new album, Looking for Myself, which is scheduled for a June 12 release. "With this next album, he’s about to change everybody's perspective on music," he says. "Honestly, [he's] birthing a whole new sound. The Usher that everyone loves is coming back, [but] it’s like he’s hungrier than ever. From concepts to his vocals to the performance, each song is a movie in itself. You definitely have a lot to look forward to." 

 

Bellinger said that he and Usher have amazing chemistry, noting that he's been a huge fan and student of the superstar's music for years. "From the first day we actually worked, it’s just been incredible," Bellinger said. "I don’t know how we hit it off so well. I’ve been looking at him as a R&B singer and studying his music for so long that I was already in his world when it came to melody, and I already had put my mindset where he would come [in terms of] different tones and adlibs and concepts. It was easier for us to be on the same page because I’ve been studying him for so long… I’m sure he appreciated it and was able to see it instantly."

 

Usher's comeback couldn't have come at a better time for Bellinger, who's hoping that his own rising fame as a hit songwriter will help him take his own singing career to the charts. "I honestly want to be the voice for the masses," he says. "I want to sing from a place that everybody can relate [to]. I want to do videos that everybody can relate with. I just want to be the voice of the people and sing about concepts and topics that everybody can relate to. I’ve studied people like Boyz II Men and Jodeci, and those are the type of vocals that I’m trying to bring back."

 

A lofty goal for any aspiring star-to-be, but with "Green Eggs & Ham," Bellinger's not off to a bad start.

 

BET.com is your #1 source for Black celebrity news, photos, exclusive videos and all the latest in the world of hip hop and R&B music.

 

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(Photo: Kenneth Wynn Photography)

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