Michael Jackson's forthcoming studio album

Michael Jackson is currently working on a New Studio Album. It's been in production since March of 2006 with Jackson having written songs since 2003. The as yet untitled project has been recorded in Westmeath, Ireland and Las Vegas by Jackson and executive producers William "will.i.am" Adams of The Black Eyed PEAS, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Teddy Riley, Ron "Neff-U" Feemster, and many others.

will.i.am has described the upcoming album as an Off the Wall for today's generation. Some of the work in ProgresS includes up-tempo, dance-floor ready tunes and 'great melodies'. Insiders on the project are describing the tracks as 'perfect pop songs'.

It was expected to be released in late 2007, however on the 17th of September 2007 Will.I.Am confirmed in an interview with Polish website INTERIA.PL that it will be in 2008, and that it's not Jackson's 'comeback album', because Michael never was finished and his music is played all around the world in every club.

On the 22nd of September 2007, Jackson checked in to the Clinton Recording Studio in New York City to work on more tracks with will.i.am.

Recording

Jackson commenced work on the album in May of 2006 in Bahrain. In the autumn of 2006 he moved to Grouse Lodge recording studio in Ireland where will.i.am met up with him.

When first starting this project, Jackson said in April of 2006: "I am very excited AbOUT my new venture and I am enjoying being back in the studio making music".

will.i.am told journalists at the Cannes MidemNet conference in January of 2007: "Michael Jackson is working day and night on this great, great record. I heard and see him in the studio and he is creating a masterpiece. A lot of people in the industry are involved or want to be involved. From producers to marketing people. Before the year is over Michael Jackson is back on top of the charts".

In October of 2006 Access Hollywood travelled to Grouse Lodge, which they described as a classic old Irish estate ouside Dublin; a stone manor built with a state of the art recording studio to conduct an informal interview with Jackson and will.i.am. When presenter Billy Bush questioned the entertainer if this was him deciding to get back in to making music, he insisted that he had never stopped. When they discussed the music, Jackson explained that he likes to take sounds and put them under "the microscope" to (somewhat) manipulate their character. He also indicated that this music was something completely new that no one has ever done before. Jackson seemed intrigued with Bush's enigmatic suggestion - that The New production be a sequel to his 1982 magnum opus - Thriller.

In January of 2007, Jackson relocated to "The Studio" at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas so that meeting up with collaborators would be less strenuous. Since then, despite taking many trips to Japan and London, it is believed he has recorded over 100 songs for the project. In making his last album Invincible, more than 100 songs were recorded, with 20-30 short listed. will.i.am recently stated in a Times Online interview "Having 12 songs on a record? That day is done" and expressed an interest in compiling over a hundred songs for *his* next studio album Songs About Girls. [Ultimately, only around 15 appeared.]

Various Proposals and Productions

"He hasn't made up his mind about whether a Vegas show is in the cards for him," stated his rep, Raymone Bain. "He's been in the studio since November 2006 working on his music. He's been presented with various proposals. A Vegas show isn't a priority". "He's in Las Vegas now. He's pretty grounded in Vegas. It's very convenient for producers and songwriters to get to him. He's worked there before. He's been recording with producers Rodney Jerkins, will.i.am and Neff-U".

Collaborations

In the last four months of 2006, Jackson worked at the Grouse Lodge recording studio in Ireland. During that time, he worked with will.i.am, Rodney Jerkins (who worked with Jackson on his Invincible album), Neff-U (who has worked with Ne-Yo, Eminem and 50 Cent) and Charles "Big Chuck" Stanton. Big Chuck is the uncle of Neff-U and has been quoted as saying the following about Jackson's upcoming album:

"[Michael is] ready to take over the world. He's got some hot records. Will.I.Am did one, Teddy Riley [did one]. We're giving Michael a lot of edgy street records. He's putting melodies to some hard party records."

will.i.am

Jackson has enlisted Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am as a music producer for the album. They appeared together in an Access Hollywood interview conducted in October of 2006. At that time, they had not yet completed any music, but were still experimenting with different sounds and styles. However, a Rolling Stone magazine article published in February of 2007 stated that the pair had drafted eight new songs and physically tracked one, titled "I'm Dreamin'".

will.i.am told Billboard magazine that he is involved in more than just the MusicAL aspect of Jackson's New album. He is also discussing with the artist how new technologies might be utilized to his advantage (as suggested by Access Hollywood's Billy Bush), particularly social networking websites and downloading outlets.

In an August 2007 interview with Times Online, will.i.am was quoted as saying, "[Jackson's] voice is still INCredible. It’s not about crazy beats that are going be here today and gone tomorrow, but melodies that will stay for a lifetime."

On the 13th of August 2007, will.i.am told reporters at a Black Eyed Peas press conference in South Korea that another track he recorded with Jackson is titled "The Future".

On the 23rd of August 2007, will.i.am revealed on the Los Angeles radio station KIIS-FM that he's only recorded two songs with Jackson, both of a "feel good" nature - unrelated to the singer's life. He also stated they're to work on two further tracks in November.

September 13th 2007: will.i.am mentions in a Swedish interview, that he and Michael have recorded three songs together, and personally appears as a duet/featuring artist on one. He also expressed hope for the first single to be released in 2008.

Ne-Yo

R&B singer Ne-Yo is currently working on Jackson's album, and says he's well aware of the pitfalls that may come with the job. Also:

"I'm not trying to top Thriller. Anybody trying to top something that's already been done is fighting a losing battle". "It was a different industry back then, a different way of thinking and people were easier to impress. Everything in music has been done now, so Michael needs to find his place again".

Akon

It has been confirmed that MJ has been working with R&B star Akon. Akon stated of Jackson:

He's a genius. Just to be in the same room [with him], I felt everything I wanted to accomplish in life has been achieved. That aura ... that's how incredible that aura is. We about to shake the world up, man. You know how you be with somebody and you can't even explain [the feeling]? I used to sit and think, 'How does somebody sell so many records and dominate a whole business genre, to a point [where] nobody can't be a part of that without associating with you?' The way he thinks ... some artists think regional, some think national, I was thinking international. He thinks planets. It's on another level."

Kanye West

In October 2007, Kanye West stated that he's been working on some material with Michael Jackson.

Rumored & Unconfirmed Collaborators

In a recent interview with music website SOHH, relatively unknown producer Syience talks about working on music for the King of Pop's latest project.

"I'm actually working on music for him now," he said. "I always wanted to be a part of anything he ever did. Nobody really knows what Michael Jackson is going to do. Even the biggest producers and writers are not sure what's going to happen with that, but we are all sitting back and still creating and trying to get on the project. They asked me to work on the project so we're working on it."

Another R&B artist that Jackson might be working with is Chris Brown. Brown performed a tribute to Jackson at the World Music Awards 2006. At that time he revealed to Billboard magazine, having been in talks with Jackson to participate in the new album.

Producer Sean Garrett has also attached his name to the album. E! revealed that Jackson's new album is on his long list of current and future music projects.

Album Release

Although Jackson's camp have kept quiet about any information, something special is expected to mark its release.

will.i.am has said he'd personally like the release online through social network sites, instead of a traditional store-based CD. In September of 2006, will.i.am became head of marketing for online music distribution company Musicane. It's unknown whether the upcoming album will be available on popular online music sites such as iTunes or Amazon. Akon believes Jackson may self-release the album, saying:

"It's Mike, and he can. He don't really need a label to distribute."

In November of 2006, Access Hollywood followed Jackson to London (UK) for his stage appearance at the annual World Music Awards. Presenter Billy Bush spoke to fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, who explained that Jackson had contacted him to design his clothes for the World Music Awards and further events.