Lenny Kravitz is arguably the coolest man on Earth. In this exclusive Esquire Middle East interview, the legendary musician opens up about the intricate craft of songwriting, manifesting, and knowing exactly when to let go. Beyond his deeply personal creative process, where he plays all the instruments and meticulously shapes sounds by hand, Kravitz discusses his organic role as a brand ambassador for Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre. From trusting his refined instincts in the studio to embracing the unpredictable energy of a live audience, discover how this classic Gemini reveals an entirely new side of himself today.
ESQUIRE: You are the face of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso watch. There’s an easy parallel to draw considering you can flip over the face of a Reverso to reveal a different side of the same thing. Is the Lenny Kravitz that people see on stage the same guy that you see in the mirror every morning?
LENNY KRAVITZ: Yeah, it is, but it’s another part of the same person. I’m not putting on an act, but rather just dialling up different parts of my personality. Like you said, I’m flipping over the other side of the Reverso. It’s funny because I’m a classic Gemini, so it makes sense that the Reverso it totally my watch.
Where did the relationship with Jaeger-LeCoultre come from?
It was almost serendipitous. I collect watches, classic watches particularily, and I was actually looking to buy a vintage Reverso when the Jaeger-LeCoultre reached out to me and wanted to set up a meeting. We had such a wonderful time discussing designs, history and learning more about the Maison—and everything felt very organic. That’s very important to me. I don’t ever do things just for a business that I don’t believe in.
It’s like you manifested the collaboration into life.
Yeah. Exactly.
Do you believe in that? In the idea of manifesting…
Definitely, or at least I believe in opening yourself up to what God has in store for you, or whatever that may be. But, you know, I wasn’t concentrating on a future collaborative relationship with a watch brand, it was just a great coincidence as it was something that I was thinking about. The mind is a powerful thing—we don’t quite know how it works, but manifesting is good, especially when it is done positively.
Do you believe in chance?
I am more of a ‘fate’ guy. I believe that there’s a divine element to us, and it is our job to catch that moment. A lot of people are blessed with a gift or a situation in their lives, and there are lots of people who don’t recognize that opportunity and miss their moment. So, I believe it is important to be aware of what is going on around you.
You, more than most people, are an example of someone who recognized that you possessed a special talent, and continues to make something of it. Are you aware when you are in those moments, or is it more in hindsight?
Every time I do a project or an album, time gets kind of blurry. I’m just in it, and I’m reacting to being in the moment, and receiving inspiration. It’s normal to get caught up in it. I’m an artist that makes all the music by hand—I play all the instruments, I sing all the parts, I do the orchestrations and shape the sounds…
You are your own Maison, in a sense.
Exactly. You know, sometimes when an album is done, I listen back and say to myself, ‘How did I do that?’ because when you’re in it, you’re not thinking, you’re acting and responding, and being driven. So, in answer to your question, I think I tend to notice a ‘moment’ later on in reflection.
Which phrase do you better identify with: ‘Done is better than perfect’ or ‘Perfect is better than done’?
Probably the first one. Fortunately, I don’t work on schedules. I work on records and I turn them in when they are ready. I wait until I know it’s done, until my ears and my body tell me that it’s done—and that is a process. There is a lot of shaping and sculpting, and massaging and polishing and it goes on and on until I realise that it is finished.
Has that process become easier over time? Perhaps you’ve learnt to better trust your instincts.
Yes, it has become easier, although there are times when I’m working on something and I’ll be constantly wondering if it is any good, so I might put it away and come back to it a few months later and it might sound brilliant. Sometimes you need to let things breathe, or change up your head space or mood—it’s not an exact science, it’s all a process.
Say that you’re on a multi-date tour and you’re not feeling ‘it’ one night, do you have any rituals that help get yourself into performer mode?
I’ve learnt that it’s all about consistency. I try to keep myself centred and calm, and the best way I find to do that is to train—normally at the gym in the hotel beforehand—and then I will warm my voice up for a couple of hours.
I tend to get real quiet before the show. When I walk to the stage my heart rate is low and I am pretty chill, not letting the nerves take control. Then as soon as we hit the first chord, anything can happen.
That’s interesting. How much of a role does the audience play at one of your gigs?
For me concerts are the connection with the people, whereas the music is just the vehicle that brings the people together. So when I say anything can happen, I am very receptive to the audience’s energy, and they are part of driving the direction of the concert. I’m there to see them as much as they are there to see me—it’s my job to bring everyone together to feel the love, unity and humanity by the time we sing Let Love Rule at the end.
What I find fascinating is that so much of the creative process is you on your own. You write the songs, play the songs, produce the songs—and yet, when you get up on stage they turn into a dialogue. How do you react to that?
That is exactly it. In the studio you have total control —but on stage, no matter how well rehearsed you are, it’s partly out of your control. We recently played a concert in Mexico and in the middle of the first song, all the electricity went out! It took us an hour before we were able to get back on stage. Ultimately, you have to be nimble and ready to be able to flip this way or that way.