Amp Fiddler has been a fly on soul music's wall for far too long. Artists like Raphael Saadiq, Corrine Bailey Rae and Maxwell are just a few people that have been on the Doctor of Soul's talent roster. But Amp Fiddler just wants you to feel where he's coming from regardless of the musicians he has worked with.

Coming off of a European tour and working on his next album, Amp has walked the international music circuit and has challenged U.S. consumers with his latest single, "If I Don't" featuring Corrine Bailey Rae. While the song is creating quite a buzz in the States -- the video has received over 55,000 YouTube.com hits, and has puzzled many viewers with its concept -- the Detroit bred crooner says it's all just a small piece of the puzzle in his success.

BallerStatus.com: How was your tour?

Amp Fiddler: Oh it was wonderful. I always have a good time.

BallerStatus.com: It seems like your last album, Afro Strut, was very sensual, personal... and you connected with a time in your past. How is this next album going to be different?

Amp Fiddler: I'm not sure because I'm going to take some bends and turns, and I have a lot of songs to write, so I don't know where it's going to go yet. You know, at the beginning you're not really sure. For me I'm not always sure where I'm going to be going in the beginning. I'm trying some new things, and I'm just getting my head into some writing space, so it's going to take me a minute to know where I'm going. I know it's going to be fun.

BallerStatus.com: It seems like you're received more overseas. How do think you've gained so much attention overseas, and how do you think it weighs against your recognition in the U.S.?

Amp Fiddler: I think that the big difference is that there has been more energy [put] into promoting it overseas, than it has been in the U.S., and I think that I had a stronger team in Europe than in I had in the United States. And when you have a stronger team than in one place than the other, then it's imbalance... But I think it's going to be much bigger and better with the new team that I have with Afro Strut, and you're going to see quite a different type of an acceptance in America than you've ever seen before from me because of that. And I'm very happy about it.

BallerStatus.com: Do you think that this has changed your [musical] inspiration in any way?

Amp Fiddler: No. No, I don't think that it [has] ever changed my inspiration... You know what's exciting to me? It's kind of nice being underground, and it's nice building. And I've always been building my career, and it's nice when you see progress build as opposed to, you watch some people and they go straight up... But when you find something that's different and that's new, and everybody doesn't know about it, you feel special, don't you? And I think that's been happening with me a lot, and I think the building's a beautiful thing.

BallerStatus.com: That's very true. Actually, it seems like you've been an instrumentalist longer than you've been a vocalist.

Amp Fiddler: That's right.

BallerStatus.com: How do you think that has prepared you for where you're at now?

Amp Fiddler: (laughing) It's prepared me well as a writer, producer, keyboard player. But it wasn't so good being on stage from all of that experience. But it didn't take me long to get it. It was a rough road at first, you know, being a front man as opposed to being a keyboardist. It was a big transition for me to make at first, but I had a good time and that made it all fun. So I'm enjoying it.

BallerStatus.com: Do you think those experiences helped to shape your style of music, or do you think you of molded it once you branched off on your own?

Amp Fiddler: I think it's a combination of all. I think there is a lot of me in my music, and there are a lot of influences from my experiences involved in my music as well. And I think that when you're around people for years, you're going to get somewhat influenced. And I think that an individual like me, I also have my own style and what I love. So, it's like some songs that you hear on the record, you can tell there may be a little Parliament Funkadelic influence or something, and then there's some stuff that you're like "Damn, where is that from? That's some like, 1940s kind of sh--," and that other type of music that I really love. So I think that all of it's a combination of things. And it's good because I'm a product of my environment. I'm around some really talented people, so they influence me and I hope that I influence them as well.

BallerStatus.com: Speaking of being around talented people, your single ["If I Don't"] with Corrine Bailey Rae is making quite an impact internationally. Can you tell us about the concept behind the song and the video? Just so you can rest people's minds.

Amp Fiddler: I don't even know if I can even rest people's minds. It's just really out there. It's underwater boogie, in a sense, isn't it? It's like aqua boogie for real. So, I just think that it's just fun, and it's also weird and quirky.

The song is kind of 40s influenced, kind of Jazz influenced, and I kind of wrote it at the piano. And it's a style that I loved for a long time, and it's kind of a combination of funk and jazz, and it's really great to have had Corrine Bailey Rae on the record.

BallerStatus.com: Is there anything you'd like to add?

Amp Fiddler: I'm trying to do some new things, and I'm working with a few new people. Some guy with Basement Jack and I'm working with my boy Moodyman from here in Detroit. And I've got some other ideas up my sleeve that I'm trying to do. I want to constantly be creative and innovative and it's very hard in this industry, sometimes to do that. And I still feel like I've got work to do in order to try and do something different. And I try not to follow trends and styles, I'm trying to create something of myself... I really try hard to be innovative and be me.