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SINGAPORE : Singer Jason Mraz is a happy man. Some people would think it's digusting just how happy and positive he is about being who he is. He doesn't let a thing - not even being unable to eat breakfast because he has to do an interview with this reporter.
"The tour's great!" he said happily over the phone from Denmark. "Every day is a special day. I'm genuinely happy and grateful constantly, and some people just don't get it."
The American folk-pop singer is on the European leg of his world tour - he heads here for Singfest in 35 days' time to promote his latest album, "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things". It's a title which, apparently, is an appropriate description of the tour so far.
"There's a lot of singing, a lot of dancing and a lot of stealing things," he deadpanned. "I love taking silverware and towels from my hotel room because I need those things!"
Yes, it's that kind of a day with Mraz. "Every day, you're in a new city and you have to learn how that city works," said the 31-year-old, who tries to be as environmentally friendly as possible, to the point of skateboarding across town instead of hailing a taxi. "But in Europe, it's cobblestone streets, so it's not helping," he said with a sigh.
The vegetarian also makes his own meals. "I make my own lunch. Every day, I whip out the big knife to chop vegetables." That kitchen knife was the subject of much discussion recently when Mraz posted a picture on his MySpace blog of himself in his underwear, in his hotel room and brandishing his favourite cutting tool. "I thought it was a really powerful way to prove a point about raw food and health food, and be ridiculous at the same time!" he explained.
He's startled a few chambermaids who've ignored his "Do Not Disturb" sign. "I just say, 'I'm busy', and stand there with the knife and they're like, 'Oh my gosh, bye!'"
"It happened to me with a few fans the other day as well! I was getting my kitchen stuff from under the bus and fans had started to crowd around. I was like, 'Just give me a few minutes', but they started crowding closer. So I pulled out the knife and said: 'I need a few minutes, please!' That did it!"
Ah yes, you never know what you're going to get with Jason Mraz.
Even he doesn't know what will happen at each show, although he said the Singfest show will be different from his 2006 performance here. "I'm bringing the full band this time, even the horn section. But we'll be breaking it down for acoustic moments. It's going to be a really fun show."
"I'm a giver," he said. "To me, life isn't worth sh*t if you're not sharing the fun you're having.
"I don't separate the performer and the person. When I'm with the world, I'm freestylin' ... just like how I do onstage. And when I'm onstage, I try to be myself, the same guy offstage."
Have fun with Jason Mraz at Singfest on August 3. Visit www.singfest.sg for more details. - TODAY/fa
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