Fast & Furious: Deborah Cox goes green for LA Pride

Were you raised to think green?

We were never people that would waste anything, so growing up in Canada we were recycling way, way, way, way back. In the area that we lived in, we had three and four boxes -- plastics, paper, newspaper, the whole thing. It wasn't until I moved to L.A. that I realized that they were kind of behind the ball [laughs]. The building that we lived in, they weren't recycling.

How do you attempt to converse energy or remain earth conscious while you're making music?
Well, by doing 12- and 16-page booklets, we've really cut down on the amount of paper we've used for the CD booklets.

You've done a lot of Prides before, not necessarily green ones, but what keeps you coming back to them?
Oh, man -- just the energy of the people. I'm sort of summoned every Pride [laughs], but I'm really passionate about human rights issues, and [at Pride] everyone has one agenda. It's really exhilarating performing in front of a crowd that has just one agenda, and that's just to be dealt with in a human way -- a civil way. So, I try to be at as many Prides as I can, just to show my love and support for the crowd that has supported me for so many years as well.

Plus it's probably exciting seeing a sea of people flailing their hands up, singing "Absolutely Not."
It's a totally exhilarating experience. Thousands of people singing the words -- yeah, it's amazing. There's nothing like gay pride, really.

Any specifics moments from Pride that stand out to you?
I would have to say Australian Pride when I did Mardi Gras a few years ago in Sydney. "Absolutely Not" was the newest single at the time, and there were 20 drag queens all dressed in Chanel [laughs] and a huge Chanel bag on stage. The production of that Pride was just way over the top, but it was so amazing. And I came in on this moving riser, they were like, [sings] "Absolutely not!"

The Promise is currently out, but do you have any new projects in the works?
I'm actually getting ready to compile the music for a Christmas album that's probably going to be put out -- not this year, but probably next year. Also, [I'm] picking songs for the new album, getting ready to go back in the studio to record the new one.

A new contemporary R&B album?
Yeah. And another remix album!

Gee, you've got a lot going on.
Yes! [Laughs]

I'm not really sure what kind of relationship you have with Whitney Houston outside of your duet with her on "Same Script, Different Cast," but with her new album due out in September, do you think she can make a successful comeback?
Yeah, absolutely. The voice is the voice. There are still a lot of Whitney fans, including myself, that still love and adore her, so if she just continues to do those classic ballads that we all love for her to sing, and just stand in that fierce dress and deliver, she'll be great.

Deborah Cox will sign autographs during a meet-and-greet at 5-6 p.m. Saturday before her performance on the Main Stage. For more info on LA Pride, head here.

-- CHRIS AZZOPARDI

Previously > Zurich hosts EuroPride 2009