"I can’t do without Michael Jackson songs.”

This was how international pop singer Billy Crawford described his latest album under Universal Records entitled “Groove.” Though he has launched his album weeks before the death of Michael Jackson, he has always been paying tribute to the King of Pop whenever possible in his shows by singing a number of Michael Jackson songs.

Billy, like a lot of popular and successful singers worldwide, was also influenced by Michael Jackson. And in “Groove” are two of his favorite Michael Jackson groove songs entitled “Rock with You” and “Human Nature” plus an acoustic version of the latter song.

Unlike his past albums “Ride,” “Big City” and “It’s Time,” “Groove” is a cover album. It can also be deemed as his tribute album to his musical influences and the music he grew up listening to.

“I think one of the reasons I did this was because I know Filipinos love revival songs. You also have to join the flock,” explained Billy.

He admitted though that he needed to be convinced to do a cover album because when he signed up with Universal Records that was one of his requirements – not doing a cover album!

“At first I was adamant not to do a cover album. But after they gave me the list of about 80 or more songs, I saw a lot of songs that I'd love to sing. So I told them if they would let me arrange the songs the way I like it, I’d do it. And they asked me to do a sample which was a Billy Crawford sound. So this album was the result of that,” he described the “Groove’s” process.

He added that since he was also recording a new album in the US, some of the songs in “Groove” were recorded abroad and some in the Philippines. It was also a creative collaboration among him, his friend Marcus Davis and Universal Records’ Ito Rapadas.

Though “Groove” was released even before his international album, Billy couldn’t contain his enthusiasm about “Groove.” One of the things that excited him about this project was Universal Records’ trust and faith in him as an artist.

“I always trust my Universal Records family and we really came up with an album repertoire that suited my kind of music… this album contains songs from singers I idolize like Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye and Earth Wind and Fire among others. These are songs that I’ve also sung when I was still a kid and was still with Kuya Germs’ ‘That’s Entertainment,’” smiled a nostalgic Billy.

Inside “Groove” are “Steal Away,” “Sexy Eyes,” “Mercy, Mercy Me,” “Let’s Groove,” “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love,” “Lovely Day,” “Never Let Her Slip Away,” “Someone,” “How Sweet It Is,” “One Last Cry” and bonus tracks like a Silverfilter Remix of “Steal Away.”

Billy also expressed that “Groove” encompasses songs with their own distinct tonal and emotional textures. The one and a half month that went into the making of “Groove” then was very challenging for Billy especially in interpreting each song his own way.

As he always says about challenges – it makes an artist’s career more fulfilling!

Also in “Groove” is his duet with girlfriend Nikki Gil entitled “You’ve Got a Friend.”

So why record a song about friendship rather than a song that would describe their love for each other?

“Well, it’s true that we’re also friends. We picked this song because no matter what happens, yes we’re in a relationship, I’m happy to say that I’m serious about it and I know she is still young. So we chose this song because no matter what happens you still have a friend. This is more meaningful because a lot of couples who separate nowadays don’t even stay as friends anymore. I think it comes across that it’s also never been done as a duet,” replied Billy.

At the moment, Billy Crawford has renewed his contract with ABS-CBN. His latest contract includes a movie and a TV series with Vhong Navarro, John Lloyd Cruz and Luis Manzano entitled “Kanto Boys.” In the works too is another “Kokey” series with the PDA Little Dreamers and Nikki Gil in the cast.