Andre talks music

Expect a solo album from Andre 3000 and new Outkast in 2009

18 September 2008 - At the fashion showcase of his new Ben Bixby line of clothing Andre 3000 revealed his plans to bring out a new solo album at the start of 2009.

Our 6 Music reporter collared him at Harrods last night (17 September) and the singer wouldn't go on tape, but did talk off the record about his upcoming plans.

Speaking exclusively to 6 Music's Rodrigo Davies, amid some rather old fashioned tailoring, he said there'll be a new solo album at the beginning of next year, and that it'll sound "heavy."

He added that there's also more Outkast material to come in 2009.

So there's no sign that Andre's getting too distracted by fashion right now.

"I remember him in all his videos and stuff, it's definitely like he's taken that kind of theatre and turned it into his collections."

As for what some of the fans made of the exuberant Outkast frontman's dabble into the world of fashion, one female fashionista said: "It's quite tongue in cheek a lot of what him and his band do and I think that maybe that's reflected a little bit in the clothing as well.

"He's quite cool and urban and I think that the collection is a bit more preppy and a little bit more Americana, more tailored that we would have expected, but it still has quite a cool edge."

And one gentleman at the launch told 6 Music what he thought: "I remember him in all his videos and stuff, it's definitely like he's taken that kind of theatre and turned it into his collections.

"It's kind of old world but its got a few modern quirks to it - so it's very old, manor house, shooting with the trousers tucked into the knee."

Georgie Rogers