When the Prince comparison is offered to him in this interview, he was flattered to hear it, and he agreed. That's because he's recently been altering his life performance style to have less choreographed moves and more spontaneity. Not that he isn't dancing anymore, but as he tells Radio.com, "There is an expectation for me to dance. But when I do it in a way where I feel like I'm lifted to do it, it feels better for the audience and for me." He uses the terms "connection" and "communicate" often when describing his ambitions for his performances, and he cites a few rock artists as influences. Indeed, after the interview officially ended, we chatted briefly about his performance with rock band the Afghan Whigs at last year's SXSW; we then informed him that the band was playing New York City later that week. He seemed unaware of that, but ended up showing up at their gig; perhaps it was another example of his newfound spontaneity.

During our interview, we spoke a lot about performing, as he is about to kick off his UR Experience tour his long-awaited upcoming album, his prot�g�e Justin Bieber and his upcoming role as Sugar Ray Leonard in Hands of Stone, the Roberto Duran biopic.

I know that discipline is a big thing for you. A lot of artists in the pop realm are concerned about being the biggest. I've always thought that you have always been dedicated to being the best.

Being the best at this point in my life is being committed to [performing]. There's no doubt about it: I don't have to prove anything. I've been doing this for twenty years, this will be my eighth album. I'm naturally a hard worker: anything I do, I go after it to be the best. To be as connected as much as possible. In the past, when working on videos, tours� I think there was a laser focus in getting the dance moves right and getting the choreography right, and the vocals. But after a few things have happened in my life, I realized that perfection is how you feel. It's being able to check in and out of your dance and performance, and having it be effortless; that's what makes it a performance incredible. Having a real connection with your audience. If you're so focused on your dance [moves] and being perfect, you can't be in the moment. There might be a moment between you and an audience member that you miss, because you didn't come out of the choreography. There's a time to dance, and there are times where I just ask my audience, "Hey, do you mind if I just dance for a minute," and I'll put my mic down. Or, I might pick up an instrument, I might play drums, I might just sing. I might just stand there! I might have a conversation. Make it conversational. That's where I am in terms of performance.

It's just about creating a balance. Because I'm so comfortable, and I've been dancing for so long, I don't have to prove to the audience that I can dance. I don't have to prove to the audience that I can sing! I just have to show up and have a great time and make it a moment to remember. I'm not coming out there to sell you a song. I've actually already performed [these songs] and they were hit records, so now we just have to enjoy it, together. If I feel like dancing, then I'm gonna dance. But that connection is so raw. That's why I wanted my UR Experience [tour] to be so loose� well, not "loose," but live. Raw. I wanted it to feel as if it's happening in the moment, every night. Yeah, sure, there will be some moments where we lock in, because there is some production associated with what we're doing, but it's really 70% a connection with my band.

It seems like you're hitting your "Prince moment." These days, he kind of does what he wants to do, when he wants to do it. He's a great guitarist, but he recently did a gig where he didn't play any guitar at all.

I am so happy that you chose to use Prince as an example because he is someone who has always had a very eclectic style. And while playing instruments might be more his thing and dancing is more my thing, there is an expectation for me to dance. But when I do it in a way where I feel like I'm lifted to do it, it feels better for the audience and for me. That's what being a performer for me is about for me now. I don't have anything to prove. I'm just going out an enjoying myself. It's performers like Bruce Springsteen and Bono that opened [my mind] up to a different style. The Dave Matthews Band. Or Empire of the Sun, looking at their huge theatrical movement going on, but yet they're connected to the audience. That's a different type of band. Jamiroquai - he's a great vocalist, but he also dances. It's cool, it's unique.