The Source Magazine was on the red carpet for Alicia Keys’ 10th Annual Black Ball at Hammerstein Ballroom. We spoke with songwriter Claude Kelly, who collaborated with Alicia Keys on a special song for the charity. Kelly has written several hits including Miley Cyrus’ smash, “Party in the U.S.A.” We asked Kelly his  opinion of Miley’s new album “Bangerz” and asked him to share an important mentor in his career.

What projects are you working on these days?

I am working on a bunch of stuff, I am doing some rock, some R&B, some pop. I’m doing Jessie J., Ledisi, Chris Daughtry, Tamia, Kelly Clarkson is coming next year hopefully, I’m all over the place, I’m keeping busy.

What do you love about Jessie J? 

Her voice, I don’t think there has been a singer with that much range since the Celine’s, Mariah’s, Whitney Houston’s and she’s really singing her ass off this time, so I think it’s time for the return of the vocal diva – Obviously, there’s Beyonce, so I shouldn’t exclude her, she’s the best – but Jessie’s a singer singer!

You wrote one of Miley Cyrus’ biggest hits “Party in the USA,” what do you think of her new album?

I dig it, I’m all for edginess and boldness and speaking your mind, I think she’s doing her thing, I think she’s having a good time, I think she knows what she’s doing and I think she’s going to be here for a long time, so I wish people would lighten up a little bit because it’s not the first time we’ve seen this, Britney’s done it, Madonna’s done it, Cher has done it, but she is good, she is the bomb.

What was it like working with her in the studio on the “Party in the U.S.A.,” project?

She was much younger but I’ll tell you what, that little firecracker you see now, that was there, who she is as a person that very bold in your face that’s Miley, you got to say it that’s Miley, that’s her.

Who is an important mentor in your career?

For someone so big and may she rest in peace I had the great pleasure of working with Whitney Houston on her last album and for someone that big they usually don’t have to champion for you and give you advice. Why should she? But she was beyond supportive she was encouraging of me, I was very very new and no one knew who I was, but she told me you’re going to be big one day, every time saw after we did her album and I had all these hits with Britney Spears and Miley, she’d say, “Baby, come here, come here, comer here,” and she’d pull me aside  and she said, “I told you you were going to do well,” and that sticks with me because when people do things they don’t have to do it means more…we worked together on three songs on the album so we spent a considerable amount of time together.