Will.i.am is busy. When he’s not writing hit songs like “OMG” for Usher, he’s looking for the next big pop star on The VoiceUK, or running his new AI company, FYI. So how exactly does he balance it all?
The Grammy Award–winning artist turned tech entrepreneur revealed to Fortune that he maxes out the 5-to-9 after the daily grind of his 9-to-5, and he advises Gen Zers to forget about work-life balance if they want to emulate his success.
“If you’re trying to build something that doesn’t exist, it’s about dream-reality balance,” he says. “Work-life balance means that you’re working for somebody else’s dream. You just have a job supporting somebody else’s dream, and you want to balance your work and your life.
“But if it’s dream-reality balance, then it’s not work. It’s a dream that you’re trying to put into reality, and you’re ignoring your current reality.”
For example, after working on his tech venture from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Will.i.am says that he goes back to work on his creative business until 9 p.m. But before his AI company was a reality, his day was flipped. He’d work on music first before dipping into his tech side hustle well into the evening.
It’s why he advises young people to reframe how they think of their time off work and their current 9-to-5 reality.
“I’m not really paying attention to this reality,” he explains. “I’m trying to bring that one [a new business venture or idea] here and focusing on how do I get people who believe in this dream to help me materialize it? So for that, you have to make some type of sacrifice to bring this thing that doesn’t exist here.
“From that perspective, work-life balance is not for the architects that are pulling visions into reality. Those words don’t compute to the mindset of the materializers.”
Will.i.am doesn’t even take time out for his birthday—and goes to work in China on Boxing Day
Of course, many young people already put in hours to their side hustles and personal development after work. Millions of Gen Zers and millennials are tuning into people’s 5-to-9 evening routines on TikTok.
But Will.i.am says chipping away at your dream when most people are off work extends to weekends, birthdays, and holidays.
“I didn’t party. I was always a square, meaning, ‘You work too much, man, let’s go out.’ Like what? Go out. I don’t want to go out. I just always worked,” the rapper says. “It’s your birthday what are you gonna do? Work. You ain’t gonna celebrate?”
The multimillionaire says he’s always saved the celebrating for the stage, where he can finally enjoy the fruits of his labor.
“There’s nothing that’s ever gonna feel that glorious than when you’re actually at a festival. But how do you get to headline a festival? You’ve got to work. My friends would go out and party, hanging out with chicks, doing drugs, drinking. I was just in the studio working, writing songs.”
To this day, he says that he hasn’t gone out and celebrated a birthday—including his most recent one, which was just last week on March 15.
“Like on Christmas for the past 12 years: I could celebrate Christmas with my family, and then on the 26th, I fly to China because that’s dream maker heaven. Anything you want to make is there.”
Will.i.am was speaking to Fortune in Rome for the rollout of Raidio.FYI radios in Mercedes-Benz cars.
Will.i.am’s daily work routine
7 a.m.: Will.i.am is not a part of the CEO-approved 5 a.m. club. Instead, he told Fortune he wakes up at around 7 a.m., and he sticks to this routine whether he’s living in L.A. or London.
8 a.m.: “I walk, do my calls, and get to work,” he says, with the aim to start work at 9 a.m.
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: “I get a lot done from nine to 12, do my little lunch, then back to work at one, finish at five, and that’s all my tech, like entrepreneurial activities.”
5 p.m. to 9 p.m.: “The night hours are creativity,” he says, adding that specifically between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. is when he gets the best ideas. “That’s the juicy bits, [when] I’m freaking soaking in emotion, to where I just rinse it out in the phone.”
9 p.m. onward: When Will.i.am was in his late twenties, he says going to sleep at 4 a.m. (and waking up at noon) was the norm. But now, at 50 and balancing both his tech and music ventures, he starts unwinding for bed after 9 p.m. and is asleep by 11 p.m.
A version of this story originally published on Fortune.com on March 23, 2025.
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“For me, that song, when I listened to it, it was so inspiring and it was so cool and it was so good,” Enrique Iglesias told will.i.am about the Black Eyed Peas’ 2003 debut single, “Where Is the Love?”
A guest on “will.i.am Presents the FYI Show” recorded live at the SiriusXM Miami Studios, Enrique said he still gets goosebumps thinking about that song and how he knew it was the “tipping point” for the group’s career similar to Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance.”
“I remember being at Interscope [Records] and begging to work with you in the studio,” Enrique added.
Enrique also talked about how he spent over a year writing his 2001 hit song “Hero,” but the label wanted a more uptempo lead single for the album — an experience will.i.am could relate to.
“I’ve been scarred, as far as like, you think, ‘This is it.’ You’ve been working on something for like two months, three months, and you’re like, ‘Okay, here it is.’ And you go in there, stressed. And then some people, like, then they give their opinion. Then they’re like, ‘Why don’t you go and change this or change that?’” will.i.am said. “And you’re like, ‘Do I have to butcher…? I’ve been working on this for so long.’”
While will.i.am said the experience gave him thicker skin, Enrique said it also made his blood boil.
“I’ve just been working on this [song] for six months, for some guy to say, ‘Hey, I think the high hat should be a little bit louder, and maybe you should put some strings on it’ … ‘Oh, and it needs a cowbell. If you put a cowbell on it, it’s gonna be a hit.’ You know?” Enrique vented.
“Hero” went on to become one of the best-selling singles of all time, staying on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 34 weeks and peaking at No. 3.
“will.i.am Presents the FYI Show” is co-hosted by will.i.am and the first ever AI co-host on the SiriusXM platform, FYIona. Each week the show takes listeners on a deep dive into the intersection of pop culture, music, entertainment, world news, and technology, featuring thought-provoking conversations, hilarious games, the hottest new music, and interviews with the brightest stars making culture happen today.
FYI, will.i.am will launch a new SiriusXM show, will.i.am Presents the FYI Show, in January 2024. The multi-GRAMMY Award winner and Futurist will host the series on SiriusXM’s The 10s Spot (Ch. 11).
What You’ll Hear
will.i.am Presents the FYI Show will be a unique exploration at the crossroads of pop culture, music, entertainment, world news, and technology. Expect engaging conversations, humorous games, the latest music releases, and interviews with prominent figures shaping contemporary culture.
“The FYI Show is a celebration of creators, innovators, and their dreams,” will.i.am said.
The show’s focus on AI innovation and AI-powered interactive projects will provide listeners with a deep dive into the world of artificial intelligence. Showcasing the latest advancements in AI, it will create a space for thought-provoking discussions and a closer look at the intersection of creativity and technology.
A special preview of the show, which will air in January, was recently recorded with will.i.am in front of a live audience at the SiriusXM Miami studios, offering subscribers a glimpse into the exciting content that awaits them.
How to Listen
will.i.am Presents the FYI Show airs on The 10s Spot (Ch. 11) on the SiriusXM app and car radios.
About will.i.am
will.i.am is a global music artist, producer, television and podcast host, tech entrepreneur/investor, Futurist, and philanthropist. He has seven GRAMMY Awards, a Latin GRAMMY Award, an Emmy Award, and a CLIO Award. He is also a TIME 100 Impact Award winner, the recipient of the James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award, an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET, UK), and a World Economic Forum Crystal Award winner.
In 2018, Neptune teamed up with Post Malone for the single “You.” It put him on the musical map, and laid the path for future releases. This led to a series of singles including “Fallen Angel,” “Strawberry Lemonade” and “Wyoming.” Like his mentor Posty, Neptune shifts between heartfelt pop and melodic hip-hop. He prefers hazy, light night beats mixed with passionate vocals–a sound that’s allowed him to stand out and earn fans like will.i.am.
With his latest single “Monochrome,” the 18-year-old moves forward with a powerful pop ballad. The music video, featuring stunning cinematography, has proved to be popular with fans, racking up nearly half a million views in two weeks.
We recently talked to Neptune about the making of “Monochrome,” working with Post Malone, and the evolution of his music.
Tell me about your latest single “Monochrome.” What was the production and songwriting process?
The production for “Monochrome” went fast; we were given the beat, but it was just lacking vocals and lyrics. By far, the writing part took the longest. It was a challenge to find the right tone without being too overbearing. Ultimately, I’m proud of what came of the time spent.
In terms of production, you gravitate towards darker sounds. What influenced that?
A big chunk of my music was made at a point in time where I was moody, so a lot of that emotion influenced the finished track and lyrics, since I usually go off whatever I’m feeling that day.
How involved are you in your visuals?
I play a significant role. While I might not always come up with the initial concept, I actively collaborate with the team to see what works best with the given track.
What did you learn from Post Malone while working on “You?”
Working with Post Malone and other artists taught me that collaborations can be spur of the moment and fast-paced. Sometimes, everything just naturally falls into place.
For one of the shots, I had to sing the chorus while in this big group of people and just getting the worst stage fright. I felt so nervous being the center of attention. To be honest, sometimes I still get that anxiety of looking like a dummy, but I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable performing, having been in so many shoots now.
Neptune – Monochrome (Official Music Video)
When did you first start making music? Do you remember the first song you wrote?
I started singing and recording music around 8 and started making original songs at 10. The first song I actually wrote was “Outcast.” While I had help from my team, it was my first song where I was the one putting words down.
Vocally, who do you look up to?
There are many talented artists, but Post Malone and The Weeknd stand out for their expansive ranges. Sometimes I try to sing Posty’s songs to see if I’ve vocally gotten close to his level but every drop, he always expands his range further and further. Bruno Mars is in there somewhere too; the list just goes on and on.
If you could be a musician in a different era, which one would you choose?
I’d choose the ’80s or ’90s. The music was so cool and to this day holds up. Plus, I can rock a mullet.
What have you been listening to lately?
My music library is super cluttered. It can range from recent albums to game soundtracks all the way to a jazz fusion album from the ’80s.
For those who were worried that the 2000s might never come back authentically (instead having to settle for ersatz imitations like the makeup aesthetic on Euphoria), Britney Spears, the decade’s foremost representative, has decided to return with non-remake music (no shade at “Hold Me Closer”). Though, depending on who you ask, it’s some “fake version” of her still being controlled by members of her family and/or her new husband, Sam Asghari (or maybe even her gay bestie du moment, Cade Hudson). In short, that she hasn’t “returned” at all. Worse still, that the vocals on “Mind Your Business” are recycled from what Myah Marie, a singer who recorded many of the demos on 2013’s Britney Jean (which will.i.am executive produced), already did.
And yes, 2013 was the last time Spears and will.i.am collaborated via “It Should Be Easy,” another EDM-centric ditty for Britney Jean that was released as the final single. However, “Big Fat Bass,” from 2011’s Femme Fatale, was not. Perhaps because both Brit and Will knew they would have something better to offer in their 2012 collaboration, “Scream & Shout” (from which “Mind Your Business” takes many sonic cues). A song wherein Britney repurposes (most of) her immortal 2007 line, “It’s Britney, bitch.” This hailing from “Gimme More,” the lead single on her fifth album, Blackout. The one her then-paparazzo boyfriend, Adnan Ghalib, says she wrote portions of on a Starbucks napkin (“iconic,” as Paris Hilton would remark). And it was “Piece of Me” that came after “Gimme More,” both songs exuding a tongue-in-cheek irreverence that showcased just how little Spears could bother to give a shit about her public image anymore. One that had been tarnished and tainted into oblivion by that point already anyway. After all, the head-shaving incident had occurred in February ‘07, along with her lip-syncing flop of a VMA performance in September, making “Piece of Me” an ideal track to unleash later that year in November.
It is the spirit and sound of “Mind Your Business” that echoes, once more, Spears’ “fuck you” defiance on “Piece of Me.” And yet, at the same time, it has to be said that the frozen in time quality of Spears’ sound on “Mind Your Business” makes one wonder if she is truly still “relevant” or simply catering to what longtime fans continue to want from her. We won’t use the term “cashing in,” for that’s a bit too crass in this case. Britney, after all, has been given the tacit sanction to cash in all she wants after being exploited for so many years. But, in all those years of being “handled,” forced to do things without being allowed to put in much creative input of her own, did she become trapped in the age she was effectively enslaved at (twenty-six) and in (2008)? Is that, in the end, what “Mind Your Business” embodies about Spears returning to the music business as a free agent?
It was Taylor Swift who once said, “There’s this thing people say about celebrities, that they’re frozen at the age they got famous.” In Spears’ scenario, not only does that hold true (based on her perpetually childlike nature), but it also applies to the age she got frozen at before losing her agency. The age she last recognized herself as, well herself. Not to mention one of the last instances where she had more control over the music she released (even if it wasn’t enough control to get Original Doll out there). So it’s only natural to want to return to that state (as natural as Britney wanting to revert to being twelve years old on her forty-first birthday). “Mind Your Business,” for precisely that reason, sounds like it could be straight outta 2007 far more than it sounds like “fresh content.” The same goes for the puzzling cover art, which makes some of the half-assed PicsArt offerings Lana Del Rey has been known to “create” look positively effort-laden. Where “Mind Your Business” is concerned, the image for the single is confirmed to feature a photo of Spears (or at least her face) from 2003 taken by Mark Liddell (from the same photoshoot Spears favors using an image from for her Instagram profile). Which, again, speaks to all the ways that everything about this single seems to want to freeze Spears in that decade. A freezing that appears to be of her own making.
And, as alluded to before, it might not technically even be “fresh content,” with the possibility that it was first “generated” in the Britney Jean era and “laid down” by Myah Marie. A woman, incidentally, who once uploaded a parody of “Piece of Me” called “Don’t Take the Kids From Me.” Removed at some point after it was initially posted in 2011, the purported lyrics doing a sendup of Spears’ original song include, “I was miss preteen wet dream when I was seventeen/I lip-sang and pretended to sing/Got breast implants and a wedding ring/Then I flashed all my privates, they put pictures in the magazines/Don’t take the kids from me, don’t take the kids from me.” Then there was also the verse, “I started hittin’ the bottle/Lost all the titles of role model/Hitched in Vegas, forgot it/Did all the things that I wanted/And with a kid in the car/Don’t need a seat belt for protection/Don’t take the kids from me.” For a parody that came out in 2011, it has all the crisp mean-spiritedness that was plaguing Spears in ‘07-‘08. A time that would have also prompted Spears to repeat, “Mind your B, mind your B, mind your B” (the “B” obviously playing on the first initial of her infamous name—so infamous, in fact, that she often gets the “icon treatment” of being referred to by the mononym of “Britney”).
To that point, as Spears enters a new decade as a liberated woman, “Mind Your Business” feels decidedly “old hat” (though she did have some fire flat caps and fedoras in the 00s). By the same token, everything about it is “giving the people what they want”: 2000s hauntology. Although no one really wants something truly “new” from Spears, her uncanny ability to deliver the same themes and sounds from the 00s doesn’t quite work as well within the context of now, an era when, sure, she’s still occasionally “stalked” by paparazzi, but nowhere near the swarming level that was happening to her in 2007. To boot, those magazines that could once make so much coin off tracking her movements are no longer selling the way they used to. And websites like TMZ and Perez Hilton certainly have nothing close to their 00s-level influence. So, who then, is “Mind Your Business” really speaking to? Other than a need to dust off the time period in which Spears can last recall herself at her “best.” Or maybe she’s redirecting some of her ire toward the comments section (which she’s turned off at this point), where trolls abound in innovatively hateful ways.
And so it is that “Piece of Me” lyrics like, “Don’t matter if I step on the scene/Or sneak away to the Philippines/They still gon’ put pictures of my derrière in the magazine/You want a piece of me?/You want a piece of me” transmogrify into “Mind Your Business” lyrics like, “Uptown, downtown, everywhere I turn around/Hollywood, London, snap-snap is the sound/Paparazzi shot me, I am the economy [the “Britney economy” being the name of the entire career that cropped up out of documenting her in the aughts]/Follow me, follow me, follow me/Follow, follow me.” That last line having new meaning in the social media epoch.
Of course, a song like “Mind Your Business” exemplifies the great dichotomy of fame. Of how, on the one hand, a celebrity craves the kind of attention that secures them millions (or even billions of dollars), yet on the other, they just want to be treated like a “regular person.” A.k.a. have the financial/influence-related benefits of fame, along with anonymity and privacy in their “off” hours. Alas, being famous is a 24/7 occupation (but at least the pay grade somewhat matches that grueling schedule more accordingly than it does for others).
Britney once likened her life to a “Circus” and having all eyes on her in the center of the ring. To some extent, that’s made her world-weary. To another, it’s part of the “I’m paid attention to, therefore I am” mentality that many celebrities can’t ever shake once they find their fame. And, talking of circuses, the intro to “Mind Your Business” has a very circus-y, zany type of sound—with a sinister undertone that the Joker could probably get on board with. For that’s what belies the “glitz” and “glamor” of fame: a seedy, nightmarish underbelly. It then concludes with a choir-y repetition of “mind your B.” This after the final verse delivered by Spears that somewhat unfortunately echoes another 00s song, Baha Men’s “Who Let the Dogs Out?” Namely, when Spears, likely referring to her current coterie of canines, warns, “If they don’t get up out my face, then send the dogs out (woof)/Five seconds and then the dogs come out (woof)/You know what happens when the dogs come out/None of your business-ness.” The playful nonsensicality of it harkens back to Spears’ tone on “Work Bitch” (among the few standout tracks from Britney Jean) when she says, “I bring the treble, don’t mean to trouble ya/I make it bubble up, call me the bubbler/I am the bad bitch, the bitch that you’re lovin’ up.”
Elsewhere, it’s not as though will.i.am’s lyrics do much to update the sound of the song either, with Big Brother-y nods like, “They watchin’ me, they watchin’ ya/They got eyes up in the sky/So pose for that camera” channeling Snoop Dogg and Justin Timberlake’s 2005 single, “Signs,” on which the former raps, “Now you stepping wit a G, from Los Angeles/Where the helicopters got cameras/Just to get a glimpse of our Chucks/And our khakis and our bouncer cars.” Much as they tried to get a glimpse of Britney doing just about anything banal (usually leaving Starbucks)…circa the 00s.
In the present, Spears still refers to unflattering paparazzi photos she sees of herself (though it’s hard to say where), as though despising, more than anything, not being able to sustain the image she has of herself as that twenty-two-year-old from 2003 (hence, the picture chosen for the “Mind Your Business” cover art). Madonna, too, has a similar problem, but in contrast to Britney’s idol, there seems, here, to be a lack of any attempt at reinvention (both image-wise and in terms of experimenting with a different sound), so much as a leaning further into the decade that made her an icon in the first place. Because maybe, in the end, the early and mid-aughts are the last time she can remember, like so many of us, feeling any sense of “normalcy.” For, as skewed as her (and humanity’s) “normal” was back then, it’s undoubtedly even more oblique now.
