By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

GRAMMY-winning artist Lenny Kravitz has credited the country’s essence and culture as the inspiration behind much of his career success.

He spoke fondly of The Bahamas during a recent AOL.com interview, and credited the archipelagic nation as the muse behind his 1998 mega-hit “Fly Away”.

The track, which is now featured prominently in an ‘Islands of The Bahamas’ tourism campaign, was created as an ode to childhood memories, Mr Kravitz said.

“All I can say it all comes from the heart,” he told AOL’s Gibson Johns. “It’s all real, and it’s all felt. People can identify with it, because it’s a song about escaping and going to this other world - this other place where things are different.”

A descendent of The Bahamas, Mr Kravitz said his many visits as child gave birth to his sense of freedom and self-expression, adding that his summers and winters in The Bahamas gave way to this “whole other world”.

“… I didn’t know anything like that existed… let alone that it was my heritage,” he said when asked directly about his connections to The Bahamas.

Recalling more of his childhood memories, Mr Kravitz reminisced about the time he spent a his cousin’s house in Nassau where he said his entire family would gather, cook and share meals; play music and dance.

“Bahamian know how to have a good time,” he said. “It’s simple fun.”

This reality, he said, has endured throughout his career, with the islands of The Bahamas providing “a place where I can decompress and start to feel myself again [after working].”

Mr Kravitz said The Bahamas has always been a source of pride and respect for him, noting the stark contrast between the concrete jungle mantra of New York and the “the freedom to go run out in nature” vibe offered by the islands.

This factor, he credited to the hospitality and true-nature of Bahamians.

When asked to elaborate, the celebrated musician said: “I have that same thing. In a family that hospitality and having the house be open was always happening, there was always food and room for somebody who didn’t have. Always.”

“The door was always open at my grandmother’s house feeding everybody and the kids on the block. It’s a very Bahamian trait, as it is in many places, so I am the host. I host a lot of people from all different walks of life, and I love it. I love to show people the beauty of The Bahamas,” he added.

After years of using his stardom to promote The Bahamas and specifically the island of Eleuthera, Mr Kravitz has now become globally synonymous with the island, its history and renowned beauty.

Discussing his typical routine while on Eleuthera, he said: “I wake up and a lot of times I jump on my bike first thing and I go for a hour-long bike ride: I go take a ride and clear my mind to begin the day. It’s almost like mediation.”

He continued: “I come back, pick some fruit, go to my garden and see what’s happening, get some food going. Go sit on the beach, go to the studio and make some music.”

“We meet with friends, too. Everyone in our town knows everybody. You go into town, sit on someone’s porch, have a drink and talk.

“You enjoy different places and having sunset in different places. It’s really about experiencing the place and the people and going around, but it’s very chill. I wear the same clothes every day, no shoes,” he added.

The “Fly Away” campaign was officially launched in February and features billboard and television spots across various American markets.