Why do the Texan innovator’s records take so long to make? ‘It’s important to gather the data,’ she says: the death, dating and dopamine behind her exquisite comeback alongside the Alchemist

Erykah Badu needs the lights down low. The singer, producer, actor and registered doula shuffles into a private room at London’s Soho hotel and quietly asks for some changes to the atmosphere: lights dimmed, soft seat. A green juice would be great.

As it turns out, Badu was out last night with Dave Chappelle, sitting with the comedian at a grand piano and playing songs into the wee hours. She looks mischievous when she thinks about the impromptu party, but declines to go into detail about what, exactly, went on. Instead, the 55-year-old smiles at me, eyes wide, her gold teeth glinting in the low light: “Oh yes,” she says slowly and quietly, like some kind of mysterious warlock. “It was a late one …”

Ahead of a new EP, the creative polymath answers your questions on Thom Yorke, Kendrick Lamar and how a sci-fi epic ate up his whole life

You have to produce an album for one rapper, no guest spots, just you and them in the studio. Who are you picking? ShermanMLight
Kendrick Lamar. He’s one of the few people I’ve worked with in the hip-hop world who is an actual genius. He doesn’t get enough credit for being a producer as well – because he has such a clear perspective on what he wants in his music, he knows where every sound is supposed to be. Not every artist has that approach – most are more hands off. Working closely with Kendrick would make me a better producer. That would be a great meeting of the minds, as it was when we did our couple of tracks together.

How was the experience of working with the great, late David Lynch [on the track Fire is Coming]? Stephenw1979
A dream come true – someone who inspired my whole artistic path. He was exactly who I hoped he would be. I got to go over to his studio and hang a couple times, and it was really special. And he never seemed to get old. Twin Peaks: The Return was one of his best works, and it was the last thing he did.