Jesse McCartney Will Wait Out Shock Before “Departure” Tour

Jesse McCartney tells us he won’t be departing on tour in support of his forthcoming “Departure” album until at least fall. The 20-year-old heartthrob is unveiling a new, more grownup sound — and image — on the album as evidence for its first singe/video, “Leavin’.” “There’s a certain shock value to it. I went through what I call musical puberty,” he says of his urban pop stylings. “It’s for an older audience than the Disney crowd. We want to let the album settle a little bit and let people catch up with me.”

Jesse McCartney Will Wait Out Shock Before “Departure” Tour (Image: Wenn)

McCartney says it took him two years to put “Departure” together — a period that included the disappointment of his “Right Where You Want Me” album. “My pop/rock record wasn’t well received here — it did do well overseas. When the head of the label and my best friend (Bob Cavallo of Hollywood Records) told me, ‘I want to start over, but I’ll make you my priority for 2008,’ I slept for a week. I felt so completely shut down,” McCartney admits.

The new album is more in line with the music the blond cutie pie loves and grew up on — Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Michael Jackson. “This is actually the record I wanted to make earlier, but I don’t think I was ready for it.”

In addition to “Departure,” McCartney has the DVD release of “Alvin and the Chipmunks” April 1 — plus supplying the voice of Jojo in 20th Century Fox’s elephantine box office hit “Horton Hears a Who!”

He has prospects for live action movie work ahead, he says, but is focusing on his music for the time being. As is Hollywood Records, to hear Jesse tell it. The Disney subsidiary will be trying for older buyers than its norm. “I think that Hollywood wants so badly to prove they can push an artist without needing all the Disney synergy, and reach an older demographic.”