Chris Brown reflects on his mistakes in his first-post jail interview.
The 25-year-old singer spoke to Billboard in August for the magazine's September 13 issue, and opened up about his troubled past and uncertain future. Brown was released from prison in June, and said he learned from his mistakes and is ready to move forward.
"My maturity level has risen as far as my realizing what's important," he shared. "[I feel] like this happened for a reason. There was a purpose. Maybe I was out of control too much. Or I needed something to humble me to the point where I get it."
Brown was jailed for 108 days for violating his parole by assaulting a fan outside a Washington D.C. hotel in October 2013. The singer was on parole for his 2009 assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna, and pleaded guilty to the fan assault on Tuesday. Brown was sentenced to time served, and will remain on parole for the Rihanna attack until 2015.
"As long as you're doing something good, people will always bring up old stuff or negative stuff because they don't want you to surpass a certain level or elevate," Brown said of continued interest in the Rihanna case. "Not everyone in the world is going to particularly love me. But I'm cool with that. As long as I love myself and my music, I'm fine. People are going to say what they want to say."
"Life is a learning experience, so I'm learning as I go," he continued. "[Redemption is] being able to learn from mistakes and inspiring people to learn from yours. Redemption is being able to be completely humble and love yourself. Know that you're human and understand that life has its ups and downs, but God always balances it out."
Brown will release his sixth studio album, X, on September 16. Music remains one of his most fervent passions, and he said he tries to make songs people can relate to and have fun with. The singer released a statement to Billboard on Thursday that reiterated his sentiments in the interview.
"I realize that what I do for a living opens my life to public scrutiny and that I have a responsibility to everyone because of that exposure," he said. "I can say that I am only human and I have made mistakes. I can say that I try to live my life in the most true, honest way that I can ... I have been moving forward and hope that I am not defined by just a few moments in my life but all of the moments that will make up my life."