For soul singer Anthony Hamilton, incorporating elements of classic and contemporary isn't about appeasing fans; it's about being honest.

Mr. Hamilton, who will perform Friday at Bell Auditorium, has made a career of melding a 1970s soul voice reminiscent of Al Green and Marvin Gaye to the break beats of modern hip-hop. He said his music has both styles. He said to deny either would make him disingenuous as an artist.

"I like the sound of my voice," he said during a recent telephone interview. "And the music I make comes naturally from that. But I'm also a hip-hop baby. That's when I came up. The urban beats come from that."

Mr. Hamilton said that with so many disparate elements finding their way into his music, it's important to understand how the song might best be served. That means sometimes stepping back as a performer and letting the music do the heavy lifting.

"The voice should always take the back seat if the music is amazing. It's like that perfect scene in a movie. If everyone is acting at 1,000 percent, it just gets too busy. Those quiet moments, well, they get people to listen a little closer."

There are no dance numbers, no choreographed moments in an Anthony Hamilton show. He said he believes his music works best when an audience understands the musician they might be connecting with is authentic and honest. The persona that people see when he sings is nothing more and nothing less than Anthony Hamilton's interpretation of a tune.

"I love it that way," he said. "I get to go on stage. I get to be myself on stage. I get to sing my favorite songs. It's just me being how I am, and it's better that way."

Mr. Hamilton said his adherence to honest performance allows him to focus on the things he feels are paramount in a performance.

"It becomes about great songs," he said. "About getting the attention of the people. Giving a performance that allows people to fall in love with that song. For me, the greatest moment is always when someone sings along with you."

Reach Steven Uhles at (706) 823-3626 or steven.uhles@augustachronicle.com.