During a recent visit to St. Vincent, Marlon met up with Chrislon and Everton for a very spe !"#$%&'!$()"*&%"+,&-*"&.%#/0(,%1")%!#-&&-%"+%2()"!3% Seated in a booth at a busy café in Kingstown, the two Vincentian youth were curious to know about his mother’s reaction when he decided to pursue 2()"!4%,1&%5&+&)")%06%7#,,#8'4%#+9%.1#,%50&)%"+,0% creating a hit tune. Chrislon Fraser: What made you decide to make music your career? Marlon Roudette: It’s funny because I don’t think I thought that I could make a living from music, so I actually studied something else. But, when music is in your blood and in your !"!#$%&'('#)*+,'*#'-+.!'"/01'2/0'./+3#'4$566"')57$'5'8)/*8$1'' It’s probably after I got signed that I thought maybe I could make this work as a career. CF: Was your mom okay with you being a musician? MR:'('#)*+,'!)$'95!'9/44*$.'9)$+'!)$'-4!#')$54.'('95!':/ ing into music because maybe she’d heard all the stories of the negative side of the music business. She heard my -4!#' .$%/' 9)$+' (' 85%$')/%$'/+$';)4*!#%5!'9)$+'('95!' 17 or 18 and I played her three or four tracks. And she said, <2/0')57$'5':*=#1'>)*!'*!'9)5#'"/0'+$$.'#/'./1?'>)5#'95!'566' the encouragement that I needed, so I went back and kept recording. CF: @)5#'95!'"/04'-4!#':*:'5+.'9)$4$A MR: B"'-4!#':*:'95!'5#'#)$'C4#!';60D'*+'@$!#'E/+./+&'=/4' about 100 people, and I was very, very nervous. I still get nervous before every show. Do you get nervous before you play? CF: No, I’ve been on stage doing things like songs and F/$%!'=/4';)4*!#%5!'!)/9!'!*+8$'('95!'#)4$$'"$54!'/6.1' MR:'2/034$'5'D457$':0"1 Everton Creese: What encouraged you to choose B5##5-G'5!'"/04'+5%$A MR:' (' :/#' #)$' +5%$' B5##5-G' =4/%' #)$' 65#$' H*!#$4' I5#4*8*5' Douglas, who was the headmistress at the St. Joseph’s ;/+7$+#'B544*5J05&'9)*8)'95!'%"'!$8/+.54"'!8)//61'H)$' rescued my education because I was maybe on a negative F5#)'D$=/4$'!)$'#//,'%$'*+#/'B544*5J051'H/'!)$'0!$.'#/'!5"' *#'566'#)$'#*%$&'<I4/D6$%'!/67$.&'%5##5K-G1?'L0#'('56!/'D$6*$7$' you need a positive name for a band, if you’re making posi tive music. EC: How do you write your music? Do you write the words 5+.'6"4*8!'-4!#'/4'./'"/0'!#54#'9*#)'#)$'D$5#!A MR:'>)$4$'54$'566'.*==$4$+#'95"!1'<L*:';*#"'E*=$?'('94/#$'5#' home on my guitar. I had the verse and the bridge when I left my house and on the way to the studio I came up with the chorus while I was on the train. By the time I got to the stu .*/&'(')5.'#)$'9)/6$'!/+:1'L0#'<M$9'C:$?'95!'94*##$+'8/% pletely differently. It was written with a piano and someone was playing the melody for me, and I came up with the lyrics. I don’t think you should think that there’s only one way. It’s however inspiration strikes you. Amazing music has been
written by people who are poor, people who are rich, people 9)/'94/#$'#/'#)$'D$5#'-4!#&'D"'F$/F6$'9)/'8/06.+3#'!*+:'N CF: By people who couldn’t hear. MR:' OG58#6"1' P$5=' F$/F6$&' D6*+.' F$/F6$1' >)$4$3!' +/' 406$' book. As the interview came to an end, Marlon shared some profound insights with the gifted young 7#,,#8'&-)% #/0(,% 1#+9$"+5% $"6&% "+% ,1&% ):0,$"51,% and continued success. “You’ve got to stay humble. The minute you ,1"+;% <0(% 9&)&-*&% #% 1",% )0+54% 0-% ),#-,% &':&!,"+5% success, you’ve got nothing.” He emphasized to Chrislon and Everton the importance of being honest and working hard, and pointed out the blessings that come from having been raised in St. Vincent. “Being from the Caribbean makes you unique, and people want to hear your story.” After thanks and handshakes, Everton and Chrislon walked to the bus terminal each hold ing on to a copy of Marlon’s new album. Two aspiring youth with dreams to reach for, and a rising star pointing them in the right direction… =-0/$&2%)0$*&94%#3;3#3%7#,,#>8'3% For more about Marlon’s music, visit www.marlonroudette.com
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