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Kirk Franklin

Contributor — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 02:00:29 +0000

Since his debut, 1993′s Kirk Franklin & the Family, Kirk Franklin has been one of the brightest stars in contemporary gospel music. The album spent 100 weeks on the gospel charts (some of those on top), crossed over to the R&B charts, and became the first gospel debut album to go platinum. His second album, Kirk Franklin & the Family Christmas, became the genre’s first Christmas album to make it to number one, and his 1996 album Whatcha Lookin’ 4 went gold as soon as it was distributed. With such phenomenal success, it is small wonder that some have hailed him “the Garth Brooks of gospel.” Still, despite all the adulation and brouhaha, Franklin remains a humble, devout Christian, eschewing the title “entertainer” in favor of labeling himself as just a “church boy.”Franklin’s road to the top, though quick, was far from smooth. Abandoned by his mother and never having known his father, Franklin was reared by his Aunt Gertrude, a deeply religious woman who raised him as a strict Baptist. When he was four, she paid for his piano lessons by collecting aluminum cans. The lessons were money well spent, for Franklin was a natural musician who could sight read and play by ear with equal facility. At age 11, he was leading the Mt. Rose Baptist Church adult choir near Dallas. Despite, or because of, his church background, Franklin began rebelling in his teens and getting into trouble until one of his friends was accidentally shot and killed at age 15. Realizing that he had chosen a bad road, Franklin returned to the fold and began composing songs, recording, and conducting. Since 1991, he has been backed up by his 17-member choir, the Family, a group comprising friends and associates from his younger days (interestingly, one member of the Family, Jon Drummond, made it to the semi-finals heat of the 100-meter sprint at the 1996 Olympics). Support from his pastor, his wife Tammy, whom he married in early 1996, and the two children they brought to the marriage help keep Franklin close to his religious core, and he returned in 1998 with Nu Nation Project. The album topped the Billboard Top 200 charts (peaking at number seven) and remained on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart for 49 weeks, paving the way for Franklin’s third Grammy (Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album).Over the course of the next few years, Franklin worked on the soundtrack of the movie Kingdom Come (contributing the single “Thank You”) and released another album, 2002′s The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin. Making good on the success of its predecessor, the disc soared to number four on the Billboard 200 chart and spent 29 weeks on the Gospel Albums chart. Two more chart-topping albums emerged out in the next four years, Hero (2005) and Songs for the Storm, Vol. 1 (2006), both of which topped the gospel charts at the time of their release. Hero went on to win two Grammys in late 2006. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Music Guide

Jordin Sparks

Contributor — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:00:01 +0000

At an age when most teens are looking forward to a carefree summer break, Jordin Sparks at 17, graced the stage as the youngest American Idol winner and spent the summer months crafting her eponymous debut album. Honing all the confidence, class and breathtaking range of emotion that put her at the epicenter of the entertainment world for most of 2007, Jordin is pouring everything into her upcoming album due out on 19 Recordings/Jive Records in November.
Jordin says the album also benefits from a summer-long vocal workout on the road during the 56 city Pop Tarts American Idol Live! Tour that just recently ended. “I learned so much being out there every night singing live,” she says. “How to grab hold of a song. To have and keep that control. I’ve always been a student of singing – listening to stuff on the radio and trying to figure out how a singer is ‘breathing,’ how they do harmonies. What was great about performing live every night is building the strength in my voice and seeing it resonate with the audience. I tried to bring that into my sessions for the album. Giving that kind of power to the material.”
Effortlessly navigating a dream-team of ‘A-list” writing/producing talent on her new album that includes The Underdogs (Dreamgirls soundtrack, Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige), Eman (Nick Lachey, Backstreet Boys, Celine Dion), Robbie Nevil (High School Musical soundtrack), and former Color Me Badd star-turned producer/writer Sam Watters (Jessica Simpson) – all of them adding color and dimension to her multitude of talents ala Jordin’s kickoff single, “Tattoo.” Written by Amanda Ghost, (who co-penned James Blunt’s breakthrough classic “You’re Beautiful,”) and produced by the Norwegian street-tinged duo Stargate, (Beyonce, Ne-Yo, Rhianna), the single has buoyantly reacquainted music fans with Jordin’s remarkable vocal presence.
But it’s her ability to completely wrap herself around a song, as she does on her new ballad “Permanent Monday,” (produced by Eman and written by Lindy Robbins) that raises the bar on her new album, revealing a depth and knack for storytelling that sculpts a landscape worthy of the singer’s entire repertoire of emotions. “When I listen to a demo I like to know how it was done. I try to imagine what I can bring to it,” she says. “Put my spin to it. All my favorite artists, whether contemporary or classic – all had a way of making that certain song their own. I don’t know If I had a plan for this album so much as I had a method. To give myself to each session, each song – every note. I think in the end that’s how you create the full spectrum for your fans. I have rock cuts, edgey stuff, and of course ballads like ‘Permanent Monday’ which I love to do.”
Born in Phoenix, AZ, (she resides in Glendale) she admits that the high-intensity environment of her father’s occupation (her dad, Phillippi Sparks, was a professional football player for the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys) may have schooled her in how to cope with the rigors of show business early on. “My family was always very loving, very grounded. My dad kept us calm no matter what was happening with his career, and my mom made me fiercely independent. She was big on teaching us responsibility and fending for ourselves. I think I understood early the importance of setting goals and being prepared to meet them.” Growing up in a bi-racial household also taught Jordin another valuable lesson. “Amazingly, I never felt singled-out. Even at school, we were always treated with respect, never out of the ordinary, which when I look back, is really an incredible thing. I try to be that accepting whenever I encounter a new or difficult situation.”
Perhaps her most revealing life-lesson is the tale about how Jordin nearly missed out on being an Idol contestant altogether. No stranger to musical competitions, it’s the way she handled the potentially biggest disappointment of her life – being sent home on her first Idol try – that reveals a strength of character truly rare in a just-turned-17 year old. “I remember being at that first audition looking down that long line that just seemed endless and asking myself: ‘What am I bringing to this – how will they ever notice me’ she says.’ They didn’t, with the young singer being dismissed after her first L.A. audition. “I went home, shook it off and said ‘wait a minute, I can do this if they let me.’”
Where most teenagers might have buried such a disappointment in a countless array of distractions – Jordin made a bee-line for a second audition held in her native Arizona. She won, earning her another shot in front of Idol royalty at a Seattle audition where she sang Celine Dion’s “Because You Love Me.” The rest – as they, say is – well… “Giving up is not part of my vocabulary,” she says proudly. “Sure, I get down, but I’ve learned to let the negative roll off my back. You have to if you want to keep on going in this world.”
When asked if there is anything truly surprising her fans might want to know about her – she laughs: ‘The fact that I like post-hardcore bands – ‘Screamo’ bands like Silverstein (from Burlington, Ontario) and others.” Jordin is quick to add she’s also a sucker for ‘80’s music. “I’m full of surprises,” she smiles. “I’ve found out the best thing about making your first album is how much you continue to surprise even yourself.”
“Overnight success” is overwhelming to anyone at any age’ but Jordin Sparks is taking it all in stride and shining brightly with every step. Her biggest challenge may be her upcoming album, but if you take into account her steady foundation, awe-inspiring talents and unlimited enthusiasm, her biggest challenge may just prove to be her greatest success.

One Step At A Time – Jordin Sparks

Chris Brown

Contributor — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 08:31:14 +0000

Less than two years ago, he was the 16-year-old boy next door, a teenager from the small town of Tappahannock, VA (population: 2,000), with a world of talent and big dreams, fueled by the artists he grew up with, from Sam Cooke, Stevie Wonder and Donnie Hathaway to Michael Jackson and Usher.

Now, with the release of Exclusive, his sophomore album for Jive Records, Chris Brown is ready to take his place alongside those heroes.

“Exclusive is something that not everybody can get,” he says, explaining the title. “I feel it’s an album especially for my fans. It’s not for the critics or the haters… or people that get it just to fit in. It’s only for those who truly want to hear my music.”

Exclusive is the follow-up to his self-titled debut, released in November 2005, which debuted at #2 in Billboard and was recently certified double-platinum, having sold 1.9 million copies in the U.S. and more than three million worldwide.

The Dixie Chicks

Contributor — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 09:15:18 +0000

The Dixie Chicks rose from relative obscurity in 1998 to become one of the most popular acts in contemporary country music. Their origins date back nearly a decade earlier, to 1989, when fiddler Martie Seidel and her banjo-playing sister Emily Erwin formed the group in Dallas with bassist Laura Lynch and guitarist Robin Lynn Macy; after getting their start on local street corners, the quartet soon graduated to clubs, receiving an enormous boost when Seidel earned third place honors at the National Fiddle Championships. Originally, the Dixie Chicks (their name inspired by the Little Feat song “Dixie Chickens”) promoted a classic cowgirl image, complete with a sound inspired by traditional country, folk, and bluegrass; they even titled their 1990 indie-label debut Thank Heavens for Dale Evans.With 1992′s Little Ol’ Cowgirl, the Chicks began slowly moving toward a more contemporary sound, a transformation that in part resulted in the exit of Macy; with Lynch assuming lead vocal duties, the remaining trio resurfaced in 1993 with Shouldn’t a Told You That. Shortly after the Chicks signed with Sony’s newly revived Monument imprint in 1995, Lynch left the group as well — according to a December 10, 1998, feature in the Dallas Observer, both she and Macy were likely victims of Seidel and Erwin’s desire to foster a more youthful image; the magazine goes on to call the group “the country version of Menudo, hiring and firing based on age.” Soon named as Lynch’s replacement was then 21-year-old lead vocalist Natalie Maines, the daughter of steel guitar legend Lloyd Maines.The lineup switch brought with it a new contemporary wardrobe and an equally modernized country sound; still, few predicted the enormous success of the Dixie Chicks’ 1998 major-label debut, Wide Open Spaces. After the album’s advance first single, “I Can Love You Better,” became the group’s first Top Ten hit, both “There’s Your Trouble” and the title track went on to top the country charts. Within a year of Wide Open Spaces’ release, the record had gone quadruple platinum, and the Dixie Chicks had become superstars — not only did they take home Best Vocal Group honors and the Horizon Award from the Country Music Association, but they were also named Favorite New Country Artist at the American Music Awards. Wide Open Spaces additionally earned a Grammy for Best Country Album on its way to becoming the best-selling duo or group album in country music history.Fly followed in 1999, immediately returning the Dixie Chicks to the upper reaches of the country charts with the lead single, “Ready to Run.” “Goodbye Earl” was also a smash single for the group. In May 2002, the Dixie Chicks joined Shakira, Mary J. Blige, Cher, and Celine Dion for the Fifth Annual VH1 Divas Show in Las Vegas. Three months later, the girls were back in the game with release of their sixth album, Home, their first for their own Sony imprint, Open Wide Records. Top of the World Tour: Live and its accompanying DVD arrived in 2003, followed by the chart-topping album, Taking the Long Way, in 2006. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

Kenny G

Contributor — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 04:49:43 +0000

Kenny G has long been the musician many jazz listeners love to hate. A phenomenally successful instrumentalist whose recordings make the pop charts, Kenny G’s sound has been a staple on adult contemporary and smooth jazz radio stations since the mid-’80s, making him a household name. Kenny G is a fine player with an attractive sound (influenced a bit by Grover Washington, Jr.) who often caresses melodies, putting a lot of emotion into his solos. Because he does not improvise much (sticking mostly to predictable melody statements), his music largely falls outside of jazz. However, because he is listed at the top of “contemporary jazz” charts and is identified with jazz in the minds of the mass public, he is classified as jazz.Kenny Gorelick started playing professionally with Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1976. He recorded with Cold, Bold & Together (a Seattle-based funk group) and freelanced locally. After graduating from the University of Washington, Kenny G worked with Jeff Lorber Fusion, making two albums with the group. Soon he was signed to Arista, recording his debut as a leader in 1982. His fourth album, Duotones (which included the very popular “Songbird”), made him into a star. Soon he was in demand for guest appearances on recordings of such famous singers as Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and Natalie Cole. Kenny G’s own records have sold remarkably well, particularly Breathless, which has easily topped eight million copies in the U.S.; his total album sales top 30 million copies. 1994′s holiday album Miracles and 1996′s Moment continued the momentum of his massive commercial success. He also recorded his own version of the Celine Dion/Titanic smash “My Heart Will Go On” in 1998, but the following year he released Classics in the Key of G, a collection of jazz standards like “‘Round Midnight” and “Body & Soul,” possibly to reclaim some jazz credibility.Faith: A Holiday Album was released that same year, followed up by a limited edition re-release of the 1997 Greatest Hits disc. 2002 found Kenny G dipping into tropical territory with Paradise, which featured guest appearances by Brian McKnight and Chanté Moore. This was followed by a music video collection, another holiday album, entitled Wishes, and, in 2003, a second greatest-hits collection, Ultimate Kenny G. Perhaps in a bid to shake up his discography a bit, in 2004 Kenny G released At Last…The Duets Album, which featured “duets” with LeAnn Rimes and Chaka Khan. Two years later, smooth jazz’s king of the soprano sax returned to a purely instrumental approach on the brassy, big-band-inspired albums Holiday Collection and I’m in the Mood for Love. 2006 was also the year the artist was dubbed the best golfer in music by Golf Digest, beating out Vince Gill for the number one spot. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

John Legend

Contributor — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 09:22:32 +0000

In 2004, John Legend (then known primarily as an in-demand all-star studio session man) stepped into the solo spotlight as a premier singer-songwriter-pianist-performer in his own right with his debut album Get Lifted. Driven in part by the hit singles “Ordinary People” and “Used To Love U,” Get Lifted was a critical and commercial triumph, earning John an astounding eight Grammy nominations — he won Best New Artist, Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (“Ordinary People”) and Best R&B album — and selling more than three million copies worldwide.For most performers, achievements of that magnitude would be the culmination of a dream. For John Legend, however, awards and sales are merely fringe benefits. His real goal and gift is to tap into something honest and true within his audience and himself and to connect on that level. When asked what he hopes his fans will glean from his much-anticipated sophomore album, John replies, “I want them to hear that I’ve grown. That I’m trying to take them to new places and to be excited about that. This album is an expansion more than anything else. I’m trying to be me and embrace all the parts of me that have grown up, listened to more music and soaked up more influences. Get Lifted was me then. This is me now.”Once Again, John’s new album, is many things, chief among them, it’s a pop/soul album fueled by intelligence, intuition, sensuality, spirit and a creativity made possible when which includes Raphael Saadiq, Kanye West, Craig Street and will.i.am, who brought the lead single, “Save Room,” to John. Breezy and sexy, “Save Room” is a joyful, cool love song, inspired by an old AM radio single, “Stormy,” by the Classics IV (a 60′s Top 40 band best-known for “Spooky”). As John recalls, “will brought the sample. I didn’t even know the original. I just knew it was a nice organ sound and wanted to write to it. I just started mumbling along to it, finding my place in the melody and it worked for me.”Laced with a somewhat more dramatic flair is the mid-tempo “Where Did My Baby Go.” Says John, “It was one of the only songs written before I began recording this album, and was in my head for a long time. I didn’t know what I was going to do with it because at the time it didn’t sound like anything I’d done before. It ended up fitting perfectly because I ended up writing more stuff in that direction so it became a precursor to where I was going this time.”John takes a somewhat political perspective on the stately “Coming Home,” which he says is “about a soldier who wants to come back to his family and his uncertainty about being away and whether or not he might die. It’s subtle but it still manages to speak to some important issues about life and death, war and peace.”Relationship ups and downs are the subject of the swaying Kanye West-produced “Heaven Only Knows.” “It’s a song that just came together in a natural effortless way, which is how Kanye and I work,” John explains. “He played me a sample and a drum loop, and I started writing around it.” Legend recorded 30 tracks, including four with Kanye, for his new album. Two of the West-produced tracks made the final track list, with West also serving as co-Executive Producer of the album. “On a creative counsel level,” John says, “I benefit from his taste and judgment.”"Show Me,” which John cites as one of his favorites, is hushed, haunting and deliberately ambiguous. Co-produced by Raphael Saadiq and Craig Street (Me’Shell NdegéOcello, Cassandra Wilson), “Show Me” was, according to John, “intended to be about God, but I also wanted it to have the feel of a romantic song as well. But while I could have done what I usually do and write about a relationship, this felt like such a spiritual song. I’ve never sung or recorded my voice like that. When I’m with a girl and I have a song in my head I kind of whisper it in her ear, like an intimate whisper. That’s how I did the vocal for this song.”Even more so than he did on Get Lifted, John went boldly in his own creative direction on Once Again, opting to write, not from a marketing standpoint, but from his heart and soul and personal experience. “I listen to a lot of music,” he says about the preparation for the album. “The producers I work with — like Kanye, will & Craig — listen to a lot more and we just brainstorm and don’t limit it to what ‘s going on in urban music right now. I didn’t wanna put a box around it. You make music, try and make it as good as you possibly can, trust the people around you and hope and pray that what you really love is something a lot of other people will also love. With Get Lifted, we managed to make a strong record that people related to. We succeeded because it was distinctive and touched a chord. So I figured, ‘Let me just keep making music that’s really good and that touches people. Music that they can feel, which has some beauty to it and that transcends what the marketers are gonna tell you, and we’ll figure out a way to get it to people.’”John Legend (nee Stephens) grew up in Ohio, surrounded by every musical influence from gospel to hip-hop. While attending the University of Pennsylvania (where he majored in English), Legend found time to make his own music, whether it was recording his own albums, performing at talent shows and open mics, or directing the choir at a local church. In fact just months before he began work on Get Lifted, Legend finally ended a nine-year tenure as music and choir director at Bethel A.M.E. Church in northeastern Pennsylvania.In 1998, John got his first taste of success, playing piano on “Everything is Everything,” off Lauryn’s Hill’s multiple-Grammy winning album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. He also honed his chops touring throughout the East Coast, opening up for bigger R&B acts, and recording and selling several live concert albums. In 2001, a college roommate introduced John to the then up-and-coming producer/artist Kanye West. By 2002, Legend was part of West’s creative team, appearing on albums by Talib Kweli, Common, Mary J Blige and on West’s 2004 breakthrough The College Dropout. That same year John lent his vocal talent to Alicia Keys’ “You Don’t Know My Name” and appeared on Jay-Z’s acclaimed Black Album.In late 2003, Legend became the first artist signed to Kanye’s KonMan Entertainment (later renamed Getting Out Our Dreams) with a deal with Columbia Records followed in May 2004. Preloaded with pre-release buzz, Get Lifted debuted at #7 on the Billboard Top 200 and #1 on the R&B Album chart the week of its release three days after Christmas 2004.Three years ago, John Legend was a highly regarded session musician. Today he’s an artist who proves that, even in an age of expediency and crass commercialism, real talent not only still matters but will be acknowledged. When asked how success has affected him, John replies, “I think I’m happier, not just because of winning Grammys and selling records, but because it’s really fulfilling to have all these things happen with something you love to do. To have the chance to see your music be elevated and to have almost universally positive response to that music, makes me feel better every day. I feel more confident and inspired, and that’s fun. I’m feeling truly creative and I’m hoping that feeling will stay around, because my hope and belief is that most people are down to grow and explore with me.”

Toni Braxton

Contributor — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 09:55:12 +0000

Toni Braxton (born Toni Michelle Braxton on October 7, 1967) is an American R&B/adult contemporary singer-songwriter and actress. Known for her husky alto voice, Braxton has won six Grammy Awards and has sold over forty million records worldwide. Her US number-one hit “Un-Break My Heart” is the second biggest single by a female artist ever.With her 1993 self-titled debut album she topped the Billboard charts and continued that streak with her second studio album “Secrets” which spawned the number one hit “Un-Break My Heart”. After a messy bankruptcy she returned with her chart topping third album, “The Heat”. Her later two albums, “More Than A Woman” which was her last on Arista and “Libra” which was her first and only release on Blackground were underpromoted and resulted in a commercial disappointment for Braxton. She later left Blackground and is now currently unsigned to a record label.She is currently performing in her successful Las Vegas act, Toni Braxton: Revealed. Toni is in the studio working on her sixth studio album.

Keite Young

Contributor — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 07:34:16 +0000

He was born in Fort Worth, TX. Singer, songwriter, producer, and musician Keite Young found himself in a talented musical family. His grandfather was a blues singer who performed under the name Big Daddy Young while his mother and father, Carrie and Dalon Collins, toured with Kirk Franklin & the Family.

Keite started writing songs when he was eight years old but did not start singing until his late teens, by which time he was already an ordained preacher.

He taught himself to play keyboards, drums, and guitar and spent his time making home demos of his songs, which prepared him for his current success.Young’s debut album, The Rise and Fall of Keite Young, blends a mixture of soul, funk, R/B, and a some gospel.

Mario

Contributor — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:06:00 +0000

Natural can be described as innate or instinctive in essence, disposition or temperament. Quite simply, natural can be summed up as God-given or God-inspired because it comes so easily. When 20 year-old Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, actor Mario realized that his talents came to him naturally, his growth and acceptance of these gifts aptly produced his third album, Go. “I feel like this is what I’m supposed to be doing. I’m supposed to be at this place in every aspect of my life, from personal to business. This is where I am, this is where I chose to be.”At age 15, when his 2002 debut album Mario garnered 700,000 copies in sales, sparked by the lead single “Just A Friend (2002),” young Mario set the stage for his 2005 sophomore set aptly titled Turning Point. Worldwide, the album reaped 2 million units in sales as “Let Me Love You” propelled him to the number one spot for nine consecutive weeks. The single holds the honor of being one of the highest selling ringtones to date with 1.6 million downloads and Mario himself was bestowed with accolades including 2005’s Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Award for Top R&B/Hip-Hop Single, a Billboard Music Award for Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Single of the Year and a slew of nominations from the Grammys, BET Awards, Vibe Awards, MOBO Awards and the Soul Train Music Awards.The Baltimore, Maryland native witnessed the biggest transition of his young adult career between Turning Point and his new album Go. As a self-described old-soul, the wunderkind reflects on his journey introspectively, “I’ve always been that way, I’m just able to express myself more and I have time by myself instead of everybody always being in my ear. When you have time by yourself, you can see and analyze things for what you think they are.” While his developing perspective continues to evolve, Mario’s attitude and approach remain focused on the goal of longevity and happiness. “As you grow, you learn more about yourself and come upon things that touch people,” adding, “what makes me happy most is that I’ve changed lives. I love to see people touched by my music. I love to see people touched by my growth.”Raised in his formative years with his dearly departed maternal grandmother, then during his teens with his former management team, Mario quietly learned how to be faithful. “That’s the real gift, to really experience things and really take it in. And don’t just see it and overlook it, but really see it for what it is. And that’s what I’ve learned how to do in these years. And that’s a blessing to be able to understand that.”Carefully weaving the fabric of his life over delicately orchestrated rhythms, Go utilizes its hip-hop influences, throwback soul sensibilities and lyrical honesty to demonstrate just what’s been on Mario’s mind. From changing management to relocating back to his hometown of B’More, to exploring his sensuality and sexuality, Mario is prepared to unveil the sides of himself that have been hidden since his debut.One revealing song is the Pharrell written and The Neptunes produced album title track, “Go.” As the scenario suggests, it explains different situations about spending time with a girl and while some guys feed women lines to get with them, at the end of the night it’s time to “go.” For Mario, it’s a lyrical fantasy all in good fun. “It’s not disrespectful, it’s honest. They’re going to tell you the sky is green, I’m going tell you it’s blue.”“How Do I Breathe,” is the melodic mid-tempo first single produced by Stargate, that simply granted Mario permission to “let down my guard to let my fans know I’m human. A lot of fellas can relate to the lyrics expressed in this song but they don’t always say it.” The same sentiment is true and expressed when Timbaland blends finger snaps, drum patterns, synthesizers and an airy piano on “No Definition.” As ambiguous as the song title suggests, Mario would prefer to allow his actions to speak louder than words, as he will treat his woman like she deserves, however there is no title to this thing they have together.With “Kryptonite,” Mario wears his heart on his sleeve as he empathetically talks to his woman from a far. Serving as a co-writer on the harmonic track produced by Oak, Mario dares to express what most men quietly feel, as he reveals that he wants to be the Superman to his Lois Lane but his “kryptonite” are the other girls that constantly tempt him.Mario treads on the sensual track with “Let Me Watch,” co-written by Sean Garrett and Michael Croom, co-produced by Mr. Collipark and Garrett. A more personal tale for the bedroom and the clubs, this song “allows a woman to explore her sexuality in a very comfortable state and be ok with it” explains the expressive crooner.Producers T-Wayne & Stee are behind the boards as they take it back about two decades for the Keith Sweat remake “Right and a Wrong Way.” As Mario recollects vibing before they finally decided to re-record the track, “it’s me wanting to introduce something different to my fans and re-introduce a classic song to their parents or older siblings, etc.” For Mario, the song means something different now as he looks to bring substantive music to the attention of the masses again. Admitting, “being a young man that’s willing to be submissive that’s what that song means. I understand that there is a right and a wrong way to do things and I’m willing if you’re willing.”Singer, songwriter, producer Akon contributed the emotional “Do Right” in which Mario addresses his relationship with his mother. “Coming up, some family and friends weren’t on the right path. In some cases, wrong turns can be over looked but I had to look at them for what they were.” The result has been to overcome life’s challenges in order to pursue his love for singing and turn that love into the stellar music career that he’s experiencing today.That process of growth for Mario has been therapeutic as the freedom of expression became comforting because there was no “fear of being judged.” Assuredly, “there are a lot of songs on this album that the fans can relate to. I want them to go out there and feel proud about picking this album up in the store. You can rock it at any time and feel like you are a part of what I’m doing when it comes to this movement.”This multi-layered “movement” featured Mario the actor in the 2006 teen dance movie Step Up, which debuted at #2 and grossed over $21 million during its opening weekend. In January 2007 Mario continued his burgeoning acting career with a lead role as an at-risk student in the Paramount Pictures/MTV Film Freedom Writers with Hilary Swank, now available on DVD.Being the voice of a generation is a heavy responsibility, but Mario Barrett is up for the task at hand. Optimistic and faithful, Mario is clear that his role as an entertainer is to perform, however his obligation is to give back to others. He looks toward the distant future to reposition the spotlight off of himself and his personal accomplishments in order to develop and invest in other things – music, artists and a non-profit for underprivileged kids and those that grew up with parents with substance abuse problems like him.Soul Truth will be the breeding ground for developing talent under Mario’s wing. “I’m in touch with my soul. Your soul is what carries you and that was the realist thing I could find that I could relate to people with. And then truth just comes from what I stand for and me not ever wanting to take for granted that God has given me a gift to be who I am and stand for just that, and that’s a gift too. Soul Truth!”“Go is really just about me finding out who I am and really getting a grasp of it because I know I’m going to give my all, and my career is only going to go up. I’m a very spiritual person. I see God in everything.” Maturing and accepting who he is becoming is the greatest gift Mario could have ever given to himself, and thankfully, his fans get to come along for the ride.