Flashmag Digizine Edition Issue 103 March 2020 | Page 32

I was very grateful. It happened so fast. But not so fast like some people believed. It was a long walk to release this first album. A journey that I started when I was 6. The moment, I played my first instrument. I had it ready when I was 19, and released when I was 26. In June 2006, I believe, I was a few months shy of my 26th birthday. I was very happy, grateful, but at the same time for me, it was just a continuation of my life.

Was it something you felt that will encourage you to stay on the top?

Unfortunately, I’m not that way. Sometimes, I think I should have been that way… driven to stay on the top. My ambition was never to be famous, but make records, with all I have. Feel good about myself, be happy, independent, and share. Give back to people who don’t have a voice. If you can put a smile on somebody face, there is no pay check that can replace that emotion. It’s good to have money, it’s great, it’s important… We have to pay our bills and survive. But the feeling I have, when I see somebody touched by music is above everything …sometimes you even see tears in their eyes… it humbles me a lot. Music can be very powerful reaching and helping people to feel better...

You will continue in the same blazing trail with Gravity at Last (2008) under Universal Music France. Followed by Billie -Eve 2011, and Ticket to the world in 2013. These where some of your busiest years, because you will even make a stint in acting, playing in 2014 in the movie Murder in Pacot, of the Haitian film maker Raoul Peck. How did you feel about this motion picture experience? Do you think it has contributed some how to fulfill the expression of one of the less seen side of the artist you are?

It was great you know it’s a dream, I never had the chance to fulfil because I was too busy with music. When my tour was over, the opportunity came and I say you know I better take it. You know when I was younger, it was something that helped me to overcome some painful situations. I was acting in class drama at school. It would allow me to be somebody else. I enjoyed it. It gave me a lot of tools too. As an actor you don’t create you just play a character, and I think this is very powerful. I’m a very shy person, when acting you pretend to be somebody else, it’s an experiment that makes you try to be somebody else; and if doesn’t work quite right, you have an excuse… you can say… hey it was not me! (laughs)… I love acting.

In 2017 you released a 5th album that was in rupture with what you have been doing, since it will be self-produced. why do you think it was important to break away from the majors, specially to make an album that bore your name? what is a way to become the real you again?

I think it was a need to try something different. I wanted to start something new and I’m glad I have done it. A lot of people didn’t know that, that second album came out. I love this album I did almost everything on my own in this one. I recorded the majority of song all by myself at home singing in my room’s closet to keep away unwanted noises. I love this record, but I learned something too. You know, I’m not the most organized person, when it comes to play music, I’m fine, but when it’s time to take care of business management, I’m not the type that will go on business meetings all the time. I found out I’m just an artist… you know when you don’t have the perfect set up behind you, it’s quite difficult to do both your art and the management of your career. I believe this album will be rereleased one day I’m very proud about it, because I own the masters.

As of today, when you look at your career if there was something you would have changed, what would it be?

I would not change anything; because it will not be the same. I’m so grateful. If I really wanted to change something about it, that will be bad. Like thinking God doesn’t know what he is doing, you know… I’m very confident that God always has a plan. If I don’t know what time is it, God knows. I think, it’s all good, I can’t complain at all. I feel blessed for the ups and downs. May be even more blessed for the downs, because they help you a lot to grow. You know the type of mistake you don’t want to do again.

I read somewhere that when struggling, some peoples are very creative?

That’s true some of the greatest movies, are inspired from trialing time, from pain. I believe you can turn pain to something beautiful, I think we are the most beautiful, because we are vulnerable. Why because we are honest… when you are down you are down; you don’t try to cover it up. When you are not right, we all know how it feels like.

With Royal, your new album, released January 31st, when listening to it, we have the feeling that it’s a walk through your career. Everything is there your French ballads influence, reggae, pop, rock, folk, soul

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Flashmag March 2020 www.flashmag.net