Moreover, those
traditions run deep. Musiq (birth name: Talib)
has been compared to r&b greats of the
past to such an extent that self-absorbed
artists could consider the comparisons cumbersome.
In these days of Dr. Seuss-inspired songs,
it becomes a burden to deliver relevant music
on a consistent basis – particularly
when people begin to expect it from you. Fans
who smile and comment that Musiq reminds them
of Donny Hathaway or Marvin Gaye expect the
young star to provide songs on par with those
legendary singers. Yet, unlike some of his
peers, Musiq accepts the responsibility of
those compliments and embraces them, which
is part of the reason why he named his third
opus Soulstar.
“In its own way, it’s a tribute
to those people and the way that they’ve
paved in order for me to even have a career,”
Musiq explained. “I’m representing
as a soul star of my day, and there’s
a lot of us out there doing our thing and
I actually take [comparisons to legendary
soul singers] as a compliment. It’s
a beautiful thing. Those are my instructors
I guess you could say. I got my training from
those people.”
The influences of artists like Hathaway and
Gaye can be heard throughout Soulstar. From
“Moment In Life” to “Give
More Love,” Musiq provides a classroom
for listeners that give distinct examples
on the roots of soul music, and provide hints
as to its future. Yet, it’s the current
state of r&b/soul music that keeps Musiq
awake at night, and forces the singing star
to ponder a simple question: What steps can
I take to gain a wider audience?
“I think the state of
the music industry, and the attention span
of the audience, if I can be so bold to speak
for them, is in a really transitional ‘iffy’
period,” he said. “You never know
what’s exactly considered hot nowadays.
You can come off with some of the most craziest
things and people will dig it. You can come
off of some of the dopest things and people
won’t really pay it no mind or check
for it. So it’s kinna weird. But I think
that in what I do and hopefully other people
will take a hint to it, likeminded artists
and audiences alike, is to contribute to an
alternative. There’s so much out there
to do, and I’m just trying to introduce
that idea to people.”
CONTINUE
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