Bradd Marquis www.myspace.com/braddmarquis has been branded as an up and coming R&B powerhouse with an amazing voice and his ability to entertain an audience. Reared in Trenton, NJ and raised in the church with a strong upbringing makes this artist someone we can all relate to as a personality. Bradd writes, performs and produces his material and has worked with well-known producer Cochise (Elam Records), stating he wanted to work with Bradd because of the passionate emotion and sincerity in his voice. He has independently released his album "Finding My Way" to critical acclaim.
Bradd has developed a strong fan base from several performances at "Showtime at The Apollo", BET’s "Wild Out Wednesdays" on 106 and Park. He’s appeared at several high-level NYC Industry Showcases that have earned the respect of several major artists and producers. Bradd’s single "Radio" has received airplay on radio station Hot 97 in NYC.
He has been traveling a lot on the https://www.soulsummer.com/ tour. He is in the process of heading to Buffalo, NY where he will be starring in a play (musical) called "In De Beginnin" by Oscar Brown Jr. I also want to thank Sun Singleton www.myspace.com/sunsingleton for suggesting that I interview Bradd Marquis.
TP: Tell us about your independently release album "Finding My Way"? Did you produce this album yourself or work with outside producers?
BM: Finding My Way is my first commercially released project. It was released independently www.cdbaby.com/braddmarquis and all the songs except two were produced by my boy and partner at the time Cochise, who’s musical resume’ and accomplishments is a million miles long www.myspace.com/cochiseproducer. I wrote all the songs and Co-wrote ‘Radio’ with another of my producers Noble Savage. Radio was one of my singles off the album and actually opened a lot of doors for me.
TP: You released a single titled "Radio" which received airplay on HOT 97 in NYC. Explain how much one single on the radio helps an Indie Artist?
BM: As I stated above Radio opened a lot of doors for me. People really remember the song before they remember the artist. I became known as Bradd Marquis Radio, like Radio was my last name. Not a bad one in this industry I guess! People liked it so much that Drama King DJ Kay Slay started spinning it on his Drama Hour on HOT 97 and he doesn’t play R&B/ Soul. He also put it on his R&B mixed CD Straight Stuntin, I was the only indie artist on there by the way. It also was heard by some staff at BET’s 106 & Park and they wanted me to perform it on "Wild Out Wednesdays" segment of the show, which lead to me being named the 2007 Soul Singer of the Year. So as you can see a hit song can make a "nobody" into "somebody," because of those opportunities things snow-balled and doors started to swing open.
TP: When sitting down to write and produce your album, do you write the songs first then go in the studio to produce the songs? Or do you take a track already produced and write to that?
BM: When I write and produce songs there’s really no set method. If the tracks completed GREAT! If I wake up with a song in my head I’ll write it and have someone put music to it. You constantly have to work and rework songs until the writer and producer both like what’s going on. I’ve been in pre-production on my new album for about a year now, I want 11 Grammy’s off this project. I don’t know where I got that number from it just came to me.
TP: What inspires the premises for your lyric writing?
BM: Life inspires me to write! My experiences and others experiences. Sometimes I have a message I want to relay sometimes I try to make sense out of the confusions of my mind and heart. I strive to always maintain positivity which allows the creativity to flow.
TP: How did your College Studies help you prepare for life as a recording artist?
BM: I was just talking about this the other day. One of the way’s college helped prepare me for a life as a recording artist is that it allowed me to get a job making a decent amount of money to support my habit of music. Don’t get me wrong I’ve had too many moments as a starving artist, but I’ve always been able to pull myself out when it got too too bad. People don’t always realize music is a full time job, having another job can be difficult and slow you down! Also because of my studies I see the business for what it is. I can see the propaganda; I’m not swept up in the hype mainly, because I know life is so much more than that. I want to use my education and the opportunities that the entertainment industry has to offer to really make a difference!
TP: You’ve had the fortune to perform on a few television shows, What shows did you perform on?
BM: Yes’ I’ve been blessed to have had a lot of TV time over the years. I’ve been on 106 & Park twice, I’ve performed on Showtime At the Apollo where my rendition of Donny Hathaway’s "A Song for You" is still airing on the Best of the Apollo 5 years later. The Apollo was an amazing, unforgettable experience by the way. I’ve also done many local shows across the U.S. and beyond, but those were by far the biggest.
TP: Do you find that your fan base you’ve gained from these television performances are supporting your live performances?
BM: Absolutely these TV performances have supported my live performances! With sites like youtube and googlevideo these shows have become an accessible part of my resume. People can see what I do whenever they need to and make a sound decision whether to work with and or come and support me based off that. So thank you https://www.youtube.com/!
TP: You setup your own multi-artist showcases, does this evening have a name and do these evenings vary when they occur? That is a great way to get other artists heard by the music industry.
BM: Me putting together multi artist showcases was out of necessity. Although many opportunities were opened up working with promoters I was going broke paying them to be in there shows. As a new artist without a strong fan base you sometimes have to pay others to be seen and heard, pick your spots wisely, once you start bringing the crowd they pay you. Its part of your dues so to speak, gotta spend money to make money. Once I started bring a crowd and got tired of being exploited I started throwing my own shows and putting many of the artist I knew and loved in them. I headlined and they went great, but being the artist and promoter was too much for me so I only throw them every once in a while now and no it doesn’t have a name.
TP: Name some people in your life that have helped inspire you to be the person we all see?
BM: Some people who have inspired me to be me are first and foremost God. My family and friends have always had my back! Cochise, Mr. Gordon Chambers, and my partner/ manager Nolan Baynes of https://www.formula306.com/ and https://www.chrissmithmanagement.com/ they are all friends as well. Can’t forget those haters, the motivation is endless…
TP: Do you feel your music helps portray your image as the artist you are?
BM: Lol, I am my music! I don’t take this lightly I know the power of music, entertainment in general. I keep it as true to me as possible when I write for me. When I write period! I don’t want to send destructive messages. I also believe that the public can and will see through falsehoods so if you what to get them and keep them you have to give them you and be consistent with that.
TP: Which musicians have helped mold the sound of Bradd Marquis?
BM: The musicians that has helped mold my sound are Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown, Puffy, Biggie, Pac, Nas, Luther, Otis Redding, Anita Baker, Jodeci, Babyface, Teddy Riley, R. Kelly I could go on and on but those folks I keep in my ipod.
TP: Name some artists and producers that you’d like to work with in the future?
BM: Some of the artist producers I’d like to work with are Puff (Mr. Sean Combs), Kanye West, Babyface, R.Kelly, Mark Ronson, Dr. Dre, Keisha Coles, Nas, Jay Z, Beyonce, there are a lot.
TP: Are there any up and coming Indie artists whose sound has caught your ear?
BM: Up and coming Indie artist who’s caught my ear?! Gordon Chambers, Kameron Korvet and The Young Diva Tess. There’s a few more but their names escape me right now.
TP: Do you manage, promote and run your own record label yourself? Or have assistance from outside resources?
BM: As far as my 1st Indie project is concerned Cochise and I ran everything. Moving forward I’ve needed to recruit more help, i.e. Nolan Baynes, in order to go to the level I want to be at. I’m actually looking to sign/ get distribution and support from a major so I’m now putting my company in a position to do that.
TP: What were the last 3 music downloads or CD’s that you purchased?
BM: My last 3 music downloads were ‘In the Mood’ Whispers, ‘Take You Down’ by Chris Brown and Rev Al Green’s new album.
By Tom Paul
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