SDC NEWS ONE

Saturday, March 7, 2015

MARLON WELCH




Compton musician MARLON WELCH is a musical amalgam.  Defying traditional genre categories, Welch carves out his own niche in the current musical landscape by combining musical elements evocative of old school R&B legends like Luther Vandross and Marvin Gaye with modern pop tastes to produce a fresh sound.  His new single IN THE CROWD is the exciting first glimpse into his eclectic musical persona.  The track fearlessly kicks off with Welch’s bare vocals and quickly explodes into an up-tempo musical melting pot combining a strong modern beat with jazzy referential brass accompaniments.  By harkening back to earlier eras of Blues and Soul, Welch unpretentiously elevates his R&B sound to a level of sophistication that is often lacking in the genre while simultaneously injecting levity through its pop characteristics.  This unexpected merger of old and new produces a sound that is undeniably feel-good and catchy while maintaining musical integrity through its classic R&B references.

As a lifelong artist, musical integrity has notable importance for Welch.  Growing up in a household dedicated to classic R&B and performing weekly in the church choir left Welch’s musical identity imprinted with elements of soul, funk, and gospel.  Concurrently, Welch maintained appreciation for modern performers and sounds.  Passionate about entertainment from a young age, Welch entered a local poetry contest, which gave him the opportunity to meet Beyoncé Knowles.  After hearing Welch’s piece, Welch recalls the living legend meeting his gaze and firmly telling him to keep writing and never abandon his musical dreams.  Welch cites this experience as a defining moment; when his musical dreams became his identity.

While IN THE CROWD is not Welch’s first foray into the music industry, it marks his first true musical introduction to the world.  As a young artist, Welch released an EP, which led to prominent opportunities with Capitol Records that exposed him to all aspects of life as a recording artist.  Having opened for major artists, composed music, performed in front of large audiences as part of a national tour, and recorded a music video for his lead single, Welch was fully immersed in the music industry by age 20.   

After being delivered a shocking medical diagnosis, Welch suffered clinical depression and chose to take a hiatus from recording to focus on his health and education by returning to the Los Angeles Recording School.  Through months of therapy and introspection, Welch achieved a deeper understanding of himself.  When he slowly resumed songwriting and collaborating with other artists, he found that he had a radically different persona.  His message was more sincere, his delivery more vulnerable, and his image more bohemian.  Welch had entered a new era musically, and began developing a new EP as an independent artist, allowing him greater sincerity in both his image and sound.  Despite facing adversity and spiritual rebirth at a young age, Welch maintains exuberance by choosing to boldly reemerge on the music scene as a bohemian, eclectic artist inspired by Soul and infused with modern pop/dance as showcased in IN THE CROWD. 

No comments:

Post a Comment