| Randevyn Chides Lionel Richie, Talks Contemporary R&B |
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| Written by Ifè Oshun and Michelle Cavanaugh | |
 While he admits music has taken a drastic turn away from traditional R&B, up-and-coming indie crooner Randevyn still demands a little more respect from Lionel Richie, who recently slammed contemporary R&B music.
“If you are a person who is used to traditional music and who is in to traditional music, you probably won’t like a lot of the stuff that’s coming out now,” Randevyn retorted. “I think we need to be careful of respecting everybody’s art and not saying it sucks because it’s not what we are used to or it’s not what we identify with or it’s not our taste or it’s not what we necessarily care for.” HipHopRnBSoul.com: What does your name mean? Randevyn: I’m not sure what my name means. I guess it’s origin would be Grandma. It’s just a combination of a couple of name ideas. It’s cool for me. I like it. HRS: Talk about your stint working for the Georgia government. Do you feel in a weird way it was vital for your artistic development? R: Actually, it was, cause I got to meet a lot of people who were at a certain place in their life where they may have been down and were chasing a passion. It was good for me to be able to see that so that I could continue to strive to be what I am and strive to be a beacon for my community so I know what the needs are and what the issues are in life and otherwise. It helps me create music. It helps me to be determined, to be something, and can be help to other people. We do everything in life for a reason and that related to my purpose. And now I am the person I am because I had that experience. It was cool. HRS: Tell us one story about a person or experience that made your daily train commute special. R: I was getting on the train one evening and I noticed this guy singing when I got off. He was a great singer. I mean this guy’s voice was amazing! He was almost like Sam Cooke or somebody. He was down in the train station singing and his voice was resonating throughout the entire station. So I sat down with him and we just sang together for about ten minutes. He exchanged a story with me and told me about his dreams about being a singer and the days he was performing and doing this and that. It was a surreal experience. I took that and put it in my heart and kept it in on the record kinda like that. I’ll never forget his story. It just reminds me of who I am, where I come from, who my people are, what my goal is and what my purpose is. HRS: Lionel Richie recently said most music today is 'mediocre.' How do you respond to that? R: Well, I think it depends on what you are looking for in music. For him, I think his taste is probably a little different from what’s there now. I think now artists are less musical and more talented in terms of noise effects and less brewed traditionally. It’s not the music Lionel Richie came up listening to and it’s certainly not the music he came up singing so I can understand where he comes from when he says that. If you are a person who is used to traditional music and who is in to traditional music, you probably won’t like a lot of the stuff that’s coming out now. It’s becoming a blend of hip-hop and noise effects and sound. All hip-hop, rap, and R&B, all that stuff, is merging together and becoming one music. It’s not like the music of old. I think we need to be careful of respecting everybody’s art and not saying it sucks because it’s not what we are used to or it’s not what we identify with or it’s not our taste or it’s not what we necessarily care for. I wouldn’t say it sucks. It’s definitely a lot different and it’s definitely a lot less traditionally musical. There are a lot of artists and a lot of music that I don’t really care for. I have to respect their art, their talent, and that they do what they do and they are blessed and talented to do what they do and no one else can do what they do. I just have to continue to do what I do. If there’s something I don’t like or a song I don’t like or an artist I don’t care for, I just don’t listen to it. At large, right now, I would have to say, R&B, as it is right now, is hmmmm, from Randevyn’s point of view, I’m not too big on it either. I’m not too excited about it either. There’s only a couple artists out there that I’m really in to and respect musically, or feel that I enjoy them, that I identify with them, you know what I mean. I wouldn’t say it sucks. (Laughs) HRS: Could you name a few? R: Indie.Arie. I love what she’s doing right now. I have always loved what Brandy Norwood has done. Mario. I love Mario’s voice. RJ, Omarion, I like his production. I like Marques Houston’s production. That whole California, Chris Stokes type-of-click, I think they are really doing something neat in music. Vocally, quite a few people but you know when people ask you, you can’t think of them. But Indie.Arie is definitely one of my favorites, I just love what she does vocally. HRS: Where do you see yourself in the next five years? R: In the next five years, probably, working on my fourth or fifth record on a major label. Grammy nominees if I haven’t already won some. All the award shows, all the big stuff, all the mainstream stuff, I should say. HRS: What about any collaborations? R: I want to work with Kanye West on some things. I want to work with Indie on some things. I want to do something with John Legend possibly. I want to get into working with some hip-hop artists. I really, really want to do something with T.I. right now. There’s another rapper, named Cascius, that I’d like to do something with. There’s a lot of duets that I want to do. I thought about doing something with Fantasia. I just have to sit down and assess my situation and not get ahead of myself, see who is available to me and see what my options are and see what I can do. A lot of times we make all these projections and (laughs) we are not even in the position we need to be in so that we can take advantage of those projections. But that’s what I see for myself. I see mainstream things. HRS: And you’re already back in the studio. R: I am back in the studio right now. Pick up the album at www.randevyn.com or www.bestbuy.com. You can also download the album off of iTunes for $9.99. I just want everybody to support and keep looking out for me doing big things. So keep your eyes open! I think everybody will be pleasantly surprised very soon.
www.randevyn.com |
