Marlon – Interview

After winning the 2006 Latin Show ‘Objetivo Fama’ and releasing his first album titled ‘Mi Sueno’, which featured several songs written by Olga Tañon and a duet with La India. Marlon Fernández has returned with his new album ‘Homenaje a Juan Luis Guerra’ released on January of 2008. With his second album building up steam with the single ‘La Bilirrubina’ and a video coming real soon, this busy salsa artist came through the 2008 Latin Urban Mixx Awards courtesy of Apaza Entertainment and sat down with yours truly for a candid interview on his music, his life changes and more…

CorrienteLatina.com: This is Rich from CorrienteLatina.com and I’m here with Marlon, how’s it going?

Marlon: Good. Good. It’s my pleasure to be here with you, feeling very happy.

CorrienteLatina.com: I saw you perform at the Explosion Salsera concert in Orlando last February and I really was amazed with your performance.

Marlon: Thank You, the concert was great. I got to perform with some Salsa legends like Paquito Guzman, Hector Tricoche and other great Salsa singers. Now, I just got back from Puerto Rico finishing up the video for the new single La Bilirubina, I’m also performing tonight is South Beach with Rey Ruiz and tomorrow at Calle Ocho. I’m very happy with all the work that’s coming my way, I want to thank all the people out there for their support and thank you for the invite to the Latin Urban Mixx Awards (Marlon was invited to the event by DJ Apaza from Apaza Entertainment). I am very happy with my career and how the people have accepted my music. I can’t complain, I feel blessed.

CorrienteLatina.com: DJ Apaza and I were listening to the radio this morning and your song for La Bilirubina was number 7 on the Hot mix here in Miami. How does that make you feel?

Marlon: I feel fortunate that my hard work is paying off. We have gotten a really good response from this CD, most of the songs are heavy radio rotation here in the States and also in Spain, South America, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico; The CD has been out for a couple of months and thank God the sales have been good. I can’t complain, it has been a blessing.

CorrienteLatina.com: Juan Luis Guerra is one of the pioneers of Latin Music. How did you pick him to do a homage album?

Marlon: Well, Juan Luis Guerra has always been one of my favorite artists and the idea came about from that and my record label (Univision Music). I’ve only been in the industry for about two years and for the label to give me the opportunity to do something like this; it’s a huge satisfaction for me. We started choosing the songs we wanted to use and spent about 4 months recording the material. We recorded tracks in Miami, Colombia and Puerto Rico and this is the final product that you guys have in your hands which the public seem to like very much. It was also a great opportunity to meet Juan Luis Guerra and show him my work. He liked the idea very much and that made me happy.

CorrienteLatina.com: How did your life change after winning “Objectivo Fama”. How did you feel when you knew you were the winner, when you woke up the next day?

Marlon: Well, I didn’t sleep that night. (Laugh)… It was a huge victory for me. Imagine, I spent years fighting my way to get to this point, I sent demos, talked to producers and anyone that would listen and nothing was happening with my career. I just wanted the people to know my music and I got the opportunity to enter Objetivo Fama and show the world my talent and thanks to the fans and God, I won. I am very happy now with my career, now I have two albums out and this new one being the Homage to Juan Luis Guerra. Life couldn’t be better right now.

CorrienteLatina.com: Well tell me more about meeting Mr. Juan Luis Guerra. I heard you will be peforming with him in the Dominican Republic?

Marlon: Well, I’ll be joining him in the Dominican Republic to record the video for “Bachata Rosa” and also do an event together. The song is doing well in Santo Domingo, I am doing interviews with radio stations out there every week, I am glad they are enjoying the music.

CorrienteLatina.com: It must be great to know that the people in the Dominican Republic are supporting you in your homage to him. That’s an honor both for you and for him to know that he has had that impact on a young artist like yourself to do an album like that. Especially in Salsa, Salsa is what’s hitting right now. It was sleeping for a minute, but now it’s wide awake and thriving again.

Marlon: He is very happy with the CD. He recently did an interview and they asked him about my project and he said that he was honored to have an artist pay homage to his music. To me he is one of the greats. He has never let tropical music die, from Bachata, Merengue to Salsa. He is an incredible talent.

CorrienteLatina.com: Well, I see your here in Miami for Calle Ocho and you are performing with Rey Ruiz tonight, tell me a little more about that.

Marlon: Well yea, tonight I will be performing with Rey Ruiz at the Carnaval Center here in Miami. He gave me an invite to come out alongside Arturo Sandobal and it makes me feel proud to be able to perform alongside these giants of Latin Music. Also tomorrow, I will be on the same stage with him at Calle Ocho along with DLG and so many other artists on the Univision stage. Then I will return to Puerto Rico to finish taping the video for ‘ La Bilirubina’, I feel like sometimes I don’t even have the time to tie my shoes (laughs)

CorrienteLatina.com: Well for a young artist like yourself, it is great to be busy, it means you are creating your own path and paving your own way in this music business and I hope we will continue to hear from you and your great talent and I know that your CD is hitting right now, so congratulations on your success.

Marlon: Well thank you for your support and the extended invitations you guys have given me to come out. God bless you and wish you success in your ventures as well.

CorrienteLatina.com: Well this has been Marlon along side your number one site for Latin Music & Entertainment; CorrienteLatina.com

Danity Kane – Welcome to the Dollhouse Album Review

Artist: Danity Kane
Album: Welcome to the Dollhouse
Label: Bad Boy
By: Antoine D. Reid
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

I haven’t been a big fan of Danity Kane. I found their first release to leave much to be desired with only one or two decent tracks. In my opinion though, ‘Welcome to the Dollhouse’ is a much better release and far more entertaining. There’s a very R&B/Pop vibe running throughout the album and where as ‘interludes’ are usually distracting and take away from the music, I felt they were handled well in this release and actually keep the flow going from start til end instead of letting the vibe fall flat each time they come up.

‘Damaged’ is definitely among the best tracks and was a good choice for first single. Unlike many albums these days, it isn’t the only good track that has single potential. ‘Sucka For Love’ stands out for the production values, making it sound more like a 90s pop song and rather fresh. ‘Ecstasy’ is another song with a nice groove that features Rick Ross while ‘Poetry’ slows down and attempts to features each member’s vocal abilities. ‘Lights Out’, the upbeat anthem ‘Pretty Boy’ and the Missy Elliot track ‘Bad Girl’ are all fun tracks that sound different and help make this album a solid effort that out does the first release.

In all, this is a good cd. While there are different styles throughout the cd one could also make the argument that at certain points the music blends together. There are some forgettable tracks that when stacked against those mentioned above sound far too similar and less thrilling than the others. I like that there are fewer tracks I’d skip over or consider filler and that the music is more pop/r&b than it is an attempt to be hip-hop or something the singers’ image doesn’t convey. I’d definitely recommend you check out this cd.

Tracklisting:

01. Welcome To The Dollhouse [Featuring P. Diddy] (Album Version) 0:46
02. Bad Girl [featuring Missy Elliott] (Album Version)    4:01
03. Damaged (Album Version)    4:09
04. Pretty Boy (Album Version)    4:00
05. Strip Tease (Album Version)    3:15
06. Sucka For Love (Album Version)    2:56
07. Secret Place Interlude (Album Version)    1:16
08. Ecstasy [Featuring Rick Ross] (Album Version)    4:36
09. 2 Of You (Album Version)    3:53
10. Lights Out (Album Version)    3:25
11. Picture This Interlude (Album Version)    1:14
12. Poetry (Album Version)    4:42
13. Key To My Heart (Album Version)    2:29
14. Flashback Interlude (Album Version)    1:13
15. Is Anybody Listening (Album Version)    3:27
16. Ain’t Going (Non-Album Version) (Hidden Track)

Check out the first Video: Damaged

Day 26 – Day 26 Album Review

Artist: Day 26
Album: Day 26
Label: Bad Boy
Rating: 4/5
By: Blast Boogie

Synopsis:

After battling for spots for a place on the band and battling each other as well, the band, now known as Day 26 explodes on the scene with their first full length self titled album.

Brian Andrews, Mike “Butta” McCluney, Qwanell “Q” Mosley, Robert Curry and Willie Taylor have had a long journey and this album will prove that their road has not been for nothing.

The album is remenisant of old 112 (not that they or anyone at bad boy wants to hear that), but to me it does. And that is NOT a bad thing. These guys; although brought together, have gelled well for this album.  Still rough around the edges from their live performance on the season finally of making the band 4, they have nothing but to go up.

The first single is already a ready made club banger.  “Come Get Me” and the remix with Fat Joe is already a hit in the club circuit and that is not an easy thing to do for a young group.

for those that don’t know how the name Day 26 came about, well it was on August 26, 2006 when Diddy chose the individuals that would be forming this talented group. The album features a plethora of talented behind the scenes ensauble lead by executive producer Diddy, and featuring production from Mario Winans (Diddy, The Notorious B.I.G.), The Runners (T.I., Chris Brown), and multiple Grammy Award-winner Bryan Michael Cox (Usher, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey). With a foundation like that, this could be considered one of those Cant Lose albums.

I wont go into much detail as to what songs I like and such, but know that I played it from beginning to end and by the album the album was done, i just hit play again on my ipod and went for another round.

Tracklisting:

01. I’m the Reason
02. Got Me Going
03. In My Bed
04. Silly Love
05. Come with Me
06. Co Star
07. Come In (My Door’s Open)
08. Are We in This Together
09. What It Feels Like
10. Since You’ve Been Gone
11. If It Wasn’t for You
12. Don’t Fight the Feeling
13. Ain’t Going

Check out their first video: