Interview with Keisha Martin, Queen of Jamrock Soul
Keisha has been singing, dancing and performing since she was a kid. She began singing in church at the tender age of nine and has never looked back. Her love for of music, rhythms and dance has led her to create her own style of Jam Rock Soul music, which has created a huge buzz in the entertainment industry. USmile Magazine caught up with this busy entertainer to talk about her upcoming projects.
USM: You recently lost your father and brother how has that affected you personally?
KM: My father’s passing hit me pretty hard because I hadn’t seen him in quite a while before he passed. My brother’s passing is still extremely painful for m, we were close like twins. I will mourn his loss for the rest of my life. The reason I am able to get through it all is because of my strong faith in God. I know God will help me through this challenge.
USM: Will you every write about this experience?
KM: I need to be in a place where my mind is clear in order to tell my story.
USM: Tell us about your charitable work?
KM: After the passing of my father and brother, I wanted my life to be more meaningful. I wanted to give back to society. So I decided to work with the Jamaica Tools 4 School charity. I know what it’s like not to have the proper tools one needs to succeed in school. If I can help one family or one child, I would be grateful.
USM: Tell us about your style of music?
KM: Most people sing one genre/style of music and stick to it. I have created my own style which is Jam Rock Soul Music. I wanted to be different from everyone else. I enjoy different genres of music so I found a way to switch between Reggae, R&B and Soul music.
USM: Who or what inspires your music?
KM: I get my inspiration from my relationship with God. But, I grow up listing to Bob Marley, Diana King, and Patti Labelle. These artists have different styles of music and they all inspire me in different ways.
USM: How does dancing and choreography influence your music?
KM: Dancing is my first love. I grew up watching artist like Bogle and he influenced me to become a dancer. I really enjoy rhythms and movements.
USM: Tell us about your current song on the radio:
KM: I have a remix of the song I Hope You Dance on the radio. It was produced by Andre Lloyd, Derrick Barnett is on base and Andy Bassford on the guitar. It became an overnight success. I was running errands one day when I first heard it on the radio. I was pleasantly surprised and overwhelmed.
USM: When can your fans expect a new album from you?
KM: I have a new album coming out in the Spring 2011. It’s called Keisha Martin clean up Jam Rock Soul.
USM: Besides the album what else do you plan on releasing?
KM: I will be releasing a mixed CD and a single called Believe before the album comes out. The CD is going to be put out by Kevin Crown and Believe is produced by Wayne Clarke from Jamaica. Everyone will see me in a light that they have never seen me before.
USM: What made you write the song Believe?
KS: I was going through a very difficult time in my life and the only thing that I had was my belief in God to get me through that period. I decided to write about what I was going through so that I can help someone who might be going through life’s challenges.
USM: You mentioned that you will be releasing Believe before the album, do you have a release date?
KM: I don’t have a release date yet but Believe will be coming out soon along with a video. It will be available on ITunes, Facebook and MySpace. I will tweet the release date to everyone.
USM: Will you be going on tour next year to promote the album?
KM: I have plans to go on tour next summer. The tour will kick off in LA. Everyone can learn more about the tour from my MySpace and Facebook page.
USM: Do you have any other projects coming up?
KM: I will be performing with Bushman and Friends in Queens, New York October 9th.
USM: Where do you see yourself in five years?
KM: In five years I would like to be an household name. I hope that with God’s willing I will be an established artist.
