Hailing from the Capital city of Michigan, The Emperor of House Music, Pop/EDM recording artist Martone has been hitting the ground running in the music industry since 2014, and has manifested into a lucrative artist with dynamic artistic merit with a raw and original sound that has captivated the ears of an insatiable number of fans since his inception.
Not long after the up and coming artist began to brand himself, he entered the studio to record his debut album #TEOM the Evolution of Martone 1st and 2nd editions, he capped it off with the Deluxe Edition which garnered positive reception and critical acclaim not long after its release.
Some of Martone’s notable chart domination, street-buzzing singles include Groove Tonight, Love You I Do, Office Politics, Chocolate |Spoken Word Mix, Fuck Me Baby and now a cover of Little Willie John’s 1956 hit single Fever. His rendition of Fever is currently in pre-production for its official music video, slated for a release later this year. Read More About Martone
1.) What made you want to get into the music business in the first place? Did anyone influence you to do music? If so, who? Influences? Role Models?
My career in entertainment initially started off as a TV host for a music video show. It was Donnie Simpson from Video Soul that had inspired me to get involved in the entertainment industry. From there, I went on to modeling, and went back to online radio and television.
I was always interested in singing and performing, at that point I did not have the confidence in my voice so I did not persue it at that time. But, since my father had passed away a few years ago, it really kicked in that life is too short to not do what you love.
I will tell you that I am heavily influenced by the Jacksons. Janet, particularly. The way that she commands the stage and the attention of her audience is something to behold.
2.) Unfortunately the music industry is full of talented individuals who just don’t get any recognition for their talent and/or work. What do you plan to do to make sure you stand out and get noticed?
Well, nowadays, you have to diversify your brand. I believe I have done that with radio, television and now music. It is my intention to keep pushing forward with my brand because for me it is really about living my life to the fullest and authentically as possible.
3.) Would you rather be on a major label or would you rather stay independent? Why or why not?
I would rather stay independent with options. I like the freedom of being able to write and sing songs about what I like. I have heard too many horror stories about albums or songs getting shelved, being tied to a deal and nothing comes about. Sure, the big budgets would be nice to complete things but having the creative freedom is what it is really all about for me.
I would say that some aspects of it is dead like the song release model. Nowadays, the attention span of some people is lacking. Some people feel that they have to release a song every month. Me personally, I am not going to do that. If the music is good and timeless it can certainly be played for years to come.
5.) How do you think the internet and social media affected the music industry and how musicians are able to market themselves?
I will tell you that I am at a stage in my life as to where I am not concerned with people thinking that I am a sell-out or not. I always tend to follow my heart and with that said, with me being exposed to all types of music growing up people may come to one conclusion or another and make a judgement or opinion without really knowing the artist. So, I will just continue to do me and not be envious about what others are doing or what they have achieved. I know that there is a room for everyone to be successful but, only if they put in the work.
8.) When you do music, what would you like your listeners to get out of your music?
When I do music, especially for my genre, which is dance/house music. They need to know that house/dance music is definitely a feeling. For me, that feeling is love. Thats what I primarily write about. Love gone bad, falling in and out of love. I also have written about friendships and work experiences – you cannot go wrong with love. I hope that is the message that people will continue to receive.
Thank you so much for this awesome interview. I wish you the best in all that you do!
Martone