| | Hot stuff: Mexican-American heartthrob Marcos Hernandez’s pop-flavoured R&B seems to have struck a chord with South African listeners. Full story |
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June 29, 2006
By Jayne Mayne
Mexican-American heartthrob Marcos Hernandez’s pop-flavoured RnB seems to have struck a chord with South African listeners. The singer’s début CD, C About Me, houses ballads such as If You Were Mine, which has been a popular item on local radio.
Hernandez said: “I’m close to going gold in South Africa. A lot of the promotion that we’ve done has been located in Europe and Germany, and what has worked there is the more rhythmical Hispanic cultural stuff.”
Hernandez’s style is a merging of his Latin upbringing, which exposed him to the traditional sounds of Mariachi, and the sounds of Motown artists like Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder.
“What makes my music different for everybody is the pop culture I grew up with. It somehow comes through on the album as what you get is a Motown-Spanish guitar rock sound.”
The singer has co-written most of the tracks on the album: “If I’m going to be driving this ship as far as artistry is concerned, I’d rather be the one holding the wheel.”
In his view, what is the best track on C About Me?
“I’d probably have to say I’m Lost. I just write about what I see and that was a story of a heartbreak of a good friend of mine and what was going through his head.”
Some of Hernandez’s influences today are in the current Latino movement.
“I admire Pitbull’s aggressiveness, Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin’s stage performance and Christina’s vocal abilities. I am also a big fan of No Doubt, Incubus, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Timberlake, Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson, Brandy, Timbaland and Aaliyah.”
On Mariachi music: “It’s something that’s important to me in so far as passion is concerned. Mariachi singers or players don’t have to move because they’re playing with such conviction
. They can hold one position but are sweating bullets because they’re putting that much power into it. It’s got to come from your heart, that’s where Mariachi comes from. You have to know your heritage.
“I’ve more or less expanded on the life I have been living for the past seven months. I never wanted to go after fame as it catapults you into this position. I’m making it a fun message, something light in nature. There are so many styles that pollute our youngsters’ thinking that things have to be a certain way.”
The 23-year-old’s first stage experience was in Sons of Harmony. “They were having a crazy contest at a mall for a boy band. I got picked and we stayed together for two years.”
Sons of Harmony went on to tour as sweetener for 98 Degrees, Jessica Simpson, Mandy Moore, Pink, Jon Bon Jovi and Destiny’s Child. Singing as support to these bigger acts, Hernandez saw examples of extreme dedication by fellow performers when, for example, one singer coughed up blood on stage but continued to sing.
“It was boy band pop geared for 16-year-olds. It was okay for learning purposes and I got a crash course in the music industry. I just fell into it by accident so to speak.”
Hernandez’s lucky break came when he caught the attention of Vanilla Ice’s manager, Tommy Quon, which eventually led him to signing with independent powerhouse TVT Records.
His first single, If You Were Mine, was produced by Eliot Sloan, Robi Menace and Wayne Stalling.
“My album is a reflection of the music I grew up listening to. I want my music to remind you of good times. I want my words and phrases to be more than a cliché.”
Look out for the upcoming video of his song Bitter Sweet.
  
 
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