Singer, songwriter and composer Paul ‘Chris P’ Clarke is confident that he will be crowned Junior Calypso Monarch with his latest single “2017 Budget” when the competition gets on its way tonight.
“The monarchy is mine this year,” ‘Chris P’ said in an interview with The Scene.
The 18-year-old dancehall/R&B artiste has been singing for three years now and recorded his first single “Chilling” at the GUYZ BOYZ Studios in City Mall when he was 15. However, his passion for singing started a long time before.
“My friends and I, during lunch time, would put tables together and be beating on it while I sing.
My friends have always been supportive. My mother though was skeptical at first and didn’t believe that I would make it here. She gives me full support now and will be there [tonight],” he said in the interview.
The competition tonight is ‘Chris P’ second time on stage. He first got onstage last year at the Emancipation Concert at Bagotville on the West Bank Demerara, which started off as nerve-wracking for him but soon turned out to be better than he expected.
“At the concert last year while waiting my turn, all kind of thoughts were running through my head. I was very nervous and was wondering what would be people’s reaction. I’ve had other friends who performed at other concerts and got booed off and I was worried that might happen to me too. But once I got on and started singing, I was getting the crowd’s attention and the more I enjoyed myself the more they did. I sang my single ‘Suicide’ and got a really good response from the crowd,” he said.
‘Chris P’ was only scheduled for one song that night but because of the crowd’s response, he was called back on later on in the show. He chose to perform his next single “Bruk Out and Wine,” which drove the crowd wild. Because of the crowd’s reaction the second time around, he was encouraged to look for promotion. That’s when he met Ssignal Productions through which “2017 Budget” was written by the production’s manager, Bonny Alves.
According to ‘Chris P’, “…I enjoy being onstage. And seeing my fans’ reaction gives me the motivation that I need to want to stay onstage and give them the full show that they come out to see. I love it when I can reach out to my fans. When I touch the stage and they call out for me; that shows me that I am meant to be there.”
However, the singer also spoke of some challenges he faced before he signed on with Ssignal Productions. There were times before when just because he wanted to get his music out he had pay to have his music recorded and according to him it seemed like that was all he was doing, paying money out. Recordings can be expensive, he said, and in the past he never saw any income from what he was doing. The only time he recalled money coming in due to his music was whenever he did a stage show, but he didn’t lose hope, he pressed on.
“…I see myself moving from nothing to something and going all over the world to sing and reach out to others with my music. I see myself being one of the best in Guyana and I hope to just keep moving on to greater things in life,” the singer said.
One look at the singer’s bleached hair and one could figure that Chris ‘Breezy’ Brown is one of his inspirations. The others are Keisha Cole, Omarion, Alkaline, Jamiel and the legendary Bob Marley.
‘Chris P’ wishes that measures can be taken to put the copyright law in place.
Currently he does nothing else besides, his writing, singing and composing but he hopes to further his studies later in this year.
Apart from his music, he enjoys dancing, touring places, and loves to make others happy.
To his fans he says, “Expect nothing but the best from me!”
‘Chris P’ said he is certain that this year the current Junior Calypso Monarch, T’shanna Cort will be handing over the title to him.
His other songs on record are: “How Could You” “Love How You Wine,” “Hard Times,” “My Mother,” “Mankind,” “My Type” and “Come Back”. He’s expected to be releasing an album before the end of the year.