Venezuelan Carlos Jerez, who goes by the stage name Karlo, began singing very early in life. As a toddler, he would sing along with his grandmother in her humble kitchen and today the singer/songwriter has recorded and released eight singles in the last seven years.
Karlo moved to Guyana three years ago and continued to pursue his music. His Latin songs have since also garnered him fans here. Among the eight songs are such favourites as “Quiero Probar”, “Apaga La Cruz”, “Embrujo” featuring Behold the Jury, and “Flex” featuring Ben Franklin. The songs were recorded at Second Ground Music studio which is owned by Collis Belgrave.
Karlo shared that his aunt was a part of a band many years ago and was famous in Maracaibo city.
When he lived in Venezuela, he recalled, three times a week, he and his family, aunt, cousins, and other relatives gathered at his grandmother’s where they cooked and spent time together. Having moved to Guyana, he misses his family as it was through those gatherings that a bond with his grandmother was formed. Often when the radio was on, his grandmother would sing along, and he would join in. He went on to sing at his school and a few times at his church also.
Karlo also took a liking to playing the musical instruments and can play the tambura (similar to a drum) which is used in his country’s traditional music. He can also play the charrasca (a cylindrical metal instrument from which music is made by hitting it with a metal stick), maracas (similar to a shack-shack) and the guira (used in the playing of Merengue and Salsa music). The singer can also play a little bit of the guitar, a skill he intends on perfecting someday.
Prior to taking up music professionally, Karlo had been writing songs for a number of years. He has written more than 100, he said. Many are written from his own personal experiences as well as social issues.
Though his songs have not yet hit the radio, he has been uploading to his Facebook page as well as the Facebook page of the recording studio. Karlo has entertained numerous crowds in Venezuela, Suriname and here in Guyana. Some venues he has played in Guyana include District Ultra Lounge, Tower Hotel, a wedding at Rahaman’s Park, and West Vibes Club as well as other clubs on the West Coast Demerara.
Karlo aspires to win a Grammy award, and said that aside from being inspired by his grandmother and aunt, he looks up to top Latin singers, as well as American artistes. They include Enrique Iglesias, “Despacito” singer Luis Fonsi, Marc Anthony, David Bisbal, Ne-Yo, Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion, N’ Sync and Backstreet Boys and Bruno Mars. Karlo added that of his favourite singers, he wished most of all to share a stage with Bruno Mars.
Although Karlo’s genre is Reggaeton, his music has also been inspired by Soul, Pop, Salsa, Merengue, and Bachata. “Now that I’m living in Guyana I find myself being drawn to the Caribbean genres such as Soca and Dancehall. I love both of them. They are so catchy. I feel like everybody got to bounce when you play a Soca or a Dancehall,” he enthused.
For the time being, Karlo is marketing his music on social media, noting that music is an investment and requires finance to get it out there on the airwaves. Finance, he said, is one of the biggest challenges. Knowing the right people can pose another challenge. While many of the artistes who have made it big have amazing talent that led to where they are today, a number of them also had the connection that led to their success.
Fans, he said, are always encouraging him to keep producing his music and pushing him to complete an album. What satisfies him even more, is when a fan reaches out to tell him that not only do they enjoy his music but that it is also relatable to their own story.
More than anything, he wishes his platform as a singer enables him to be a role model to his listeners. “I want to be a good example for others. I want to be an example for children, for everyone, especially for people who have dreams and work on going after their dreams. When you are a singer, you are in the position to be a role model, to be a leader, to be the voice of others,” he said. One of his favourite quotes is, ‘Be somebody’s hero in your own story.’
Karlo knows about dreaming. He shared that as a boy, he dreamt of making it big. “I was a dreamer. As a kid I always knew that anything was possible as long as you put in the work,” he said. At first, he dreamed of becoming a soccer star but his exposure to the music industry changed all of that and he began dreaming of singing in front of grand audiences. He is on his way to making this dream a reality.
“Everything about music is the best. I take it so serious, I end up having a good time,” Karlo said.
At the moment, singing is a hobby for Karlo as he does not earn anything from his songs except when he performs at a club, which is why right now, he cannot depend solely on his music but looks forward to the day when this changes.
Music for some artistes, he said, takes them away from their family when they are on tour. However, it is all part of following one’s heart. He also spoke out against some singers using their platforms to encourage their fans to follow a path that could find them in jail someday.
But for Karlo, family and music are his two biggest loves. He ecstatically shared that he and his partner are expecting. “We’re having a beautiful girl soon,” he said smiling.
Asked whether he is planning on writing and recording a song about her birth and his love for her, the songwriter exclaimed, “Yes, yes, definitely, yeah!”
Currently he is in studio working on a new single expected to be released soon.
As regards Guyana, Karlo said, “I love the nature here, the seawalls and the interior. Guyana has nice people.” The singer also noted that after visiting Guyana once before, he knew he had to return and has since settled down nicely.
Karlo’s music is on his Facebook page, as well as that of Second Ground Music, on Instagram @karlo_oficial and at https://www.instagram.com/secondgroundmusic/
