Completed Journalism for Origin

Tyrell martin is a 17 year old aspiring artist with his unique Soulful/R&B music. He is a full time student living in hackney but in the last month his life has transformed with a million YouTube views of his new track featuring Leona Lewis. Is he ready for the big time?!

1.       Let’s start off by asking what inspires your music?

That’s hard to say, I don’t really have one, I respect and listen to all genres and enjoy them. I feel that I’ll learn more about music if I listen to different types of songs. If I had to pick one style, it may have to be R&B since I’ve been listening to R&B music since I was younger. Artists like Eminem he’s that kind of guy that doesn’t care about what he says and the way he raps is just unbelievable (with passionate expression).

2.       Do you have a favourite song that you can’t stop listening to repeatedly?

Hmm, probably right now it would be Royals by Lorded because it talks a lot about how people self-indulge themselves with expensive things and her opinion about where she lives. She inspires me to write my songs on what I feel strong about. You should listen to it sometime (smirks).

3.       Is it true you’re in college? What are you studying?

Yeah I go to Brit School, studying music; just focusing on college for now. In my spare time I write my own songs for fun. I guess music is like a hobby I’d like to never stop doing. This is why I go to Brit school… To somehow pursue a life in the music industry.

4.       How does it feel to be recognised today because of the X Factor winner Leona Lewis in 2006, how did you guys meet?

(Face lights up) ahhh yes… I was in college one day when Leona Lewis randomly just appeared in Brits to visit. She used to go there when she was younger. I completely forgot that she used to go here and luckily my performance was during the lesson she was visiting and she was so in love with my performance! After lesson she gave me advice saying I should take this seriously as a career. So I told her about the music video I was currently doing and asked if she could be featured in it… and she said “yeah why not?”! It was like a dream come true! We recorded her singing a short verse for my song in her recording studio the following week.

5.       What did you do once your music video was complete?

Well I obviously uploaded it onto my YouTube channel (Official Tyrell M of course) and that’s when the views started rolling in. In one day I had 5000 views… just yesterday I reached 1 million views! All because Leona featured in the song for only 30 seconds! I feel blessed to have had this opportunity! And now every time I’m out with my friends people recognise me and my fan base is expanding.

6.       Would you consider going onto X Factor next year to get a contract and be recognised more since Leona herself did this 6 years ago?

Umm good question…. X factor is a big deal in the UK. If it wasn’t for my recent success I would have considered it since Leona did it and won the show and look how amazing her career has been. However I’m hoping to get signed up soon. There has been an interest.

7.       I see your guitar is next to you, do you play the guitar when you write songs?

Yes, I've been playing the guitar since I was 10. My parents use to hate the noises I first started playing (looks reluctant). I feel that playing the guitar while writing my own songs helps me to think as it helps to make the song I'm creating flow.

8.       What do you have planned for the year 2014?

Since my song Cry featuring Leona Lewis is a success on YouTube. Leona is inviting me to one of her performances next summer to play my Song LIVE. Which is something to look forward to, but I'm still going to concentrate in Brit School and take as much as I can from it; with any luck I will be a Soulful/R&B artist in the next 5 years.

Now I can place this onto InDesign and my DPS for Origin will be complete.