#OnTheBlock: Evin Gibson Shares The Message of Perseverance and Triumph Through Music admin Monday, November 4, 2013 On The Block, Studio Xclusive, The Vault When a new artist comes around who can reach national and global audiences, something should be said about that. Well, this South Carolina-born singer is doing just that and is on his way to becoming the next household name. Evin Gibson has spent the last several years honing in on his craft and mesmerizing listeners with his fusion of R&B and pop. His initial project “Life in E-Vision” was release independently and proved that anything can be achieved if you set your mind to it. He sold over 5,000 copies on his own and through various online music websites was able to create an international fan base. Evin has traveled to many places like Japan and Germany to spread his talents. He’s been invited to open up for Sunshine Anderson, Jill Scott, and even legendary R&B crooner Freddie Jackson. In addition, his singing abilities and heartfelt songs even reached the attention of his hometowns neighboring state of North Carolina, in which he received a nomination at the North Carolina Music Awards for Best Male R&B Artist. Evin also had the experience of singing at the BET Experience and at a premier event for the television show “The Game.” As an artist for Str8Wired Entertainment, his team is moving full steam ahead with his next project. Evin’s talent can’t be denied and his pretty boy looks is just the icing on the cake. If you haven’t heard of him before now, now it’s time to listen. STACKS Magazine’s staff writer, Abner Jackson II, recently spoke with the singer about his influences, what’s going to separate him from other artists, meeting the late Whitney Houston, and his future plans. When did you realize you wanted to become a R&B singer and was there any artists whose work influenced you the most? I always had a passion for music growing up around a lot of musicians and church. My family being so soiled in music…when I started listening to a lot of the old school records that were played by family and a lot of the new school records that were current growing up. I felt like I would take the instrumentals and make my own music to them and make my own songs to them. I did it to almost every song came out and had my own version for almost every song that came out and I decided this is something that I really want to do. I wanted to take my sound and expand it. I started making my own music from that point. It’s something that happened and throughout the years always been a part of my heart. Being able to do music now, is a dream come true. Artists that inspired me? No set artist inspired me. I listened to all the greats from Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, En Vogue, Boyz II Men…a variety of artists. So, I don’t have one set artist that inspired me. I just love great music. For our readers who have never heard of your music, how would you explain your sound to them? My music is R&B, pop, and with a core of good music. Basically, it’s a sound that is clean that talks about love, life, and experiences people go through. It’s a sound of great story, memo flows, basic R&B and pop, good music – it’s really hard to describe besides good music that touches your soul and relate to things you go through in your own life. What makes your style/image as a male singer different from other young male artists? I’m not trying to become someone I’m not. I’m just trying to put positive clean music out there for the public. I like to put a little bit of imagination. Music lacks imagination sometime nowadays and music sometimes lacks that imagination. I don’t like to come out and say exactly what the song is about, I like to put it so everybody can relate to it. Put their own story to it. My style is being true to me and what makes me happy and making sure I have a message in what I do. That’s my style and I don’t think a lot of people have that style. I think people lose their message sometimes. I’m a person who talks about message and love, not drama. How did it feel to open up in concert for Jill Scott, Freddie Jackson and Sunshine Anderson? I feel like to open up for any major artist is an accomplishment and it’s also one of those things you have to make sure you on point. It can be kind of scary. People came to see the artist. They came to see. You have to give it your all with everything; rather for the major artists I open up for or I’m doing my own show, I give it my all and try to keep it on that level. I can have fun and my audience can have fun. It’s always great to meet new people and explain yourself to new people. It’s always a wonderful, wonderful feeling anytime you get to do what you were born to do and love to do. It’s a great experience. In your bio, it was mentioned that you performed at the BET Experience and during The Game’s premiere. How did those opportunities come about? Anything I’m able to perform at is through my label Str8Wired Entertainment. They are able to get me into a lot of places and do a lot of things that expose me to a lot of people. They are doing a very good job at that. So, I’m really thankful for them, my publicist, and I’m really happy to have a good team around me. They see the opportunities where I fit in. They get me out there and if they like it, they get me to be a part of it. I’m just happy to have that team around me. When you’re not in the studio or performing, what do you do in your free time? I like to chill, relax and I’m a father. I love spending time with my kids and I’m a hands-own father. I love being with my kids and being a good dad. Teaching them and having fun with them basically. Watching movies…I’m really just a simple guy. Like to have fun, like to relax, chill, be with my kids and family. What is your biggest accomplishment, thus far, in this field of work? My biggest accomplishment in music, well there are quite a few musical landmarks that happened in my life. One particular thing that happened (that I’ll never forget) is meeting Whitney Houston, which is someone I always looked up to and I always thought was one of the greatest voices of all time. Getting to meet her in life through music and being able to meet her is a moment that time stood still. She is a musical icon and there are so many things that has happened to me that I been blessed to be able to do. From getting my songs on the radio, video on MTV, having a record number one on the radio station, being able to go to Japan and tour, having my CD sell overseas, etc. They are so many different accomplishments. But, being able to give back and being a part of a lot of the benefit concerts is some of the greatest things I enjoyed. Where do you see yourself in five years from now? I see myself doing the same thing I’m doing just on a larger scale reaching a bigger platform. I see myself really spreading the message of love and not so much of war and on the radio and do music. Having a good time and of course being respectful. I can see myself bringing a new platform of music back and teach kids through music and inspire others through music. Basically, just doing what I love to do and growing and touring and having a great time. Life is all about a great time right? Having a great time and being true to who I am, inspire people to follow their dreams, because that’s so important. When you in these positions to reach people, it’s very important that you be a good example. You show them life has its ups and downs. We all go through stuff, at the same time anybody can achieve anything. When you see people making it big, it does not mean you can’t make it big. It just means go out there and do it. I want people to get that message from Evin Gibson, my life and from what I been able to accomplish coming from a small town. Branching out and doing things very few get to do. If I can do it, anybody can do it. That goes for anybody in any field and not just music. I really want that message to be conveyed through what I do. This album I got coming out, I want people to be able to realize that is the message from that album, basically. Watch Evin Gibson’s latest video “Instant Fire” below: To learn more about this talented artist, visit www.EvinGibson.com. Follow him on Twitter @EvinGibson and on Facebook @ EvinGibsonMusic. Special thanks to Jakeem Smith, of Jay Productions!