Monday, March 19, 2012

Malcolm Scott: A Dream Deferred



     Prince, Michael Jackson, The Isley Brothers—these greats can all be seen as an inspiration for musicians everywhere. South Carolina native and aspiring musician Malcolm Scott hopes to one day have an impact on the music industry such as theirs with his music.            
Currently in his junior year at Hampton University, his major has gone from music engineering technology, to psychology, to graphic design, and now back at psychology. As a child, Scott had career dreams like any other child; becoming an astronaut, veterinarian, or doctor were all aspirations of his. 
After realizing he could carry a tune, he didn’t really see himself in music until he was much older. From that point, he worked on perfecting his voice by singing a little more each day, trying to develop the small voice he had. “My voice was never that deep so my singing voice was always a little higher than my peers,” said Scott. Factors like these discouraged him as a child. He claims that when he was younger he felt about his singing every other day. The first talent show Scott performed in his mother came to see him. “She told me she couldn't hear me singing at all. Other people who sat even further behind her told me they heard me and I sounded good but the fact that my mom didn't, hurt my pride. To this day I still don't really feel comfortable singing around her,” said Scott. 
By the time he became comfortable with his singing voice, he claims he always found someone better than him. He used this as motivation to be that much better and work that much harder. “I hated not being able to do as much vocally as others around me could so that pushed me to work on it. Not to mention how negative people can be about your career choice. Eventually I just learned to block it out,” Scott said. 
Scott feels that his past experience playing with the band felt like a full-time job and as a result, prepped him for his expectations of the music industry.   “Going to practices after school, meeting on the weekends, it was just so hard to keep up. I was younger then though, so at this point with singing I feel like I'm ready,” Scott said. 
Currently, Scott believes riding under the radar is his best option because when he does come out, it will have been unexpected. He feels the combination of the element of surprise along with his best work, will make people love it all the more.   Scott doesn’t have any particular preference in who he signs with in the future. “Whoever can offer me the best deal and allow me to have creative control over the work that I do, that's who I'll choose. I wouldn't mind signing with Interscope or Def Jam though, they're track record is undeniable,” Scott says.      
He is currently working on collaborations with producers on campus and up and coming talents on campus as well. Scott says his performances have been scarce-few to none to be exact. “But in due time, it'll all be ready. I've held back from performing simply because my music wasn't ready and I always hated the fact that singers performed other people's songs. If I want to be a singer, I want to be able to perform my own material. I have nothing against singing someone else's songs; but I want to show my talent by performing something I composed,” said Scott.
Scott has work stockpiled from his freshmen year to today. The fuel behind his work now was the group of people he was around. “It was harder to have creative control back then. The opinions of others drove the kind of music I made.  It lacked substance, most of it seemed sex driven. But now I've moved on and found better ways to convey my feelings. I only write and record what I feel, something that anyone can listen to and be able to connect with,” Scott says.
Eventually, Scott hopes to branch out into other genres. Just starting out, he believes he is still developing his sound and trying to figure out the kind of music that will define his career.

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