Post by Sweet Meat aka CC on Dec 6, 2004 0:21:01 GMT -5
Young Singer Mario Faces 'Turning Point'
LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - The transition from teen to young adult can be difficult enough on its own, but imagine making that change in front of a fickle public.
That was the situation facing 3rd Street/J Records artist Mario as he began preparing his sophomore album, "Turning Point." Judging from the reaction to lead single "Let Me Love You" and the 18-year-old's new look, the transition is going smoothly.
"With the dearth of teen idols, I was a bit concerned that Mario's more mature look might alienate some of his fans who loved him as a younger-modeled star," BET senior VP of music programing Stephen Hill says. "It seems like that concern may have been unfounded. His video is so smooth and his appeal so broad that he is simply growing with his audience."
With the album's Dec. 7 release fast approaching, "Let Me Love You" is nestled in the top five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart and the Billboard Hot 100. On the Billboard Radio Monitor R&B/Hip-Hop chart, the single jumps from No. 7 to No. 4. And it is crossing over to mainstream top 40 radio as well.
To further strengthen Mario's male audience, the single will get a club remix, featuring T.I. and Jadakiss, in advance of the album. Available for sale separately, the remix will also be included on the album.
Discovered at age 11 by his manager, Troy Patterson, Mario signed with J at 14. He released his self-titled album debut in 2002, reaching No. 4 in R&B and pop with "Just a Friend" and top 20 R&B with "Braid My Hair." According to Nielsen SoundScan, "Mario" has sold 586,000 units.
Work on "Turning Point" began a little more than a year ago, following Mario's summer tour with B2K.
CONSCIOUS CHANGES
"When we sat down, we were very conscious of the transition," Patterson says. "We were looking at what was out there, what was coming and where he would fit."
Those discussions gave Mario a goal: to fashion a coming-of-age record a la Michael Jackson's 1979 hit, "Off the Wall."
"We wanted to make an uptempo 'Off the Wall' for 2005," J executive VP of A&R Peter Edge says. "All original songs, no covers. It was important that the material on this album reflects where Mario is now. It took a minute to get people's head around where he was at. He's not a kid. He's not just talking about getting with a girl anymore."
"It was kind of a funny change, singing mature songs," admits Mario, who co-wrote several songs for the first time. "But it was natural. All the songs are about friends and the situations I'm going through."
Along with the musical retooling, Mario revamped his image. The transition began during the video shoot for his last "Mario" single, "C'mon."
"We wanted to make sure the transition wouldn't be a total shock," Patterson says. "But we were beginning to educate fans that he was maturing."
Out were the jeans, T-shirts and throwbacks. In was a more mature, stylish look. The biggest makeover move, however, was cutting Mario's trademark braids. Although Williams and Patterson came up with the idea, they left the final decision to Mario. It took him some time, but he did have the braids cut off.
Needless to say, my ol' ass is VERY pleased with his new, more mature look!
@ the both of you
And yes I know that I'm going to jail over that young boy that's why I put my bail money off to the side!!(LOL)
I thought I was bad! I ain't got the energy to keep up with them young boys no more. Mama got a bad knee.
while I listened to it; especially these two songs called "Couldn't Say No" and "Directions"...woo-boy!
