Bengali R&B with Bollywood, dirty south, and east coast hip hop influences.

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URBAN/R&B: R&B Pop Crossover, WORLD: Asian



Details:
Texas-based South Asian R&B Singer Follows Up Successful International Debut With New Single âAinât Enough,â and EP âOne Thing I Know.â

HOUSTON, TX - After a year of performing to
packed clubs and cleaning out bars of top-shelf liquor
from Houston to Hong Kong, Texan singer Marko
Dutta has slowed down to refl ect on a few things he
has learned on the road. One Thing I Know, the debut
EP produced by the1shanti, is a snapshot of Markoâs
experiences on tour dealing the pressures of performing,
succumbing to temptation and fi ghting his own vices.

For the classically-trained Indian singer, the breakneck
touring schedule started aptly with a New Yearâs Eve
performance on Dec. 31, 2004, in his hometown
of Houston. With tag-team partner and producer
the1shanti, Marko took his unique soundâa blend of
Indian classical, Bollywood, Bhangra, R&B and hip
hop infl uencesâto all of the major party spots around
the world, including New York City, Washington,
D.C., Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore and more.

As illustrated in Markoâs latest single, "Ainât Enough",
sometimes the partying got a little out of hand. âAfter
performing a great show, youâre on such a high,
you want to celebrate with everyone, especially the
ladies. Itâs really easy to get sidetracked,â Marko
admits. Between the alcohol and the ladies, Marko
defi nitely developed a bit of bad boy reputation.
Lucky for the fresh-faced newbie, the1shanti was
there to keep him focused when he fell off track.

On DDPâs Sony Asia Spiritual Bling Tour, however,
the1shanti and Markoâs electrifying chemistry on
stage was undeniable. Their ability to draw fans
and consistently deliver a hard-hitting performance
caught the attention of industry and the international
press alike. Markoâs raw talent and his honest passion
for singing, coupled with the1shantiâs ability to
create an enduring and classic sound, made the laidback
Southern boy a darling of Londonâs BBC Asian
Network (see âaudio/visualâ page at
www.markomusic.net).

âOn the road, I didnât hold Marko back. I let him
experience everything good and bad, so he found out
fi rst hand what it means to be an artist, how hard it
is and how much harder it is to make a living out of
oneâs art,â the1shanti says. According to the1shanti,
at the end of a tour, an artist will either work harder
or quit.

At the end of Markoâs tour, he turned to the one
thing he knew for sure: music. Joining forces with
40 Deuce, an outfi t of producers consisting of
the1shanti, Shoâ Nuff, and the Ruff Rydersâ Elite,
Marko hunkered down inside of a studio, and
emerged after six months with One Thing I Know,
the foundation for his debut album, and hopefully, a
little wiser.