Indisputably not your typical âR&B-Soulâ, âHip-Hop-R&Bâ, âIndie-Soulâ or even âNeo-Soulâ album, singer-songwriter-producer and label head, Rogiérs (pronounced Ro-ghe-ay) carefully works to dissuade tempting inclinations to stamp and categorize.

19 MP3 Songs
URBAN/R&B: Contemporary urban, JAZZ: Soul-Jazz

Show all album songs: Life & Music: All of It. Songs


Details:
Five years after his two year stint being the keyboardist-organist-background singer to multi-platinum Grammy© winner Alicia Keys and a third botched recording deal, Rogiérs (pronounced Ro-ghe-ay) finally stands at the segue of âindie-artist with unyielding buzzâ and âcertified breakthroughâ in R&B/Soul/Hip-Hop. A point that he always imagined but simultaneously disbelieves. âIâve pursued this for so long that thereâve been moments when I forgot why I was doing it, and even more-that I actually could do itâ, says the singer/songwriter/producer and label head.

For Rogiérs, observing the landscape of popular music during the last few years has brought both incredible hopes yet despair-not just as an artist but for the entire field. There was hope that the promise of his âsexy-soulâ voice, âexpressiveâ playing, âdeliberateâ lyrical viewpoints and yes, good looks-could be a revitalizing ingredient which the industry and so many listeners seemed to long for. But it also brought despair that maybe these values had been overstated. âI havenât been âexcitedâ about a new artist in yearsâ¦I can think of three or four artists in the last five years that Iâve actually been âexcitedâ about; two out of four either never came out or sold less than 250,000 records,â says Rogiérs of the genreâs monotonous trend. Itâs a trend that has sedated music lovers and yielded many acts to obscurity after months of costly marketing campaigns.

It was these internal conflicts that conceived Rogiérsâ lead single âLife & Music feat. Big Toneâ (produced by Dré Bowman, Rogiérs and Big Tone). Since its initial release, the singleâs gained airplay stateside, Europe and abroad- most notably in the UKâs top R&B/Soul/Hip-Hop radio formats over a 6 month period. Born of an insightful conversation with close friend and EMI writer, Makeba (who penned hit singles for Beyoncé, Rhianna, J-Lo and B2K respectively), âLife & Musicâ explores the very real convictions of a do or die passion and an anxious desire to enjoy lifeâs necessities and simple pleasures.

Ironically the very convictions that created the debut âLife & Music: All of It.â soon became Rogiérsâs motivation to stay on track with his music and continue recording. âI always tell people who listen to the song for the first time that Iâm âoverâ making the decision [to choose] but it was a real question I had to ask myselfâ, he says. Donât compare Rogiérs to R&B/Soul/Hip-Hopâs mainstays- there is room for âsuccess and diversityâ in the category, he says smiling. With his laundry list of worldwide performance credits both singing and playing, a hot new album and personal endorsements spanning from award-winning artists like Alicia Keys, Chaka Khan, Wil-i-Am (Black Eyed Peas) to Bilal, Dwele, and Wajeed (Bling47) for starters, itâs a good thing Rogiérs chose music.

© 2008 Fibby Music Group www.FibbyMusic.net

"A sexy classic vibe!-LOVE it!â
-Makeba, Grammy Nominated Hit Singer-Songwriter (EMI) on "Fa Sho

âLife & Music is a true testament to the everyday battles we face concerning your passion for music and the stress
of the music biz. Very insightful and entertaining..."
-Makeba, Grammy Nominated Hit Singer-Songwriter (EMI) on "Life & Music"

"Stealing a line from "Life or Music", Rogiérs' brand of soul music is definitely the real thing-not more of the same."
-Bling47 Group, LLC (www.bling47.com)

"This is some great stuff man-What we all need!"
-Barry King, DJ/Starpoint Radio

"Excellent work!"
-Norman Mayers, NuSoul Magazne (www.Nu-Soulmag.com)