by Lauren Rosier
photo by Brandy Cavitt
It will be 14 years this September since blues/soul singer-songwriter, Marc Broussard, released his debut EP, Momentary Setback. From the moment that EP was released, listeners knew that he was the real deal. His were songs full of honesty and soul. Almost two years after Momentary Setback was released, Broussard had been signed to Island Records to release his major label debut, Carencro.
Fourteen years later, Broussard reflects back on his journey from an independent musician, to a signed musician on a major label, and back to an independent. “[This journey] has been very educational. I’ve learned quite a bit over these years being in this business. I really think more than anything I’ve learned that being true to who I am and knowing who I am, fundamentally, is the only way to stay happy in doing what you’re doing. I didn’t know who I was was for a period of time in my life.”
The way Broussard approaches music, writing, and performing has obviously changed since his first release. He takes things more seriously now. “Ten years ago, I wasn’t worrying about the sound or setlist. [I was] just kind of riding and flying by the seat of my pants,” he explains. Back then he felt like he was surrounded by people that could allow him to succeed. “If I’m not a professional and I’m not serious about my craft, then, ultimately, the show is going to suffer.”
So, let’s go back to Carencro. It was released in September 2004 right when he had been signed to Island Records. “It was one of the most fun times of my life,” Broussard says. “[We were at] El Dorado in Burbank, CA and we had the run of the place. We were brand new on Island Records – those guys were somewhat skeptical of us and it gave us enough rope to hang ourselves. It wasn’t much by way of wrapping things up and trying to reinvent the wheel. We went about hitting the record button and making sure the record sounded good.”
He went through a stretch where he had been releasing records on Vanguard Records and once on Atlantic Records with Keep Coming Back, but now has returned to releasing music independently, and he couldn’t be happier.
“[Releasing independently] gives you all of the control,” Broussard promises. “When I signed to a major label at 20 years old, I assumed all I had to do was show up. That all I had to do was show up, play the shows, and sing the songs.”
He quickly learned that there was much more to making music professionally than just showing up and performing. “I was never hampered creatively by the labels – never told you can’t do this or you can’t do that,” he reveals. “Being on a major label puts you in competition with everyone else on the roster to get on the calendar for release. I’m trying to convince these business people to get my record released. I wasn’t able to put out as music as I could’ve. [Now] you’re going to see more music coming to my fans.”
For some of the fans that asked on Twitter when new music would be released, Broussard gave us an exclusive update. “[We’re] scheduled for the next recording session next month. It’s a follow-up to S.O.S. – a soul cover record. My main focus moving forward is to reduce production costs as drastically as possible. The only way we can get into the black is the make records for way less than we did before.”
Broussard is performing at World Cafe Live Philadelphia tomorrow evening. Tickets are available now.
