Marlon Roudette facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marlon Roudette |
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Roudette in 2012
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Marlon Roudette |
| Born | 5 January 1982 London, England |
| Origin | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
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| Instruments | Steel drum, percussion, keyboards, guitar |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Labels | Universal Music |
| Associated acts | Mattafix |
Marlon Roudette (born January 5, 1982) is an English singer, songwriter, and music producer. He is well-known as the lead singer of the music duo Mattafix. With Mattafix, he had a big hit song called "Big City Life" in 2006.
After Mattafix, Marlon started his own solo music career. He had two number one songs in Europe: "New Age" and "When the Beat Drops Out". "When the Beat Drops Out" also reached number 7 in the UK and sold very well. Lately, he has also written songs for other artists, including his half-sister, Mabel. He helped write Mabel's popular songs "Finders Keepers" and "Fine Line". He also wrote songs for artists like Not3s, Jax Jones, Wiley, and Tory Lanez.
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About Marlon Roudette
Marlon Roudette was born in London, England. His father, Cameron McVey, is a British music producer. His mother, Vonnie Roudette, is a designer and artist from the Caribbean islands of Dominica and Trinidad.
When Marlon was a young child, he moved with his mother and sister to Trinidad. Later, in 1992, they moved to St. Vincent. This is where he first started his journey into music. He returned to London when he was 17 years old. Marlon is also the stepson of the famous singer Neneh Cherry and the half-brother of singer Mabel.
Marlon's Music Journey
Mattafix: The Early Years (2005–2009)
After returning to London, Marlon Roudette teamed up with producer and keyboard player Preetesh Hirji. Together, they formed an electronic music duo called Mattafix. Preetesh grew up in West London and started working in music studios there.
Their music style was a cool mix of different sounds. It included hip hop, R&B, reggae, dancehall, blues, jazz, soul, and world music. Mattafix even won the Sopot International Song Festival in 2006.
Signs of a Struggle Album (2005–2006)
Mattafix released their first song, "11.30 (Dirtiest Trick in Town)," in January 2005. However, this song did not become a hit.
Their second song, "Big City Life," came out in August 2005. This song was a huge success! It reached number 15 in the United Kingdom. It also became number 1 in Germany, Poland, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, and New Zealand. "Big City Life" was so popular that it was even featured in the video game FIFA World Cup Germany 2006.
Their album, Signs of a Struggle, received good reviews. The band toured a lot in Europe from 2006 to 2008 to promote it. Mattafix also performed with other famous artists like Jem and Joss Stone. They even opened a show for Sting in Milan, Italy, in front of over 100,000 people!
Rhythm & Hymns Album (2007–2009)
In September 2007, Mattafix released "Living Darfur," the first song from their second album, Rhythm & Hymns. This song was special because it was part of the Save Darfur Campaign, which helps people in need. The music video for "Living Darfur" even featured actor Matt Damon and was filmed in refugee camps. This video became very popular online and was the only music video by an international group filmed in a war zone at that time.
Marlon explained that with Rhythm & Hymns, they wanted to bring more of their live show energy into the album. They added more live drums and included influences from their travels, especially from places like Johannesburg, South Africa. The album was released in most European countries in late 2007. Mattafix also created a remix of Lady Gaga's song "Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)".
Marlon's Solo Career Begins (2010–Present)
In April 2010, Marlon Roudette announced that he and Preetesh Hirji were going their separate ways. They had different ideas for their future music projects. Marlon decided to start a solo career under his own name. He said his new music would be "not a radical shift but definitely different," with more instruments and deeper musical compositions.
Matter Fixed Album (2011–2012)
On July 17, 2011, Marlon released "Brotherhood of the Broken" as a free song to promote his first solo album. A few days later, he released "New Age" as the first official song from the album in Germany. "New Age" quickly became a number 1 hit in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland!
His first solo album, Matter Fixed, came out on September 2, 2011, in many European countries. It was later released in France and the rest of Europe in January 2012. Another one of his songs, "The Loss," was featured in an episode of the TV show Private Practice in 2012.
Electric Soul and More Songs (2014–Present)
On July 18, 2014, Marlon Roudette released "When the Beat Drops Out". This song was the main single from his second album, Electric Soul. "When the Beat Drops Out" was a big hit, reaching the top 5 in Austria, Germany, Latvia, and Switzerland, and number 8 in Italy. He released the Electric Soul album on August 8, 2014.
In June 2017, Marlon released his song "Ultra Love" on YouTube, followed by an official music video later that year. He continues to release new music, with his latest single "No Water" coming out in 2023.
Marlon's Songwriting Work
Marlon Roudette is not only a singer but also a talented songwriter for other artists. Here are some of the songs he has helped write:
- "Twist of Fate" (2003) for Siobhán Donaghy
- "I Feel Your Pain" (2016) for Sbtrkt (featuring DRAM and Mabel)
- "Finders Keepers" (2017) for Mabel (featuring Kojo Funds)
- "Unconditional" (2017) for Sinead Harnett
- "Fine Line" (2018) for Mabel (featuring Not3s)
- "Ring Ring" (2018) for Jax Jones (with Mabel featuring Rich the Kid)
- "Say You Won't Go" (2018) for Nico Santos
- "Crazy to Love You" (2019) for DECCO (featuring Alex Clare)
- "FML" (2019) for Mabel
