Interview: You(genious) - The Misfit of R&B

So who is You(genious)? Tell us about the man behind the suit and champagne bottles…
hahaha! Everyone wants to know this! I think my "Mystery" is the key to my success... But I think you MAY deserve a hint: "Gentle, yet Cruel". That's all you get.

How did the magic happen anyway? Does one man get lucky enough to be born with your attributes or did you get a little help along the way?
The magic? I'll tell you an interesting story. I was doing my first show ever in Austin,TX at the Flamingo Cantina. My man DJ Good Grief was making my beats at the time and set the show up.

We had just finished "Sex on a Spoon", but it wasn't ready to be performed yet, nor was I really even ready to BE performing. I was told to learn a Montell Jordan song for my "Breakout" show. I didn't even have a name yet [pre- You(genious)] and I had been working night and day and really didn't have time to learn the song. So before I left the house I wanted to write the lyrics down on a piece of stationary to study, but to my dismay, all I could find was a paper plate. So I made it work.

Fast forward through the frustrating drive and 9 cocktails ( I was a little nervous. Now I have all those drinks just to have a good time). I'm on the stage, the music starts to play and I FREEZE. No sound comes out of my mouth. Grief plays it off, scratches a little, and brings it back. For the life of me, I couldn't remember the first word (and anyone who performs knows... If you can't remember the first word, you won't remember ANY words). The only thing I could think of was to reach in my back pocket and remove that neatly folded PAPER PLATE! I just wanted to take a glance so I could save myself. I don't know what I was thinking!!! I started to sing the song off the plate.

Grief, at this point, got heated and abruptly cut off the music. We then proceed to have an argument on the stage and I glance at the audience (who was laughing at this point), only to see these 2 beautiful ladies looking up at me like I was God's gift to R&B singers.

Something just came over me - like an epiphany or something. I belted out "Freak Me" by Silk ACAPELLA! The crowd went WILD!!!! They thought it was all part of the show and that my friend is how the entertainer known as You(genious) was born.

Where do you find the inspiration for your sexy-sexy music - is there one lovely lady in particular we should know about? Or a broken heart with a tragic love story that drives you onward and upward? Do tell…
I will tell you: Love bites (In the infamous words of Def Leppard). In my lifetime I've been in love a time or two, but seduction is one of my favorite things. Showing the lady things she's never seen before. Some may say that chivalry is dead, but I guess they've never met You(genious).

What are your greatest influences?
Life is my greatest influence. My mother told me one time, when I first started writing, to write about what I know and experience.

As for musical influences, tune in to www.playaphiplaya.net and see. This is a podcast I do bi-monthly. My co-host Luis and I play all of our favorite jams, new and old, for your listening pleasure. I could tell you about them, but wouldn't you rather listen to them rather than read?

Give us some dirt - what's your best You(genious) fan story? Which might translate into - how many stalkers are you currently juggling right now?

I have another story to tell. I just did a show at The Mink. There was this one Tender, in particular, that seemed to be really feeling me. I know this by the look in her eye and the way she freaked it on the dance floor.

Another band started to play and I decided to take her by the hand to the dark corner in the back and see if this "dancefloor debauchary" might translate to something a little more tangible. So off we go, I gently slammed her against the wall and proceeded to be You(genious), only to feel a tightening around the back of my neck. Then, this guy whips me around and proceeds to yell at me (in Spanish)!

I was totally taken aback! I guess it was his girl or something... I had to go from famous seducer, to the Man of Steel in like 3 seconds flat. I would finish the story, but I plead the 5th on grounds that I may incriminate myself. Let's just say the rest of the night was FABULOUS!

What's the best advice you can give a wannabe You(genious) - is there hope for mankind beyond your sultry crooning?
The only advice I can give is... "Stop trying to be me! Get your own originality!!!"

What's next for You(genious)?
Well, log on to www.thelovemachine.org and see for yourself. Or you can catch me at the Westheimer Block Party, on the Numbers stage (inside) at 3:45pm, and ask me in person... I'd LOVE to meet you.

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Photos from Flickr users Gaetan Lee, Myki and 002 Magazine photographer Anthony Rathbun.