The first artist for the 32nd St. Maarten Heineken Regatta has now been announced! Shadow Man will be one of the featured St. Maarten artists responsible for creating the great party atmosphere during the largest Regatta in the Caribbean. St. Maarten music sensation Addison “Shadow Man” Richardson is probably best known in the region for his sizzling hit “White Line”, which has been heating up the airwaves on TV’s Tempo and which make you want to get up and gyrate to its lyrical beat.
Shadow Man bursted onto the music scene on his native island of St. Maarten at age nine when he electrified the stage for the first time competing in a school singing competition. He placed among the top finalists and won a life-changing opportunity to hone his vocal talent with one of the island’s leading songstresses – Anastasia Larmonie.
His charismatic voice, raw talent and confidence also caught the ear and attention of some local promoters who enlisted him when he was just 13 to perform the opening act at their major reggae shows. This gave the up-and-coming artist a great opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the region’s icons – including Jimmy Cliff, Steel Pulse and his cousin Bankie Banks. Although still quite young, Shadow man was already one of the biggest earners in the industry at the time.
Bent on helping him develop, package and market his talent, one of Shadow’s close relatives took him to Bronese Recording Studio – affiliated with top names like Burning Flames and Jimmy Cliff – and within 16 hours he churned out his first hit “Mind Blowing” at age 13.
His love for music led him to the studios of local St Maarten radio station PJD2, where he started entertaining mass audiences as a disc jockey – a love affair that remains as strong as ever today.
As a young adult, Shadow Man continued to impress listeners locally, but he quickly realized that he had to do more to get his sounds out there in the Global and Regional music industry.
At age 24, he moved to Europe and did a stint as a Staff Sergeant in the Dutch Army while still networking in the music industry, keeping up to date with trends and new names in music and penning new material. After 13 years abroad, he jumped on a plane and headed back home in 2000 to return to the stage and hit the studio.
His biggest album to date “Me & My Music” features a combination of 11 of his hottest jams. It also includes remixes, and collaborations with some regional artists such as Ziggy Rankin, Terry Seales, and much more.
He tags his genre as ‘Contemporary Caribbean’. “This means all things Caribbean. This is the way I feel about my music. I love the way we as Caribbean people live together and our music is universal. This album is about all things Caribbean and it’s for the people of the Caribbean and those who love it.”
Music is more than just a gig for Shadow Man. It’s a passion and an art form.
“It’s always been my love for music that has given me that drive to succeed. Life is music and music is the word, sound and power – that’s my motto. On the stage is where I feel most at peace.”
He draws inspiration from everyday life and seeks to entertain to the max, but he always keeps it clean. Shadow Man believes music should move from the explicitly sexual content that currently dominates the scene to more positive themes that tell clean positive stories. He believes music should be free of expletives, negative messages, yet be groovy enough to electrify just about any dance floor.
So expect to hear much more from and about this St. Maarten musician as he steps up his tempo one song at a time. “I’m never giving up ‘cause I will not fail. It’s my dream and I intend to live it to the fullest. The sky is the limit and I am headed for the sky.”
Don’t miss Shadow Man’s performance during the 32ndSt. Maarten Heineken Regatta, March 1-4, 2012. Stay tuned for other St Maarten Heineken Regatta news www.heinekenregatta.com.
(Source http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=95289)
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