MarkJoseph – Red Flag (2024)
Described as a “time traveller from the 90s”, singer-songwriter MarkJoseph brings us the soulful sound of yesteryear in his moving pop melodies. Embracing his passion for music at a young age, the US-based artist says that he “came out of the womb singing”. Surrounded by Haitian gospel music, he began singing at home, then joined the school choir, then headed off to Berklee College of Music, and has even found himself performing with The Jonas Brothers as a supporting vocalist.
When not travelling across the globe with Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas, MarkJoseph spends time writing, composing and recording original melodies. Driven by the “indomitable spirit of his late mother…”, he began releasing music in 2018 and has since established himself as a moving force in a sometimes-stagnating pop industry. The latest addition to his discography is the single ‘Red Flag’.
The final single released before MarkJoseph’s highly anticipated debut solo EP, They All Fall Down, ‘Red Flag’ is a kaleidoscopic melting pot of reggae, pop and soulful RnB. Retaining the bold pop tones heard in ‘Villain’ and ‘Know Us’, ‘Red Flag’ sits perfectly alongside the likes of Mariah Carey, Pharrell Williams and Boyz II Men. Yet, the hint of reggae brings an edgier sound. Truthfully, as soon as the chorus opened with “red, red flag”, my mind immediately expected UB40’s Duncan Campbell’s “red, red wine”.
Produced by Matt Hines and Jared Jenkins, ‘Red Flag’ finds a line between sophisticated elegance and rugged naïve youthfulness. Beautifully layered and textured, MarkJoseph’s rich vocals appear sandwiched between bold beats and glittering synths; however, as the melody holds its own, the vocals bring extra spice demanding attention.
Music is intrinsically connected with life in all its grit and glory and ‘Red Flag’ is a celebratory fire of life stemming from a darker situation. Empowering but keeping a hint of fragility, the single is a “liberating song about realising you’re in a toxic relationship and unapologetically deciding to leave… a bop to reflect the relief you feel once you’re on the other side…” If a theme song were required for that breath of fresh air after a bad relationship, MarkJoseph hit the nail on the head with ‘Red Flag’.
Find out more about MarkJoseph on his Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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