Music Monday: Meet Délon

Happy Monday, readers!

Meet our new Music Monday artist this week, Délon. 

Délon is a rising pop artist who came from Canadian Idol and is gearing up to release his debut album. After Canadian Idol, he pursued his steadfast love for music by embarking upon a journey, forever changing his life: song-writing.

After a short time, Délon joined forces with his cousin, Sean Hakim, to form the dynamic pop-trio Starchild X. After co-writing a mere one song with his producer, Sheldon Moore, the group was catapulted to instant stardom when Virgin Radio 95.5 welcomed the single “Superstar” into rotation in 2012. It didn’t take long for the record labels to take heed of this: the group was courted by both Sony and Ultra Records.

Now, Délon is about to release his debut album, which is filled with infectious pop songs that are poised to be global hits. Délon also teaches and is completing his PhD in social sciences at York University where he seeks to combat social injustices.

Celeb Secrets caught up with Délon recently to talk all things music! In our interview, the singer/songwriter talked about his upcoming album, his new single “Fever,” and what he likes to do when he’s not performing — check out the full Q&A below!

For more information on Délon, visit his official website at http://officialdelon.com.

https://soundcloud.com/delonofficialmusic/fever

Celeb Secrets: What do you like to do when you’re not in the studio or performing on stage? 

Délon: “Oh boy, that’s a tough one. I live and breathe music, but I usually spend my spare time reading philosophy books and doing yoga. I’m trying to create more time to simply enjoy nature and clear my mind from the hustle and bustle of the city. I like to think that everything I do features some form of artistry. I also really enjoy cooking because, like music, it allows me to flex my creative mind. Right now, I’m all about sushi and I’ve made some pretty great creations.”

Celeb Secrets: Who were your biggest influences growing up? 

Délon: “That would undoubtedly be my high-school teachers: Cathie McDavid and Michael Loudfoot. They taught me to dream big and pursue my passion. I wish the world could knew how insecure I was during high school and how these two people taught me to use the arts in order to overcome my personal struggles and demons.”

Celeb Secrets: What is the process like behind your music? 

Délon: “My rule of thumb: melody first and lyrics after. At the risk of sounding lofty, my lyrics seem to come to me effortlessly after playing a melody on the guitar or piano. Its fate, I think. That’s the spiritual facet of music; I believe that certain lyrics were destined to belong to certain melodies. I encourage you to think about some of your favorite songs and try to imagine them without the original lyrics- it simply wouldn’t be the same, right?”

Celeb Secrets: What do you want people to experience when they listen to your music?

Délon: “Utter bliss- lol. Naw, I’m kidding. Um, I think I want them to experience a dose of true musicianship- vocally, that is. I think right now the art of singing has been transformed through various technological innovations and these days, anyone can be labeled a “singer”. I really want to bring a fresh sound back to masses. Personally, I draw inspiration from Prince, Michael Jackson, James Brown, etc.. I want to reinvent that art form and display a unique sense of musicianship.”

Celeb Secrets: What can we expect from your upcoming album?

Délon: “My album is going to be very eclectic: I write from various perspectives. This album covers everything from patriarchy, consumerism, inequality, global injustice, lust, unconditional love, existentialism and jealousy. I write from these perspectives because mainstream music needs a diversity of topics in order to be inclusive for people from all walks of life.”

Celeb Secrets: Can you tell us more about your new single, “Fever”? 

Délon: “In the song “Fever”, I pay homage to Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and James Brown. Each of these artists sang about the infectious nature of love, comparing attraction and lust to developing some kind of illness- a fever, for example. This metaphor is intentional because love and lust literally bring people to their knees, making them feel weak. I wanted to write about a young woman who has given me “Fever” – she knows who she is ;)”

Celeb Secrets: What song are you most excited to perform live? 

Délon: “I’m most excited to perform “Fever” because I really want to make it an experience by paying tribute to the great legends of the industry: Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Prince, etc. That element of showmanship and theatricality is missing today and I really want to bring it back for this generation. These artists’ shows and live performances were cinematic in that regard and I want to dabble in that.”

Celeb Secrets: Dead or alive, what’s the one artist that you would love to hear cover your songs? 

Délon: “Oh wow. That is a question! I would say I’d want the 1975 to cover me. I’ve heard them cover One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful” and Justin Bieber’s “Sorry”. They reinterpret these pieces with such artistic integrity and somber sounds. I think they would do an excellent job of covering “Fever”. That would be awesome!”

Celeb Secrets: For people who have yet to discover you, why should they give your music a chance? 

Délon: “My music should be given a chance because it breaks the conventional framework, branching out into unfamiliar terrain. I mean, it’s not everyday that a pop/R&B artist sings about the consequences of colonialism, homophobia, or even consumerism. I do these things, but with musical precision, making my lyrics as breathtaking as my production.  People need to feel inspired again, and I think I can inspire them.”

Celeb Secrets: Since we are Celeb Secrets, can you tell us a secret about yourself that your fans may not know about?

Délon: “Hmmm, a secret that I hold close to the chest is that I once modeled as a Sunshine Boy in a Torontonian magazine. The publication featured a very cheesy and tacky shirtless pic of me. I’m so embarrassed about this; I’ve done everything in my power to keep this pic from resurfacing, so good luck finding it (lol).”