5 minutes with Peabo Bryson

We learn that winning the Grammies isn't the proudest achievement of Peabo Bryson's life, having his songs be a part of somebody's life means a whole lot more to him.

If you are fan of 90s’ Disney animation classics such as ‘Beauty and the Beast’ or ‘Aladdin’, or a lover of romantic duets such as ‘Tonight I Celebrate My Love’, you have probably heard of Peabo Bryson.

This accomplished Grammy award winner has over 20 albums and many memorable hits attached to his name, resulting in an internationally successful career appreciated by many individuals of all ages.

Bryson began his career at the tender age of 14 and has never looked back since, creating his own signature style and later developing a knack for romantic ballads.

We had the chance to speak to this esteemed singer before his upcoming performance in Genting in May and learned of his secrets to a good duet and proudest achievements in his long, illustrious career.

You are famous for your many duet hits with many prominent female singers. How did this pattern come about? Was it an organic progression during your career?

Yeah, it actually was. It was very natural. It was just something that started happening and kept happening.

What do you think is the secret to singing a good duet with another artist?

I think the secret to a really good duet is that you have to fall a little bit in love with your duet partner. I was very fortunate in finding a duet partner in Roberta Flack who really knew what a duet was and knew how to play to a person’s strengths and weaknesses equally. I learned how to do a great duet from working with Roberta Flack because she’s that great.

Who will you be singing duets with during your performance in Kuala Lumpur?

I have to ask my background vocalist because I have so many duets but I always look to pair a duet with someone who is from that culture or that place. It gives you the opportunity to create something new and unique and that opportunity is always open.

What are some of your proudest achievements during your long and fruitful career?

Some of it doesn’t have anything to do with the industry itself but are things that are more personal. Winning Grammies and being at the Oscars is of course very high achievements for anyone but I believe that any artist hopes to record a song that the world will sing along with them. I’ve been fortunate enough to have several of those.

Things that mean more to me are things like being at the driving range with my wife when somebody passes by, a man, a woman and three children. They pass by and ten minutes later they come back and they realise that it’s me. They then line your children up and say ‘this one was made when we were listening to this song’ and ‘this one was made while listening to another one of your song’ and so on. To be part of somebody’s life that you don't even know and to have influenced him or her to have children is probably better than a Grammy or an Oscar or any of those things.

When I saw the power of music as a child, I thought it was the most honourable profession that anybody could ever take.

Where do you find inspiration to write the lyrics to your music?

Life events. I don’t know how I could write them if I didn’t experience them.

Do you have any advice for young singers out there?

The thing about fame that everybody should understand and recognize is that fame is not real, as it’s just a perception. If you believe that fame is real, you’ve already lost the plot. Staying grounded is the most important thing for anybody in life. Success if a very difficult to handle and it’s far more difficult than adversity is.

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