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| Encore - Mark, Pierre and Cairo |
Can I get an Encore do you want more? You will be roaring for more of Island Records new boy group Encore comprising of three handsome, talented singers and songwriters from London. Rapper Pierre Joseph, 23, Cairo Woodwood, 22, and noted songwriter 21 year-old Mark Asari, who has already penned songs Snap for Tinie Tempah and Sergeant Smash for Talay Riley. The release of their debut single Wind Up on Valentine’s Day is sure to unwind the hearts of girls aplenty and with a debut album set for release later this year – in the words of Jay-Z, ‘what the hell are you waiting for?’ Get ready to give Encore a standing ovation!
(Interview with Cairo)
1. How did Encore come together and why did you choose the name ‘Encore’?
We kept bumping into each other at industry parties and became friends. Then we had a session together at my place and the tracks came out pretty good so we went to Richard Castillo the manager of N-Dubz, played him the track and it went from there. As for the name of the group, I was listening to Jay-Z’s album and the ‘Encore’ track came on and I thought it was the perfect name.
2. What do you believe differentiates you from other boy groups?
We’re more edgy, we’re rough and we write our own songs, unlike other boy groups. We don’t classify ourselves as a boy band; we are a male group of individual artists that came together.
3. What do you plan to bring to the music scene that is new and how would you describe your sound?
A new fresh sound that’s different as we are not so polished and clean cut like everyone else. We want to bring that roughness; we cover all kinds of areas and different concepts. We don’t really have a specific name for our sound. We would say we have an Encore sound so you can put us on a Dubstep beat, an R n B or Hip-Hop beat and the formula we put on those beats is the Encore flavour. So right now we just call it Encore sound because we are versatile.
4. Have you written or co-wrote the songs for your new album?
Yes, we write most of our songs, we are all song writers so we all have an input.
5. What producers and artists have you collaborated with on your debut album?
We’ve worked with so many like Red One, Davinche, Marcus Jay he’s done stuff with Jessie J, Parker & James and Jerome Williams who did our first single Wind Up.
6. Your debut single Wind Up was released on Valentine’s Day. What is the song about and why did you decide to release it on that date?
The track is about being in a relationship with a girl that can’t make up her mind if she wants you there or not, so it’s just a ‘wind up, you need to make your mind up’. Obviously on Valentine’s Day people have arguments like ‘what you mean you only bought me 12 roses, I wanted 24’ things like that.
7. You have toured with N-Dubz and Chipmunk and Talay Riley what was that like?
That was amazing! The first time was at a festival in Nottingham, it was mad the crowd was amazing such a big crowd and a big vibe. We are looking forward to the N-Dubz tour that’s coming up too.
8. What artists would you like to collaborate with?
We have always been inspired by different individual artists, but as a group I would say Jessie J as she’s up and coming and is mad talented.
9. What is the most valuable lesson you have learnt about the music industry so far?
To be persistent, keep it original - consistent persistence.
