Momentary Setback

Winning over new audiences every night with his phenomenal vocal abilities and high-energy performances, Marc Broussard is no longer Southern Louisiana's secret.  Influenced by his father's record collection -- Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway and Earth, Wind & Fire -- as well as the local sounds -- Cajun, African and jazz -- Broussard developed a unique style of music he refers to as "white soul".

Even though his debut EP, Momentary Setback, was released less than one year ago, Broussard has already built quite a foundation for his career in music.  Recently, Broussard spoke with StarPolish associate editor Tracie Galinski about signing with Island Def Jam, constant touring, developing a fan base and taking his career to the next level.

STARPOLISH:  You have a very strong relationship with your family.  How has that impacted your life as a musician?

MARC BROUSSARD:  Well, in good ways and bad ways.  I think that being on tour has definitely taken a toll on me, being away from my family.  In that regard it really hasn't been very fortunate.  But at the same time, having that family support in doing this... it's been very crucial in just keeping my peace of mind and all that good stuff.

STARPOLISH: As a kid playing small, local shows down in Lafayette, LA, how did you go about building such a team of professionals to help your career?

BROUSSARD:  That's just by luck.  God just blessed me in being in the right place at the right time.  It really wasn't any kind of work on my part, I just got really lucky.  Period.  That's the end of the story.

STARPOLISH: Leah Simon (Ripley Records) sent some of your music to Brick Wall Management (John Mayer, The Clarks) in New York City, and soon after you signed with them.  There is an immense trust that takes place between artist and manager.  Why did you choose Brick Wall?

BROUSSARD: I just knew it right off the bat.  I knew I needed to work with them and that they had the vision and the know how to do with me what needed to be done.  The development process is very important to Brick Wall and they just know how to do it.  They know their game and they know their business and I don't think I could have made a better choice.

STARPOLISH: Do you feel you're getting a good grasp on the business side of music?

BROUSSARD: Yes and no.  I think that the people I've put around me I put there because I didn't really want to know too much, but at the same time I've realized that I need to be aware of some things.  I'm definitely learning a lot as time goes on and I'll probably learn a lot more as more time goes on.  I'm just trying to be a sponge and let it all seep in.

STARPOLISH: You recently signed with Island Def Jam Records.  How did that relationship come about?

BROUSSARD: A couple of different ways.  Diana Fragnito (senior director of A&R) approached Brick Wall, just to touch base with them, and they told her about me.  And Don Van Cleave (president of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores) also brought my record and my name to their attention.  It just came together.

STARPOLISH: You met with a lot of labels; how did you know that IDJ was the right place for you?

BROUSSARD: The same thing [as Brick Wall] -- when I met them I just knew.  I met a bunch of different people and it never really felt like home until I sat down with IDJ.  It's a very team-oriented field over there.  They're very family oriented, they roll deep, they are very supportive and right now they don't have any other artists like me on the label.  It felt like home right off the bat.  It felt like home.

STARPOLISH: What do you hope will come of your new relationship with IDJ?  Where do you go from here --what's the next step you want to take with IDJ?

BROUSSARD: We're going to tour, tour, tour our asses off for a long time and then get in the studio January of next year to cut the next record.  Hopefully it will be a very long, lovely, successful career under the Island Def Jam name.

Marc Broussard

STARPOLISH: Your music tends to blend a little bit of everything: blues, rock, r&b, soul... How do you go about creating such a fusion of sounds?  Is it intentional?

BROUSSARD: No.  I think that just originated from where I'm from.  South Louisiana is a melting pot of all those different aspects of culture, so being a Cajun boy -- it's just in my blood.  It's innate.  I don't play Cajun music, but that is the foundation and the core of everything I'm about and I've managed to tap into some different resources that are at my disposal.

STARPOLISH: Did your diversity of sounds and how your music would be marketed play a significant role in choosing a major to sign with?

BROUSSARD: Yes, definitely.  I think Island Def Jam has a roster of acts that are pretty unparalleled by any other label.  I thought they were probably the best label that could bring together the rock side as well as the urban side of my music; bring it together and put it in front of the right people and in front of the right fans.  It definitely had a major effect on [choosing which label to sign with].

STARPOLISH: You've played solo, as a duo and with the backing of a full band.  Whether it's changing the setlist or changing the entire mood of the performance, in what ways do you adapt your show to accommodate a band --or lack thereof?  Is there one avenue you prefer over the others?

BROUSSARD: I do enjoy playing with a band more than anything because it allows me a lot more freedom.  I can put my guitar down and really be the front man that I like to be.   Changing the setlist doesn't really depend on the band as much as the audience and how much time you have.  So if I have half an hour, I'll probably go balls to the walls the whole time.  If I have an hour and a half, then I'll work the dynamic of the room a little bit more.  So there are a number of factors that go into that question.

STARPOLISH: When choosing a touring band, how do you go about selecting members who fit in with your various styles?

BROUSSARD: First, it's the guys that just have the groove, that have that special thing -- when we spark and we click.  And if we don't click, then it's not a problem; I'll find someone else.  Luckily I've been able to click with some pretty solid cats and bring them out on the road and have a really good time with them.  Second, it's the guys that can work with our budget.

STARPOLISH: In songwriting you have collaborated with people such as David Egan (Joe Cocker, Percy Sledge, John Mayall) and Martin Sexton, you recently played with Willie Nelson & Co, and you also recorded a track for the forthcoming Light of Day: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen.  As an artist just starting to make a name for yourself, has any of this been overwhelming?  Did you expect things to move along this quickly?

BROUSSARD: I never expected things to move this quickly.  The Willie Nelson thing was bad-ass because it was his 70th birthday and it was in my home state.  It was amazing.  [Working with] Martin Sexton -- that was a dream come true.  It's all been pretty overwhelming.  Unfortunately, there have been so many major events in such a short amount of time that it's hard to recall everything; it's hard to remember everything.  I've tried to journal, I've tried to do anything to take a snapshot of time, but it's tough.  It's been real difficult to be present.  Sometimes I'll remember events, but I won't remember where I was.  It's wild.

STARPOLISH: Anybody who's seen your live show can tell you were born to perform.  When you're on stage singing and the entire room is captivated by you, and -- more recently -- people are singing the words to your songs right along with you, what are you feeling?

BROUSSARD: It's a reassurance that I'm cooperating with my nature, with what God intended me to do, what I was born to do.  That's the fuel.  Being on the road is very difficult, but whenever you have a room full of screaming fans that are singing every word to every song, it's better than any feeling in the world.

STARPOLISH: Playing a small catalogue of original songs each night along with a few choice covers, how do you maintain such a high level of intensity with each performance?

BROUSSARD: You've just got to.  It's not even an option to slow down.  You've just gotta go for it -- especially if I don't have a band behind me.  Guitar playing is not my strength, so I really have to step it up vocally.  I don't know.  Like I said, it's not an option to slow down.  You've just gotta go for it.

STARPOLISH: A lot of artists have certain things they do before each show to have something familiar on the road each night -- sometimes that feels like home.  Being in a different city every night, have you developed any pre-show rituals?

BROUSSARD: The stage is familiar everywhere we go.  The audiences... the people are familiar.  It doesn't matter where you are or if you've never seen them before.  The stage, for me, is home.

STARPOLISH: Your career is at one of what will be many turning points.  You've just signed with a major label, you're doing a lot of touring and gaining new fans with each show you play, and you're about to launch a rep program which will enable your fans to spread your music even further.  You're definitely considered an "up-and-coming" artist right now.  What is the mindset that goes along with that?

BROUSSARD: Always be nice and try to always be present.  Be courteous and generous.  Don't take it for granted, ever.  I could really start to get full of myself very easily, and there are times when I do get really full of myself.  Fortunately, I've surrounded myself with people that keep me grounded and keep me sane.  They'll crack my skull whenever they need to, so it's all good.

STARPOLISH: How important do you think your reps will be in spreading your music to a larger audience?

BROUSSARD: More important than the touring.  If I don't have people talking about [my music], then nobody is going to come to the shows when I [play in a new location].  It's extremely important that you have people out there [helping].  It's pretty overwhelming to realize that people you don't even know are bending over backwards to make you more successful.  It's crazy.

Marc Broussard

STARPOLISH: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced in reaching the point your career is at now?

BROUSSARD: Being away from my family.  Being sick on the road is also very difficult.  Just having a regular cold is difficult to get over, and it makes it difficult to sing every night.  Like I said, being away from my family is the most difficult thing.

STARPOLISH: It's the touring aspect of your career.

BROUSSARD: Yeah.

STARPOLISH: With artists like John Mayer, Jason Mraz and Gavin DeGraw receiving so much attention from the media, do you feel it's a good time for an artist such as yourself to make your way into peoples' headphones, or do you feel it will be more difficult in that you might be dismissed by some as just another singer-songwriter?

BROUSSARD: I pray that I'm not dismissed as just another singer-songwriter.  I hope that people would never call Gavin DeGraw just another singer-songwriter, because the guy is extremely talented.  I think that I, along with those guys, have a lot to offer the world.  Hopefully I'm received with open arms.  I don't consider those guys competition.  I consider them friends more than anything because we have the ability to share the same fans.  I don't know about others, but I don't [own] just one CD.  I think it's a good time for me to come into this game.  It's fun.

STARPOLISH: Your songwriting strikes me as very honest.  Do you ever have trouble performing some of your songs because you feel too exposed?

BROUSSARD: Yeah.  The more religious stuff [is difficult to perform] because I wrote that at a time in my life when I was very religious and I'm not so religious anymore.  I'm more of a spiritual person now.  Those songs are very revealing and very intrusive.  They're hard to play a lot of times.  A lot of times I don't feel like people are really interested in them, either.  There are definitely some tunes that are more difficult to perform.

STARPOLISH:  Does that cause you to shy away from playing them?

BROUSSARD: Yeah, definitely.  I rarely play "My God" or "Jeremiah's Prayer" unless somebody requests them and I'm in the mood to play them.

STARPOLISH: And somebody requesting one of those songs is incentive enough for you to play it?

BROUSSARD: Most of the time, for sure.

STARPOLISH: You've played small clubs and you've played large festivals.  Do you find it's easier to reach new fans in the intimate setting of a club than it is to get a response from a crowd of thousands?

BROUSSARD: I don't enjoy playing clubs -- really tight, small sit-down venues.  I would much rather play much larger-scaled venues.  It's intimidating being that close to an audience.  If you're five feet away from your audience and if you screw up, there's a guy looking at you with a goofy look on his face right there in the front row.  But if you're playing on a really big stage, you can't really see past the first two or three rows so it's liberating in a lot of ways.

STARPOLISH: You hang out after your performances and build relationships with your fans.  Your fans then go post on your message board about their experiences with meeting you.  How are you dealing with your growing popularity?

BROUSSARD: I don't go to the message board a whole lot because I'm not big into knowing what people are saying about me.  But it's amazing to show up in a city I've never been to and have people there to see me.  It's an overwhelming feeling.  It's cool and I love it.  I love being popular.

STARPOLISH: What factor has the internet played in your growing fan base?

BROUSSARD: It's probably the core, the basis of my fan base.  I don't think 90 percent of the people that know about me now would know about me if it wasn't for the internet.  Because of the internet, artists have to change their approach on how they market themselves and how they deal with things.  I don't mind people downloading my stuff -- as long as they come to the shows it's all good.  I don't mind people recording at the shows and trading on the internet because that generates so much more exposure.  I am really, really open to everything that the internet has to offer an artist like me.

STARPOLISH: You once told me that of your career thus far, coming out with a record was the event that had the greatest impact on you.  You've been through a whirlwind these past five months; does coming out with a record still stand as the most awesome event of your musical life?

BROUSSARD: Yes, because that's a snapshot of my life at that time.  But, like I said, playing with Martin Sexton and my father (Louisiana Hall of Fame guitarist Ted Broussard) -- my dad came out for two shows with Martin -- that was bringing two heroes of mine on the same stage.  I don't think much can really top that.  Meeting people... there are so many great experiences.  But coming out with a record has definitely been a major, major event in my life.

Marc Broussard

STARPOLISH: Where do you hope to see things go these next six months?

BROUSSARD: As far as they can possibly go, as rapidly as they possibly can move without being stupid.  Touring and doing really great shows.  Making sure that people are ready for the next record.  Setting things up big time for the next record.  Preparing myself for the next record.  Writing and recording over the next six months with as many people as I can.

STARPOLISH: Do you have any ideas in mind?  Have you started...

BROUSSARD: Yeah, I've worked with a couple of different people and I'm going to be working with many people...  We have some good ideas and we're just going to take our time with it.  We're going to take six months and really, really take our time and be patient and do the right things.  It's exciting.

STARPOLISH: Taking into account everything you've been through this past year, do you have any advice for musicians who are looking to find their own paths as "up-and-coming" artists?

BROUSSARD: Surround yourself with good, righteous people because they will help lead you to the right places.  Don't be afraid to let go of the reins sometimes and let some people that are smarter than you do some things, but at the same time, always be aware.  Always make sure that you keep everybody around you in check because you are the captain of your ship.  You are the foundation of everything that's going on around you.  So always be aware of everything, but at the same time be very appreciative, be very courteous, be very nice and give everything you've got to your fans because they're the people that make it happen.  Have a good time.

For more information about Marc and to purchase his album, Momentary Setback, visit http://www.marcbroussard.com/.  To connect with other Marc Broussard fans, visit http://www.momentarysetback.com/.