Andre Colquhoun is a Toronto based actor, filmmaker, singer, and music producer. This year, Andre Colquhoun released his debut EP “Short Term”. And, he wrote, produced, and sang all of the songs on the EP. Then in July, Andre Colquhoun released an exciting 10 minute video on his Youtube channel. The video was a cross between a short film and music video that contains all four of the songs from Andre’s EP. Here, Andre Colquhoun talks to YEM about his music, his debut and his inspirations.
Young Entertainment Mag: Why did you decide to pursue music as a career?
Andre Colquhoun: Music has always been a part of my life and I wanted to use my God-given gifts. I love listening to music and I love creating music. As a kid, I remember listening to “Incy Wincy Spider” and wanted to create my own version. So I took my mom’s cell phone and created it, all with my mouth. The melody, beat, and vocals. I had a blast.
YEM: How would you describe your sound? What musical influences have inspired your sound?
Andre: Truthful. Everything I create comes from the heart. A lot of Gospel, R&B, Soul, and Pop has definitely inspired my sound. With that being said, I’m always exploring and finding new sounds.
YEM: The music video/mini movie for your EP Short Term has some striking scenes. What message does the imagery of those scenes relate?
Andre: The imagery is grounded in truth, but still has a magical feel. Love and identity play a strong role in the music video/mini movie as well as a lot of other components. I want audiences to watch and come up with their own meaning.
YEM: As a filmmaker and a singer do you find yourself more visual or auditory in your creative style?
Andre: Both. I love visual storytelling and I also love auditory storytelling. When creating this project “Short Term” the audio did come first, but listening to the finished EP, the visuals started to burst forth. That’s the beauty of music. It’s both visual and auditory.
YEM: Your song Awful Misery has some deep lyrics. Tell us about the song.
Andre: A lot has built up within me from when I was a kid till now. It’s all fused into “Awful Misery.”I’m a warrior who fought many battles, bruised and scarred, but still standing. Everyone listening to this song will be able to interpret and relate differently. That’s exactly what I want.
YEM: What does it mean to you to have produced, written, and sung your debut EP.
Andre: It means a lot actually. Especially as an African Canadian male. A BLACK MAN. There’s a lot of people who say “You can’t do more than one thing”. Or “You can’t do that, you’re black”. I just laugh and ignore those types of people. It’s essential that I use all my God-given gifts. I wouldn’t want to have God-given gifts and only use one or none.
YEM: Where would you like to go with your music?
Andre: All over the world. I never want to put myself in a box. I also never want to create the same thing over again. It should always be changing and evolving.
I love listening to music and I love creating music
YEM: Are you currently working on creating future projects?
Andre: Definitely! I’m always working on creating future projects, whether in film, TV, or music. The goal is to always be creating and to be great at it. My stories are other peoples stories and I want to be able to share them.
