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“South Central has a long narrative within urban music’s storied history and up-and-coming singer Garren is here to further the legacy.” – HipHopDX
As he readies the release of his debut album Normal, singer Garren is poised to make an impact on the game both as a vocalist and songwriter. The collection of songs, due out in early 2017 will not only introduce the artist to the world but also bring a much needed dynamic to the music being created by many of his peers, both in sound and substance. Garren’s voice immediately stands out from the pack, in a genre where many artists have become indistinguishable. His songwriting ability, which he has honed since the age of 8, taps a wide range of topics, approaching them from a much different approach. On the title track, for example, Garren addresses the pressure many young women feel to fit current cultural norms. “ Normal is the reinvention of self-awareness and self love,” he explains. And in that regard, it is a direct reflection of where the 22 year-old Compton native currently finds himself in life and in music.
[wpex click for full bio]The product of a large musical family, Garren’s professional career started at the age of five, when his aunt brought the youngster and a few of his cousins together to form the gospel group The Shack Band. Her mentorship gave the young singer the type of structure and artist development which has now become the stuff of legends. It was also during this time that he discovered his talent as a writer. Still, throughout his run with the group, Garren had his sights set on pursuing a career as a drummer. Ironically enough, as he matured as a musician, accompanying choirs and soloists on the drums gave him a new appreciation for the unique emotional depth only singers can bring to music.
At the age of 11, after leaving The Shack Band , Garren embarked on a musical journey that equally raised him as a young man and an artist, consistently placed in situations where he, as a child prodigy, worked and was challenged as a musician by artists and producers who embraced him as a little brother. As destined as it may seem, however, Garren’s dream was almost deferred by the societal pressures of his environment.
During those days Compton and South Central L.A. were full of both cautionary tales and the false allure of the street life. “I was constantly dodging the pressure of joining a gang,” he recounts. “I did have situations where I gave in to temptation, but I realized I would only end up in the same situations that my friends, father, uncles, and cousins were in.” Having two friends shot dead during the same year he witnessed his father’s sentencing, finally allowing Garren to pull away. “Music was always the outlet and the place of refuge for me.” By the time he was 18, he was ready to share his talent with the world on a larger scale, graduating from local talent shows to the international market by way of the internet.
With Normal, he positions himself as R&B’s next big thing. “I’m on the verge of getting to that next level,” Garren shares confidently. “But it’s not because of anything major that happened outside of me. It’s my mindset and my approach. I’m ready.”
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Press Releases
TIG’s Garren Stunts Atop Skyscrapers with YFN Lucci in the “You Know That” Video
Compton’s Rising Rapper/Singer, Garren, Recruits Labelmate YFN Lucci for Boastful New Single, Premiered by HighSnobiety