TO SAY GOODBYE’ FAREWELL TOUR

From Natchez Mississippi to the UK the one and only Alexander O’Neal, American Soul and R& B Singer, Songwriter and Arranger, finally bids the world goodbye on his International ‘Time to Say Goodbye’ Farewell Tour. One of the greatest crooners of our time, Alexander O’Neal has achieved 14 top 40 singles on the UK Singles Chart, along with 3 top ten albums on the UK Albums Chart. He has also released nine studio albums, six compilation albums and two live albums.

Known for hits such as “If You Were Here Tonight”, “Fake”, “Criticize”, “The Lovers”, “(What Can I Say) To Make You Love Me”, “All True Man”, “Love Makes No Sense” and “In the Middle”. He is also known for duets with Tabu label mate Cherrelle such as “Saturday Love” and “Never Knew Love Like This”, the crooner with the shoulder pads, I’d like you to join TurningPoint: Music and Lifestyle Magazine in celebrating an Icon.

In a nutshell, in a peanut shell or a crab shell who is Alexander O’Neal?

I can tell you who I think I am. I try to be a spiritual man. I don’t do religion. I deal with Spirituality and I believe in God which keeps me grounded as a man and as an artist, and what guides my life. Those things are very important to me, as well as family and then my career.

My relationship with God, my family and my career - if I can work on these three and get them half way right, then I will be doing something good.

I also try to be a good and down-to-earth person. I try to keep everything as simple as I can. I don’t get caught up in bright lights, limousines and all that stuff because at some point it all goes away. Some artists, when it’s down time they can’t manage it, because they can’t reinvent themselves. They don’t know how to get in. where to fit in because they are so used to the limelight. Everybody gets the chance to be a star. But some stars shine a little brighter than others.

You talk about everybody being a star, and I recognised a few years ago how much of a star you are. I had the privilege interviewing you many years ago and when I put out details of our upcoming interview on social media, my social media posts went crazy and I realised how much people loved and valued you. It was evident how much a part of their lives growing up, you were part of, your music was the heart beat of many of their experiences. Adding to those nostalgic and sentimental memories were those shoulder pads.

ALEXANDER O’NEAL

What do you feel has been the reason for your longevity in the industry?

I believe it’s because of what God intended for me to be and do, it was obviously something that was ordained for me.

When I was younger, I went to college and I wanted to be a football player, but I ended up quitting college. Then I went to another college and quit that too. In the end I realised that college wasn’t for me at the time. It isn’t for everybody. This therefore motivated me because I realised I was never a good quitter and so almost 50 years later, after getting my first record deal, I realised that because I never quit, that is what has been the reason for my longevity. As a result, and what has encouraged me are my fans, especially my British fans who have been stellar and so supportive and have given me so much love. A lot of my fans in America know the success I have enjoyed this side of the water. So, my fans have definitely encouraged me and have given so much back to me in return, that it’s phenomenal, and that is also part of the reason for my longevity in this industry.

I also believe you’re an activist. You’ve always been clear about who you were and are. You created your own distinct identiity of being authentically outside of the box. Therefore, as you evolve into a different place, coming to the end of a very successful career, who is Alexander O’Neal going to reinvent himself into?

I’m still trying to get my head around this farewell tour. I’ve been performing for a very long time. However, after all these years there are some things I now want to do. First and foremost, I want to spend more time around my family and grandchildren. Finding a bit of normality in a life that hasn’t had any normality. There’s was no white picket fence because you don’t get a chance to experience normality because you’re working all the time.

Also I want to try my hand at something totally different from music. To be able to create my own shoe line and make shoes. I want to make shoes with my hands first, and be good at it. I want to understand the industry I’m about to go into, because it’s like anything else, in order to make your way in an industry that is already established and be successful, in or to make your mark you’ve got to punch your way in and through. To have an Alexander O’Neal shoe range is intriguing and exciting to me.

You were born in Mississippi, and I read about some of the experiences you had, we know what Mississippi was known for. Do you think being born in that environment at that time and having the experiences you did fired you up to never give up, to push beyond the ordinary?

I think there were a lot of different things that contributed to who I am now. One was growing up without a father. He drowned in the Mississippi river, working for the Government, when my mother was 6 months pregnant with me. So I grew up with some psychological challenges around that.

I had to overcome not having a father. That really affected me a lot. I learned one thing, coming from an environment such as Mississippi and from the South, from being around during the Civil Rights movement and dealing with racism. I came up living through the whole nine yards. Racism was alive and fierce growing up in the 50’s, you have no idea what we dealt with. However, here is the great thing about all this. It’s not actually where you come from in life, it’s where you’re going. So I thank God that he’s given me the opportunity to travel all over the world. When God gives you an assignment in life, it’s for YOU, and you’ve got to follow that assignment. It’s not for anyone else. I’ve got 8 kids and they all have their own minds. I don’t force what I do on them and I have some talented singers in my children, however, they are not in the industry and be it for me to shove my expectancies down their throat. I just keep moving forward. Nowadays, I’m trying to take life one day at a time because yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not promised and we only have today to get it right.

If you look at it there is no such thing as the future for human beings. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not promised so why is there a future? People just want there to be a future, to hope there is a future.

However, in actuality, if your days are numbered and you don’t know when you are going to leave this earth, how is there a future for you? So I just try to keep life as simple as possible and keep it happening.

Winding down. What is the legacy you feel you’ve left?

However the public want to perceive me, they will perceive me. I know that I am not just a good singer, I know I’m a great singer. I’ve never had any formal training. Everything I’ve learned, I’ve learned from the best superstars such as Sammy Davis Jnr, Frank Sinatra, Marvin Gaye, Otis Reading, Little Richard and the endless amount of other super stars much bigger than I. So I will let the public decide how they perceive Alexander O’Neal and what that legacy is. But my music will stand for itself and will stand the test of time. I’ve been very fortunate working with some of the best producers such as Jimmi Jam and Terry Lewis who happen to by my family and my friends. So I just want my music to speak for itself. That’s my legacy. I’m 70 years old, I’m still on the road and I’m still enjoying it.

Lastly a message to my fans

UK RAPPER SHOCKA, MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE TALKS ABOUT THE POWER OF LOVE AND SELF CARE

Kenneth Erhahon AKA Shocka is a UK rapper and mental health advocate from Tottenham, London.

Shocka was playing arenas with rap trio Marvell and then lost it all. However, he made a comeback rapping about self-love, self-care and being an advocate for Mental Health. Shocka rose to prominence as part of Marvell, a Tottenham trio Shocka, Vertex and Double S, who were north London’s grime royalty. They were named “Hot for 2010” by the BBC alongside Tinie Tempah. This was when the tours started rolling in, first with Chip then Skepta and the with Diversity, Britain’s Got Talent-winning dance troupe who were then the biggest act in the land. “Diversity was the craziest experience of my life, ” Shocka laughs. “We were playing arenas every night. I’d never seen anything of that magnitude.”

Below Shocka talks about his come-back.

If you were to describe yourself as an animal what would that be?

I’ll be a lion because it takes courage to go down the path I went.

After your personal experiences, and you are only 35, what do you feel are three of the most valuable things you’ve learned about yourself?

The most valuable things I’ve learned about myself is my ability to bounce back from anything. My willingness to try and learn from my mistakes and my most important skill which is listening. I’m a great listener.

What’s the difference in how you deal with life’s challenges now and before your experiences with your mental health breakdowns?

I deal with challenges differently now because I have knowledge and knowledge is known as light. So now that I have light, I can navigate through the darkness better.

You’ve been sectioned four times. The first time, did you know what was happening? Can you describe what it felt like to go down that tunnel?

It felt like an outer worldly experience. Anyone who has been through this type of experience knows what I mean. It’s really scary having family members around you crying and panicking. I thought I was gonna die and in fact I’m sure a part of me died.

Once upon a time you were top of your game as a rap artist with the group Marvell, do you remember who you were at that time? Who was Shocka back then?

Being Shocka at that time when Marvell was on top was fun but empty. I had no substance as a person. Maybe because I was young and my life defining experience hadn’t come yet. But when I reflect on the person I was then, I was really shallow

When the illusion of fame crumbled suddenly, did you realise at the time what was happening and what did that feel like?

I did realise what was happening. Things were falling apart one by one and it was really sad watching everything you’ve worked for crumble before your eyes and not being able to do anything about it.

When you’re in front of the world as an artist, your life is an open book for everyone to see and judge. After what happened with Marvell, how did this affect how you faced the world and how you perceived the world, perceiving you?

It impacted me so much because I really cared what the world thought at the time, and knowing everyone knew I was in a bad place was so embarrassing. If only I knew and realised at the time that we all have our own problems but some just hide it better.

You lost your mother a few years ago and that was the last time you had an episode and was sectioned, what was the relationship between you and your mother and who was she to you?

I lost mum in 2022. We were pretty close. I’m her only child. I was a special child to her because she had lost children before so I’ve always felt a deep sense of purpose to beat the odds and correct things in my family’s life in order to make her proud.

What did it feel like to come out openly to talk about mental health and how did your peers initially respond to this?

Speaking openly about my mental health was not the easiest decision but it was my destiny. I knew it was something I was meant to do. My friends thought I was going crazy, no pun intended, but now they all see the vision because I’ve been authentic and I’ve persisted and I am helping others.

You’re a rapper and mental health advocate and you’ve produced a documentary called ‘Me, My Music and Mental Health’. You’ve also got a book out called ‘A Section of My Life’. It’s evident you want the world to be educated, to understand more about mental health, so that it isn’t taboo, because people are keeping how they feel hidden and sometimes even losing their lives because of the stigma – ultimately what is your message to the world about mental health?

My message is that being vulnerable is the coolest thing ever and it’s the gateway to connection and that’s essentially what we are on this planet to do, and you can’t achieve that without vulnerability. The only part I haven’t quite figured out yet is how to help people respond well to vulnerability and not use it as weapon against the person displaying it.

What happens when you feel depressed or down, how do you manage it?

When I’m down I have friends I can talk to, and I have music. I can write. I have a mentor, I can watch TV and I take the time I need, to get myself right. Walks are beautiful too as they help clear the mind.

What are some of your daily practices that keep you topped up?

My daily practices are in the morning I walk and this is essential. I have taken and saved so many videos on my phone, of those walks, of things that have uplifted me. When I watch them again, I can tap back into that frequency. Then there is also talking to friends - that human interaction is everything.

In 2018 you released a single called ‘Self Love’. What is the importance of self-love and what does self- love mean to you, how do you do self-love?

The importance of self-love is that your whole world begins to glow. Your life is a direct response to how much you love yourself. From your career to relationships. How do you love yourself? by changing your internal dialogue and speaking to yourself with love and respect.

Why is it important for you to build a legacy?

Legacy is important because you are leaving your name behind and your name can either be a key or a pad lock. For people, I want my name to be a key that opens doors for my family and others when I’m gone and to do that I have to leave an impactful positive legacy

What is the legacy you want to leave the world?

The legacy I want to leave the world is that I changed many lives in a positive way and caused huge ripple effects in society

What is the legacy you want to leave because of your mother?

The legacy I want to leave my late mother is that her son made the family proud and brought success into the bloodline, to show them that it was possible to beat the odds in order to become something great in the world.