You heard it here, Marc Broussard is the next big thing in music. While this 22-year-old Louisiana native modestly maintains that he's not famous (see below), circumstances tell us otherwise. Broussard has two albums under his belt, including his critically acclaimed August 2004 major label debut, Carencro. He has appeared on the Late Show with Conan O'Brien and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and his two singles, "Home" and "Where You Are," are receiving airplay that increases with each passing day. Tableau recently had the chance to speak with Marc about his career, his inspirations and his budding fame. While many of Carencro's songs are upbeat and energetic, Marc himself is chill. There was one aspect of his personality evident in our conversation, however, which was completely in tune (pardon the pun) with the album. From his throaty voice that's even deeper in real life than on his albums to his wisdom beyond his years to his love of Stevie Wonder, the man's got soul.
tableau: You come from a musical family. Did you always know that you were going to be a musician, or did you ever think that you might do something else?
Marc Broussard: I was always a musician.
Aside from your family, who have been your biggest musical influences?
Probably singers like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye and Donny Hathaway.
This has been quite a year for you. What's been the biggest adjustment to your growing fame?
(laughter) I don't feel like I've really adjusted anything in my lifestyle because of fame. I'm not even close to being famous.
You named your CD after your hometown. Now that you're traveling all over the country, do you miss Carencro?
Yeah. No lie. I wish I was there right now.
I read somewhere that you have a young son. What's it like being a father and being on tour? Is that a tough balance for you?
It's like being away from a part of your body for several weeks. He's my flesh and blood, my everything that I live for. But at the same time, I know the only reason that he can be healthy and have a full stomach and a roof over his head is because I stay on the road.
A lot of the songs on Carencro are love songs. Are those songs directed at your son's mother, or a combination of people, or do you just have a great imagination?
It's just inspired from everyday things. You find ways to be inspired from all aspects of life... and you just take it and run with it. But, a lot of the stuff is about a young lady.
What do you do when you get songwriters' block, or does that even ever happen?
I think when you get inspired to write a song you usually sit down and write a song. I don't ever really get writers block, but it's not like I'm trying to write every day. I just write whenever the inspiration comes.
What is your favorite song on Carencro?
"Let Me Leave." It's the most direct look into my life.
What's your favorite song to play live?
"Home."
You've played with a ton of awesome artists -- who's your favorite?
I love the tour I'm on right now. Will Hoge is incredible. And Griffin House just left the tour but Griffin is [amazing]. Blue Merle is another really, really great band to play with.
If you could play with any band, living or dead, who you haven't already played with, who would it be?
Stevie Wonder.
You once called yourself just another 22-year-old dude with an acoustic guitar. What do you think distinguishes your music from everything else out there?
Well, I'm pretty sure that most of the people who listen to my music don't just have one CD in their collection. So, I'm not really worried about getting distinguished between all the others. I just hope people dig it. If they dig it, then they can listen to it.
What's the worst comparison to another musician you've received?
I don't ever take any comparison to anyone else badly unless, obviously, if somebody's trying to be mean. I don't care what you call me, as long as you call me.
If you could tell your fans one thing, what would you tell them?
That I love you and I hope we can be friends for a long time.
Finally, what are your plans for the future?
Just to continue to do this, raising the bar and reaching another level and just doing it, and doing it well. Like LL Cool J.
Marc Broussard plays Starr Hill 8 p.m. this Sunday.
Learn more about Marc at www.marcbroussard.com.
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