Mark Batson who is creating waves in Guyana and beyond with his mega-hit song ‘second chance’ is considered by many as one of the biggest artists to come out of Guyana since Eddie Grant. Often compared to the Reggae star Christopher Martin, Batson believes he has created his own unmistakable sound and brand of artistry that he is selling to the world.  His tantalizing vocals, energy, passion, and commanding stage presence resonates with his audience and has created a massive following both locally and abroad, especially among the ladies.

Besides Guyana, Batson has performed in Suriname, French Guiana, and the United States of America. He has opened for the American recording artiste Akon at the Guyana National Stadium and recently performed alongside another Jamaican artiste for the Jamaican Reggae Industry Association Awards (JARIA) 2019.

Batson explained that though he has dabbled with many genres he believes that reggae is his home and has recently released his Debut Album entitled Music without Borders which he describes as half ‘culture’ and half ‘lovers Rock Reggae’. The album features several hits including, his most recognizable songs to date, ‘Second Chance’, and ‘Driver; it’s a collaborative effort between Vizion Sounds Studio and Paradigm Audio Lab.

Like many greats in music, Mark Batson got his start in Church.  According to Batson, he was born into music. He credits his earliest music lessons to his mother Bridget Nelson, who in his early life served as choir instructor at their church, and the late Ms. Edith Victorine Pieter’s AA, who was the former coordinator of Music Education Programme – Ministry of Education and recipient of a National Award.

Though success has courted Mark along the way, the condition in which he was forced to operate, proved too much for him at times. Mark had his humble beginnings in the School’s calypso competition where he became the Junior Calypso Monarch. He eventually ventured into the Soca arena with a hit song entitled Anaconda. The song enjoyed massive success and was one of the most played songs on the local airwaves and caught the attention of audiences both regionally and internationally. But even the success of Anaconda was not enough for Mark to deal with the frustrating struggles he felt like a local artist. In a country with no Copyright laws, local artist suffers from their work constantly being undervalued and receives little to no benefit from the art that they work so hard to create. It was this frustration that led him to eventually deciding to quit music. He explained that during the sabbatical he worked at many different careers, but music is in his DNA and it wasn’t long before he was back to doing what he loves.

Future plans for Batson include a tour of England and performances in Canada. He is slated to perform at the highly anticipated Buju Banton Concert in Guyana’s ‘ Long Walk to Freedom’ tour. There are also plans to collaborate with Christopher Martin on the remix for “Second Chance” as well as a collab with Jamaican Artiste Jabari I in whose video Batson was featured. Batson said he has patriotic Dreams of working with fellow Guyanese such as Tamika Marshall and Natural Black and would also love to collaborate with Jamaican artists Alaine and Cecile the latter he described as one of his favorite artists of all times.

A Taste of Mark Batson

1. Second Chance Mark Batson 0:45

2. Driver Mark Batson 0:45

3. Love Song Mark Batson 0:45

4. Stay Focused Mark Batson 0:45

5. Give Me Some space Mark Batson 0:45

6. Anaconda Mark Batson 0:45

Shy about talking of life outside his music, Mark hesitated to say that he is a simple person and enjoys some time to just relax and be normal, he is in a committed relationship and working towards marriage but is in no haste since such important decisions need careful deliberation. The ‘Music Without Borders’ singer told Caribbean entertainment Hub that he relies on a system of strict Boundaries to ensure that his being a musician does not interfere with his personal life.

When asked how he is able to maintain his energy and manage such a busy schedule Batson alluded to the fact that he represented Guyana at the CARIFTA Games as a national athlete and explained that he uses the same disciplined training regimen from his days as an athlete to ensure that he is always in the best shape to deliver on every performance. As he puts it, “I need the stage and the stage needs me.” His advice to up-and-coming artists was to “make music your Hobby” and never lose the joy of music for it’s this Joy that will cause you to withstand all adversaries.

In concluding Mark Batson expressed gratitude to those who helped him along the way. He singled out Mr. Ryan Carter, Harry Parker Gail Viera, Olitheia Campbell, Shanel Owen, Lego B, and his mother Bridget Nelson all of whom were instrumental in his career. He also thanked Heat Wave band, the team at Vizion Sounds Studio, Paradigm Audio Lab, and all the DJ’s, selectors, and fans for their unwavering support and loyalty.

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