The Annointed Fig

I love HIM!

You know… His Infernal Majesty? Ville Valo has the talent, the voice, the
hair…the low-riding pants. Well, hey, I am a girl! But up till now, there hasn’t been anyone I’ve ran into here in the US that had the same flair – and catchy songs (albeit in a distinctly more uplifting style).

Bringing man, child, and camel together.

You see, I had the chance to preview a few singles from an as yet uncut CD by an up-and-coming crooner – Zander Bleck. And it snowballed from there.

Or, in this case – sandstormed? On a dry Saharan backdrop, with a couple of camels for decor, Zander looked untamed, and dare I say – untamed. In the middle of recording a music video for his new single “Beyond the Horizon”, he was kind enough to take some of his time to speak to a newly minted fan.

And no, before you ask – we did not delve into Zander’s relationships. But our conversation did give me a helpful glimpse into the mind and the voice of a fiercely independent artist. Eschewing the controlling influence and backing of the corporate record industry, Mr. Bleck, 24, is determined to retain creative control, even if it means going it alone.

“I have contemplated American Idol since it is such a dominant spring board to world wide fame,” he confided.  “But I look at myself as more of an all around artist instead of just a “singer”  They are looking for a diamond in the rough who would be nothing on their own and they can “shape” anyway they want.   I want that freedom in the art that i am producing.”

Born and raised in rural New Jersey, young Zander was surrounded by music since he was a child. Inspired by his father’s unfailing determination and God-given talent, and stories of a grandfather he’d never met, he began developing a musical taste of his own. With it, came a decision to grow it into a full-fledged career.

But what’s a musician’s lifestory without a few bumps along the road? Zander had to buckle down and keep himself going. Of course, in his case, it was with a flourishing modeling career. What was merely an opportunity to see the world for him resulted in reaching this rather competitive field’s topmost tiers.

And then, Zander quit. Oh, at some point, he would be willing enough to endorse some products, but looking to the forewater of the industry, he doesn’t want to be just a buff body or a handsome face.

An artist inspired by Led Zeppelin, Queen, and Coldplay, he is self-taught. And his sound is just diverse enough to appeal to quite a wide range of fans. That might be because he sees visuals when he is writing, and never does it come true clearer than in his debut single “Get Up.”

“When I write or sing my songs, I find more often then not, I am singing to people like myself,” Zander clarified.  “Those searching for more in this life, who want to open their minds, I want to motivate them to pursue their wildest dreams, fall in love, travel far, embrace the unknown and fantasize, and just enjoy, and reflect every aspect of this beautiful life.”

Himself one of the earlier Obama groupies, Zander, too, wants to get the world to turn on its lights. With his Jamie Fanatic’s dance remixes, performances in one of the newer Big Apple hotspots, The Greenhouse, his trip to Mali to capture the primeval glory of the Essakane for his desert-themed Beyond the Horizon song, he might just do that.

As work on Beyond the Horizon was finished, Zander showed me his latest work:

I was blown away – the song is ever the more haunting before the stark contrast of the Saharan lifestyle to the urban ways we call our own. Artistic quality aside – the visual production of the piece was top notch, making it easy to forget that that was a self-made talent, producing his music and videos without the financial backing of a label.

This musician is definitely going places. And this fan will certainly be bookmarking his website and MySpace page for further updates.

Hope to see you there, too!

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