The spotlight on... Maxwell

By ZAlebs on 12 November 2015 at 11:53 · Comments

Maxwell is coming to South Africa soon for the BET Experience Africa, so it would be rude of us not to shine the spotlight on him.

12 November 2015

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When it comes to R&B, Maxwell is right up there.

While he may not be as prolific as other artists in terms of churning out albums, the work that he has produced is classy stuff, meaning fans are happy to wait for his new work.

Let's find out more about the Brooklyn native...

The basics…

Full name: Gerald Maxwell Rivera

Birthday: 23 May, 1973

Place of birth: Brooklyn, New York, United States

What does he do? Singer-songwriter, producer

So, who is Maxwell?

Maxwell's journey into music started in 1990 when he was given a keyboard by a friend. That gift meant Maxwell could start composing music at the tender age of 17, and he hasn't looked back since.

His love for music began to blossom from that point, and he took it upon himself to learn how to play various instruments. His talents with the different instruments were matched by his vocal abilities, which he honed in church.

Once dubbed as "the next Prince", Maxwell penned a deal with Columbia Records in 1994 to record his first album - an album which would shoot him to the top very quickly.

Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite was released in 1996 to much critical acclaim, but the fans were difficult to attract at the time. However, good spells on various charts afforded people the chance to hear the talented singer, and his stock began to rise as a result.

The excitement surrounding Maxwell prompted an offer from MTV for him to record an unplugged album in 1997. This move was unheard of at the time, as MTV Unplugged was generally reserved for artists who have more than just one album on the shelves. That didn't matter, though, as Maxwell was turning into the real deal.

Maxwell released his second album, Embrya, at just the right time. The release came two years after his debut, and followed the success of his MTV Unplugged project. Embrya was a risky follow up, with many not too keen on the sound he went with, but that did not worry Maxwell, as the album allowed his to experiment with something different. Those critics did little to slow sales, and the album went platinum and the singer a Grammy nomination.

Funnily enough, Maxwell's most successful single was not one that featured on any of his albums, with the R. Kelly-written Fortunate breaking personal records for Maxwell in 1999.

In terms of album releases, Maxwell went on a hiatus between 1998 and 2001, and again between 2001 and 2009. Now and BLACKsummers'night were his products in 2001 and 2009 respectively, with the former's success seeing the star retreating from the limelight and focusing on himself, rather than his music.

Upon his return, BLACKsummers'night was released, but hardcore fans of the soulful man feel this body of work does not hit home like his previous albums.

Maxwell is currently working on his fifth album.

You can catch Maxwell live at the BET Experience Africa on December 12 at Johannesburg's Ticket Pro Dome.