British singer Bipolar Sunshine may not be a household name yet, but he is on his way. Born Adio Marchant in Manchester, England, the up-and-coming artist seemed destined for greatness.
Before beginning a solo career, he was in the group Kid British. After the act disbanded he released two EPs, and is currently working on a solo album. He was featured on the popular song "Middle," by DJ Snake, that received heavy radio play.
Windy City Times: Let our readers get to know you. Where are you from?
Bipolar Sunshine: Manchester. My parents are from Jamaica, but moved to England when they were young.
WCT: Were you into the music scene in Manchester?
Sunshine: Oh, yeah. I was into all of the bands that were around, which is kind of unusual. My friends were into Oasis and Stone Roses, but I was the kid that liked that as well as garage, and hip hop.
WCT: Did you always want to be a singer?
Sunshine: No, but there was something about writing the songs that I enjoyed. I remember writing songs when I was 8 years old. I didn't think anything about it. I would write them and leave them aside.
I was in Jamaica when I was 14 and wrote a random love story about a girl that I met there didn't actually exist.
I developed it more and would write about things that I saw. I could then write more subjectively.
WCT: You were in a band for a few years?
Sunshine: I was in a group called Kid British. It was made up of four good friends. It just didn't work out because there were too many cooks. i decided that was the best option for me to make my own music.
I took some time off and lived in Notting Hill. I was selling gold teeth for people. It was random but cool!
WCT: That area looks nice from the Julia Roberts movie.
Sunshine: There's more to it…
WCT: Where did the moniker "Bipolar Sunshine" come from?
Sunshine: Even when I was in the band I knew I was going to call myself Bipolar Sunshine. It is stemming from the fact that Manchester is a dreary and gloomy city. There are so many bright, colorful things about it despite being gray. Bipolar allowed me to write from the highest to the lowest spectrums. I didn't want to write from the same perspective because life doesn't feel the same every day.
With this name, people would be open to feel different atmospheres. Sunshine is the light that will never turnoff in any situation. It is the way I feel things.
WCT: Do you know people who are bipolar?
Sunshine: Yes, and people message me all the time about it. They feel that I am giving some energy towards it. For me that is the greatest thing about it. This is what I am meant to do. Someone messaged me about crying tears of happiness at my show. That is why I wanted to make music.
WCT: Touring must have a lot of ups and downs.
Sunshine: I have traveled a lot. Seeing different things gives me many things to write about. If I stay in one place I tend to write the same thing. If I move about there is always great writing material.
WCT: Do you feel artists need to write their own music?
Sunshine: It depends on the artist. If Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey did not write the song it is okay because they sang the shit out of it. I think in rap music if it is not written by the artist it is not deemed as good.
If you come from an X Factor scenario then you are told what to do. It is a money making industry. If they have product that is great to sell then they will sell it.
I like writing my songs. My song "Whole Heart" is half written by somebody else that is cool.
WCT: So you are not trying to be commercial?
Sunshine: I am just trying to make sure the song comes first. "Middle" became a huge commercial tune. I am not mad at that. I want the world to know my music.
WCT: How did you meet DJ Snake?
Sunshine: I met his management randomly at a studio. I had sent music to BMG and they played it for his manager. That is how things work these days. There is a lot of file sharing. We can't all be in the room at the same time to make a song together sometimes.
It turned into the first single from the album. it then shot to the top of the charts. It was a shock to me.
WCT: What new music do you have coming out?
Sunshine: I have "Are You Happy?" It is an extension of what Bipolar Sunshine stands for. It is for us to ask these questions to ourselves in the song.
WCT: Is a full album coming out?
Sunshine: I am sitting on a good 30 songs right now. I am waiting for when I feel like putting an album out. The game has changed. My aim is to put out 15 new songs this year. I am releasing on my own label that I set up called Grey Label. I am working with artists on that label. I am excited to put my stamp on the music I make.
WCT: You seem very experience in the business.
Sunshine: I experienced a lot in my last band. When I stepped back into music I knew what to do next. Before with the band we all said yes to everything. I have my own integrity this time out. I don't want to do something that I despise and have to live with the rest of my life.
WCT: What do you want people to know about you as a new artist?
Sunshine: I am just trying to offer a new angle of looking at happiness. I choose to show that. I believe everyone has their own talent of what they can do. That is what I put into my music.
WCT: Is there anyone you would like to collaborate with?
Sunshine: I would like to work with Chance the Rapper, Sia, and Future.
WCT: I keep hearing about how Jamaica has problems with the LGBT community.
Sunshine: As much as I am from Jamaica, I don't know too much about what is going on. Manchester is open and England is kind of open about the community, in retrospect. It all depends the day, and who is in office!