When Timeka Marshall first hit the scene with her demure single, ‘We should separate’, it was official that this enterprising young woman had a promising future in the music industry. But in every cynical society there will be doubts, and even with her captivating beauty, Marshall was no exception.
Many questioned what genre she would cling to. They cast much doubt on her singing abilities and performance skills. They wondered if she would survive the next five years to come.
More than ten years into the game, Timeka Marshall is able to smile and wave in the faces of those cynics. With numerous tracks to her name, Marshall, who was born in 1989 on Valentine’s Day, has evolved into a sensual and daring performer whose presence is known in the Caribbean and she is already on her way to the pinnacle of international acclaim.
The former student of St. Joseph High School is not only balancing an already flourishing music career, she is also dabbling in promoting her own entertainment business. She has deemed it, ‘Premium Pink Entertainment,’ a femme fetish which brings ultimate pleasures and excitement to the Guyanese party experience.
With her promotion team, Marshall is no doubt the lone rose among the male-dominated industry. But her faithful sponsors and supporters are giving her enough to stamp her authority in this sector.
According to the sultry singer, the name ‘Premium Pink’ was actually coined from two ideas. She wanted something that was a cut above the rest of her competitors, hence ‘Premium’, and a name that reflected the girl-power behind the project, which justifies the addition of ‘Pink’.
Why did Marshall try her hands at this field? Well, she described herself as a “social creature” who simply found that there is something missing in the parties held locally.
She noted that the party environment or ambience here in Guyana does not always allow for Guyanese to leave the “reserved” nature or apprehensions at the door. The ambitious party promoter is hoping to change this outlook in the industry with her “premium-pinkness”.
Though her parties have all been successful, she still feels that there is more to be done; but she is, of course, very thankful for the support thus far.
Marshall is not only a musical addict, she is also obsessed with the gym; it’s a new love she simply can’t get enough of.
She shared, “About a year ago, I was far from being in shape. My party-girl lifestyle and bad eating habits manifested into a few extra pounds. I’ve since changed my lifestyle. I do Crossfit training as many days of the week as my body and energy allows me, I try to maintain a clean diet and I’ve cut out the excessive drinking.”
LATEST TRACK
Marshall’s latest single is ‘Bend Mi Ova’. This track is a smooth mix of dancehall, soca and soul. The song, which was written sometime in January by Marshall, was done on the ‘Big and Sexy Riddim’ produced by Christopher Birch of Birchill Records in Jamaica.
According to Marshall, Birch is the one who would have mixed her recent big hit ‘I Won’t Stop’ on the Jambe-An riddim, built by Techniques Records back in 2014. She told the Guyana Inc. Magazine that the ‘Big and Sexy’ Riddim was actually built this year while sitting with Birch and, as a result, she was the first artist to write and record for the riddim. She explained that both of them wanted to capture the similar air and frequency of their previous project while undertaking this new piece.
“I just wanted a song that made the ladies want to dance, so that’s where the lyrics really came from. Birch and I have long spoken about working together. In fact, this is my third time recording for him, but not every project goes as planned. After building a good artiste/producer relationship, he decided that this was a direction he’d like me to try.”
Also featured on the riddim are Jamaican artistes Vershon, Mr. G, Charly Black, Elephant Man, Tatik and Razor B. When asked how she believes her song would have fared against the other artistes on the riddim, Marshall said that she is the only female on the riddim, so that is one way in which she stands out.
She added, “Everyone has their preferences and likes, so it’s a matter of time to see how the public gravitates to it. I’m hoping it does well, of course.”
When asked if we can expect another track or album anytime soon, the songstress said that presently she is only working on singles. However, she has become selective about the projects which she pursues. “For me, it’s about working smarter than harder.”
Marshall also opened up about what she perceived to be the biggest problem facing Guyana’s entertainment industry.
She said, “As of right now, I’d say there are two problems that are at the forefront; the 2 AM curfew and no copyright laws. The curfew has affected business persons in the entertainment arena tremendously. People aren’t going out as much anymore because of the time limit. I don’t think most folks understand how the curfew affected many jobs in and around Georgetown especially. Club owners, party promoters, bartenders, DJs, light and sound rentals, taxi drivers, boutique owners and salons are, just to name a few, some of those directly affected.”
The artist added, “With regard to the non-existence of copyright laws; take for instance you create a garment, you cover all expenses necessary to manufacture and market the garment and then it becomes very popular. Everyone wants one and somehow they are able to get it for free. After all of your hard work and investment, there are no laws in place to protect you or your product.”
Marshall concluded that this is what no copyright means to artistes.
