A first year student has released a charity EP in support of Childreach International, Vision can reveal.
Jon Sharpe, an Economics student and resident of Goodricke College has written, produced and recorded the five-track album himself, and is selling it for £5.
Speaking to Vision, Sharpe said: “I saw the advert (for Childreach) and it’s then that you realise that we’ve been lucky in this country, and I wanted to give something back.”
His music, a self-described pop and R’n’B blend, has already been publicised on MySpace, though he says the idea for the EP only surfaced this year.
“I’ve been playing piano and singing for as long as I can remember, but I stopped lessons when I was 14. I started writing at 17, and at that point started recording stuff at home.”
He cites Michael Jackson, Ne-Yo and Timbaland as well as other parts of the American music industry as his main inspirations.
When asked about his future ambitions for music, Sharpe said: “at the moment it’s a hobby, but I do want to focus on my degree. We’ll see how it goes.” He does not rule out the possibility of partaking in Open Mic nights and other similar events.
The Sharpe family seems not to have a great deal of musical history, though Sharpe claims his talent comes from his mother, and “definitely not from my dad.” His cousin is a session musician, playing for artists as notable as Tina Turner.
Other songs that Sharpe has written include love songs and a tribute to Haiti, “Other Side”. He wrote it shortly after the disaster in Haiti.
“I’m always looking for inspiration,” he says, “love songs can get a bit boring.”
*You can contact Jon on js815 to buy the single, and preview his music at www.myspace.com/jonsharpemusic*.