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Selwyn.
 People
often state that sometimes certain things are meant to be. Whether
it's love, a break-up or choosing the right career, sometimes
you know in your heart that it's simply destiny.
From pushing trolleys at a supermarket many years ago with only the thought of one day performing live on stage, to living out his dream as an artist, African-born Australian-raised Selwyn is a rising star of Australian r'n'b.
Having interviewed the over-confident eighteen year old Selwyn for this very magazine a few years ago, I was somewhat hesitant to take on the interview. However I was pleasantly surprised to chat to a more mature minded, young man with a realistic yet optimistic outlook on life.
"I've got a new record so I'm very excited," he begins. "I've taken a lot longer with this album to kind of find myself. I wanted to do something that would separate me from the sheep. Not sounding arrogant or anything but I guess there's a lot of differences."
And what are these differences that Selwyn has to offer? "I've got a lot, man. With my sound, I'm not trying to sound too common, it's always going to be that pop/r'n'b sound and it's not going to sound too US or UK."
The first single taken from the forthcoming album is Boomin', an upbeat track which has a little more dancefloor credibility in comparison to his previous releases. "Boomin' is definitely an elevation from the last album. I was eighteen when I did the first album. I was doing stuff like Bugging Me and Way Love's Supposed To Be, I was really on that fresh kind of note. With the second album, it's like a reintroduction. Being African, I've added a few African influences in my album. Coming with my flavour roots separates me from the rest."
When asked about his favourite tracks on the album, he insists without a hint of hesitation, "Rock Star means the most to me because when I wrote it when I in the UK. I used to push trolleys and now I look at me doin' my thang and it reminds me of, you know, waking up in the morning and checking myself out on Channel V seeing how far I've come."
So how does Selwyn stay grounded? "That's what my mum and family are for. I'm always with my family and the friends that I was with before I started to do this. I try to keep these people close because they've always been there for me and hopefully they always will."
It has been quite a few years since Selwyn has performed live because he felt as though "I was everywhere man, I kind of over-exhausted the scene. The album drops October 11 so that's when I want to get around and do shows again." So far, though, he claims his best professional moment best moment was recently given the lead role in an Australian movie. "I've no experience in movies or music and I got a record deal and a movie lead. I just really think I have a lucky star or something." Selwyn becomes much more animated. "I'm already onto my second album and I'm riding the wagon until the wheels fall off!"
He's also got a vision for where he sees urban music developing in Australia. "I wanna see r'n'b go bigger. When I started out, I was really the only one out there and it was kinda lonely. Now there's Guy, Levi, Israel and so on. I know a lot of my friends have just got deals so that will increase urban music in Australia too. They respect rock and grunge here but I really think it's time to get into the urban and hopefully I can survive at the end of the day."
Finally, Selwyn offers advice on how to get into the industry, "Keep going, be comfortable in your own skin and don't try to be something you're not. Do whatever feels good in your heart."
Lisa D'Andrea
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Boomin' is out now through Sony.
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