Interview with Chicco Martino: ‘I draw my inspiration from within’ |27 February 2014

Francesco Azemia Martino, aka Chicco Martino, is this year celebrating 10 years in the music industry since he first appeared singing alongside Smash Kid in their group ‘Youthique’.
 
Better known for the track ‘Pour Touzour’ the young man of 25 years has this year released his third solo album called En Lot Santiman comprising 13 songs. All tracks have been written by Chicco himself and he says he draws his inspiration from within…

Some of Chicco Martino’s works are also popular in the Indian Ocean region and he has had various performances in Mauritius and Reunion. Two of his tracks have come out first on two different radio stations in Mauritius and he humbly adds he was able to penetrate the market by sheer chance.

Locally, Chicco is a known performer and is one of the many artists supported by Cable Tunes. For his fans on La Digue, Chicco will be performing in a Cable Tunes Event there on Saturday March 1.

Where do you think you get your musical talent from?

Chicco: I think I got it from both sides of my family. Raymond Lebon is my mum’s cousin so there may be some influence from my mum’s side. My dad is one of the best accordion players in Italy and he’s also a poet. So I guess I may have also inherited my talent from him.

How is this album different from your two other albums?

Chicco: This one is more mature in musical terms and in terms of the topics I sing about. My theme always revolves around love which is apparent on this album but this time I have broadened it so it touches different subjects as well.

Are any of your tracks a remake of another song?

Chicco: All the songs on each of my albums, including En Lot Santiman, are my original works.  Although I am influenced by what I hear around me I work hard to produce my tracks from start to finish using my own inspiration.

Do you have any favourites?

Chicco: I like each song the same because I spent time on each of them. However, there are two songs in which I sing about my connection with God, my Creator. This is something I have never done before on any of my albums and I hope that people will respond well to them.

Why did you choose to sing about that now and not before?

Chicco: Well, since I converted to Islam two years ago, I have learned many things about God and I have learned that He looks at our hearts and there are certain things we need to be doing. I value my faith and I choose to express my new-found knowledge through these two songs.

What else occupies your time?

Chicco: Apart from shows and other gigs I am an architectural draughtsman and when I find time to do some work for people I offer my services. I have a small shop at Ma Joie called ‘Kotiko’ which pretty much runs itself now since I set it up. I also have a music production company called ‘Creolotone Entertainment’ through which district shows are staged, artists are sponsored and through which more services will soon be offered to artists.

Contributed