Randy Lee Kirton… Guyana’s very own ‘Weeknd’
Randy Kirton
Randy Kirton

By Daniel Haynes

RANDY Lee Kirton is one of the few voices of ‘new-school’ RnB music in Guyana; and while everyone is clamouring to be either a rapper, or the next Adele, Randy is carving out his niche with his individualism as a singer and song-writer.Born October 22, 1995, Randy’s story is not a tale of sunshine and roses. He is an ‘only-child’ who grew up in a single-parent home where it was just he and his mother for most of his life.
His mother being his sole role model played a part in raising a young man who was described by his peers as well as himself as a “goodie-two-shoes”.
He attributes this fact to his growing up with a strict but loving mother, and within a strong Christian background, since his mother is a pastor.
Throughout his childhood, he was a quiet person at times, always keeping to himself but yet he was curious, experimental and adventurous.
“You could always find me at some ‘trench corner’, fishing or playing with some animal or insect I found. I’m still like that to this day,” he said.
Randy wasn’t really into sports when younger; sports was something he grew into. He was more into reading, writing and ‘tech’ stuff, and was always taking his toys apart and putting them back together again.
Randy started his school life at the Kingston Nursery; and that’s where he was first introduced to the arts as a part of the Children’s ‘Mash’ Poetry Competition.
He then moved on to Sacred Heart Primary, and subsequently Covent Garden Secondary, where his singing ability was discovered fully. When heading into his teen years and everything became confusing, music was where he found peace and his centre of gravity. “I could find myself listening to music for hours on end, from all genres, and just get filled with emotion. Then those emotions would lead me to write lyrics,” he said.
Having friends who always kept reminding him about his talent, he said, made him really believe that it was possible. It was his friends who helped him discover his “singer’s voice”, he said.
Third Form was what he called his “discovery”, since while humming to himself in class, two of his friends, Rachel and Neanda, overheard him. They subsequently made him sing, and from their reaction, he was finally convinced that he was on to something.
Even though Randy’s musical style is primarily PBR&B/Urban Pop, his influences span across different genres. Singers like SZA, Justin Timberlake, Michael Jackson, Tony Bennett, FKA Twigs, MNEK and Bruce Springsteen are the artists he listened to develop his sound.
Apart from music, he’s an “artsy” person, or at least so he’s been told. When not writing songs or short stories on either his phone, a piece of paper, or the computer, he can be found with his camera practising photography, or doing abstract graphic designs.
“I’m just excited about making my own music; I was fortunate and blessed to be introduced to DRWTHVN, now one of my best friends. We made, and will continue to make, great music together.”

 

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