Mark Batson promotes reggae album 
GUYANESE singer/songwriter Mark Lester Batson, who hails from Buxton, on the East Coast Demerara, is busy promoting his first Reggae album, “Music without Borders”.
Though it was released since June, the 32-year-old singer doesn’t know for sure when he would officially launch the album as he wants to ensure that sufficient time is afforded to his fans to get to know his music so that they can thoroughly enjoy the launching party.
Although he gained some popularity singing Soca music, Mark said he decided to do a Reggae album, based on his personal life experiences, as he felt he can more effectively express himself in this genre of music.
“It’s about most of the stuff I passed through in day to day life. Part of the album has to do with culture, and the other, about relationship struggles,” Mark expressed about the album during an interview with the Pepperpot Magazine.
He spoke in the company of Harry Parker, a member of Vizion Sounds Recording Company, in charge of road management and promotions.

CLEAN MUSIC
Mark, who said he began his music career at just five years old, credits his mom, Bridget Blair Nelson, as the founder of the music in him.
He recalls that while growing up, several members of his family, including his mom, dad, sister and uncle, pursued music in some form. Fueling his interest in music was also the church choir and the school competitions that he participated in.
“I used to do Soca. More people would’ve known me singing Soca, but then as you grow and mature, you see things different and your lifestyle becomes different. I say to people my music isn’t just to sing a song but to spread a message, and I feel I can deliver that message more in the reggae content,” he expressed.
Mark, whose music is managed by Vizion Sounds Recording Company, is set on pursuing music to the highest level possible. “The sky is the limit. Wherever music takes me, I will go,” he said.
Mark describes his songs as clean music that anyone in the family, including young children, can enjoy.
He is grateful for the help he has been receiving from others as he continues to pursue his career, especially from his team that works behind the scenes, and from The Heatwave Band for which he is the lead singer.
Mark is also advising young and upcoming artistes to hold on to their dreams. “It’s not an easy journey, but it’s one that you shouldn’t trade,” he said.

COPYRIGHT
Mark is not entirely satisfied with what is being done for local artistes and is calling on the government to work on copyright laws.
“There’s so much more to be done. In terms of our music going somewhere, we need our government to actually come on board and enforce that copyright law. If we don’t have that copyright law, we are losing; we are always at a losing end,” he said.
Due to the absence of such laws, Mark observed how people who pirate their work actually end up benefitting more than them financially.
“The talent is there; the work, production and quality are there. Artistes will take their music to the limit to get it done. If we have to send it to Jamaica, around the world, then we would, just to make sure the quality is right. But when it comes back, they struggle to sell the CDs and then someone carbon copies it and sell it for $200 after you spent so much money getting it done. At the end of the day, the persons who don’t do the work benefit the most,” the artiste said.
Mark also called on the Guyanese population to support and respect their local artistes.