Meet Margeaux Davis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Margeaux Davis.

Hi Margeaux, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hello, everyone. My name is Margeaux just pronounced as Margo. I am originally from Minneapolis Minnesota. The home of Prince, Mint Condition, Alexander O’Neal, The sounds of blackness, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Paris Bennett, granddaughter of Ann Nesby. Maria Isa, Ashley DuBose, Javonta Patton, J. Issac, Mac Irv, and so many others.

I don’t come from a musical background by all means. I have always been the black sheep of my family.

It all started when I was three years old. My father bought me a keyboard and I learned how to play by ear.

I am far from Duke Ellington however, singing is my main instrument. Again, being the black sheep of the family. What makes sense to others may not make sense to you, and vice versa. I have been saying this since I was a little girl. Not necessarily having the technique but definitely having the soul.

I learned everything by ear. I remember before graduating high school, I would do all these singing competitions and not knowing the difference between a competition and an audition.

My grandmother was murdered in 1999. I was 13 at the time. No, somebody didn’t go inside her home and shoot her. She was murdered by a doctor that (we later found out) was on heroin and could’ve prevented this irresponsible situation. Long story short, my grandmother had six children, all women and six grandchildren. When we turned 18, we were allowed to use the money that we won in our lawsuit case to do what we wanted with it. It definitely was supposed to be used for college; however, money does not replace a human.

I graduated high school in 2004 from North Community High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Months before graduating, I did a singing competition (again, not knowing the difference between a competition and an audition.) this man took an “interest” in me and wanted to work with me and help me record a three song demo.
He invited myself and my parents over to his house. He had so many lavish things to be so young under 30 years old. When we got there I definitely thought, “Oh, this man definitely has it ALL together” because he has all these things, materialistic things” he must know what he’s doing”.

My parents were and ARE so supportive of me and wanted me to follow my dream. The money from my grandmother’s lawsuit. My college funds I used $20,000 (so ALL of it was used to make a demo that was going to get in the hands of Quincy Jones). There was no Quincy Jones it was just empty promises and selling me a story that I believed!

The reason why this man had so much materialistic things is because he used people like myself to gain his riches. Now in order for you to be in this music industry, you definitely have to have thick skin for the majority. This would discourage so many hopeful dreams it has not discouraged mine.

My parents on the other hand are very supportive however, they also believed in a 401(k), which I totally understand. They just want to make sure that their baby girl is OK when they are gone.

My motto. “You have one life, you better live it.”

My plan B has always been to make my plan A work.

I had the honor and privilege to meet and sing with Ruth Brown, Skye Dee Miles, Clint Holmes, Gladys Knight-from my now mentor Buffie Lucas, who resides in Las Vegas Nevada. At this wonderful place off of the strip called “The Bootlegger.”

On Mondays, they used to have an open mic however, this open mic wasn’t like anything else. The majority of entertainers in Las Vegas were off on Mondays so all the celebrities would come in and sing. So I had the opportunity to go back from Minneapolis to Las Vegas to sing later on. I got the opportunity to have my very own show in Minneapolis. I ONLY had four people in the audience. LOL however, it only takes one person to hear you! Oh and did she hear me! Marri Harris approached me and said, “girl, you can sang. I need you to audition for the NYC broadway smash hit cast of “RENT.”

I was over the moon. The audition was the next day. I don’t know a single song from that play so I decided to sing a gospel song “going up yonder.”

The director Andrew Rasmussen loved it because it was so authentic and casted me as the “Seasons Of Love” soloist in RENT. That is when my big break began 2009-2010. I later then was casted for “Rag Time” and “The devil didn’t raise you “ by Pamela Rollins.

I was still booking and selling out shows in Minneapolis and opening up for Zo Carmen Rodgers from the”Foreign Exchange”. Thanks to Harry CoIbert and Bianca “Cali”.

I was also opening up for Mint Condition and Alexander O’Neal.

I got the opportunity to sing with Marsha Ambrosius because I was tweeting her and literally asked her if I could.

She said “I read your tweets and handed me the mic.. She is literally one of my favorite vocalists.

From that point on, I was asked multiple times to sing at the Timberwolves or the Lynx basketball game the national anthem.

I then met Zachariah Babington Johnson, who introduced me to Grand Melody Music. Andre Dennis, Undrea Woods and Andre Reynolds. These four men truly believed in me. I was and am so grateful for them. These guys truly showed me what having an interest in somebody that is so dedicated to being better at their craft.

They truly believed in me like, I believe in myself. This is where my first baby was born. In the studio my EP titled “Won’t Do It Again.”

I initially always wanted to move to California or New York City. However, before moving out of Minneapolis, I knew I needed to make an album or an EP so I could have something to show forth. There is no such thing as making a demo any more. Hell, artist development? LOL in this game. In this day and age, you need to have something completed.

You are a brand. I came out to New York City in 2013 for the first time and just fell in love with the vibrations. Being that I was in a theater (that’s my second love but music is my first), it’s another way to get in the door. Also, me being a plus-size sister it just worked.

So I decided to take a leap of faith finish my EP and come to New York City.

In 2015, I took that leap of faith. I had a dollar and a dream to my name. I just knew if you want something you’ve never had, you must do something you’ve never done. The first year was the hardest. I saved all this money to move out to New York try to find a job had a job lost the job. Went from having an apartment to becoming homeless.

I got robbed at gunpoint. However, my faith still kept me here. It definitely is/was my test to my upcoming testimony you have to master the art of timing. I am 36 years young and I still have yet to make it; however, I am definitely not where I was but I know exactly where I’m going.

One thing I have learned is that you cannot put an age on when you think something in your life is supposed to happen I know it’s gonna happen because I am so determined and I am so faithful.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road at all! I do feel like some of us go through more things than others because we are all running the same race just in different lanes. By one of my favorite authors my dear friend and sister (originally from Minneapolis that now resides Atlanta, GA) Elle Babington Lee @ElleWearsHats

She has this amazing book titled “Run Your Race” it’s actually one of my favorites.

Some of us are running marathons, some of us are running sprints. and some of us are running in circles. The some of us that have been running in circles are the ones that need to revisit the lessons learned.

We can’t continue to keep doing the same things over and over again and expect different results. I have never been so uncomfortable in my life by living in New York City. I also believe, in order to be comfy one has to be uncomfortable.

You have to go through in order to grow through. As soon as I got off the plane, literally the day after moving to New York City, I got a chance to sing at the famous Birdland jazz club and got a write-up in Broadway world magazine. I also got a chance to open up for Eric Roberson and sing at the world-renown SOBS The Blue Note, Harlem nights, Red Rooster (Marcus Samuelson‘s restaurant in Harlem) Café wha, Valerie Simpson’s spot called the sugar bar, The Grove, and so many others.

The struggle that I have went through the most is that the screen door has always been open it’s like you’re so close yet so far away. Which can be very discouraging but I made a vow to myself that if a door doesn’t open for me, I will have to build one and knock it down myself. That’s exactly what I’m doing now.

Especially during the pandemic. Things were shut down. I lost 18 people from covid and two years later just now coming to terms with so many losses.. It’s been extremely HEAVY!!

Us artists have to be so creative on these social platforms because baby, when It’s your time God will open doors you’ve never imagined.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My EP is titled “Won’t Do It Again.”

I recently released a remake of “Share My World” Originally made by Rodney Jerkins and Mary J Blige

This smooth jazz number produced by Jazzgroupiez Ft myself and Saxophone player Stephen Richard is such and amazing remake and song!

I am a Jazz/soul vocalist plus-size model and a type 2 diabetic warrior. I have modeled and work for Lingua Franca.

I also want to thank Minneapolis’s Queen Dee Henry Williams Radio Personnel on KFAI who has always played my music when other radio stations wouldn’t. The support does not go unrecognized!

I am most proud of my Dedication and education about living with type two diabetes writing music that makes you feel good about yourself and showing some skin as a plus-size model love the body you have.

“When I wake up in the morning when I lie down at night the only thing I can think about is singing! Music, Entertaining. People. I get a high when I am on that stage. It’s my sanctuary. It’s my calm in the mist of the storm. It ain’t easy. And I understand that other millions of people are also trying to make it.

It’s crabs in a bucket! Everybody wants to see you doing well. Just not better than them.

I’ve been told I look too ethnic. I’m too fat… You’ll never make it in this industry because you’re overweight. Hell, let’s face it… Adele said it best… “You know, I make music for your ears not your eyes. So visualize that.”

What a statement powerful! I understand that I’ve picked one of the hardest industries to break into. I understand that I may get hated on for being a plus-size woman. I realize that I don’t come from a musical family. And sometimes that alone is against me. But instead of focusing on the cons. Let’s focus on the pros. I make music that makes people feel good about themselves I make music for your soul. I make music that makes you think. About life in general. The beauty in it..

Music is probably the only thing that doesn’t separate us as human beings. Music is universal And it’s the only thing that unites us.”

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
It doesn’t matter what’s happening in the world.. When it’s your time. God will move mountains

Contact Info:

• Instagram: MargeauxDavis
• Facebook: Margeaux Davis
• Twitter: MargeauxDavis
• Youtube: Margeaux Davis
• Other: iTunes.com/MargeauxDavis 

Image Credits
@AjTheGent