Michael Paul of the Itopia Band Offers Lessons on Life and Love to Atlanta Through Their Music

By Nikki D. Bosompem.

Sitting down at Goatfinger Recording Studios in Decatur to talk with lead vocalist Michael Paul, of The Itopia Band proved to be an engaging experience.  With a calm, lilting, voice, and deeply introspective demeanor, Mr. Paul introduced me to the elements that make his band unique.  From the definition of the band’s name to the concept of “rotating band members,” Michael Paul gave solid and passionate reasons why he feels making music is his calling and that being a musician is more than about the money or living up to an image.

Born in London, and raised in Jamaica, Michael Paul listened to what he calls “American R&B” in his formative years. For him, R&B was extremely influential, liberating, and cast a “spell” on him that continues to manifest itself through his music. Classic R&B greats like Stevie Wonder, Sam Cooke, and Marvin Gaye permeated his soul and opened up his mind to musical creativity. Paul began expressing his musical interests by writing songs while he was very young, and to this day song writing is his joy and what he does best.

Eventually, as Michael Paul grew in mind and spirit, he came in contact with people who shared the same passion for quality music, the Itopia Band came into fruition. Itopia operates with Michael Paul as lead vocals while various instruments are played by an interchangeable and fluid number of musicians.  Itopia uses the concept of “rotating” band members which allows for the personification of the movement and expansion of music. The number and type of band members change according to the theme of the event or the feel of the venue.  Because of this unique concept, Itopia is blessed with band members from all over the world and who reside in different parts of the world. For instance, if Michael Paul and his band have a show in South America, they will call for members who are closest to the venue to participate or to those who do not have other obligations that may impede their ability to perform.

Not only did Mr. Paul explain how his band engages with each other through fluidity or “fair exchange” of musicians, as he calls it, he also illustrated the meaning of the band’s exclusive name, “Itopia.”  Mr. Paul says Itopia is “his notion of the term “utopia,” and is the more profound aspect of the oneness of the word,” which places a more internal and personal connection to the term, “you.”  He adds, “The essence of “one” starts with you.”  With that said, the subject matter of many of his songs relay stories of relationships between men and women, being in love, the importance of communication in a union, and how certain behaviors can guide life outcomes.         

Before speaking to Mr. Paul, his producer, Lance Hoskins played samples of his music to give me a taste of his style and sound.  “Put It Out There” had a distinct reggae flavor amongst the heavy horns and guitars mixed with the smoothness of the R&B Mr. Paul so ardently absorbed as a young man.  “Lights On” was a political effort including bongos, horns, and guitars to back up points the band wanted to make about the ills of society.  “Talk To Me” was a slow and sensual song, speaking to mature love and the importance of keeping intimacy and communication at the forefront for a healthy relationship. 

Michael Paul and Itopia have established a force of diversity within its band members and through the subjects they sing about.  Two of the main goals Mr. Paul wants to accomplish by being a musician and sharing his work with the public is to “use music to educate the village” and to impart “love, tranquility, and oneness” to his audience.  You can sample the music of Michael Paul and Itopia at www.jangle.com or by downloading tracks at www.cdbaby.com.  There is also a wealth of information on the band’s MySpace page at www.myspace.com/Itopiatheband. Check out the page for bios, names of band members, and dates and times for performances.

  At this time, Michael Paul is busily at work on more tracks for his current project and is getting used to his recent relocation to the Atlanta area.

More articles by Nikki D. Bosompem

This article was published on Sunday, April 18th, 2010 and is filed under Artists, Atlanta Character, Bands, Featured, Music. You can follow any comments to this article through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.