Romain Virgo On Being the Opposite Of A Womanizer, His Relationship With His Father + More
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
It's way up with Angela Yee, Angela Yee and Romaine
Virgo is here in the flesh. Yes, it's fine. I
know because we interviewed you on Zoom during the pandemic
mm hmm. And even for you. First of all, I've
been watching your blogs, so hopefully this is I'm going
to make it onto the blog, right, I want to
(00:23):
make it onto one of the blogs.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Yeah, of course, But.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
I feel like something like that has definitely made people
feel so much closer to you and your family.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
It has, and I'm grateful for it.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
I'm grateful for this platform and even my shoes nowadays,
when I go around the world and perform, I know
that maybe it's seventy five percent of the people who
come over to the shoes, you know, our people who
are more into this world YouTube channel, you know, and
watching us and getting to know like a different side
(00:55):
of Imine Virgo outside of music, because that's what the
China does. It shows people that there's more to him
different from music, you know.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Yeah, I think it's great because first of all, you
have a huge following just on the YouTube. That's not
an easy thing to always build up. But then we
get to see like your relationship with your wife Elizabeth.
I feel like I know her with the girls, with
the twins, So that's amazing. What made you decide to
even start that.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
The pandemic, I feel like there was nothing to do,
and we just wanted to see how we could lift
the spirit of people around the world at the time,
and especially in Jamaica over Instagram, people wanted to know
a little bit about you know, me and Liz and
how we hope you know, at the time, and we said,
we're not you know, like start a YouTube channel, know
(01:43):
like we're who, We're not doing anything, and so we started,
you know, our first video was just us trying to
start the channel. It was like five minutes. I was
trying to say, hey, this is very good and this
is Liz and we're about to start our YouTube channel.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
That was it.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
And you know, so we started, didn't expect much and
just the response people was crazy. Like the first five
days we got like I think the first day so
we got like fifteen thousand subscribers.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Wow, that's amazing. I guess we were all at home
like what.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Yeah, like let's see, let's see what they're up to.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
And so he just grew from there, and yeah, it
got better over time, and you know, the pressure come
with it as well too, but you know we find
out way each time too.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
You know.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
It's interesting because people also feel like they grew up
with you. Yeah, my board up who he's actually Jamaican.
He was in here earlier and I was like, oh,
Romaine Virgo's coming today, and he was like, oh, he's yeah,
he's a lot older. I was like, he's not. He's
so young. But people have known you since you were
a teenager, and so they have this perception that you've
been like you know, I mean you have been in
(02:52):
this business almost twenty years.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Yeah, it's a long time.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
I mean you know that that's what happened when you're
like enter at a young age sixteen, I used to
do I think altogether sing sing from my high school
quiet and and so from that time, jam maker kind
of you find this love and this I just said
that it's like they're raising you up, you know, like
it's you know, John make happened as their son, you know,
from that time and then rising stars and you know,
(03:18):
you know, to know, you know, so it's been.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Years and it's good.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Sometimes I go in the street and people say, hey,
I've been watching it for I was a baby.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
I'm like you, you're talking about like twenty years old.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah, but I understand, you know, starting out young and
and and and to keep that over the years, over
the years is not really easy. But you know, I
guess it's that love, you know, when when they watch
it from that age and you you know, I guess
you continue to you know, be who you are and
and and stay true to what you do for them
in their eyes, it's I think, I guess it's something
(03:52):
great and I'm grateful.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
To still be here.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
And the new project came out of a couple of
months ago. The gentlemen and people listen to your music
and it is definitely like this song, I could play
this at my wedding or you know, it's nice because
now we get to see, for the past couple of
years what life is really like, you know, for you
at home. Do you feel like people having that access
to you also helped to be able to open up
(04:15):
even more in your music, And.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Yeah, I feel so, you know, because you can't be
anything outside of real with people, especially on YouTube. It's
your life now, you know. Even though we don't get
to show people everything about our life, but the lists
that we show you have to be true to people,
and that is something I try to uphold as much
(04:39):
as possible. I don't want to be anything on the
internet and then when people see me in real life
or you know, it would be something else, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
And same thing for the music.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Whatever I preach in the music, I try to live
that life as best as possible. And so yeah, I
would say that side of it helped, you know, to
open so much more in terms of the music. You know,
just just let it all out, you know. You know,
back in the days, I would hold back from saying
certain things are you know, just you know, telling people that,
(05:09):
hey I I go through this, you know, no ideas,
I'm I'm you know, just willing to open up more
so people get to see and because I feel like
people build when people can feel and when they can
see a story from the reader's point, I feel like
the connection is even stronger.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Even start en off the album with the song like
been there Before and you talk about how the darkest
part of night is just before daylight, and so you know,
people may not know what life was like before for you,
even when you were first trying to make.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
It because I mean a lot of people probably don
remember Romain and Virgo entering a competition, winning a.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Million, get a young teenager, and and then that's it.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
But there's so much more to my life, you know.
And and even in that on that record, I was
trying to go deep, you know, Nikos on who I said, Hey, like,
maybe you know it's too personal, and a lot of
people won't be able to connect to your story because
that is so personal, you know. So you know, we
tried our best to to you know, kind of keep
(06:12):
it at a level where everybody else can feel like.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
What I've been through this too, you know.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
And and and so the life you know, people will
never understand, you know, especially as artists. You know, we
we some the industry sometimes allow us to feel like
we have to show this side of us and we
have to be so especially as men, make it feel
like you have to be tougher. You can't talk about
the story because they're going to say yourself. And and
so you know, I mean, over time, getting to you know,
(06:41):
tapping to myself and realizing that the more you you
open up is the more you're helping somebody out there to,
you know, just be true and be really with themselves.
I I'm just grateful for this point that I'm at
in my life where I can't talk about anything, my family,
my past, you know, everything, and and talk about it
from the realist point and still getting love from people.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
What was life like before that? Before people think, oh,
he won this competition and got this money and he's
been on ever since.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yeah, well I I was poor, and I didn't know that.
I was like, grow poor. I didn't know.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
That's so true. When you don't have it and you're
growing up, you're just used to it, so you just
think that's what life is.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Yeah, And then because I had it better than a
lot of people who I grew up with two so
then you make it even worse. Like, yo, you're you're
you're good. You know That's how I felt back then.
But then as a girl older, I realized that, Wow,
it was like four of us sleeping in one bed
at one point, you know, three of us sleeping in
one bit at one point. And and you know, even
(07:44):
the school that you know I used to like, I
didn't have the privilege to say no, I don't want
to go to that school.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
I wanted, you know, so.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
You get to realize that growing up was was rough,
you know, because that struct that a family struct at
a community, you know, just there's people around who used
to just make.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
The most sort.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Of the little you know, you get to you grew
up with that same mindset like whoa, so this is
all life is supposed to be, Like no matter what
you have, he does live and does laugh and and
love just to see him and don't let you know
the little that you have now, you know, distract you
or make you feel like, hey, I'm not worth it,
(08:25):
you know. And so it was tough. You know, grew
up in a house where as I said, you know,
like five of us step in one little room and
you know, there was no fancy battle. It was just
if you're from the if you're from the Caribbean, you know,
(08:45):
the outside toilet, our outside, like you would call it.
It was that kind of lifestyle. You know, your kitchen
is outside. I used to bed in the front of
my house and like that, naked out there singing everybody
I can see you.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
But everybody also was in the same situation too. Ye
around for the.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Leadies, they used to set up a little thing where
they put some bags around some posts and so they
could go inside that to.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Have some privacy. But for men, we were just it
just outside.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
We're just outside. It's that kind of lifestylee. But you
know we didn't know. You're just living. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
And you know it's interesting because you know, sometimes you'll
see somebody you'll be like, man, I feel bad, but
sometimes people who look like they don't have a lot
could be really happy too. Yes, And people who have
a lot aren't necessarily happy, true because and.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
I've learned that too.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
You know, the more you achieve is the more you
have to to maintain that kind of life. You know,
and and know how to balance life and and and
you know, because you know people are seeing you as successful. No,
and you know sometimes people don't even know that you
know some of the things you're probably going through. So
I I you know, like first and kind of experience
(10:00):
that nowhere. I have to be careful of how I spend,
how I do everything in life, because you know, it
gets harder, you know, you know, and people might see
me sometimes on the road I'm smiling, but I'm going
through so much now because I know that there's so
much more to live up to the more that I achieved,
the more that I grewel and yeah, so I just
(10:22):
it's just trying to keep it able.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Now there's a lot of time with more responsibilities come
with that, and the more you make, the more you
end up spending. Of course, you know, I saw on
the blog you guys had bought a new house. Yeah,
that was a couple of years ago.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
That was in the middle of pandemic.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
The pandemic, you know, like over the years, we've been
looking wanted to move from where we were living, you know,
because you know, you're planning your family now, and you know,
the girls came in twenty nineteen, and so around the time,
I was like, well, we need to really actually move
into a space where you know, they can have their
own room, right, you know the time I was we
(11:02):
bought an apartment in twenty sixteen, and so we were
living there up until that time. You know, so with
a bigger family, and now we're saying we need somewhere, right.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Plus you probably were home because you couldn't really travel
it's the pandemic. Now you have time to look for
a house too.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
We were looking and there were a lot of options
coming up, you know, most of them not quite what
you're looking for, and sometimes, you know, based on what
you have to spend too, you might end up, you know,
go for something that you're not really comfortable like that,
you know.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
So it was just alter a lot.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
We find the perfect place, you know, somewhere that we
had to you know, put some work into.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
You know, and that's great for the blog, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
So you know, and so it was it was so good.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
You know, it was like the first this was no
like my biggest you know, our biggest investment as a
family now and and so you know, it was it
was good. You know, like as I say, it's the
community somewhere that you know, I can live for the
rest of my life if it.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Needs to be.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
So you're very practical. I like that. That's how I
am too. I'm like, Okay, if things don't if something
doesn't happen, this does at least I have a place
to list this is I really do think like that,
and I try not to do too much so that
I'm not like living beyond just in case. You know,
some people might be like, go for it when it
comes to you and list who do you think is
more extravagant when it comes to spending.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Wow, I feel like what.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
I was going to help each other too, you know,
I'm more privataristic. I will say, yo, let's go for this,
and she's like, you know, like I could think about
it first, you know. And there are times when she
will say you know, and I'm like, so I feel like, yeah,
it's a good balance between us, and we try to
(12:56):
just you know, keep it that way. And so far
it's it's, you know, just all inputing everything that we do,
every move that we make, like just you know, stop
for a while and let's think and see if this
is the right move to make. You know, we've been
balancing that so far.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Well, let's talk about the song Good Woman for a second. Yeah,
and just even your whole process of writing that song
and being able to play that song at home, what
that experience was like, because that feels extremely personal.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
It was one morning I was writing a song, trying
to write on that same rhythm, that same Good Woman rhythm,
and I was up about four am trying to find
melodies and lyrics, and she got ready for work and
when she came out, she was like, whoa, you're still up.
I'm saying, yeah, I'm try to find it. I'm close,
(13:48):
but I'm not finding it. And she said, you want
some purge?
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
I mean like I was there thinking in my like, whoa,
you are kind of lead forward.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
No, I am up.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
And your first thing before you leave out is trying
to make sure that I'm okay before you, you know,
you leave out. And I said to myself in my head,
I was saying, elist like, you're You're such a good woman.
And you know, I was writing about some some It
was a song that was close to people business with
me and Christopher Martin. It was close to that kind
(14:21):
of topic and I'm something does hit me right there
and said, why am I writing about this? Let's write
about what is happening right now. This good woman decided
to make your courage. Let's write about her. And that
was the idea behind it. She kissed me first thing
in the morning. Then she said, baby, I have a
good day. You know, she know year from me and
(14:41):
you know, just writing about.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
What you know.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
So I guess A ball of perriage was the inspiration.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
And when she heard it for the first time, what
did she say?
Speaker 3 (14:52):
She loved it, you know, because she she she normally
likes when I you know, tap into something like a
different group, something outside of the regular things that I've
been doing. So the energy of the song, the vibe
of the song, you know, and she's a big judge
of my music.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
You know. Sometimes I'm free to play demos for her.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
That's good, now you need that. But there's somebody that's like, amazing,
I love it.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Yeah, So you know, sometimes myself and Nico said no, no,
don't play for her. Sweet let's put harmony, let's mix
the song and even mastered before you know, we allowed
it here. But you know, she loved it, you know
since since the demo stiages and you know, so we
knew that she would love it. After we mix and
(15:43):
master the song, Yeah, she's happy.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
How hard is it for you when it's time for
like getting on the road, you know, so you went
to Grenada earlier this year, You're going to be doing
a UK tour, US tour, all of those things, and
then you know, having to travel no one that you
get the girl els at home, I know. The pandemic
was probably the part of being able to be home.
Was really nice to grow up and be with like
(16:08):
the girls of growing up right there with you, so
you didn't have to travel too much. But now back
at it.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
I mean, like last last year, like I think it
was when we were in New York again November October
and somebody asked me the same question backstage, this very
question and asking me now, and I broke down because
you know, it's one of the hardest things to do
(16:35):
is to travel, you know, sometimes knowing that the pressure
that will be on Liz. And so even though we
have a Nannia our own who will help out, is like,
we know that our presents is much needed at home,
you know, especially with our girls, and you know those
as parents who are trying to get them on a
(16:56):
certain level, you know, the pandemic kind of I don't
know it did something like you know, so in terms
of the girls and their milestones, you know, we didn't
feel comfortable with where they were, you know, when they
got to two years old because.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
They're not socializing would have been exactly and so as
a parent, as a father, as a mother, you know, working,
you know the pressure and how that would make you
feel and not seeing them at the level that you
want them.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
So it's it's like that for me know every time
I travel, like well, just trying to make sure that
everything is good at home, and when I'm here, I'll
be calling checking in, you know. You know, Lizander, we
keep ourselves. We call it like motivated by those like
small steps, like we learned that this happened today. She'll
(17:50):
share a video with a message and like literally that
happened today, And I got a message from her and
she was saying that I don't remember exactly.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
What one of them did.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
And so, you know, like a big celebration for us
each time something like that happened, you know. But you
know it's just all I wanting the best for them
and for the family and for how we grow even
mentally too, because you know that can affect everything that
we do. I'm here on the road and I want
to go in stad and do well, but you know,
(18:21):
knowing that something at home is probably not going as
good as we would want that it affects me as well,
you know. So it's just trying to keep a balance,
you know, As I say, every time there is a
there's a win, we'd call it. You know, it's a
big thing for me. Like she came with a good
feedback from any session that they might have. Knows, like,
(18:42):
I'm celebrating that I have the greatest show, you know,
but I feel like it's a part of our story, right,
That's a part of my story as an artist. And
you know, there's so much I probably can share with
people who go through what we go through as parents,
and you know, yeah, every time I look at this, like, yo,
(19:03):
this is my story and this is what I I
would I can share and help others with out there
in the world as time go by.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
You know.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
But you know, those girls whenever you know, you see them,
and because they're always happy, that's the greatest things, you
know that they're always happy always, you know, running up
and sometimes they just look at you and smile or laugh.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
What are you asking about? And that would just make
it you know.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
So it's it's like a bitter sweet but you know, sweeter,
even sweeter when they're happy.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
Yeah, And you know, I think that in the society
where it's been really popularized to be a womanizer, and
you have been the opposite of that, you know, And
that is why the music can be refreshing because sometimes
like we all lot to sing along to those songs too,
and dance with them and have a good time. But
then it's just nice to feel like, Okay, this is
(20:02):
something that warms your heart to feel like this is
kind of what you would want.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
I grew up in a family where, you know, the
father figured that I would want to be a own
wasn't there, And so my goal was always to be
you know what I'm trying to be. Know, I'm not
talking as if I'm perfect. I'm doing it perfectly, you
know what. It's always been a goal to, you know,
(20:27):
be this kind of man, you know.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
Because that could go out of the way somebody sees,
you know, this is how they grew up, so this
is what they think is normal. But then you made
a conscious decision like I don't want to.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Be I never ever want that, you know.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
I never want my kids to be growing up, you know,
not being our own, you know, both mother and father.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
You know, I just always wanted to.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Create that that's peace for them to feel see if
they can come and share anything that they're going through
in life. And you know, so I'm just see myself
in that light and I try my best. You know,
I learned from by just watching people, see how other
people live.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
You know I have.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
I grew up knowing a stepfather who was like such
a real man, you know, he was he couldn't help
himself but just be true and be the best. Especially
see how he treats my mother like that. That that
warms my heart so much sometimes, like he's just the
(21:34):
coolest person on the face of this.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Well, God blesses. So they passed away last June. Yes,
so that was a sad time for us.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
But he was one that I look at and say, hey,
I want to be like this man.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Where was your biological valor?
Speaker 3 (21:51):
He's He's alive, you know, and I know him. We
talk a lot too nowadays, you know, but he, you know, like.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Him and my mom.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
It was I just hope things going to Jamaica. You know,
as men, we have a wife here, are a woman here,
the next woman.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
That's what I'm saying. That's unusual for you culturally. You
know that you've been able to do this and promote
this and be like, you know, happy in that situation.
I think that's a positive thing.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
And just me growing to the point where like I
don't make the past, you know, like determine how I
even treat my father.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Did you ever have a because sometimes people don't even
have that conversation like you know, you wasn't.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
We have it every time every time we talk, like
he would, there's I don't know what to call it,
if it's feeling a bit guilty or him just just
wanting me to understand why things didn't work the way
it And I'm like every time, I'm like, you know,
I do understand. No, you know know that you explain,
I do understand, and we have to just get pastitive
(22:56):
because we can't be dwelling on something that we can't
cheat anymore. You know, it's just how we move out now.
And I always try to shame that, you know that
that's a life.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
You know.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
I'm trying to not live or be in that situation
that you were right and you know with us, you know,
And I feel like he sometimes understand. But then whenever
I don't hear from me for a long time.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
It's like.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
It's been a while I've heard from you, like you know,
just one and then he goes back in history again
and like you're.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Like, look it worked out. I'm successful. I'm happy, I'm
the man that I want to be. Yeah, So it's
always some people just don't know better when they're in
the midst of a situation, you know, And like you said,
you can't go back and change things. But we have
to understand our parents are like human beings also with
a lot of flaws exactly.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
And sometimes it is the thing that we don't look
at as people like we don't know the things that
our parents' parents went true why our parents, you know,
maybe end up in the situation that they were, you know.
And that is how I look at it, like I'm
not you want to just jump and say, hey, my
father didn't you know, I didn't grow up around my father,
(24:09):
so I'm not gonna deal with him, you know. I
I I try to understand where everything is kind of
coming from, how they how it was for him growing up,
you know, and it's it's similar stories like his father
was probably wasn't around as he would want his father
to be, and so you can kind of understand the
(24:30):
trend coming right down. And so with my generation, I
want to stop that. I want to be the one
to say, yo, put that, let's put that into this.
My daughters should at least know the right thing or
to live by watching me and Liz.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
And they're gonna want to man that cheat them just
like they're treat them nice and spoiled.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Yeah, and even if it don't going that way, at
least they know how it should be by by by
looking at and seeing how we live. And so you know,
as I saying, nobody is perfect at the end of
the day too, but everything that I do, it should
the direction should be done that bath positive.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
Look, you know.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
So yeah, do you feel like sometimes you downplay your
own success Because I saw one of your blogs you
were acting like people or may not know your songs
or may not, but then you go on stage and
it's so much love it.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
It's it's just my approach to life.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
You know, sometimes we set up ourselves for disappointment, you know,
like I might have a few songs playing, but if
I'm going into a new place, it's it's it's always
with a level of I don't know what to call it,
but just almost as if I'm approaching it like nobody
(25:50):
here knows me, but I'm going to give it one
hundred and fifty percent my energy.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
You know.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
It's it's it's you don't take it for granted.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
No, So it's it's it's looking at it from angleware.
Tell yourself that these people don't know you, and your
show will be better because if they do know you,
and if they do give you a good response, then
you know that, yeah, the energy will be better on
(26:16):
stage and and you'll feel better about your performance after
because sometimes, you know, you go to places and just
the energy some people come to and say hey, I
love you, and then they go on stage with this
confidence that when you don't get that response, that crowd response,
you're like, whoa, he's disappointed in like what happened? You know,
(26:37):
that's just me. I just approached. You know, even walking
in the streets some of the time and people might
be like, you know, are you Ni and Roman? And
I'm like no, It's not like that everywhere though, because
I can. I can be in JOm Make and everybody's
like whoa. But then I go elsewhere in the world
and everybody just walk past because it's not the same
kind of vibe everywhere. I can't go anywhere in the
Caribbean and people show me the same kind of love
(26:58):
that you will show me JOm Maker. I'm here in
New York knowing if it's not people from the Caribbean.
Speaker 1 (27:03):
Oh yeah, and let me tell you something. The New
York also, there's so many people everywhere. People mind their business.
We're taught to not look at nobody, don't talk to anybody,
you mind your business. It's more of that because sometimes
like you'll walk past people and then Neil tweet out,
I just saw such and such on the street, but
they don't say anything yeah to you. It's just a
that was me going to the Caribbean when I was
young and being confused by people being polite and friendly
(27:26):
and speaking to you. And here it's like, don't look
at nobody, don't make eye contact, don't talk to strangers,
and people.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Would sit you just find out that you were in
the building.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Just know, yeah, yo, guess who was here. Well, listen,
I appreciate you so much every single time, and I
know you know, for both of us, like working with
the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies
is a big deal for me as it is for you.
I remember the first year because you've been on VP
records for fourteen years now.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
It's been a long time. It's been a long time
since twenty twenty ten. Wow, so yeah, before years.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
That's amazing. And the first thing ata FUI when I
was in a meeting and they were we were talking
about entertainment. This was years ago, and they were like,
oh my god, romain Berg would be our first choice
and we can you know, somehow make that happen. But
you know, always in support of giving these scholarships to
students who go to UI and Florists. I say, some
of the brightest students ever have gone to the University
(28:22):
of the West Indies.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
It's a blessing. It's a blessing I believe in in education.
Speaker 3 (28:28):
I even my my my foundation, we start to focus
on on education. You know, I've been doing it ever
since I won competition in Jamaica. I've been like, you know,
like going back to my community every opportunity I get
each year and give back to kids in my community.
And so whenever there's another opportunity, whether it's abroad or locally,
(28:53):
you know, to give back, whether you know back like
giving something that you can hold on to our just
my service, I just go and just perform somewhere that
people can raise funds to give back, you know, to education.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
I'm on that.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
How are you with your money? When you first won
the competition at seventeen years old.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
I'm a saver and that's good. Yeah, But I remember
the first time because it's like it's like literally one
million and that in the account. And I remember the
first time going to a machine and putting in the
card and like I took like ten or fifteen thousand
Jamaican out of it. And then I see some nines
(29:34):
before I'm like, WHOA not a millionaire anymore?
Speaker 1 (29:39):
Be a little out.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
But I see it a lot. You know, I don't
I don't spend on things that don't make sense, you know,
especially you know at that point when I just started out,
you know, you know, I knew that I needed to
be under on the move every time because I had
to travel back from king from Saint Anto Kingston each
(30:02):
week to record, and so there was this voice in
my head saying, yo, you need to buy a car.
You know, at the time, I probably could buy a
second second hand car and and and you know, to say, hey,
I have a car. And I remember like going to
Kingston with my friend in his car for like probably a.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
Year and a half.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
And then after that it took me like probably two
years before buying my first car, you know. So I'm
always you know, if I can't afford it, I'm not
going to even try.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
I just wait and you.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
Know, okay, yeah he could, but you know, okay, romy Vergol,
thank you so much. A gentleman is out right now.
I always appreciate you, honestly, and if you have a
chance to catch him live, make sure you go and
see you definitely are gonna love it and never be disappointed.
And I always appreciate you too for supporting me as well.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
Of course, of course anytime, you know, thank you well.
It's way up with Angela Yee, Angela Yee and Romaine
Virgo is here in the flesh. Yes, it's fine. I
know because we interviewed you on Zoom during the pandemic
mm hmm. And even for you. First of all, I've
been watching your blogs, so hopefully this is I'm going
to make it onto the blog, right, I want to
(00:23):
make it onto one of the blogs.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Yeah, of course, But.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
I feel like something like that has definitely made people
feel so much closer to you and your family.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
It has, and I'm grateful for it.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
I'm grateful for this platform and even my shoes nowadays,
when I go around the world and perform, I know
that maybe it's seventy five percent of the people who
come over to the shoes, you know, our people who
are more into this world YouTube channel, you know, and
watching us and getting to know like a different side
(00:55):
of Imine Virgo outside of music, because that's what the
China does. It shows people that there's more to him
different from music, you know.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Yeah, I think it's great because first of all, you
have a huge following just on the YouTube. That's not
an easy thing to always build up. But then we
get to see like your relationship with your wife Elizabeth.
I feel like I know her with the girls, with
the twins, So that's amazing. What made you decide to
even start that.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
The pandemic, I feel like there was nothing to do,
and we just wanted to see how we could lift
the spirit of people around the world at the time,
and especially in Jamaica over Instagram, people wanted to know
a little bit about you know, me and Liz and
how we hope you know, at the time, and we said,
we're not you know, like start a YouTube channel, know
(01:43):
like we're who, We're not doing anything, and so we started,
you know, our first video was just us trying to
start the channel. It was like five minutes. I was
trying to say, hey, this is very good and this
is Liz and we're about to start our YouTube channel.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
That was it.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
And you know, so we started, didn't expect much and
just the response people was crazy. Like the first five
days we got like I think the first day so
we got like fifteen thousand subscribers.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Wow, that's amazing. I guess we were all at home
like what.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Yeah, like let's see, let's see what they're up to.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
And so he just grew from there, and yeah, it
got better over time, and you know, the pressure come
with it as well too, but you know we find
out way each time too.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
You know.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
It's interesting because people also feel like they grew up
with you. Yeah, my board up who he's actually Jamaican.
He was in here earlier and I was like, oh,
Romaine Virgo's coming today, and he was like, oh, he's yeah,
he's a lot older. I was like, he's not. He's
so young. But people have known you since you were
a teenager, and so they have this perception that you've
been like you know, I mean you have been in
(02:52):
this business almost twenty years.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Yeah, it's a long time.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
I mean you know that that's what happened when you're
like enter at a young age sixteen, I used to
do I think altogether sing sing from my high school
quiet and and so from that time, jam maker kind
of you find this love and this I just said
that it's like they're raising you up, you know, like
it's you know, John make happened as their son, you know,
from that time and then rising stars and you know,
(03:18):
you know, to know, you know, so it's been.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Years and it's good.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Sometimes I go in the street and people say, hey,
I've been watching it for I was a baby.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
I'm like you, you're talking about like twenty years old.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah, but I understand, you know, starting out young and
and and and to keep that over the years, over
the years is not really easy. But you know, I
guess it's that love, you know, when when they watch
it from that age and you you know, I guess
you continue to you know, be who you are and
and and stay true to what you do for them
in their eyes, it's I think, I guess it's something
(03:52):
great and I'm grateful.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
To still be here.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
And the new project came out of a couple of
months ago. The gentlemen and people listen to your music
and it is definitely like this song, I could play
this at my wedding or you know, it's nice because
now we get to see, for the past couple of
years what life is really like, you know, for you
at home. Do you feel like people having that access
to you also helped to be able to open up
(04:15):
even more in your music, And.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Yeah, I feel so, you know, because you can't be
anything outside of real with people, especially on YouTube. It's
your life now, you know. Even though we don't get
to show people everything about our life, but the lists
that we show you have to be true to people,
and that is something I try to uphold as much
(04:39):
as possible. I don't want to be anything on the
internet and then when people see me in real life
or you know, it would be something else, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
And same thing for the music.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Whatever I preach in the music, I try to live
that life as best as possible. And so yeah, I
would say that side of it helped, you know, to
open so much more in terms of the music. You know,
just just let it all out, you know. You know,
back in the days, I would hold back from saying
certain things are you know, just you know, telling people that,
(05:09):
hey I I go through this, you know, no ideas,
I'm I'm you know, just willing to open up more
so people get to see and because I feel like
people build when people can feel and when they can
see a story from the reader's point, I feel like
the connection is even stronger.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Even start en off the album with the song like
been there Before and you talk about how the darkest
part of night is just before daylight, and so you know,
people may not know what life was like before for you,
even when you were first trying to make.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
It because I mean a lot of people probably don
remember Romain and Virgo entering a competition, winning a.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Million, get a young teenager, and and then that's it.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
But there's so much more to my life, you know.
And and even in that on that record, I was
trying to go deep, you know, Nikos on who I said, Hey, like,
maybe you know it's too personal, and a lot of
people won't be able to connect to your story because
that is so personal, you know. So you know, we
tried our best to to you know, kind of keep
(06:12):
it at a level where everybody else can feel like.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
What I've been through this too, you know.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
And and and so the life you know, people will
never understand, you know, especially as artists. You know, we
we some the industry sometimes allow us to feel like
we have to show this side of us and we
have to be so especially as men, make it feel
like you have to be tougher. You can't talk about
the story because they're going to say yourself. And and
so you know, I mean, over time, getting to you know,
(06:41):
tapping to myself and realizing that the more you you
open up is the more you're helping somebody out there to,
you know, just be true and be really with themselves.
I I'm just grateful for this point that I'm at
in my life where I can't talk about anything, my family,
my past, you know, everything, and and talk about it
from the realist point and still getting love from people.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
What was life like before that? Before people think, oh,
he won this competition and got this money and he's
been on ever since.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yeah, well I I was poor, and I didn't know that.
I was like, grow poor. I didn't know.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
That's so true. When you don't have it and you're
growing up, you're just used to it, so you just
think that's what life is.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Yeah, And then because I had it better than a
lot of people who I grew up with two so
then you make it even worse. Like, yo, you're you're
you're good. You know That's how I felt back then.
But then as a girl older, I realized that, Wow,
it was like four of us sleeping in one bed
at one point, you know, three of us sleeping in
one bit at one point. And and you know, even
(07:44):
the school that you know I used to like, I
didn't have the privilege to say no, I don't want
to go to that school.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
I wanted, you know, so.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
You get to realize that growing up was was rough,
you know, because that struct that a family struct at
a community, you know, just there's people around who used
to just make.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
The most sort.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Of the little you know, you get to you grew
up with that same mindset like whoa, so this is
all life is supposed to be, Like no matter what
you have, he does live and does laugh and and
love just to see him and don't let you know
the little that you have now, you know, distract you
or make you feel like, hey, I'm not worth it,
(08:25):
you know. And so it was tough. You know, grew
up in a house where as I said, you know,
like five of us step in one little room and
you know, there was no fancy battle. It was just
if you're from the if you're from the Caribbean, you know,
(08:45):
the outside toilet, our outside, like you would call it.
It was that kind of lifestyle. You know, your kitchen
is outside. I used to bed in the front of
my house and like that, naked out there singing everybody
I can see you.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
But everybody also was in the same situation too. Ye
around for the.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Leadies, they used to set up a little thing where
they put some bags around some posts and so they
could go inside that to.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Have some privacy. But for men, we were just it
just outside.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
We're just outside. It's that kind of lifestylee. But you
know we didn't know. You're just living. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
And you know it's interesting because you know, sometimes you'll
see somebody you'll be like, man, I feel bad, but
sometimes people who look like they don't have a lot
could be really happy too. Yes, And people who have
a lot aren't necessarily happy, true because and.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
I've learned that too.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
You know, the more you achieve is the more you
have to to maintain that kind of life. You know,
and and know how to balance life and and and
you know, because you know people are seeing you as successful. No,
and you know sometimes people don't even know that you
know some of the things you're probably going through. So
I I you know, like first and kind of experience
(10:00):
that nowhere. I have to be careful of how I spend,
how I do everything in life, because you know, it
gets harder, you know, you know, and people might see
me sometimes on the road I'm smiling, but I'm going
through so much now because I know that there's so
much more to live up to the more that I achieved,
the more that I grewel and yeah, so I just
(10:22):
it's just trying to keep it able.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Now there's a lot of time with more responsibilities come
with that, and the more you make, the more you
end up spending. Of course, you know, I saw on
the blog you guys had bought a new house. Yeah,
that was a couple of years ago.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
That was in the middle of pandemic.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
The pandemic, you know, like over the years, we've been
looking wanted to move from where we were living, you know,
because you know, you're planning your family now, and you know,
the girls came in twenty nineteen, and so around the time,
I was like, well, we need to really actually move
into a space where you know, they can have their
own room, right, you know the time I was we
(11:02):
bought an apartment in twenty sixteen, and so we were
living there up until that time. You know, so with
a bigger family, and now we're saying we need somewhere, right.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Plus you probably were home because you couldn't really travel
it's the pandemic. Now you have time to look for
a house too.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
We were looking and there were a lot of options
coming up, you know, most of them not quite what
you're looking for, and sometimes, you know, based on what
you have to spend too, you might end up, you know,
go for something that you're not really comfortable like that,
you know.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
So it was just alter a lot.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
We find the perfect place, you know, somewhere that we
had to you know, put some work into.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
You know, and that's great for the blog, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
So you know, and so it was it was so good.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
You know, it was like the first this was no
like my biggest you know, our biggest investment as a
family now and and so you know, it was it
was good. You know, like as I say, it's the
community somewhere that you know, I can live for the
rest of my life if it.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Needs to be.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
So you're very practical. I like that. That's how I
am too. I'm like, Okay, if things don't if something
doesn't happen, this does at least I have a place
to list this is I really do think like that,
and I try not to do too much so that
I'm not like living beyond just in case. You know,
some people might be like, go for it when it
comes to you and list who do you think is
more extravagant when it comes to spending.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Wow, I feel like what.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
I was going to help each other too, you know,
I'm more privataristic. I will say, yo, let's go for this,
and she's like, you know, like I could think about
it first, you know. And there are times when she
will say you know, and I'm like, so I feel like, yeah,
it's a good balance between us, and we try to
(12:56):
just you know, keep it that way. And so far
it's it's, you know, just all inputing everything that we do,
every move that we make, like just you know, stop
for a while and let's think and see if this
is the right move to make. You know, we've been
balancing that so far.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Well, let's talk about the song Good Woman for a second. Yeah,
and just even your whole process of writing that song
and being able to play that song at home, what
that experience was like, because that feels extremely personal.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
It was one morning I was writing a song, trying
to write on that same rhythm, that same Good Woman rhythm,
and I was up about four am trying to find
melodies and lyrics, and she got ready for work and
when she came out, she was like, whoa, you're still up.
I'm saying, yeah, I'm try to find it. I'm close,
(13:48):
but I'm not finding it. And she said, you want
some purge?
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
I mean like I was there thinking in my like, whoa,
you are kind of lead forward.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
No, I am up.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
And your first thing before you leave out is trying
to make sure that I'm okay before you, you know,
you leave out. And I said to myself in my head,
I was saying, elist like, you're You're such a good woman.
And you know, I was writing about some some It
was a song that was close to people business with
me and Christopher Martin. It was close to that kind
(14:21):
of topic and I'm something does hit me right there
and said, why am I writing about this? Let's write
about what is happening right now. This good woman decided
to make your courage. Let's write about her. And that
was the idea behind it. She kissed me first thing
in the morning. Then she said, baby, I have a
good day. You know, she know year from me and
(14:41):
you know, just writing about.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
What you know.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
So I guess A ball of perriage was the inspiration.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
And when she heard it for the first time, what
did she say?
Speaker 3 (14:52):
She loved it, you know, because she she she normally
likes when I you know, tap into something like a
different group, something outside of the regular things that I've
been doing. So the energy of the song, the vibe
of the song, you know, and she's a big judge
of my music.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
You know. Sometimes I'm free to play demos for her.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
That's good, now you need that. But there's somebody that's like, amazing,
I love it.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Yeah, So you know, sometimes myself and Nico said no, no,
don't play for her. Sweet let's put harmony, let's mix
the song and even mastered before you know, we allowed
it here. But you know, she loved it, you know
since since the demo stiages and you know, so we
knew that she would love it. After we mix and
(15:43):
master the song, Yeah, she's happy.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
How hard is it for you when it's time for
like getting on the road, you know, so you went
to Grenada earlier this year, You're going to be doing
a UK tour, US tour, all of those things, and
then you know, having to travel no one that you
get the girl els at home, I know. The pandemic
was probably the part of being able to be home.
Was really nice to grow up and be with like
(16:08):
the girls of growing up right there with you, so
you didn't have to travel too much. But now back
at it.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
I mean, like last last year, like I think it
was when we were in New York again November October
and somebody asked me the same question backstage, this very
question and asking me now, and I broke down because
you know, it's one of the hardest things to do
(16:35):
is to travel, you know, sometimes knowing that the pressure
that will be on Liz. And so even though we
have a Nannia our own who will help out, is like,
we know that our presents is much needed at home,
you know, especially with our girls, and you know those
as parents who are trying to get them on a
(16:56):
certain level, you know, the pandemic kind of I don't
know it did something like you know, so in terms
of the girls and their milestones, you know, we didn't
feel comfortable with where they were, you know, when they
got to two years old because.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
They're not socializing would have been exactly and so as
a parent, as a father, as a mother, you know, working,
you know the pressure and how that would make you
feel and not seeing them at the level that you
want them.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
So it's it's like that for me know every time
I travel, like well, just trying to make sure that
everything is good at home, and when I'm here, I'll
be calling checking in, you know. You know, Lizander, we
keep ourselves. We call it like motivated by those like
small steps, like we learned that this happened today. She'll
(17:50):
share a video with a message and like literally that
happened today, And I got a message from her and
she was saying that I don't remember exactly.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
What one of them did.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
And so, you know, like a big celebration for us
each time something like that happened, you know. But you
know it's just all I wanting the best for them
and for the family and for how we grow even
mentally too, because you know that can affect everything that
we do. I'm here on the road and I want
to go in stad and do well, but you know,
(18:21):
knowing that something at home is probably not going as
good as we would want that it affects me as well,
you know. So it's just trying to keep a balance,
you know, As I say, every time there is a
there's a win, we'd call it. You know, it's a
big thing for me. Like she came with a good
feedback from any session that they might have. Knows, like,
(18:42):
I'm celebrating that I have the greatest show, you know,
but I feel like it's a part of our story, right,
That's a part of my story as an artist. And
you know, there's so much I probably can share with
people who go through what we go through as parents,
and you know, yeah, every time I look at this, like, yo,
(19:03):
this is my story and this is what I I
would I can share and help others with out there
in the world as time go by.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
You know.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
But you know, those girls whenever you know, you see them,
and because they're always happy, that's the greatest things, you
know that they're always happy always, you know, running up
and sometimes they just look at you and smile or laugh.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
What are you asking about? And that would just make
it you know.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
So it's it's like a bitter sweet but you know, sweeter,
even sweeter when they're happy.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
Yeah, And you know, I think that in the society
where it's been really popularized to be a womanizer, and
you have been the opposite of that, you know, And
that is why the music can be refreshing because sometimes
like we all lot to sing along to those songs too,
and dance with them and have a good time. But
then it's just nice to feel like, Okay, this is
(20:02):
something that warms your heart to feel like this is
kind of what you would want.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
I grew up in a family where, you know, the
father figured that I would want to be a own
wasn't there, And so my goal was always to be
you know what I'm trying to be. Know, I'm not
talking as if I'm perfect. I'm doing it perfectly, you
know what. It's always been a goal to, you know,
(20:27):
be this kind of man, you know.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
Because that could go out of the way somebody sees,
you know, this is how they grew up, so this
is what they think is normal. But then you made
a conscious decision like I don't want to.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Be I never ever want that, you know.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
I never want my kids to be growing up, you know,
not being our own, you know, both mother and father.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
You know, I just always wanted to.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Create that that's peace for them to feel see if
they can come and share anything that they're going through
in life. And you know, so I'm just see myself
in that light and I try my best. You know,
I learned from by just watching people, see how other
people live.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
You know I have.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
I grew up knowing a stepfather who was like such
a real man, you know, he was he couldn't help
himself but just be true and be the best. Especially
see how he treats my mother like that. That that
warms my heart so much sometimes, like he's just the
(21:34):
coolest person on the face of this.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Well, God blesses. So they passed away last June. Yes,
so that was a sad time for us.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
But he was one that I look at and say, hey,
I want to be like this man.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Where was your biological valor?
Speaker 3 (21:51):
He's He's alive, you know, and I know him. We
talk a lot too nowadays, you know, but he, you know, like.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Him and my mom.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
It was I just hope things going to Jamaica. You know,
as men, we have a wife here, are a woman here,
the next woman.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
That's what I'm saying. That's unusual for you culturally. You
know that you've been able to do this and promote
this and be like, you know, happy in that situation.
I think that's a positive thing.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
And just me growing to the point where like I
don't make the past, you know, like determine how I
even treat my father.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Did you ever have a because sometimes people don't even
have that conversation like you know, you wasn't.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
We have it every time every time we talk, like
he would, there's I don't know what to call it,
if it's feeling a bit guilty or him just just
wanting me to understand why things didn't work the way
it And I'm like every time, I'm like, you know,
I do understand. No, you know know that you explain,
I do understand, and we have to just get pastitive
(22:56):
because we can't be dwelling on something that we can't
cheat anymore. You know, it's just how we move out now.
And I always try to shame that, you know that
that's a life.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
You know.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
I'm trying to not live or be in that situation
that you were right and you know with us, you know,
And I feel like he sometimes understand. But then whenever
I don't hear from me for a long time.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
It's like.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
It's been a while I've heard from you, like you know,
just one and then he goes back in history again
and like you're.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Like, look it worked out. I'm successful. I'm happy, I'm
the man that I want to be. Yeah, So it's
always some people just don't know better when they're in
the midst of a situation, you know, And like you said,
you can't go back and change things. But we have
to understand our parents are like human beings also with
a lot of flaws exactly.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
And sometimes it is the thing that we don't look
at as people like we don't know the things that
our parents' parents went true why our parents, you know,
maybe end up in the situation that they were, you know.
And that is how I look at it, like I'm
not you want to just jump and say, hey, my
father didn't you know, I didn't grow up around my father,
(24:09):
so I'm not gonna deal with him, you know. I
I I try to understand where everything is kind of
coming from, how they how it was for him growing up,
you know, and it's it's similar stories like his father
was probably wasn't around as he would want his father
to be, and so you can kind of understand the
(24:30):
trend coming right down. And so with my generation, I
want to stop that. I want to be the one
to say, yo, put that, let's put that into this.
My daughters should at least know the right thing or
to live by watching me and Liz.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
And they're gonna want to man that cheat them just
like they're treat them nice and spoiled.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Yeah, and even if it don't going that way, at
least they know how it should be by by by
looking at and seeing how we live. And so you know,
as I saying, nobody is perfect at the end of
the day too, but everything that I do, it should
the direction should be done that bath positive.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
Look, you know.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
So yeah, do you feel like sometimes you downplay your
own success Because I saw one of your blogs you
were acting like people or may not know your songs
or may not, but then you go on stage and
it's so much love it.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
It's it's just my approach to life.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
You know, sometimes we set up ourselves for disappointment, you know,
like I might have a few songs playing, but if
I'm going into a new place, it's it's it's always
with a level of I don't know what to call it,
but just almost as if I'm approaching it like nobody
(25:50):
here knows me, but I'm going to give it one
hundred and fifty percent my energy.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
You know.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
It's it's it's you don't take it for granted.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
No, So it's it's it's looking at it from angleware.
Tell yourself that these people don't know you, and your
show will be better because if they do know you,
and if they do give you a good response, then
you know that, yeah, the energy will be better on
(26:16):
stage and and you'll feel better about your performance after
because sometimes, you know, you go to places and just
the energy some people come to and say hey, I
love you, and then they go on stage with this
confidence that when you don't get that response, that crowd response,
you're like, whoa, he's disappointed in like what happened? You know,
(26:37):
that's just me. I just approached. You know, even walking
in the streets some of the time and people might
be like, you know, are you Ni and Roman? And
I'm like no, It's not like that everywhere though, because
I can. I can be in JOm Make and everybody's
like whoa. But then I go elsewhere in the world
and everybody just walk past because it's not the same
kind of vibe everywhere. I can't go anywhere in the
Caribbean and people show me the same kind of love
(26:58):
that you will show me JOm Maker. I'm here in
New York knowing if it's not people from the Caribbean.
Speaker 1 (27:03):
Oh yeah, and let me tell you something. The New
York also, there's so many people everywhere. People mind their business.
We're taught to not look at nobody, don't talk to anybody,
you mind your business. It's more of that because sometimes
like you'll walk past people and then Neil tweet out,
I just saw such and such on the street, but
they don't say anything yeah to you. It's just a
that was me going to the Caribbean when I was
young and being confused by people being polite and friendly
(27:26):
and speaking to you. And here it's like, don't look
at nobody, don't make eye contact, don't talk to strangers,
and people.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Would sit you just find out that you were in
the building.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Just know, yeah, yo, guess who was here. Well, listen,
I appreciate you so much every single time, and I
know you know, for both of us, like working with
the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies
is a big deal for me as it is for you.
I remember the first year because you've been on VP
records for fourteen years now.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
It's been a long time. It's been a long time
since twenty twenty ten. Wow, so yeah, before years.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
That's amazing. And the first thing ata FUI when I
was in a meeting and they were we were talking
about entertainment. This was years ago, and they were like,
oh my god, romain Berg would be our first choice
and we can you know, somehow make that happen. But
you know, always in support of giving these scholarships to
students who go to UI and Florists. I say, some
of the brightest students ever have gone to the University
(28:22):
of the West Indies.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
It's a blessing. It's a blessing I believe in in education.
Speaker 3 (28:28):
I even my my my foundation, we start to focus
on on education. You know, I've been doing it ever
since I won competition in Jamaica. I've been like, you know,
like going back to my community every opportunity I get
each year and give back to kids in my community.
And so whenever there's another opportunity, whether it's abroad or locally,
(28:53):
you know, to give back, whether you know back like
giving something that you can hold on to our just
my service, I just go and just perform somewhere that
people can raise funds to give back, you know, to education.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
I'm on that.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
How are you with your money? When you first won
the competition at seventeen years old.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
I'm a saver and that's good. Yeah, But I remember
the first time because it's like it's like literally one
million and that in the account. And I remember the
first time going to a machine and putting in the
card and like I took like ten or fifteen thousand
Jamaican out of it. And then I see some nines
(29:34):
before I'm like, WHOA not a millionaire anymore?
Speaker 1 (29:39):
Be a little out.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
But I see it a lot. You know, I don't
I don't spend on things that don't make sense, you know,
especially you know at that point when I just started out,
you know, you know, I knew that I needed to
be under on the move every time because I had
to travel back from king from Saint Anto Kingston each
(30:02):
week to record, and so there was this voice in
my head saying, yo, you need to buy a car.
You know, at the time, I probably could buy a
second second hand car and and and you know, to say, hey,
I have a car. And I remember like going to
Kingston with my friend in his car for like probably a.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
Year and a half.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
And then after that it took me like probably two
years before buying my first car, you know. So I'm
always you know, if I can't afford it, I'm not
going to even try.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
I just wait and you.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
Know, okay, yeah he could, but you know, okay, romy Vergol,
thank you so much. A gentleman is out right now.
I always appreciate you, honestly, and if you have a
chance to catch him live, make sure you go and
see you definitely are gonna love it and never be disappointed.
And I always appreciate you too for supporting me as well.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
Of course, of course anytime, you know, thank you well.
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Angela Yee
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