[q u i n d o n t a r v e r and t h a t s o n g]

Quindon Tarver and that song
By Cyclone

Thanks to his inspired choral performance of "When Doves Cry" and the Rozalla remake, "Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)" in Baz Luhrmann's spectacular

During our interview, Quindon's beleaguered local Virgin rep, is quite oblivious to the fact that her charge is saying Grace to himself before dining on his belated lunch and she is excitedly rattling off the afternoon's itinerary. Seated at a coffee table in his swish hotel, Quindon bends over a bowl of his

trio. (In 1997, Quindon not only toured the States with Immature, but
also guested on their Kazaam soundtrack joint, "Show Me Your Love".) So how was Quindon discovered down South in the US? 'I was doing a showcase in Dallas, and my mom passed out one of

. 'I got a great response; I was shocked, actually. I wasn't thinking it would do as well as it did. It did pretty good.' His album home to the single "It's You That's On My Mind" has recently been repackaged for the Australian market with the two "Romeo + Juliet" cuts as a bonus. Incidentally, the remix of "It's

But I really don't look at it as like we're running a race. The way I look at it is that God has blessed us with a talent, so let's use it. I don't see why we have to compete. I like their music, I would go out and buy it, I have no problem with it. I don't like competing all it does is turn you into enemies, and I don't like

Ironically, he was only two when Prince's "When Doves Cry", the first single from the "Purple Rain" soundtrack, captured the world?s imagination. 'I never really had thought of doing it, 'Quindon says. 'Baz Luhrmann wanted that song -- that's the reason why we did it. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have

work with Nellee again. 'Clearly, Quindon is hoping to strategically capitalise on his "Romeo + Juliet" breakthrough and its staggered success. 'It's kind of weird,' Quindon reflects, while sipping his black tea with no less than four sugars, 'because when I was doing my first album we were doing "Romeo + Juliet"

In his spare time Quindon enjoys swimming, amusement parks, movies and shopping -- the last being his favourite current pastime. 'Now I got money to spend when I shop,' he kids. Quindon's self-titled album is out now through Virgin. An extended mix of his "When Doves Cry" track,

movie version of "Romeo and Juliet", Quindon Tarver has become a fully fledged pop star in Australia. Hailing from Planto, Texas, Quindon's soaring gospel reading of Prince's "Purple Rain" classic, released on "Romeo + Juliet Volume 2", peaked at No. 3 on the national charts. He's still coming to terms with its success. 'Living in America, it never crosses your mind that something's gonna blow up overseas --especially somewhere like Australia,' he enthuses. 'When I recorded the song I didn't think it was gonna have that much success.'

favourite chicken noodle soup, politely answering interview questions in between gentle slurps. Quietly amused at the situation, he's trying in vain not to spill any soup on his fly gear.

Nurtured by the Los Angeles producer/entrepreneur Chris Stokes, best known for grooming the New Edition-modelled boy group Immature, Quindon these days is a bigger name Down Under than his US gold selling homies. He's genuinely taken aback that not one of the other media-types here has heard of the

my publicity packages, which was like a demo package to Chris,' Quindon recalls. Impressed, Stokes quickly made moves to contract Quindon for his management company -- which, apart from Immature, has Stokes' sister, rapper/singer Smooth on its roster-- and secure a record deal with Virgin.

Quindon released his eponymous debut album in the US in 1997. While the somewhat generic teenybop R&B set didn't exactly ignite the pop charts (climaxing at No. 32), Quindon was chuffed with its modest reception

You That's On My Mind" features Wu-Tang Clan affiliate Shyheim The Rugged Child, who's also ventured into film of late ("The Preacher's Wife", "Original Gangstas"). 'He's cool,' laughs Quindon, who admits his eyes were opened by the Staten Island rapper. 'He's kinda like real hip-hop, funky. He's really down to earth.

'Back in the States Quindon has found himself thrown into the same basket as his "Blackbeat" mag pin-up peers, Usher, Ray J and Jason Weaver. 'We're always compared -- it's like a competition,' he sighs.

that.'' Quindon was recommended for the "Romeo + Juliet" project by a label staffer who remembered hearing one of his early demos. The teen recorded his two "Romeo + Juliet" tracks in Los Angeles with the soundtrack's supervisor, Nellee Hooper, the British producer widely-known for his work with Soul II Soul, Bjork and Madonna, among others. Hooper was keen to bring out Quindon's strong gospel background which started with him singing in church at four years of age. Quindon still listens to gospel, especially contemporary acts like The Commissioned and Kirk Franklin & God's Property.

done it.' So is Quindon a Prince fan? 'A little . . . not that much,' he responds diplomatically. Regardless, Quindon doesn't mind the R&B star Ginuwine's take of "When Doves Cry" (which was obviously recorded at around the same time). 'His is more like Prince's,' he suggests. 'Mine is kind of my own style.' Quindon is working on his sophomore album, which he hopes to drop early in 1998. The star is pursuing the slightly left field direction of "When Doves Cry", with some concessions to the current US market. 'We're trying to get Missy Elliott and Timbaland (Ginuwine, Aaliyah),' he says, 'and we're going to

at the same time, and now I got my second album and we're still doing "Romeo + Juliet" stuff.

But perhaps the best part of it is that Quindon has finally emerged from the teen star pack with his own trademark style. Although he usually travels with a tutor, Quindon still attends a public school back in Texas (which is, coincidentally, also Tevin Campbell's home state). He admits that, while some of his ninth grade classmates give him a hard time, they do keep him grounded.

together with "Everybody's Free (to wear sunscreen)?, also features on Baz Luhrmann's latest CD compilation "Something For Everybody" out through EMI Australia.