Remembering his origin story.
Born and raised in the South Bronx, New York, USA under the birthname Marvin Bernabel. Formerly known as “Joney Camille”, and “Amare Otravez.” A rare talent yet to be discovered in the Metropolitan area who holds no limitations in the musical genres he can occupy. He realized the magnitude of his passion several years ago while producing and engineering for numerous underground artists on the East Coast. He has been playing music since the age of 12, watching and soaking up the influences of his three older brothers who would play various instruments and sing songs around the house.
In 2008, Marvin attended the Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice where he first gained the confidence of performing in front of a live audience. He was in the high school band as a lead guitarist and then eventually lead singer the following year doing solo acts at every pep rally and talent show where he would serenade either his class or the girl of his choosing.
After high school, he attended Bronx Community College in 2014 where he would major in the Arts and Sciences in the evenings and then he would play his acoustic guitar and sing in front of the campus daily as thousands and thousands of college students would enter the campus and walk to their respective classes. He would also play in the NYC subway with his guitar and a friend, as well as on the steps of various public parks or areas open to the public. Through this bravery, Marvin made numerous connections and met the artists and minds with who he would learn his engineering and producing chops working with.
In 2016, he released his underground EP “96” independently. That is where he learned the work required for a release. Additionally, just how seriously the promotion and business aspect of the music business should be taken. This is where he has taken the time to hone his craft and improve all-around in singing, producing, writing, sound engineering, and playing instruments, primarily his guitar and bass. Between that time period and now, Marvin has grown tremendously in the quality of his writing and his songs. He is rumored to be sitting on hundreds of songs since his last release of “Glimpse of the Sun” in 2019. He is most certainly worth keeping an eye on.
Gene Marvin is me. I have finally decided that I am comfortable in my own skin. Music will always be one with me. There is no ‘locking in’ for me because this is real life for me. When I create, all I have to do is close my eyes and I am there. There is no superficial persona, I am me, just emphasizing different sides of myself through song form. I have also always had a deep appreciation for acting, film, and performance. Slow and steady wins the race. I don’t like to rush things prematurely. It's got to be genuine across the board. Humbly, I am here to stay, hopefully, you will gladly join the ride. There are many surprises to come.
Gene Marvin, © 2023. Written & Produced by Marvin Bernabel & Chris Keys for Amare Love & Song (BMI). Mixed & Mastered by Foremost Poets for Attribute. Attribute Events Company, © 2023 All Rights Reserved.
