NEW CUPID

THE LINE DANCE KING

Bryson Bernard, better known as Cupid, is a well-known and established artist born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana. You can recognize him from appearances on “The Monique Show,” “Dr. Oz,” “The Steve Harvey Show,” “Nancy Drew,” “Step Up 2: The Streets,” and “The Ellen DeGeneres Show, “ combined with hits such as “Swing Around the Rosey,” “Cupid Shuffle,” “Do It With Your Boots On,” and “Say Yes.” Cupid has made his mark in the music world and left his audience asking what’s next from the “Line Dance King?”

Most people would categorize Cupid’s style as Zydeco, but he refers to himself as an R&B artist with vocals showing both range and skill. When asked who his musical influences are Cupid replied, “Mostly old school artists like Frankie Beverly, Brian McKnight, New Edition, Skyy, and of course Michael Jackson.” Surprisingly, he also mentioned TLC with their hits, “What About Your Friends” and “Baby Baby Baby,” as the first songs he learned for their vocal attributes.

In addition to music, Cupid finds solace in average everyday activities. His health has become a priority, following a stroke he had last July. He enjoys going to the gym and has come to value life more. Cupid enjoys watching football and WWE, as well as spending as much time as possible with his son. We asked him for advice in the music industry and he responded, “Stay true to your craft.” He appreciates a flow of positivity with a party attitude, ultimately keeping lighthearted fun in mind.

Once an independent artist, we asked Cupid what his thoughts were on the current state of the music business. To him the music industry is in a good place. He goes on to say, “It’s good for indie artists, especially because they can put their music out there and it can go directly to their fans without being mainstream.” Some of his favorite artists currently are Curren$y, Ty Dolla $ign, and Chance the Rapper, an independent artist himself.

Throughout his career, Cupid has had to make sacrifices within his personal life to pursue his dreams. While not by choice, the biggest sacrifice Cupid has made has been the normality of a personal relationship. Between giving love to his fans and his son, there hasn’t been much room for the relationship. Of course he would love to pursue the relationship, but she has to understand his dedication and commitment to his fans, his music life, and his son.

Cupid is motivated through his music and its’ affects on his fans. His music has been known to inspire people to get up and dance during a time of illness. Ultimately, this pushed him towards Curobics, a combination of Zumba and line dancing. Curobics has turned into a nation-wide phenomenon targeting people who love Cupid’s music and want to workout in a fun environment. With 60 trainers across the country, Curobics helps people stay healthy and allows Cupid to introduce his new music. He has created a music outlet as well as a health conscious activity for his fan base, which is something he is very proud of.

We finished our conversation with Cupid’s plans for the future. He recently released a new song, “Lit” featuring Pokey Bear and he plans to re-debut a past album in the Fall (be on the lookout for a new video). In January, Curobics 2 will be released and it will feature two new singles with Partners-N-Crime. His closing words for artists pursuing careers in music were, “Do it because you truly love it. Fall in love with what you do.” He encourages artists to enjoy the journey, and not just see the goal. “You can’t truly be happy, if you don’t love it.”