Carl ‘Groove’ Martin made his mark on the ’90s R&B scene with the Shai classic ‘If I Ever Fall in Love,’ but his story isn’t just about hits—it’s about creative battles, growth, and finding your voice again. After stepping away from the spotlight, he’s back with a new sound and a fresh perspective, sharing stories that matter. Our C. Martin interview discusses his return to music, his latest song “Potion,” and what’s next for a voice that has shaped a generation.
Parlé Mag: Carl, as the founding member of Shai, you helped craft a sound that still echoes through the halls of R&B history. Looking back, what was it about “If I Ever Fall in Love” that turned it into an eternal classic, touching hearts across generations?
C. Martin: First, thank you. That’s such a huge compliment. “If I Ever Fall in Love” has remained impactful far beyond what I could have ever imagined. I think a big part of that is its emotional core. We all aspire to have romantic relationships that are meaningful, and that meaning often comes from a base of friendship. The song speaks to that universal, timeless idea of what love feels like in a perfect world. It also has a massive hook, catchy verses, and is easy to remember. Combine that with emotional authenticity, and you get a song that stands the test of time.
Parlé Mag: That a cappella harmony became a blueprint for love songs everywhere—what do you think made it so effortlessly timeless, so universally relatable?
C. Martin: It’s funny. In the early stages of learning how to produce records, I often wrote in the car—road trips were especially great for inspiration. One time, I drove cross-country without access to my gear, so writing on the go became essential. So the song was written out of necessity. That’s why a music version exists. Fortunately, both versions became successful, each giving the song a huge boost of momentum. At that moment, Boyz II Men had experienced success with an a cappella song, which I think set the stage for us. There’s a purity to a cappella that strips a song down to its essence. If you can keep an audience fully engaged without music, you likely have something solid.
Parlé Mag: After leaving the spotlight and stepping away from the industry, where did life take you? What chapters have you been writing behind the scenes?
C. Martin: I was actually done with the music business. I initially fell in love with the process of making records. I also love business. But the combination of creating music in a world that churns out artists didn’t work for me. I lost the sense of self that allowed me to create great music. Also, the music industry experienced an earthquake in the form of digitization, really falling behind the pace of tech companies. I didn’t recognize what the music business had become or where it was heading. But I never stopped making music. My passion for music technology and the ever-evolving music business has always been strong. Along the way, I studied film production and became a fellow at Film Independent’s Project: Involve. After that, I served as Director of Video Production at a distribution company until it was acquired by a larger firm, and later ventured into tech venture capital, commercial real estate, and coworking spaces. But I never stopped making music. If anything, I discovered how similar music and film production are in terms of process. I didn’t quite understand it then, but I see now how all of that led me to this moment.
Parlé Mag: Now that you’re back in the forefront with new music, what sparked that creative flame again? What does “Potion” say about who you are as an artist today?
C. Martin: I credit Savan Kotecha, who happens to be one of the best songwriters in the world. He randomly called me out of the blue and invited me to work on a project in Sweden. The sound he wanted was inspired by my early work, which honestly shocked me. These guys were coming off massive hits with One Direction, Ariana Grande, Maroon 5, The Weeknd, and many more great artists. Naturally, I said yes. I flew to Stockholm and spent months working between there and Los Angeles. The project never fully materialized, but my love for making records was completely reignited. Working specifically with Savan, Ramy, and Carl Falk was incredibly inspiring, and I’m deeply grateful to them. I still didn’t have a deal or any solid label relationships. We know the industry initially only values what’s currently hot. But creatively, something had been lit again. “Potion” is a small sample that marks the beginning of a new era for me. It’s a culmination of everything I do fundamentally, incorporating what I learned collaborating with incredibly talented writers and producers, and fully embracing what modern music and technology have to offer.
Parlé Mag: When you listen to “Potion,” do you see it as a modern evolution of the soulful magic of “If I Ever Fall in Love,” or are you intentionally charting a new musical course?
C. Martin: I see it as a new musical course—a perfect storm. “Modern evolution” is a great way to describe it. A lot of what made R&B production dominant in the ‘90s and early 2000s has largely been abandoned. Some of that can be directly attributed to the influence of hip-hop. I’ve noticed how often R&B artists mimic the cadence, delivery, and even mannerisms of hip-hop. And that makes sense. It also leaves a lot of opportunity untapped. With technology allowing so much music to be created and released quickly, an emphasis on melody and structure is what has always allowed music from all genres to crossover into others. Combining successful elements from music history with today’s speed and efficiency creates a unique opportunity to do something special. I also have three young children who have no memory of my prior success outside of YouTube. So part of this journey is showing them that I still got it! *laughs* They’ve given me a lot of confidence and encouragement. They also have great taste. If they like something, it’s ready. If they don’t, they’re brutally honest. That feedback is invaluable.
Parlé Mag: Your journey has spanned decades—what lessons about authenticity, resilience, and staying true to your sound have you carried with you through the years?
C. Martin: Authenticity is everything. If something doesn’t resonate with me, I doubt it will resonate with anyone else. That’s why I have hundreds of unreleased songs sitting on a hard drive—experiments, imitations, ideas that just didn’t feel honest. And I believe authenticity is something audiences can feel, whether or not an artist wrote the song. You hear it in the performance. So, it’s a priority for me. Even if the story is fictional, it must come from a real place. Resilience is a funny one for me because I’ve stepped away from it multiple times. *laughs* I’ve pursued other things, some quite successfully, but nothing compares to the process of taking a song from a raw idea to a finished master. Each song requires resilience. There are many moments when an idea you loved just stops working during the process. You doubt it entirely, and then—if you stick with it—a breakthrough happens, and it’s exhilarating. That journey is what I missed most about making records professionally. Each completed song or project is an act of resilience. As for staying true to my sound, it’s never been a goal. I stay true to fundamentals: melody, structure, emotional clarity. The sound has changed many times, but those principles remain. It’s like a great athlete adapting to different teams—the style of play may shift, but their work habits and who they are do not. I may use different drum sounds, textures, and techniques now, but the way I construct songs and obsess over details is unchanged. That’s what creates consistency.
Parlé Mag: Looking ahead, what’s next on your musical horizon? Are you envisioning collaborations, a new album, or something that bridges the timeless and the now?
C. Martin: The plan is to release as much music as possible. The music industry has evolved to the point that I can build a sustainable creative and business model around that. While I value solitude when developing ideas, collaboration fuels me. It brings new energy into every project, and I want that to be central moving forward. As for an album, I think that format is now driven by audience demand. Singles and albums require different mindsets. You can hear in “Potion” what I call a cinematic approach—stadium music designed for a collective experience, similar to “If I Ever.” An album would build on that with a more cohesive, narrative arc. I’m a storyteller first, and telling a larger story across multiple songs excites me. So we’ll see. If people want it, I’ll certainly give my max effort to make it a classic. I’d love to tour the world again. There’s nothing like recreating that connection in real-time and seeing it resonate across the globe.
Parlé Mag: Lastly, what do you hope both longtime fans and new listeners will take away from your music—your story, your sound, your “Potion?”
C. Martin: I hope that both longtime fans and new listeners are once again ready to embrace songs about love. There’s been a shift toward what I call “lifestyle records”—songs that describe situations or confront realities, many of which I enjoy. But there will always be space for music centered purely on love and human connection. As for my story, I hope it reminds people that it’s never over until you decide it is. As long as you’re of sound mind and body, your story is still unfolding—mine included. My sound, my “Potion,” ultimately comes down to the song itself. It sounds so simple. But the records that endure do so because something at their core cuts through the noise in the most human and fundamental way. That’s what I’m about.
Thank you so much. This was great.
Stay Connected with C. Martin
@CarlMartin360
