Bryson Bernard, better known by his stage name Cupid is a R&B singer born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana

Lafayette, Louisiana

Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...

.

History

Bryson Bernard started singing in his church's choir, encouraged by his pastor father. He initially enrolled at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or UL Lafayette, is a coeducational, public research university located in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the heart of Acadiana...

 with a full athletic scholarship in track and field. He left the track team to form a singing group known as "Fasho", which later changed its name to "Fifth Element." Fifth Element later dissolved and Bernard pursued a solo career. He sang at venues such as talent shows, weddings and funerals. With a five-octave vocal range, Bernard earned the nickname "Cupid" for an impressive performance of the Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke

Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...

's '60s hit single "Cupid."

Debut album: Cupid

Bernard first achieved radio airplay in 2001 with his single "Do Ya Thing," which appeared on his self-pressed, self-titled debut the following year. His gospel-tinged vocals attracted local promoters and rappers. Cupid was tapped to open for blues concerts, as well as to record background vocals for various rap albums.

Second album: The King of Down South R&B

Both experiences informed his second independently released album, The King of Down South R&B

The King of Down South R&B

The King of Down South R&B is the second album released by R&B singer Cupid. It was released independently under ASAR Entertainment.-Tracklisting:#"Swing Around the Rosey" - 4:49#"Oh No" - 4:04#"The Wop" - 3:21#"9:00" - 5:07#"Real Love Pt .1" - 5:15...

(2005). The album added a new mixture to his musical gumbo and resulted in a further widening of his audience, gaining airplay throughout the region, from Florida to Texas. For this reason, critics have often likened Cupid's style to a hearty stew rather than a gumbo. Original, or "hardcore," Cupid fans persist in using the term gumbo, which has led to something of a rift between his new fanbase and his original following.

Record label and breakthrough single

In late 2006, Cupid was discovered by Atlantic because of the buzz surrounding his local single at the time, Cupid Shuffle. After signing with the label in January 2007, his dance record was landed in the Top 30 of the R&B charts for several weeks. His major label debut, Time for a Change

Time for a Change (album)

Time for a Change is the third album released by R&B singer Cupid. The album's lead single was "Cupid Shuffle". It peaked at #9 on the R&B charts and #58 on the 200-Track listing:...

, was released on September 11, 2007 and his breakthrough single, "Cupid Shuffle

Cupid Shuffle

"Cupid Shuffle" is a song by Cupid from his 2007 studio album Time for a Change. It has spawned a popular line dance and has drawn a lot of comparison to DJ Casper's "Cha Cha Slide."...

," went gold. One of the songs indicated that Cupid has aspirations to open up a chain of nightclubs all over Long Island

Long Island

Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...

. He confirmed this during an appearance on the Adam Carolla Radio Program.

Albums

• 2002: Cupid
• 2005: The King of Down South R&B
  The King of Down South R&B
  The King of Down South R&B is the second album released by R&B singer Cupid. It was released independently under ASAR Entertainment.-Tracklisting:#"Swing Around the Rosey" - 4:49#"Oh No" - 4:04#"The Wop" - 3:21#"9:00" - 5:07#"Real Love Pt .1" - 5:15...
  
  
• 2007: Time for a Change
  Time for a Change (album)
  Time for a Change is the third album released by R&B singer Cupid. The album's lead single was "Cupid Shuffle". It peaked at #9 on the R&B charts and #58 on the 200-Track listing:...
  
  

Singles

• 2001: "Do Ya Thing"
• 2007: "Do Ya Dance"
• 2007: "Say Yes"
• 2007: "Cupid Shuffle
  Cupid Shuffle
  "Cupid Shuffle" is a song by Cupid from his 2007 studio album Time for a Change. It has spawned a popular line dance and has drawn a lot of comparison to DJ Casper's "Cha Cha Slide."...
  
  "
• 2008: "Happy Dance"
• 2008: "Love Slide"
• 2010: "Do My Ladies Run This Party"

Album appearances

• "All I Need" - Nancy Drew soundtrack
• "3-6-9" (feat. B.o.B
  B.o.B
  Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr. , better known by his stage name B.o.B, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is currently signed under the labels of Grand Hustle Records, Rebel Rock Entertainment, and Atlantic Records. His debut single "Nothin' on You" reached number one in both...
  
  ) - Step Up 2 the Streets
  Step Up 2 the Streets
  Step Up 2: The Streets is the 2008 sequel to the 2006 film Step Up from Touchstone Pictures. It was directed by Jon Chu, and choreographed by Jamal Sims, Hi-Hat and Dave Scott...
  
  soundtrack
  Step Up 2 the Streets (soundtrack)
  Step Up 2: The Streets is the film soundtrack album from the motion picture Step Up 2: The Streets. It was released February 5, 2008 by Atlantic Records....
  
  

External links

• http://cupid-music.com
• http://www.myspace.com/theonlycupid
• http://www.atlanticrecords.com/cupid
• http://www.facebook.com/NEWCUPID Official Facebook Page of Cupid.