SPOTLIGHT: Isaac Geralds, the singer who’d sought to raise autism awareness with GWR attempt

In June 2024, Isaac Geralds attempted to set a 110-hour world record for the longest singing marathon by an individual. The former Project Fame contestant had hoped to use the platform to raise the sum of $500,000 and also project awareness for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Due to health issues, he could not meet his target; halting his Guinness World Record (GWR) attempt. In this interview with TheCable Lifestyle, Isaac talks about his Project Fame journey, GWR attempt, his passion for children living with autism and his future projects.

TheCable Lifestyle: What was growing up like?

Isaac: I grew up in a musical family, there were four of us, myself and three of my siblings we used to sing together. We used to go to churches to sing and all that, at some point in time, I guess everyone else started pursuing life and other careers and I started doing music pretty much and so life growing up for me was fun and interesting, I had my fair share of life, pretty much

TheCable Lifestyle: How supportive was your family in your music career?

Isaac: I had support from my family for my music career. My mum has always pushed me, I always sang in church, every church we went to. My mum’s thing was always like look if you want to do music with your life, that’s fine but make sure you get an education, make sure you go to school. So she never spared going to school. For me it was always super important so my family has been supportive, and they still are in support of my music journey.

TheCable Lifestyle: Who are your biggest influences in music?

Isaac: I’ll put them in 3 different categories, because growing up, I listened to a lot of Gospel music. I listened to a lot of Christian songs and stuff like that. At a point, when I started knowing and choosing my music, my biggest influences were Boys II Men and Bryan McNight. I listened to a lot of them because, at some point in time, I used to be in an Accapela group where I myself and a couple of guys in church used to sing Acapella from church to church.

We were a pretty big group back in the day, so Boys II men and Bryan McKnight were like really major influences for me, but as I grew older and I started to create my own path, I think my biggest influences were Luther Vandross, Usher and Neyo because those are the men I really wanted to pattern my music after. I wanted to do the things that they did.

TheCable Lifestyle: What led to the Project Fame journey and how did that help form who Isaac Geralds is today?

Isaac: Project Fame was funny because I was working a regular job. I was working in an oil company, one of the major oil companies in Nigeria at the time. The kind of job where you do not quit, you literally retire from. And I remember when I told my boss I was quitting because I had not even been six months old in the company, I told my boss I was quitting because I wanted to go do Project Fame, he said to me “Hey, what’s the price you are going to win?” when I told him, he said that is your salary in like two or three months, so why are you trying to quit?

And I was like, this is the journey I want to be on, and this feels like a good propeller for me, it’s going to propel me to the level I want to be and so that was what led me to Project Fame. And how has Project Fame helped in who Isaac Gerald is right now? Project Fame was my major springboard, I came out 8th from Project Fame, even though a lot of people think that I won Project Fame.

I did not win Project Fame but Project Fame has really helped to shape my journey to shaping who Isaac Geralds is because I’ve been able to grow in the music, I’ve been able to build valuable relationships and build myself from thereon and so I am very grateful for Project Fame.

TheCable Lifestyle: You recently attempted to break a world record to raise awareness for autism, what inspired that?

Isaac: Honestly I’ve always worked with autism for a very long time. When I first moved to America, it was one of the things I did a lot of. I did a lot of charities, nongovernment organizations, nonprofit organizations. I worked in a couple of them, so it is something I have been absolutely passionate about.

I think children with autism are super smart, they deserve a chance in the world, and they deserve to be included and not excluded. In some parts of Nigeria and Africa, when you have children with autism they hide that child in the back room and then he doesn’t see visitors and those people who shouldn’t be comfortable around them are the people who shouldn’t come visit you, you know these people are children that deserve the love and support that they could get.

TheCable Lifestyle: Due to some circumstances, you couldn’t achieve what you initially set out to do but do you feel you’ve done your bit?

Isaac: Well truthfully, the only reason why anyone should not do anything that they set out to do is medical reasons and that is the reason why I wasn’t able to finish unfortunately, so medical reasons, I had a medical emergency and they had to pull me out after 98 hours and 26 minutes, how do I feel about it?

Well, I wish that I had more time to finish obviously but I gave my best. I did my bit and you just never know I might do it again. So if I’m going to do it again or not fingers crossed let’s hope that that happens but if it does happen again, I’ll let you all know definitely.

TheCable Lifestyle: What next for Isaac Geralds?

Isaac: What’s next for Isaac Geralds is pretty much life, shows, performances, records. There’s so much in the pipeline, even with the albums I want to drop, I want to drop an album at the end of summer, I have the Christmas concert to plan for, I have Rhythm and Red wine, and there’s so much. But I’ll just say hey follow my journey.