If you love good soul music, then October London is a name you need to know. Hailing from South Bend, Indiana, London is establishing himself as an exceptionally talented singer/songwriter in the lineage of the legendary R&B and soul singers that inspired him. 

Growing up in a musically inclined family, London always knew he was destined to create music on a high level. Although he released a slew of projects as an independent artist and was almost ready to give up on his dream, his musical acumen was noticed by Snoop Dogg, who signed him to Death Row Records.

After dropping “The Rebirth of Marvin” to rave reviews earlier this year, in November, he released “The Greatest Gift,” his soulful Christmas album that will set the romantic mood during the holiday season.

London will headline the “Rebirth of Marvin” Tour along with special guests J. Brown and The Shindellas, continuing his rise to stardom.

It’s been a long time coming, and London is more than ready to seize his moment,

BET.com spoke with London about his latest projects, headlining his tour, and working with Snoop at Death Row Records.

BET.com: The Midwest is known to produce some of the greatest music, from funk, and soul to contemporary R&B, and you are a part of that tradition. As a native of South Bend, what makes the region so special? Is it something in the water?

October London: [Laughs] I wish I knew. I don’t know if it's something in the water because I would make little minions and make them drink it. With greats like Prince, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, and Babyface, there’s been a lot of music to come from the Midwest. So I don't know what's in the water, but I will keep drinking it and stay hydrated. I'm just happy to be amongst those names. I don't take it for granted at all, and I’m very humbled by that.

BET.com: Coming from a musical family, did you feel like you were destined to pursue music professionally?

October London: My mom was a singer, and my dad played guitar. All of my uncles were singers as well. When I was a kid, I used to gather around them during the holidays, and I would just be in awe of how music brought everybody together. Watching how music could change the room's temperature or the atmosphere intrigued me. I knew this was what I wanted to do since then.

BET.com:  I read that Jazze Pha connected you with Snoop Dogg, which set you on your way. How did all that go down?

October London: I met Jazze through several mutual friends. I hit him up, hoping he wouldn't turn me away. I told him I had music for artists he was working with and slipped in some of my music. He loved my music and said, “Yo, man, you got some hits on your hand. I'm going to sleep on these for a little bit and see what I can do with them.” I had no idea that the following day he was on his way to link up with Snoop. He played one of my songs called “Color Blind” for him, and Snoop said, “I gotta have him.” He called me a few days before the Superbowl in 2016, and the rest was history after that. He flew me out in March 2016, and I've been with him ever since.

BET.com: When did you first begin to love Marvin Gaye’s music, and what is your favorite song of his?

October London: I've loved Marvin Gaye's for a long time. I grew up listening to The Isley Brothers, one of my favorites, and Frankie Beverly and Maze. They are still in constant rotation. But Marvin is my favorite, and my favorite song of his is “Just To Keep You Satisfied.” I'd never heard it until I was watching Baby Boy. 

BET.com: With a title like “The Rebirth of Marvin,” you were bound to get some good and bad attention. Was it your creative process behind the album and your idea to give it that title?

October London: What’s crazy is that this album would be a throwaway. I freestyled the lyrics off the dome, and it took a week to finish because I make albums quickly. None of it was written down. If you have ever been in the studio with Snoop, you know he plays music 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If the music stops, something is wrong, or the power's out. One day, he played a lot of Marvin and five or six Marvin songs that came on the radio that same day. Every time I walked into the studio, one of his songs played.  I was just in that vibe, and I started creating it.

I didn't come up with that title at all. I thought that was a scary way to put it because I didn't want people to think that I was trying to fill his shoes. Those shoes are too big to fill. In my head, I was like, “That’s some cocky sh*t to say.” Snoop said, “People will figure it out that you’re not trying to be Marvin but you’re trying to reinvent the vibe he had. I got a little backlash but it turned out to be good.

BET.com: 2023 has been a memorable year for you. After dropping The Rebirth of Marvin, you recently dropped your Christmas album, The Greatest Gift. Have you always wanted to do a Christmas project?

October London: I don't like to make filler music. I like to make music that has some longevity. I wanted to make something other than a Christmas album like you heard before. I wanted to do something different, and they let me have so much creative control and that's what every artist wants. I'm so happy the Christmas album turned out the way it did.

BET.com: Not only did you drop two albums this year, but you'll be headlining your tour in 2024. What about going on tour? What excites you most?

October London: I'm super excited. Touring with Snoop since 2016 and doing stadiums with 25,000 people or more,  I'm excited to go out here and see my fans face-to-face. I had to get Jay Brown because he took my number-one spot for one week on the R&B charts for a week. I had to get my number one spot back. Afterward, we talked, and I told him, “You got to come on tour with me.” And I immediately hit it off with The Shindellas because they're cool and talented.

BET.com: You are one of Snoop’s flagship artists in this new era for Death Row. How does it feel to work and learn from a legend like Snoop and to be a part of Death Row’s rebrand?

October London: Snoop has been such a pleasure to work with. Besides the creative control, he supports me 100 percent. It's been a dream, and I'm in the best position possible. I have one of the best contracts in the business and some of the best team members. It's been amazing. I don't plan on ever leaving Death Row. I plan on retiring from here. I'm always gonna drop music under Death Row. They are stuck with me.

BET.com: As a student and lover of R&B and soul music, how did it feel to perform at the 2023 Soul Train Awards?

October London: It was an amazing experience. Although it was a bit windy and chilly outside, I was very honored to be a part of such an incredible mixing pot of music gumbo. Soul Train is something I grew up watching as a kid, so it was super surreal.