Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: Music is built in me. Ever since I was a little kid entertaining a crowd and putting on a show has always peaked my interest. Im from Boston MA so the music scene is competitive. To be honest I can’t remember the first time I thought about starting a music career, but I do remember this one moment in my 6th grade homeroom where I was looking down at my desk and telling myself that im gonna be one of the biggest stars in the world. This moment is extremely vivid and I plan to execute that goal.
Q: Did you have any formal training, or are you self-taught?
A: Both. When I was middle school I use to be a radio personality for a now shut down station. It gave me the confidence to talk on the mic and that translated to my music. In elementary school I would do performances for my family, but when I got to middle school that translated over to performing for my school. All the way from 6th grade until I graduated, I was the class performer at all the school events. Prom, Cotillions, Pep Rally’s etc. You name It and Rashad Thomas was the headline.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences,?
A: Hurricane Chris and Ray J were the first musical artist to make me look at music different. When Hurricane Chris dropped “ A Bay Bay” I thought that was the hardest song ever. That introduced me to putting more flare and energy into my music. Ray J was the one who introduced me into singing by his single “ One Wish” These are the early stages. When I hit middle school I discovered J.Cole and that was like going from earth to mars. Cole was the one who made me realize that music is suppose to come from the heart and have substance. To this day I would Say J.Cole is my biggest influence.
Q: You have just released your new EP, ‘Sexy Music’. Is there a story behind it?
A: I went to college out in LA and there was this girl that I would talk to in my business class. I would literally only go to this class just to kick It with her. One day after class I took her to Chick-Fil-A, and we probably sat in there and talked for like 3 or 4 hours and I specifically remember her saying to me that I need to open up more. Of course I wasn’t about to do that lol, but I told her that I would document my experiences somewhere, and I knew It would come in the form of music. 2 years go by and Sexy Music is born. She is one of the biggest influences behind the project.
Q: Can we expect an album from you in the near future?
A: The world will get my Debut album in the summer of 2023. At the moment I am currently working on singles and I have one coming out very soon in December.
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: My demographic is mainly females from the ages of 20-28. Im trying to capture her heart while letting her quote on quote “man” know that he can’t do anything about It. My music is feel good music. If there is no connection, then it’s useless. I would describe my sound as airy and energetic at the same time. I like to use faster cadences and flows over melodic trap beats that gives the song a specific kind of presence. Check out “Round 2” to see what I’m talking about
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: Yes and no. For the longest time I struggled with releasing music, I always worked on It but just struggled with releasing. Now that I’m
More wise and don’t care about what people think anymore, my headspace went to a whole different plain. I get joy and fulfillment out of my music because its a space that I can go to and make my ideas come to life. I want the world to resonate with that. I want to do shows in arenas, festivals, Coachella, Rolling Loud etc… Like I said earlier I want to be one of the biggest stars in the world, and I’m going to do everything in my power to make that my reality.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: Its crazy you ask this question because the first couple of months into creating “Sexy Music” I had a talk with one of my boys about this very topic. I make my best music in the car. I think the reason for this is because I have a lot of experiences and connections to the car. Taking girls or myself, for drives on a Friday or Saturday night at 11PM Is symbolic to me. I also feel thats the best time to listen to my music. This environment captures the essence of Rashad Thomas so Im most creative at night in the car.
You would be surprised how many songs I start get half way though and then abandon. That is how my creative process goes 95% of the time. I only finish a song for real after something happens in real life. When I feel like a girl is throwing subliminals at me… the song is getting completed. When I come back from one of those drives that I talked about earlier, then the song is getting completed. Experiences like that is really how I mold my music but I write and try to dish out ideas every day.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: Just releasing music as a whole. Im getting better at this but earlier in my career this was a huge struggle for me. It caused me to take 5 years off and focus on something els. That is one of my biggest regrets of my career so far. Even though I regret taking 5 years off from music, I had a lot of growth in that time. I went to LA and came back to Boston as a whole new person because of this. At the end of the day It comes down to a confidence thing and how I’m perceived by the people around me. What helped me with this is realizing that people honestly don’t care until you blow up. What was once my biggest struggle is now turning into one my strengths, because at this point I don’t have a choice but to blow up
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: Its wired because even though this is one of my biggest regrets it’s honestly a blessing as well. That time off I took from music built me into a better artist. It gave me perspective and allowed me to grow as a person. I know throughout my career I’m going to hit arenas, but those 5 years of my life I was genuinely some of my best years.
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