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: I’m from LA, and I gravitated toward music growing up because my family played a lot of instruments and sang. There was an appreciation for music/culture, and it was just part of growing up. Basically find a sport to play that you like, and an instrument to play as well. My love for music developed over many years – eventually I played in a band in high school, and started writing/producing around 8th or 9th grade. From there, I knew I wanted to make something out of it.
Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
A: Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Paul Simon, Bob Moses, Phoenix, and John Mayer.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences?
A: I would say John Mayer, Frank Ocean, Ed Sheeran, and Calvin Harris were pretty formative influences.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘Find My Way’. Is there a story behind it?
A: I started with the synths and production, and naturally the song started to have this driving feel. A real momentum. It made me think of a cinematic adventure. The lyrics sort of just came to me – finding one’s way. Making something of a bad situation, loss, turning things around, discovery, reflection. Perhaps stuck in the mundane aspects of life, and trying to escape that.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: Yes album June 30th. very excited to release
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: the melody – I hope the melodies will stand out, and stay with listeners. I would describe my sound as pop/electronic, with a good amount of guitar baked in.
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: I’m pretty amazed with how my music has been received, and am grateful that people are enjoying it globally. My friend just texted me this morning, sharing a video of a store in Seoul South Korea playing my song “Cool Again”. That sort of stuff blows my mind. Definitely want to continue growing the project, playing bigger venues, and getting my music out to a wider audience.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: Usually start with some instrumentation – whether it’s guitar chords, synth line, or bass. From there I build drums around, and additional production. After that, I start recording vocal ideas for melodies. and finally I start formulating lyrics. that’s typically the process for me.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: as far as music goes, cancelling my tour in 2020 was rough – I was excited to play my first international tour, and covid obviously had other ideas.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: selling out the Troubadour in LA, Mercury Lounge in NY were both awesome moments. Also the first song I released that I did everything on (produced/sang/wrote/guitar/mixed/mastered etc) that really reacted was “Different Skies”. I released that independently, and the success of that song allowed me to really pursue music full time. That was a very cool moment that I am grateful for.
