Where are you currently based?
On the Northern Beaches of Sydney!
How did you first start playing music?
I played piano as a kid then moved on to guitar. I loved hip-hop from a young age and have been writing poetry since like age 4. All of these things fused together into writing my own music and ultimately leading me to where I am today.
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far?
I’ve been super focussed on my EP for the last year. My covid experience has been pretty good to be honest other than the painstaking lack of live music. I live with my girlfriend so we got to spend heaps of time together and I had more time to work on writing and conceptualising new music. I spent a lot of the year plotting how to manoeuvre myself into new territory as a more multifaceted artist with a string of electronic releases in between my solo projects.
Your new EP ‘Vision’ will be out on February 19, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
I’ve been listening to a lot of Roddy Ricch which I think has probably reshaped the way I hear melodies in hip-hop music. There’s a jazz/soul inflection in his cadence that fuses beautifully with trap music. Other than that I think artists like Denzel Curry helped influence tracks like Poltergeist.
How and when did you write Vision?
It happened gradually over more than a year. I wrote most of the songs individually before realising the overarching theme and rewriting elements of them to piece the project together. Writing them is the easy part though! I spend a very long time meticulously analysing the mixes and revising them so they hit just right.
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with?
I have a big group of people who I work with to make my music. Daniel Natoli was the recording engineer for the majority of the project. We have developed a great working relationship and have been smashing out tracks at Kiln Studios. There were a number of different producers and engineers involved in the project but Muller Made, Ollie Roland, Steven Petridis (Espa), Tom Garnett and Joseph Colmenero were all very pivotal in making the record what it is.
How did you approach the creative process?
I usually just sit in my backyard and let the beat run. I kick a football around while writing songs and I think it unlocks something in my brain that helps me see creative pockets in the instrumental. It’s hard to explain but I write most of my best songs while juggling a football.
What programs/instruments did you use?
I like to jam the tracks on guitar just to get an acoustic feel for it and I make all my demos on garageband. Ollie likes to record his own guitar/piano loops for his beats too. We track it all on Protools at the studio. My main tool is the iPhone voice memo app that I use to quickly record any melody ideas I might have.
How does the Vision EP compare to your debut album?
I see Vision as a sequel to Dreams. There are a few easter eggs that I’ve been leaving to suggest that along the way. In Dreams I was focussed more on the storytelling and the conceptual depth of the project as a whole whereas I made sure every track in Vision works as a standalone song. The main difference to me is that Vision was made with the intention of live performance but Dreams is something to sit with late at night and just take in.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
A lot of different stuff! I’ve been listening to a lot of Katchafire and reggae stuff recently but heaps of The Kid Laroi, Don Toliver and other trap artists. I went through a phase recently of listening to more lyrical stuff like Kota the Friend and Mick Jenkins. A lot of Homeshake for a different vibe too! If you haven’t heard ‘Helium’ by Homeshake, check it out!
What do you like to do away from music?
Not much to be honest! My only two loves are my girlfriend and music and as an independent, self-managed artist, I only really have time to create music, manage the business and spend time with her. Not complaining though, that’s all I need in life 🙂
What’s planned for 2021?
I want to blow this year! I’ve been having some exponential growth lately and it’s been amazing. I’m interacting with heaps of people on a daily basis and making sure to keep in touch with all the fans. I feel like I’ve been laying the groundwork for years and now everything is in place to finally blow up. Miles Marmalade and I are working on a collab album which is my next big priority.
Favourite food and place to hangout?
I love a good bacon and egg roll. If I could have one every day I would. There’s a stunning lookout just near my house where you can see miles and miles of nature over the national park. I like to go there and just take it in.
Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Triple J Unearthed
