Q: To start, tell me about yourself?
I’m a pastor’s kid, born and raised in Atlanta, GA. I sing, I’m a songwriter, I act, and I produce and engineer. I grew up in church and around a lot of music. I never really much cared for anything in this reality. I always had imaginary friends and superpowers and kept my head in comic books and played with so, so many action figures. Other kids would go play outside or something, but I happily stayed inside fighting bad guys and making hooks and short songs I’d forget in the next 30 seconds, beating on everything in the house with cardboard from a hanger. I became truly professional around the age of 15, and since then, I have been bettering myself, growing, gaining experience. Learning to use my powers! And I LOVE IT!! Happy to be alive.
Q: What are some of your strongest music related memories?
Off the top: Riding in the backseat on the way to school listening to Men of Standard, J Moss, Take 6, Commissioned, Fred Hammond, Tye Tribbett & GA, The Winans, Kirk Franklin, Veggietales Soundtrack, Adventures in Odyssey— okay got a little off track but to the people that know what I’m talkin’ bout: throws hands up U KNOW!
Q: Your music can be perceived as a synergy of Pop, Gospel and R&B. How would you describe your music?
Wow, that’s funny to hear but like…not inaccurate. I think I’d describe this single itself as that, but with each song comes a new facet of my sound which, I myself hope is pretty cohesive, but can admit takes a turn sometimes, can’t lie, can’t lie. I think my sound will be truly definable in the future with a little more time, a lil more content.
Q: What was your path to music and production to acting or vice versa?
Well, I began writing and producing songs around 10 years old with Garageband and such. I began acting in school productions and musicals, then I began to take it more seriously extracurricularly, and then it became both a curricular and extracurricular activity so I grew more determined to do it professionally ‘cause hey, it’s fun. But I’ve come to realize more and more everyday that it truly is all one and the same. Music comes so naturally and acting is really fun, so I fell in love with it all!
Q: Does your creative process translate easily from singing to producing and acting?
I follow different processes for each. I will say the common thread between each craft is that the best song, beat, character, whatever usually just — bang— happens. The best hooks just pop into my head as soon as I hear the beat. The best beats are made as soon as I hear that one sample that gets me going, then it’s just lit till it’s time to run that thing back and go crazy! And if the process was like that to make the beat, a song will almost surely come soon after. I may read a script or sides, and if I just understand the character, he’ll just manifest himself within me. My physicality may change, my speech maybe. The actors reading this probably all know what I’m talking about, especially when they take on weird roles. I’ve always felt most comfortable in the weird roles. But yeah, it’s funny how the best things can just happen in a second. Jumping gets results.
6. You just dropped your new single, “SIGNS,” which is genius, which is described as an “allegory of referencing your relationship with God and morality.” Is this song a reflection of your current state of spirituality or past events?
When I wrote it, I was definitely in an incredible state of transition mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and these were my thoughts. Now? I mean, yeah, life’s a journey and abstract beliefs will always bring about more questions but I’m like throws hands up I’m only a man, I’ve paid my dues with Him, I’mma do my best and God can take me or leave me luv ya God haha.
Q: Recently you stated that you would be releasing a single every month to unearth different layers of who you are. What can we expect to learn about you as an artist, actor, producer and songwriter in the next couple of months?
Well I suppose the more people follow me, the more people will organically learn about me. I feel that’s the way to communicate that anyway. Get to know me for real, I’ll get to know you for real. I’m friendlyyy, I love a good pastry.
Q: How has each of your disciplines enhanced each other?
Oddly (or not so oddly) enough, the better I get at acting, the better I get at everything else. Acting is literally just psychology. It’s hard to be a committed actor and have juvenile insecurities. So I think I’ve done a pretty good job of throwing most of them out. With each season of growth, the songwriting grows more vulnerable, the production grows more solid, the engineering ear gains more discernment. I think as long as I keep my mental healthy, my soul in check, and make sure that I evolve in my own time, I’ve noticed everything glows up equally in its own time. My craft stems from my core so as long as I tend to the roots of the tree, the fruit will just grow healthier and tastier.
Q:To the extent that you have a typical day, what does it look like?
That’s a loaded question. OK, I have auditions on my desk like 3 or 4 times a week, but I also have class and can’t forget that I’m a songwriter looking to get a placement for pitch, who also has his artistry and artistic content (visuals, socials, etc.) to keep up with. So a typical mock day: I’ll wake up and turn my heat on (because I like to sleep in the cold, so it makes it so much easier to wake up in heat). I go on Instagram for like 30 minutes, now I’m really awake. I look at the bulletin board on my wall. I have two auditions today. Ok, cool. I turn my light on, review the day / week, review my lines, get in the shower, put on the outfit I hopefully laid out the night before, then zoom off to the audition. I zoom back home because I got another audition later, but I also have class, so this time I’m going to take my backpack with me. I go to the audition, then I might meet my friend for lunch in that free time window because friendship. Then I go to class. Then go home and probably lay down this crazy hook that’s been in my head all day, most likely for pitch (“for pitch” meaning I’m writing it for another artist, not myself). I’ll the night to do a varied mix of relaxing, studying, writing, and to-do list tackling. If I know the next day is about to be a fire, I lay my outfit out for the next day, no matter how Weed, bed. Then start that hoe again.
Q: Any tips for upcoming artists and creative’s looking to navigate the industry?
Always be ruthlessly honest with yourself and learn to thrive in uncomfortable situations! The chances are that the only thing giving you anxiety is you, so if you master that, you can go on to master anything. Respect yourself first, then accept nothing less than that same respect you would have for yourself. There should be no beat around the bush business, address everything candidly and openly. If they’re shady, move on. It’s not worth it, it’s not worth it, it’s not worth it. Nobody has your future in your hands but you, don’t ever let anybody think they can “do something” for you. Nah, bish. Just say “Aight, bet” and keep moving. Oh, and the industry has completely changed, don’t listen to some of these old heads out here, they wash and don’t know what they’re talking about. Do you! Heed wisdom readily and seek it desperately! Yeah, that about sums it up.
