N88

Background and Influences:

Who are some of your biggest influences?

Some of my biggest influences are A$AP Rocky, Partynextdoor, Larry June, and Pink Floyd.

Where are you from?

I am born and raised in Seattle Washington.

How has your upbringing and experiences impacted the type of music you make?

I grew up living very simply in a family of 5. Early on we didn’t have a lot of financial freedom so it taught me to be grateful for what opportunities I did have. I was homeschooled most of my childhood and it gave me a lot of freedom to explore and delve into my love for music at an early age. My parents always made an effort to give me as many opportunities to support my interest in music as they could. Most of my music is inspired from the experiences I’ve had of heartbreak and navigating the world as a young adult trying to pace a way for himself in the world.

What was the first song you ever released and can you still find it online?

The first song I ever released was called “That’s Right”. It was a Jack Harlow inspired rap song that I made as a 15 year old. Fortunately, that file is only accessible to me on my private SoundCloud page.

Creative Process:

Where or what do you get most of your inspiration from?

Definitely the relationships in my life. Yes, a lot of times it is a romantic relationship that fails or feelings you may have for someone but other relationships like mentors, family, and friends also inspire me very much. Nature is also another quick fix for me inspirationally. Seeing and experiencing the world around us is often what we need to understand our own lives better.

Can you walk us through a typical songwriting process?

It starts for me with chasing an emotion. Laying down a foundation instrumentally that sounds like something that I’m feeling. Once I’ve got the beat sounding like how I’m feeling, the words usually follow suit very easily.

How do you know when a song is finished?

I know it’s finished when I feel that feeling I first felt whenever I listen to the song. When the product becomes a reminder of the inspiration. That’s when the song is finished for me.

What are some challenges you face when writing and recording a song?

There can be so many challenges. Losing inspiration, writers block, sometimes things just simply don’t click. It’s especially frustrating for me when I can’t capture a certain sound I hear in my head while recording or beat making.

Do you have any rituals or routines that help you write?

My only rule when it comes to writing is that nothing is off limits. Try everything. Switch your environments, switch your median from a phone to pen and paper, try freestyling. Whatever it takes to get the expression out.

Music Career and Goals:

What is your main goal for your music career?

My main goal is to be able to share my music with people. Other artists music connected with me and made me feel comfortable in moments when I was struggling in my life. Being able to share my life experiences and have people connect with them is all I could ever ask for.

How do you reach a new audience?

I have always wanted my audience to be organic and people who find a direct draw to my art. That takes time and right now I see playing shows, continuing marketing campaigns, and collaborating with other artists as the best way to find those new fans.

How do you handle criticism?

I try to invite contributions via criticism. When criticism comes from a deconstructive and hateful space you have to put it behind you. The main thing is truly believing your art because someone else who may not understand it shouldn’t be able to spew something at your work to devalue the place it came from.

What message are you trying to convey through your music?

I want to promote emotional awareness and introspective thinking individually. Music has always been a place for me to process my thoughts and emotions to help me better understand my life and I want to provide that same safe space for others to feel while provoking thought.

What are your current thoughts about the music scene in your city?

I have a dear love for the city of Seattle and its art. There are a lot of fantastic artists making waves and finding their spot in the game. In the same breathe as an artist still tryna to make a dent in the industry I’ve found support and love from fellow peers in the space hard to come by at times. Ego is a major obstacle in networking and collaborative relationships so I try and keep that at a minimum.

What are some of the biggest challenges you have navigating the music industry?

Finding people who care. People who care about the art, people who care about your vision, this whole industry is based on the principle of making people care about what you are saying or doing. Finding an authentic way to do that without force feeding people your brand can be challenging. Making yourself stand out is maybe the hardest but most key part.

Delve Deeper:

Can you share the most pivotal moment in your music career so far?

Up to this point, my biggest turning point was being able to work with and have a song out with Highway. Him being an established artist in the city and supporting what I was doing was huge for me. Obviously, the publicity and the streams were huge but having support from someone who has come out the same place at the level he has was just game changing mentally for me.

How do you balance being an artist and making music with other aspects of your life?

As of right now I still work regular jobs and live a far from glamorous lifestyle. So being able to channel that and pour the energy into the music is such a valuable outlet. As a creative, you should look at every aspect of your life with potential meaning and impact on your art. It’s formative to who you are no matter how many digits are in your bank account. I’ve been dead broke and that made me write music a certain way, I’ve had financial wins and that also made the music sound a little different so it all has value. Treat it as such.

What advice would you give an aspiring artist or someone thinking of becoming an artist?

Do what you want to do. If you have a cool idea then go out and try it. Maybe you meet up and try again or maybe you mess up and it becomes something new and amazing. Either way, you need to attempt because you will fail before you succeed. Never ass