On his new music, Sunny Mac said, “I’ve been writing poetry since I was 14, and have always found it to be therapeutic in nature. My first project, Celestial Swing, is comprised of a collection of some of the first poems I ever wrote, delving deep into themes of hope, depression, perspective, love, and finding our place in the universe. The entire process of creating the album, especially during recording sessions, felt like a natural extension of the therapeutic nature I found in writing. This cathartic experience allowed for me to release a lot of pent-up frustration and doubt I had within me, and one year later I am truly a more serene person. My upcoming album, Rabbit Whole, came to me as a direct parallel to the way I have been feeling in mind and spirit following my first release. More optimistic in tone and sporting smooth, jazz-influenced melodies, my focus this time around has shifted to vibing over live, organic instrumentation. My pen has shifted over the past year from rhyming through my inner-most troubling thoughts to creating a much more positive, cohesive, catchy project, relaying a stark message about honing in on one’s potential and making the decision to sculpt your life into everything you’ve always dreamed of. Released this past summer, the project’s first single ‘The Message’ embodies that sentiment precisely, and serves as a great preview for the music to come. Rabbit Whole will be released in the summer of 2018.”
On his future plans, he said, “Much of my time over the past few years have been spent thinking and writing. Much of my time over the past year has been spent creating music, and sitting at my keyboard working to develop an online fan-base of people who truly enjoy my work. For the future, starting now, my goals are to get outside and live. Meet new people, develop connections with other passionate artists, travel to exotic places, and through all of it open my mind to new inspirations that give me the fuel to write imaginative and unique albums.”
On his musical influences, he explained, “My idols have always been the greatest wordsmiths in my eyes: artists that are able to craft truly impactful and memorable art through lyrics. Growing up I was memorized by the incredibly mystical and thought-provoking songs Kid Cudi would make, and I especially connected with the emotional heft he always managed to convey with lyrics so concise. I was equally mesmerized by the way Eminem could flip syllables and plant double entendres in unique ways I couldn’t even comprehend, a skill that Kendrick Lamar has perfected and gives me inspiration each and every day. Now I would be remiss to mention that I (currently) am not the most beautiful singer, however much of the emotion I am able to project through my music comes from my obsession with Frank Ocean and his uncanny ability to make you feel completely lost and deeply in love at the same time. If I could only ever listen to a single artist for the rest of my life, it would probably be him.”
Regarding the digital transformation of the music business, he said, “I’ve had the pleasure of growing up with technology at the forefront of my teenage life, and it’s fascinating to watch the music industry transform from having an emphasis on selling CDs to pushing streams. On one hand it’s easier than ever for anyone with musical talent to find and develop their own niche audience, and on the other this ease has led to an arguably over-saturated market where finding your own unique sound has become more difficult, and secondary in objective to finding an audience. In my mind it’s always been about passion & talent, and with such a wide spectrum of sounds available to us now because of this advance in technology, it’s almost impossible to run out of new artists to find that captivate you.”
On his use of technology in his music routine, he said, “Much of my time is spent recording and mixing my own tracks through Logic, an industry standard in mixing software that I have with me wherever I go. On the flip side, I also always carry my notepad with me and write down any lyrics that come to my head, as I find that physically writing down my thoughts allows for a more natural flow as they continue to pour out. I try to spend as much time as I can away from my computer so I can actually experience everything this world has to offer besides virtuality, however technology really does make the entire song creation process from start to finish unquestionably efficient.”
He listed Frank Ocean as his dream collaboration choice. “If I could make a song with Frank Ocean my life would officially be complete, and my time on this world worthwhile,” he said.
For his listeners, he concluded, “A part of me will always be clouded in thoughts that surrounded me prior to and during the making of Celestial Swing, and contrary to what my meta thoughts were on this subject back then, I truly believe that they are a blessing. Without despair, there can be no hope. Without sadness, there can be no happiness. We all need contrasting experiences in order to become aware of and fully appreciate the existence of joy in life. The more intense any given feeling of pain may be, the more intense the inverse feeling of bliss will be on the other side. Songs in the style and carrying the vibes that my first project had will certainly find themselves back in my music sometime in the future, but for now it’s all positive vibes and groovy beats. Never forget where you come from, and always remember that the sun shines behind the clouds even when you can’t see it. Look out for Rabbit Whole dropping sometime in late summer of 2018. Sending peace and love to everyone who has supported me on my journey of self-discovery, get ready for some great music.”
To learn more about Sunny Mac, check him out on Facebook, and his website.
