“The original concept for ‘Wolf’ came about during a late-night studio session with a couple of friends whom I collaborate with frequently,” he said. “It was an entirely different song until a session with DeathbyRomy ultimately led to the song that was released. She wrote an entirely different song inspired by a line in the original demo ‘when the wolf cries…'”
On his music and songwriting inspirations, he said, “I grew up on 90’s and early 2000’s hip-hop, which has influenced me heavily throughout my career. I’ve also always loved great pop music with catchy, timeless hooks, melodies, and arrangements.”
“More recently I’ve been inspired by the cutting-edge sound design techniques we hear in EDM records. Being able to borrow inspiration and appreciate the nuances from different genres is what has allowed me to be a successful touring DJ in the first place, and is really at the core of everything I do musically,” he elaborated.
Regarding his plans for the future, he said, “Continuing to push and develop my skills as a DJ, producer, songwriter, and all-around music person. I’m eager to continue releasing music from my own project, as well as producing and developing other artists, songwriters, and fellow producers.”
On being an artist in the digital age, he said, “For the most part it’s a blessing. Technology has leveled the playing field and provided so many tools for artists to utilize. From the actual creation of music to releasing, promoting, reaching your fans, and everything in between.”
“On the flip side, it definitely has watered down and it has made music feel a bit more disposable,” he said. It can feel grueling at times, especially with the number of social media platforms to keep up with and the pressure of constantly creating content so the algorithms don’t suppress you even more. Overall, the pros heavily outweigh the cons and with all these tools at our disposal, there really is no excuse to thrive as an artist in the digital age.”
He opened up about life during the quarantine. “Given the circumstances, I’ve been well. This year has been transformational on many levels for me as an artist and overall human being. I think for most people it’s been a reflective period that has allowed us to reset and focus on what’s important in our lives. And for that, I’m grateful and continue to remain confident we will all be stronger and wiser when this pandemic is finally over.
For young and aspiring artists, he said, “Study the classics. And when you think you’ve studied enough, study some more. Especially the music of the 1970s. Learn the technical side of recording and engineering. Learn how to create and edit photos and videos. Be self-sustainable.”
He continued, “Learn how to promote your music and content through social media and digital marketing techniques. Build a community and connect with your audience as early as possible. Bring them into your world and make them a part of your journey. These are the core fans that will share your music, buy tickets and merch, and allow you to grow as an artist. All of this info is a click away on YouTube.”
Regarding his dream collaboration choices in music, he responded, “I would like to work with Quincy Jones, Dr. Dre, Kanye West, Mark Ronson, Pharrell, Timbaland, or DJ Premier.”
For his fans, he concluded about “Wolf,” “Just a thank you to everyone who has streamed, shared, and supported the song and video. Lots more music coming in 2021 with some artists you may be familiar with.”
