Can you tell us about your musical background and how you got started in the industry? Was there a particular moment or experience that sparked your interest in music, and how did you develop your skills as a musician?

I went to an arts magnet for elementary school that had a sponsorship program with Apple to provide computers for the students, and through that I was able to take home a laptop to use at home in the 4th and 5th grade. I would just sit with Garageband for hours and sequence loops. I picked up guitar & bass a few years later and was playing in bands, got really into production in high school, then studied audio engineering in college and graduated a couple years ago.

What inspires your music and lyrics, and how do you ensure that your work is authentic to your own experiences? Are there any particular artists or genres that have had a significant influence on your music?

My lyrics are just inspired by my daily life. Writing like that helps me process what I’m going through, most of the time it’s reactive, but on rare occasion it can feel strangely predictive of what I’m going through emotionally but not yet fully aware of mentally. Tyler, the Creator and Mac Miller have probably been two of my most significant influences. Been listening to those guys since the early 2010s, watching the evolution in their writing and production over the years has been a huge inspiration.

How has your music evolved over time, and what have been some of the most significant changes to your sound or style? Have you intentionally sought to experiment with new styles or sounds, or has your music evolved more organically?

My sound definitely has seen a lot of evolution over the years, it’s definitely a reflection of what I’m listening to around that time, but it’s also a good measure of how much more self-assured I feel in what I’m doing creatively. I definitely have felt really self-conscious about my music in the past, and nowadays I feel like I’m hitting this stride where I’m just making what I want and worrying less about how it’s perceived. The most significant evolution I’ve noticed in my music has been abandoning the need to quantize everything perfectly to the grid. A few years after I was getting serious about production, I had a period where I was just listening to a lot of producers on Soundcloud like Ackryte, Psymun and SwuM and it was how I realized - oh, the groove and swing is in those slightly off-grid drum patterns, so now I’d say it’s rare for me to make a song where I don’t have a little swing in the drums.

Can you walk us through your creative process when writing and recording music, and discuss any particular rituals or practices that help you stay focused and motivated? How do you know when a song is finished or ready for release?

Usually I start off programming some drums and then trying to write some chords or a melody to it, a lot of times I’ll start from guitar and build off that. Once I have a solid 8/16 bar loop I can start writing - I don’t really worry as much about structuring out the track until I’ve got the writing squared away. I like watching something on TV when I work, it definitely can be kind of distracting but sometimes I need that distraction to force myself not to overthink what I’m working on. If you come over for a studio session at my place there’s a solid chance I’m either watching baseball, Seinfeld, or Ferris Bueller’s Day Off - I have no idea what it is about that movie but it has been on when I’ve made like 4 or 5 of my favorite songs. Generally I take forever and a day to actually finish a song, DIAMOND BEACH and a couple others off the new album were kind of exceptions to that rule and happened really quickly.

As an underground artist, what sets you apart from others in your genre, and how do you differentiate yourself in an increasingly crowded market? Are there any particular challenges or advantages to being an underground artist, and how have you navigated them?

That’s a tough one - there’s so many talented artists in the underground just in Nashville, let alone the whole world, so standing out is a huge challenge, but what I can say is that I think part of what makes me believe in what I’m doing is the spirit behind my music. With my music I’m trying to let everybody know there’s a space for them to be who they are. Whenever I was going through a rough time when I was younger, my mom would always say ‘just be nice’, and I think there was some karmic wholesomeness in that, so I’m trying to bring that energy to everything I do these days.

How do you approach collaboration with other artists, and what have been some of your most memorable collaborations to date? Are there any particular artists that you would love to collaborate with in the future?

I think it’s essential to be open-minded when collaborating, a lot of times seeing another person’s creative process in action inspires something different in me than if I had just sat and worked on something by myself.

The most memorable collaborations for me are the ones where it feels less about the music and more about the good times with friends. The second ca.mp3 event I hosted definitely comes to mind for that, it was like 40 or 50 of my favorite people to collaborate with in my house eating waffles together while taking a break from working on music. I don’t really remember any of the songs that were worked on that day but I do remember just laughing with friends and that was a sweet moment.

There’s a ton of musicians I’d love to collaborate with in the future; Jean Dawson, Redveil, Arlo Parks, SZA, Tyler, the Creator, Phoebe Bridgers, Psymun and Galimatias are all artists I’d immediately drop everything for and buy a plane ticket to work with them if they asked.

Your latest single "DIAMOND BEACH" was released on April 21. Could you tell us about the inspiration behind the song and your creative process in bringing it to life? What do you hope listeners take away from the song, and how does it fit into your broader body of work?

DIAMOND BEACH came about really quickly, which is not usually how it goes for me. It was made in my first session with Cam Herring, and we knocked out the instrumental in probably 2-3 hours, and within 24 hours I’d recorded all the vocals and it was just about done. When I listened back to the track, it felt like a perfect sonic depiction of this Icelandic beach I’d just visited with my family where icebergs wash up on the shore, so I named the song after that beach.I hope people hear the song and are reminded that their best is enough, that nothing has to be perfect to be valid. DIAMOND BEACH definitely feels like a good introduction to the rest of the new album I’ve been working on, so it felt like a good fit to be the first single.

How does "DIAMOND BEACH" compare to your previous work, and what do you hope listeners take away from the song? Are there any particular themes or messages that you explore in the song?

I think DIAMOND BEACH shows a lot of growth and evolution from my previous work in the writing and the vocals. I’ve definitely gotten more comfortable with my vocals since my last release and I feel like I’m doing more experimentation with vocal processing and arrangement on my new material.

Lyrically, DIAMOND BEACH is a sort of mantra for myself that who I am, and what I’m doing is enough, and that I don’t need to be perfect. That’s definitely something I’ve struggled with in this past, so to have a song where I can kind of chant a chorus like that feels pretty good.

How have your fans responded to "DIAMOND BEACH" so far, and what are your plans for promoting the single? Are there any particular strategies or platforms that you use to connect with your fans and build your audience?

The reception for DIAMOND BEACH has been great so far! As an independent artist I'm also my manager, publicist, booking agent, etc. so I've been putting a lot of hours in on the PR side of things pitching to a ton of blogs and playlists to promote. I grew up in the golden era of music blogs and found a lot of my favorite music from them, so I'm a big proponent of music blogs. I'm also very active in the local underground scene in Nashville here so I think that helps me connect with more people.

Are there any upcoming projects or releases that your fans can look forward to, and how do you decide which projects to pursue? How do you balance your creative vision with the commercial demands of the music industry?

I’ve got some more singles coming out in the next few months and then my 2nd LP probably near the end of the summer. I had a full album shaped and in the end stages of production about 18 months ago, but it wasn’t feeling like the next thing that I wanted to say after Solace. It was pretty somber, and it was a great exercise but I wanted my next body of work to be more uptempo so I started fresh. It’s material I’m still pretty happy with but it just didn’t feel like the next project to present people with. Generally I don’t worry about commercial viability, I’m just appreciative that anyone is listening at all. Maybe if there were pressure from a company behind me to do big sales numbers or something it’d weigh in on my decision making, but for now I pretty much just hang out with friends and make shit I want to listen to.

How do you engage with your fans online and in-person, and what role do they play in shaping your music and career? Do you feel that social media and other digital platforms have changed the way that artists interact with their fans?

Right now I myself am just focused on being a fan of local artists and a supportive figure in the underground scene in Nashville, I feel like that kind of stuff is essential for the success of a scene. I’ve hosted 4 songwriting & production events called ca.mp3 over the past 15 months which are basically just a big studio lock-in over the course of a weekend. They usually end up having 60-80 artists, producers, photographers and creatives getting together to collaborate and network, and it’s been amazing getting to know a ton of talented artists and musicians, and helping introduce them to other creatives. I’m trying to book some shows for the next few months, actually haven’t played any of my material publicly yet, but have started rehearsing with a band earlier in the spring in preparation for that. Social media is definitely a good tool for reaching a wide audience, but I really feel like it's important to build a solid foundation of supporters in your city because those are almost always the day one fans; you don't want to go off on a big tour and then have the venue near empty at the homecoming show.

When facing creative blocks or setbacks in your career, what strategies do you use to stay motivated and inspired? Are there any particular individuals or resources that you turn to for support or guidance?

If I'm in a moment where I'm not inspired and I have to force myself to sit and make music, I'll work on other creative outlets to get inspired again. I recently have been working on some small woodworking and painting projects separate from music, and when I come back to music after doing something like that, I have a fresh perspective. It's also really enjoyable for me to make physical art to go as companion pieces with my music.

What do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities for underground artists like yourself in the current music industry landscape? Are there any particular trends or changes in the industry that you are excited or concerned about?

AI is definitely going to be an interesting thing to deal with for artists across the board - that AI Drake & The Weeknd song that went viral a few weeks back kind of showed that people will definitely listen to AI music. I think that's gonna push artists to experiment more with their sound to stand out, since AI is just analyzing previous works it won't be able to think outside of the box as much as an artist with an open mind.

Looking back on your career, what have been some of your proudest accomplishments and most memorable moments, and what have you learned from them? Are there any particular milestones or achievements that you are still working towards?

Every release feels like an accomplishment for me, for probably the first 7-8 years of producing I didn't release anything, so doing it now is always cathartic. Each time I do release something new, I kind of have this moment where I go, 'Oh - that wasn't so terrifying. I should do this more'. Still a lot to work towards which is really motivating! Aiming for a GRAMMY but that's mostly so I can mix chocolate chip waffle batter in an interesting container.

What are your plans for the future, and how do you envision your music and career evolving over the next few years? Are there any particular goals or aspirations that you hope to achieve, and what steps are you taking to make them a reality?

I'm excited for the next chapter with my music, the first step is trying to make it my full-time. Really working towards getting a publishing deal, and getting out on tour. I make sure to take some steps every day to get closer, and I'm sure that progress will pay off sooner than later.