Arhin Slim, an up-and-coming artist in the music industry, recently released his latest album "VillainMusic". In this interview, Arhin talks about the inspiration behind this project, how personal experiences and external influences shaped the creative direction, and the specific message he had in mind when he began working on it. He also compares this project to his previous releases and highlights the differences, both musically and thematically. Arhin provides insight into his creative process, including how he approaches writing and recording his music and the role of collaboration in his music-making. Additionally, Arhin talks about the overall sound and vibe of "VillainMusic" and the significance of the album cover in relation to the music. He shares what he hopes listeners will take away from this album and how he wants his music to impact and inspire others. Finally, Arhin discusses his goals for the future and offers advice for up-and-coming artists trying to make a name for themselves in the industry. Read on to learn more about Arhin Slim and his creative journey.
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your new project, "VillainMusic"? What were some of the personal experiences or external influences that shaped the creative direction of this album? Did you have a specific message or concept in mind when you began working on it?
My project “VillainMusic” was inspired by losses, failure, shortcomings, procrastination, disappointment, anxiety, worry, doubt and all low things in this life. These were things i was feeling before the inception of the project. I was and I am currently going through various trying times and identity issues which caused me to look at life from the viewpoint of a Villain. Someone who is unable to breakthrough. So the theme of VillainMusic is just the soundtrack to my life and the feeling of everything being against me. The concept in mind i had wanted to give my listeners was a wide variety of emotions within a short amount of time, which is a depiction of my life at the time of recording the project. Somedays the highs were excellent and very quickly change to lows. The project starts off very dark, and very moody. However, it quickly changes to upbeat, shining, happy tones. And then ends back on a dark note. I felt like giving my real personal introspection on songs like “at my lowest” was important because I want to show listeners that I’m not always happy and always going through fun times even if I am having fun time at the time.
How does this album differ from your previous releases, both musically and thematically? Were there any specific goals or challenges you set for yourself while creating this project, and how do you feel you were able to achieve them?
This project is different from my previous releases, because it depicts a different point of my life, in comparison to my previous projects, where I was at a happier point in my life. Sonically I also made this project very seamless in transition in attempt to get the listener to go through the feeling of one feeling to another feeling to the next feeling, without realizing that this song has changed. I feel like that was my biggest goal along with recording the project within consecutive amount of time where I was able to harbour the feeling of “Villain”.
What was your creative process like for this project? Did you work alone, or did you collaborate with other artists or producers? How did you approach the writing and recording process, and how did this differ from your previous projects?
In terms of the recording process and everything I usually work alone. Because at this point in my career, I’m so locked in on what particular sounds I want on my voice & how to engineer myself to fit exactly how i want. In regards to producers, I’ve collaborated with a lot of producers on the Internet that I felt perfectly fit the style of what I was trying to go for and fully executed that goal. This project I wanted to go for an alternative, hard-hitting, dark moody style. In terms of my writing and recording process, I picked my beats first, and then I played the beats until I formulate some thing in my head. Once I formulate the melody and the flow then I go on the mic and I just go. I don’t write my lyrics down, because I go based purely off of how I feel on the song, and I record the first thing off the top of my head, and then I polish it up. This project also differs from my previous projects because the recording process of the previous projects with more long mapped out processes Where I would write down the lyrics and take time and go over, beat by beat. However, I’ve change that, because I feel that the goal of my artistry is to make people feel. I want to create songs that make you feel. Whether that would be feel happy, I feel like you wanna dance feel like you in the movie feel like you wanna travel, I wanna make people feel.
Can you discuss a specific track on the album and what it means to you? What inspired the lyrics, melody, and overall sound of this track? Were there any challenges you faced while creating it, and how did you overcome them?
The song 365 means so much to me because I feel like it is a perfect depiction of my current life where I am living in a blur of the moment. This correlates with the song because I feel that sonically this song is very trance like And it makes you not focus on the lyrics, but just enjoy the space and the beat and everything about the song. Very much like my current life where I try my hardest not to live my issues but to just “fuck it we ball” through life no matter how much is against me at the time. The beat inspired everything about the song. I didn’t want to change too much, I didn’t wanna overpower the beat, I wanted to blend right in with the beat so I can give an atmosphere to the listener to just lose yourself in the song and to dance. I believe that music like this is very powerful in taking away overthinking, worry, & doubt. Music should allow people to free themselves and to imagine things, and that was what i did for this song.
What was the biggest challenge you faced while creating this album, and how were you able to overcome it? Did you encounter any unexpected obstacles or setbacks, and how did these impact the final product?
The biggest challenge I had while creating this project was my time management. Trying to balance all my responsibilities and then coming back to record my music which I put a lot of energy into is very difficult because sometimes I may not have all the energy to put my everything into the song. So I may go days just thinking about “ok do I feel like I’m ready to record this song?” Before i actually do because i need to have the energy the listener is gonna take from the track. In the end, I really just had to zone in and get that energy out of me so that would be able to record the way I needed this project to come out. Some setbacks would actually be the fact that I do record, mix, master my own music. One day I’ll be listening to my songs and I would say “nah this isn’t it” and other days it’s everything i envisioned. A very odd fascinating thing that i have learned to just give time for a fresh ear to come back and re listen to the music.
How do you feel this album represents your growth as an artist? In what ways have you evolved musically and personally since your previous releases, and how do you see this reflected in "VillainMusic"?
I feel like this release represents my growth as an artist Because I was able to use a period of time in my life to generate emotion towards my music in which I’ll be able to then portray back to the listener to understand how I was feeling during that time. I also feel like with every release I am getting better and better at perfecting my sound. I feel like now as an artist, I am perfecting my vocals, my singing, and my harmonies. I also feel like I am unattached to a genre, even though I do list my music as hip-hop music, but I feel like the goal of music to not have a genre. It is what it is. Either its beautiful to you, loved by some, or none at all. I feel like filling Music is the perfect example of this because throughout the project there is various types of production where we cannot really label it hip-hop or rap or trap or R&B.
Can you talk about the role of collaboration in your music-making process? How do you choose who to work with, and what do you look for in a collaborator? How do you balance your individual artistic vision with the ideas and input of others?
The biggest area of collaboration that I do as artist is my work with producers/Beat-makers. Most times I form relationships off of the Internet via YouTube and its the best way for me to connect with producers because i can find exactly what i want. When working with producers, I like to work with people who have the same ear or a similar ear to me in sonics and feel in their beats. I like to work with producers, who are versatile in their sound, and can branch out to different genres if they would like to. I feel like not being down to a genre as a producer is the biggest thing Because you’re able to create new sounds and you’re able to set new examples for the future. My goal is to create new not repeat tradition. So this all starts with the beats. I’m able to balance my creative vision with the input of another artist by listening, by being open, and by being willing to learn. However, if I do feel my way, is the best way to Austin to my way, but I’m very open to listening to other people in the collaboration process.
How do you balance staying true to your artistic vision while also appealing to your audience? In what ways do you consider the preferences and expectations of your listeners, and how do you incorporate these into your music without compromising your artistic integrity?
I feel like in order to grow as an artist you need to have your artistic vision first and foremost because the more you listen to your supporters the more they control what you are able to make and what you think they want to hear which puts you as an artist in the worst spot where you’re just making the same thing over and over again because you feel like that was gonna get stream the most. For me that’s not what art is about. It is about stepping back away from your canvas and just keep going at it in a new perspective each time. All that matters is that you as the artist are putting you into the music. However, I do know what sound my audience gravitates to, and I have no fear in making those songs because that is a part of my style so I gladly make those songs and will continue too. However evolving is my number 1 goal.
How would you describe the overall sound and vibe of "VillainMusic"? What emotions or experiences do you hope to evoke in your listeners, and how do you use your music to communicate these?
The overall sound & vibe, in VillainMusic I wanted to portray is like a grey / dark world while listening from front to back. I wanted the soundscape to be dark however, also being able to be played in a sunny atmosphere with some tracks like embrace, WWWFD?, & Not today. But i don’t like to make music for seasons. I like to make music for feeling. I wanted to make this a trance like tape the listener could play and vibe out too.
Can you discuss the significance of the album cover and its relation to the music? What inspired the design and concept behind the artwork, and how does this relate to the themes and messages of the album?
The significance of the album cover in relation to the music is that the four persons on the cover all represent the different sides of my villain so sometimes I feel that yes, I am one person but there’s multiple sides to me likewise in this tape there are multiple different type of records and different types of moods on the tape. The cover is also inspired by a mugshot where I drew inspiration from villain characters like the joker, and it will be continued with a series where I build upon that same idea in the same aspects of first the mug shot, and then It’ll be something else, and then something else to build on top of that also. It relates to the album because it shows that on the cover it is me as a person Arhinslim, However, the same guy can also be a villain. But from my point of view, I’m only trying to do what it takes to win.
What message do you hope listeners take away from this album? How do you want your music to impact and inspire others, and what do you hope people will remember about "VillainMusic" after listening to it?
The message I want my listeners to take away from VillainMusic Is that no matter what position you are in life always drive always keep going at your goals, even if it feels like the world is against you because one day you might get there and even if you feel like you won’t get there you should keep going because that’s what you said out to do and that’s what you should do. Chasing your dreams feels wrong sometimes because it feels like you’re wasting time or you’re investing all your energy, money and power into something that is not gonna mount anything but because you believe in it, you can do it. I want people to remember how I made them feet on this project, how they vibe to it, I want to take them back to the place when they first heard it when they hear it again in another space. I want listeners to enjoy this music with her friends, I want listeners to enjoy this music live, I want listeners to experience and feel this music in their own lives.
How have your personal experiences influenced the themes and lyrics on this album? Were there any specific moments or events that inspired certain songs or messages on the album, and how did you translate these into your music?
I put my life into Music so regardless of if the track is a happy song, sad song, mellow song, it all comes from my personal life and I’ll use my feelings and situations to put in my music so that the real feelings conveyed within my music. However, to be very particular, the song at my lowest came from a very personal place, where I felt like I was trapped in my life, and that I was by myself and people that I was depending on I couldn’t look towards them they left me for dead. And this also goes with the song confetti, where I share the same sentiment. Another song that I put a lot of personal life into was “lookingatmyself” where I kind of like, sing a mantra of “lately i been looking at my self.” Where i Share with the viewer that I’ve been self, reflecting, and self, analyzing myself to correct, and heal myself with whatever damage and grief that has been done upon me.
Can you discuss any standout moments or memories from the recording process? Were there any particularly challenging or rewarding experiences that you had while creating this album, and how did these impact the final product?
East End I’ll moment from recording this project would be when I finish recording 365. I was over the moon when I heard the final version because it was everything I wanted it to be. I knew exactly how I envisioned it in my head and it became like that, so I was very glad. With the flow, the vocal level, the way the beat knocks. Everything is perfect about it to me! And i hope when i get to perform it people will feel what i put into it.
How do you see your music evolving in the future? What goals or ambitions do you have for your future releases, and how do you hope to continue growing and developing as an artist?
I see my myself evolving with my music in branching out, trying different genres being more experimental. I’m also looking to be more consistent in my drops. I want the world to feel my music on the world to my music and I want the world to experience my music. I hope to keep developing as an artist by keeping my ear open to new sounds, trying new things experiencing new things in life which give me new, creative thoughts, ideas, imagination, and imagery.
Finally, what advice do you have for up-and-coming artists who are trying to make a name for themselves in the music industry? What lessons have you learned throughout your career, and how have these shaped your approach to music-making and navigating the industry?
My advice to the new artists coming up trying to make it into music industry would be to focus on building your sound, come up with producers that know your sound and know how you like to work and know your voice. I would also advise new artist not to be too eager to jump at prospects or opportunities that they feel like they may need in order to jump to the next level the next level. It will come and it will take you gracefully to the next level you don’t have to fight to get to the next level or battle with it, it will come. Thats what i believe. Everything you think you need is with in you. All you gotta focus on is funny people who mess with your sound mess with your vision to understand you. Getting people to understand you is the biggest goal as an artist once you get that then you’ve won.