We're thrilled to have you as our next guest artist on NS Radio! Before we dive into your music, can you share some background about yourself and your journey into the music industry? What inspired you to become an underground artist, and what are some of the highlights of your career so far?
I go by the name of glibs, I was born and raised in the midwest, the first time I sat down at the piano was at the age of 4 and ever since then music has played a very important role in my life. I knew from a very young age that I wanted to do what I do now. When I got to high school I was introduced to the world of Soundcloud. Inspiration was at all time high and I wanted to be apart of this community of producers and artists more than I wanted anything else. Fast forward to now, I’m very happy with how far I’ve come since then. From being featured on Soulection Radio, getting my songs on TV shows, and to working side by side with artists I’ve looked up to since 15 years old. I feel that I still have a long ways to go but it’s good to step back and acknowledge the hard work I’ve put in over the years.
Your music is known for having a very unique and alternative sound, which sets you apart from other musicians. Can you walk us through your creative process and how you developed your signature style? Are there any specific artists or genres that have influenced your music, and if so, how?
My creative process has stemmed from years of trial and error. I’m a big believer in just making a lot of shit and then finding what resonates best with myself. So I’ve always pushed myself to find that balance between output and quality. If you’ve been along for my journey ever since I started releasing music in high school, you would be able to see my growth over each year, because I’ve always put a lot of music on display. I no longer feel vulnerable when releasing these very intimate songs that I make because I ripped that band-aid off many years ago. I’ve been very inspired by producer/recording artists like PARTYNEXTDOOR. In my opinion PARTY is one of the greatest songwriters of our generation and I strive to get on that same level with goals of writing hits for other artists as well.
Your tracks "Lockbox" and "Smile" have received a lot of attention and praise from fans and critics alike. Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind those songs, and how they fit into your overall music style? Additionally, how do you approach the songwriting process, and what are some of the key elements that you focus on when creating new music?
These two tracks I feel are a few of my cult classics so I’m happy you asked about these. The inspiration for “Smile” came from my optimistic viewpoint on life. The hook being “first thing I do when I wake up, smile cause I made another one” I wanted to spread that message of every day being a blessing, because it is. I’ve always tried to spread positivity through music because if I’m going to impact people in any way, I hope for it to be in a positive way. “Lock Box” encapsulates the other half of me as an artist. The lover, the player, the romantic in me. Majority of the time I’m writing songs about women and that’s just a face. It’s just an endless source of inspiration for me. “Lock Box” stems from one of my experiences of love. “Take my heart, put it in a lock box” is based on me giving my whole heart to somebody. I’ve never shied away from opening up and expressing real emotion through music, which is funny because outside of music that’s actually quite a challenge for me.
As an underground artist, you've been able to build a dedicated following and establish your brand in the industry. Can you share with us some of the challenges you've faced along the way, and how you've been able to overcome them? What advice would you give to other artists who are just starting out and looking to make a name for themselves?
First things first, I’ll never sacrifice my originality or my passion for creating music. If this stops giving me joy, what’s the point. That’s not why I started in the first place. I believe that’s definitely something that has helped set myself apart and grow a fan base over the years. So my best advice to anybody starting out is to experiment, find your style that you love, and double down on it. The worst thing I feel that you could do at the early stages is to worry about the numbers. Instead I would encourage one to focus on impacting the people who are already there supporting you no matter how many people that might be. It’s influence over clout every day of the week.
We noticed that your playlist includes a mix of your own songs and other artists who inspire you. Can you tell us more about your song selection process and what criteria you use when choosing tracks to include? Are there any specific themes or messages that you aim to convey through your playlist, and if so, what are they?
I wanted to paint a good picture of my style and artistry with this playlist by starting with the positive, laid back tracks, and then moving into the to more emotional, rnb, love songs that I just can’t get enough of. I had to throw in a little bit of everything that I’ve been inspired by recently, from Jack Johnson to Sahbabii to Sade. As for picking songs of my own, I wanted to highlight a few of my personal favorites that might not get as much recognition as some of my other tracks. Hoping you find some new gems on here that you haven’t yet heard.