Success for Underground Artists: A Guide to Building a Sustainable Music Career

Starting a music career can be exciting, but it can also be tough, especially if you're an underground artist. It's a competitive industry, and burnout is a common pitfall for young artists. However, with the right mindset and strategies, you can grow your career consistently and avoid burnout. In this article, we'll explore some tips and strategies to help you build a successful music career.

Focus on developing your unique sound and style

The music industry is saturated with talented artists, so it's essential to stand out from the crowd. To do this, you need to focus on developing your unique sound and style. Find your niche and focus on honing your skills and creating music that sets you apart from the rest. This could involve experimenting with different genres, incorporating different instruments, or exploring different production techniques.

Build a strong online presence

In today's digital age, a strong online presence is crucial for any artist looking to grow their career. Make sure to have a professional website and active social media accounts where you can share your music, connect with fans, and promote your events and releases. Platforms like SoundCloud, Bandcamp, and YouTube are great places to share your music and reach a wider audience.

Network with other artists and industry professionals

Networking is crucial in any industry, and the music industry is no exception. Attend concerts, music events, and festivals, and take advantage of opportunities to meet and connect with other artists and industry professionals. Building relationships and collaborating with other artists can lead to new opportunities and exposure for your music.

Collaborate with other artists

Collaborating with other artists can be a great way to gain new exposure, learn from others, and expand your musical horizons. Find artists whose music you admire and reach out to see if they're interested in collaborating. This could lead to a new sound, new fans, and new opportunities for your music career.

Focus on your mental and physical health

As a young artist, it's important to take care of yourself, both mentally and physically. Touring and recording can be demanding and stressful, and it's essential to prioritize your health to avoid burnout. Make sure to take breaks, exercise regularly, and engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation. Also, consider seeking support from a therapist or counselor if you need it.

Be consistent and focused

Consistency is key when it comes to growing your music career. Make sure to release new music regularly and maintain a steady presence on social media. This will keep your fans engaged and interested in your music. Additionally, stay focused on your goals and never lose sight of what you want to achieve in your career.

Utilize digital marketing strategies

Finally, utilizing digital marketing strategies can help you reach new fans and grow your music career. Consider investing in online advertising, such as social media ads and Google AdWords campaigns, to promote your music and reach new fans. You can also use email marketing to keep in touch with your fans and let them know about your latest releases and events. Partnering with music blogs and websites is another great way to gain exposure and reach a new audience.

In conclusion, starting a music career as a young underground artist can be a journey full of challenges, but with the right approach, you can grow your career consistently and avoid burnout. By focusing on developing your unique sound and style, building a strong online presence, networking with other artists and industry professionals, collaborating with other artists, taking care of your mental and physical health, being consistent and focused, and utilizing digital marketing strategies, you'll be well on your way to building a successful and sustainable music career.

Remember, the key to success in the music industry is to stay true to yourself and never give up on your dreams. It's a challenging journey, but with persistence and hard work, you can achieve your goals and make a lasting impact on the music world.

Sources:

This article was written with the assistance of ChatGPT, a large language model developed by OpenAI.


Xabiel Lucia

Xabiel Lucia, welcome to Nefarious Supply we are excited to finally feature you on the platform for 2023. To get the interview started tell us about yourself, who is Xabiel Lucia, what experiences have influenced you as an artist, and how has your experience been so far as an underground artist?

Hello i am Xabiel Lucia, an up & coming artist from the beautiful city of New Orleans. I am the everyday person, I am as normal as a random guy walking passed you on the streets, the one thing that separates me would have to be my art such as my music, the sounds that i put out into the world. 

I’ve been inspired by many, coming from the islands I first fell in love with my native music which is Bachata & other melodies with guitars, drums, & other instruments that just make you want to dance or cry lol depending on how it makes ya feel. Coming to the states at a young age was very important for my family & in the long run it was also important for me because it allowed me to change it made me into who I am today. Many american artists have touched my heart like Michael Jackson,Lil wayne, Travy McCoy, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Ole Dirty Bastard, MF DOOM so on so force, other artist that aren’t from the states but did exactly what im doing like M.I.A., Rihanna, & others that I can’t quite remember atm.  My experience as an underground artist isn’t so bad, I’m in my beginning stages, is a little ruff yeah sometimes I feel like quitting off course, I never really have the balls to do it I don’t know why something just doesn’t want me to stop I guess. I love it all. 

NOLA seems like a bedrock of talent, we've featured a number of artists from the area including Lango and Three65 and they've had nothing but positive things to say about the area. So tell us about your experience in NOLA, what the underground scene is like out there, and how this area influenced you and your sound? 

The city’s amazing, the culture is so fascinating, i like it. I hate the people, the underground scene is filled with ZOMBIES, walking copies of the same person. The love/support is kept for a specific group of people, I’m not in the list. Is okay. That’s all i have to say.

What artists would you say have had the biggest influence on you and your sound, and what artists have you been listening to?

Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Kendrick fookin Lamar. The man is a different breed of human a different artist when he touches the mic, i can fanboy all day but i wont. Let me keep it short he’s helped me in ways no one has ever done. He truly is a special person to me and his music will always live with me for now and then. 

What are some of your favorite albums right now?

Mr.Morale & The Big Steppers, ANTI (Rihanna), I Rest My Case (Youngboy Never Broke Again)

Xabiel it's insane how good your production is! Walk us through your creative process from beginning to end, and how do you know when you have something you're ready to share with fans?

Thank you, nowadays is a little bit harder for me to find inspiration just because I’ve been doing it for a while so it’s not like how it used to be where I could listen to a beat and I’m instantly hard for music. No it’s not like that anymore. Oh, I have to truly feel a certain way with myself and with the environment and with everything, I can’t just get on any beat nowadays. Don’t get it wrong though I’m still working a lot. 

I know exactly when something is ready to be shared with my friends/fans whenever I put my headphones down and walk away from my microphone and I hit play and I start fookin dancing to what I just made. That’s when I know I’m ready to share.

Right now you have three projects out that we've really enjoyed; "Ush Up World", “Iheart×l”, and” l'm Home”. Tell us about these projects including what inspired them, the creative process and timeline behind each, and out of the three which project is your favorite.

Thank you for tuning in, Ush Up World comes from a happy & exciting place, it truly  is a masterpiece & one day it’ll see the light of day. IheartXl was made simply bc i can, i have the privilege to do so, GOD gave me the tools so im utilizing them, simple as that. I’M HOME is a special peace to me, the backstory behind it is kinda personal so i won’t speak on it. Thank you. 

There’s no favorites. 

Across your discography you've worked with a number of talented artists including Mdmlil1, Staxx, Lango, Mvddmvcc, and more. How does your creative process change when collabing with other artists, and what's your favorite aspect about working with other artists?

Whenever i work with peopll, the first few words are thank you for the honors, are you ready to make music, that implies that we are about to kill it in ways that will get us locked up for life. Everyone has shown a different side of themselves when it comes to working with me & i love it. Never box yourself in.

If you could go back in time to when you first started your journey, what's one piece of advice you would tell your self? 

Keep your ears open & your mouth chirping.   

Shout some friends out you think we should feature on here.  

Neno Fresh, neno is like the older brother i never had, he actually inspired me to start recording music, i use to write poetry. Saudii, saudii is also another dominican aritst who stands out so much, & he’s in connections with a very important person who I won’t say much about. Last but not least my brother Bebe Static, my day one, a true talent sent from idk where lol.  

So what's next for 2023? 

Im definitely making it.  

Any last words?

Music lives, you don’t. -xL

Artists to Look Out - January 2023

 

Leastfavorite

Leastfavorite, also known as lfav, is an upcoming multi-faceted underground artist, who provides vocals, production, and imagery to her music all on her own accord. Breaking out with her newest project, isomorph, the young artist has shown that she is able to create beautiful art that will stand the test of time! Her sound delves more into electronic spaces with hints of many other genres, such as alt-rock, rap, and pop mixed within! Trust me, once you’ve listened to her, she’ll be on your playlist.

Corefish

Corefish is an artist that caught our ear off the first listen to his debut album, “SPLIT”. His sultry, energetic, and wanting vocal tones, mixed with fantastic production and engineering put you in another world entirely. Corefish talks about love, self-actualization, coming into your own in an unknown world, and ultimately trying your best to be okay, even when you don’t know how. He’s an amazing talent and is definitely on our radar this year. 

Kurtis

Kurtis has been on fire since mid-2022 with the release of his tracks “walking in the fog” and “brittle bones”. The latter, specifically, would land him a longtime collaborative relationship with producer, grayskies, who would go on to make the groundwork for Kurtis’s other big hits like hide n seek with Rouri404, arsonist, and his newest release, inertia. Kurtis helms a haunting yet powerful voice and his unique tone of voice gives adds itself as a perfect device for his great storytelling.

Leyton

We found Leyton on Soundcloud through listening to Leastfavorite and found her music to be cathartic and her lyrics infectiously deep. Leyton has been in an ongoing collaboration with producer typhoon, who has laid the groundwork for her last five singles, and this duo’s ability to create a catchy, endearing, yet heavy-hitting piece of music is astonishing and captivating. Please listen to more Leyton this year! We promise you won’t be disappointed!

Visions

Visions has been a big part of the underground community for a while now, having originated under the now-disbanded collective, gunrange, Vision’s soon took the underground by storm with his collaboration track give up, with vizzi, before following it up with the even more popular “replay” with rans0m! Vision’s uses heavy voice processing and a high-pitched, melodic flow that cuts through the heavy 808s surrounding his production. Visions is on the rise and should be on your playlist today!

Thrml

Thrml has an incredibly deep tone of voice which makes his style of singing that much more enveloping. With his husky delivery and the bounce and levity his beat choices, Thrml constructs a sturdy field for his vocals to play on. He writes amazing music and should be on everyone’s radar in the new year. Listen to his new track “ticking away” featuring himiko and sqeffy!

Drama Trial

Drama Trial is a newcomer to the scene that broke out doing something radical by today’s standards. They would release a song every single day. No joke, every day. The beauty of this was that every song was completely unrecognizable from the last, and the production quality of each was immensely impressive. Their song (re)percussions hit like no other in its second half, leaving you in shock and awe, from its incredibly weighted 808s and basslines, to Drama Trial’s beautifully distorted vocal style. Definitely an artist we’re excited to see more from!

Tokimi

Tokimi provides a breath of fresh air to fans of pop and alternative music. A newcomer in the scene, Tokimi has a unique sound that can’t really be described in many words. The ones that do come to mind are usually “experimental”, “breathtaking”, and “pretty”. From his incredible layers to his anthemic and aesthetically pleasing production, Tokimi is a heavy hitter that needs more attention this year!

Noozi - Losing

Noozi welcome to Nefarious Supply, to get this interview started tell us about your self. Who is Noozi, how long have you been an artist and how has your experience been so far?

Thank you so much! I’m so happy we get to do this. So, a little about me… I’m an R&B singer-songwriter, born and raised in Florida. I’m from Jacksonville, Florida and moved to Nashville, Tennessee about 2 years ago. I have been singing my whole life, but really I say I’ve been an artist for 2 years now. That is when I put everything else aside and started to pursue music as a career.

My artist experience so far, truthfully, has been a challenging but beautiful one. There are two sides to being an artist. I have felt a lot of frustration. I have had to do a lot of inner work and grow a ton in order to get to this current release. I can be super hard on myself, and as an artist there is a lot of pain that comes along with creating. However, it has been so fulfilling and enjoyable at the same time. I have learned so much about music and about myself. Seeing all the hard work pay off is always worth it. I am getting to work with so many talented people and experience so much because of it. I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.

How’d you come up with the name Noozi?

Noozi comes from my last name. My friend came up with it when we were in highschool and since then it has just stuck. The name just feels like me. Before I started using it as my artist name it was a nickname my closest friends used for me, and I thought that was really cool. It was like the people that knew me the best would call me Noozi and the rest would call me by my government. With music being the most authentic version of myself, it only felt right to use that as my artist name.

Where are you based out of and how’s the underground music scene in the area?

I’m currently based out of Nashville, TN. The underground music scene here is so rich. The reason I moved here is because of all the talent I saw developing here, especially in the Hip-Hop and R&B scene. It’s crazy. It is definitely beginning to gain some attention, and it is well-deserved. I have met some of my best friends here and am amongst the most talented creatives, musicians, artists, photographers, all that. I feel really blessed to be a part of it at this moment in time. It feels like we’re making history.

What’s your favorite aspect of being an artist?

The therapeutic role it plays in my life. I have a real tough time feeling centered sometimes and music can really get me there. When I am writing and creating, often alone, is when I feel most connected to life and the universe and myself. It’s healing. Then, taking that and being able to do that with people is even crazier. Creating with people in the studio or connecting to people on stage can be one of the most energizing experiences for me. It is two very different feelings, but they both feel like they just give me life.

Which artists would you say have had the biggest influence on you and your music, and if you could name three must listen albums what would they be?

Some of the artists that have had the biggest influence on me and my music, in no particular order, are Erykah Badu, India Arie, Frank Ocean, Lauryn Hill, Jennifer Hudson, Jazmine Sullivan, Rihanna, Aaliyah, Otis Redding, Sza, Solange, and J. Cole. The main thing I love about all of these artists is how soulful they are. They have developed the skill of telling a story and really making you feel it. 

Ooo, three must-listen albums is a tough question for me… I’ll say Channel Orange, Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, and A Seat at the Table.

Tell us about your new song “Losing”, what inspired it, who helped you with production, and more on the creative process around it.

“Losing” is my first release ever. It’s crazy to say. I didn’t plan on waiting this long, but I’m glad I took my time and love how it’s all playing out. “Losing” was in the works for a while. I wrote it about a year after I moved to Nashville. Just me in my little bedroom studio, in my feels. The song is about a toxic relationship and how difficult it can be to let go. It encapsulates the frustration, pain, and epiphany moment that comes along with a toxic heartbreak. Trying to get through to someone and wishing they would change, but then finally realizing it isn’t on them to change, it’s on you to stop putting up with it. That is what “Losing” is. It is that realization that the relationship you're in is just “L” after “L” after “L” and you deserve better. It hurts, but it’s just as freeing as it is painful, deciding to finally let go.

At the time of writing “Losing”, I still didn’t know anyone in Nashville, especially in music. So I was stuck with this really rough demo and had no idea of how to get it to a final product. It wasn’t until I started meeting people at Jack Vinoy’s first writing camp (shoutout Jack!) in February of 2022 that I finally started to be able to get it into the proper hands. I ended up working with SCiFY and Pete Eddins on it, who are now two of my favorite people to work with. SCiFY produced the track and Pete mixed and mastered it. My next couple releases are with them. I feel so grateful to have found such a great team to work with.

I wanted to do a visual along with the release. It being my first release, this was also my first music video. I was mad nervous because it was totally new territory for me and way out of my comfort zone, but it ended up being such a dope experience. BlackStarVisions produced the video and it was really just me and him the whole way through. Thank goodness for his patience with me, because it definitely took me a second to get comfortable in front of the camera. I am so glad I did it, though. I love the way it turned out, and I really enjoyed the experience. Definitely check out the video if you haven’t!

Tell us about your overall creative process from beginning to end, what steps do you take to get you in the zone, and how do you know when you have a song you really like?

My favorite way to write my music is alone in my studio with a lot of time to kill. It takes me a few minutes to get into a flow, but once I do I’m in there for hours. It’s the best. Oftentimes, it can be hard for me to open up or sort out my thoughts and feelings. When I hear certain chords or tracks, it’s like a key that unlocks all of that and allows my emotions to just pour out into these lyrics and melodies. It’s so therapeutic for me. To find the right track to write to, I like to just take a couple splice loops and make a really quick beat from there. That will be the foundation for the song. It’s almost always the beat or a nice chord progression first, then I freestyle melodies and lyrics over it. From there, I’ll just keep building on it. Then, once I have recorded the vocals and decided I like the song enough, I’ll take it to a producer to help me pull it all together.


I usually know right away if it is a song I like based on the feeling I get. It’s tough to explain. It’s just a vibe, really. If I am not overthinking and I am just letting the music pour out of me without trying to control it too much, those are almost always the best songs. The feeling is there the whole time, so I don’t have to really think about it or question anything.

So what’s next for you in 2023, what are some big goals you hope to accomplish before the end of the year?

This year feels like the very beginning. This is all new territory for me, so I don’t exactly know what to expect from 2023 yet. My goal is to stay locked in and be in a position to seize every opportunity as it comes. I have a ton to learn, so my main intentions for this year are to really focus on refining my skills musically and artistically and continue to write and create. I would really like to release a few more songs before the year ends. I have two in particular I am currently really excited about. That, and my focus is on performing a lot more. Live shows, 2023!!

For brand new singers looking to get started in 2023 what’s some advice you would give?

Hmm… I guess I would say to trust your gut, because that will guide you in the right direction. If you’re ever confused or not sure of what to do next, you always have that internal compass you can turn to that’ll never steer you wrong. That, and know why you are creating and why you want to sing, and remind yourself of that “why” each day. Create for that reason. It is easy to get swept up in everything else, so try to stay rooted in that. That way you’ll be able to keep pushing through all the tough shit that comes along with being an artist. Your “why” will also allow you to push yourself outside of your comfort zone, which is a huge key to seizing opportunity and your growth as a singer/artist. So, trust your gut and remember your “why.”

Any last words?

Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know me a bit. “Losing” is out everywhere now!! Go stream it and watch the music video! & More music is on the way. ;)

Scotty Apex - Data Bend

Scotty, welcome back to Nefarious Supply to date this is our third time featuring you and we couldn't be more excited to have you on again. To get this interview started give us an update on what’s been going on with you, how was 2022, and how is the new year so far? 

Wait, 2022 is over already? Haha. I feel like 2022 went by so fast for me. These last few years honestly have zoomed by, but this was another year I found a lot of growth, creatively, spiritually, internally, experienced a lot and learned more. Very thankful I was able to release my album DATA BEND towards the end of the year, been releasing videos from the project each week carrying into 2023. So this new year has been off to a good start, already been able to connect with more people, releasing work that i feel very proud of, and I'm thankful for the people in my life. I’m ready to approach this year with a positive perspective and hopefully reach the goals I've set out for myself.

Since we last featured you, what are some things  you’ve learned on your artistic journey, what has the overall experience been like in the industry, and what are you most looking forward to? 

Over time, I think I’ve always found new ground as an artist, new landscapes to explore and experiment with. I listen to a lot of music, and incorporate influence from many places, even visually from film. So I’ve thankfully been able to keep myself from feeling stagnant and it always feels like there is evolution occurring whenever I begin my next creative venture. Some things I’ve learned as of recently are the power of confidence in yourself, and how that can push you so much further into the light you want to shine with. Second guessing your instinct will deter you from the authentic reflection of what you know you can do within. Trust that feeling inside more, follow your intuitive creative nature, and let it guide you like an internal compass. Trust yourself more as an artist, know your ideas are great, and stand on them proudly. 

I’m most looking forward to continuing to grow with good people around me. I also have some more videos I am working on that I am extremely excited about and proud of, so just can’t wait for people to continue to be able to see the worlds I want to create. I love when people finally have access to these ideas of mine because then I get the sense of fulfillment knowing that people can enjoy the escapism that comes from the work that goes out.


Let’s get into your new project Data Bend, break it down for us what inspired it, what your overall creative process was like putting this together, and what are your favorite songs on the album? 

DATA BEND to me is the representation of a shift in understanding, perspective, and approach. That’s why the sonics have a theme of genre bending elements, because I wanted to infuse as many of my influences as possible to show the art of everything creative that I love being able to exist cohesively. The fusion of both earth’s nature or natural state merging with technology and the advancements we see as a species was a big inspiration while creating this, how the old can feel new and modernized, and how the new can reflect the positive nostalgic bits that we cherish. Fitting to that theme, the process of putting this album together utilized the technology we have at our hands right now.

For the majority of what made the album, VVD SOUND and I locked in through countless virtual discord sessions, where he would share his screen, we would go back and forth on ideas, influence, and construct these sonic worlds fitting the vision we both had in mind. A few records off of the album started out in other ways though, which is also fitting to the theme of merging different techniques together to find something great. I can remember one of the initial songs we made was “I Don’t Belong Here”. VVD was visiting my house in Los Angeles, his first time on the west coast, and I had Sammy the Producer over as well, we pulled the recording equipment into the living room. We began messing around with ideas over a loop Sam put together, VVD started adding the original drum structure, and I started blurting out melody ideas to which would later be finalized into “SO MUCH OUT MY CONTROL I CAN’T BREATH, SINCE I CAME HERE NO I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE” (the hook of IDBH). We knew this felt special, and what validated even more that this was meant to be was an accidental bottle flip that landed inside of a spare pair of shoes we had on the ground haha.

We even took a picture with the bottle in the shoe to go back and remember that moment as we all agreed in that moment, this was the start of something special, and that was our sign that we were on the right path. “Heart Shaped Bullets” came together from a fun session as well where PnkBlnkt came over to my place in the valley at the time, we setup in my room, Pnk had a mutual friend from back home in Indiana with him as well, so the vibes were there, we started toying with a few initial ideas, and then I remember Pnk started going through skeletons of ideas he had already put mostly together, and he hit play on the beat that was the idea that would become HSB, and I knew immediately that I wanted to do something crazy for it. I locked myself in a spare room for about 15 minutes, came back in the room and told everyone I had something that I thought felt really special and sentimental, recorded the vocals, and we were all loving it, it was an incredible experience and moment. Later on VVD and I added some additional things to it through discord sessions.

My personal favorite songs off of the album would have to be either “Heart Shaped Bullets”, “Girls Like You Never Light Their Own Cigarettes”, “Down Under”, or “I Don’t Belong Here”, which is a lot to list, but honestly the whole album is just so good, and I’m so proud of it and everyone who added their touch to it, this album as a whole is my favorite piece of work to date. It feels like the most authentic reflection so far of what I have always intended to create and represent.

“Since LoveSick 2” you’ve consistently had amazing album covers and Data bend is no different who helped put together the cover art for this album? 

Thank you! That means a lot, I am very passionate about the visual aspects of any of my work, so to hear a compliment like this is very valued. There’s actually a continuous story throughout each cover where you can see the timeline continue to play out as each album is released, and that’s something I plan to continue to do. The DATA BEND cover was done by Jay Gonzalez, who also did the cover for STARLIGHT. He is so creative, so talented, and it’s always a blessing as well as pleasure working with him. The LOVESICK 1 & 2 covers were done by Tyshon Rosewood, so shout out to bro too!


STARLIGHT and DATABEND have two different vibes to them. How did your creative process change from STARLIGHT to  DATABEND? 

When I begin the process for an album, it always starts with a general guideline in mind of an overall feeling that I want to execute, visual components that I can envision, and direction of sound. STARLIGHT had more producers involved, it was mostly made when I first moved to Los Angeles, which was early 2020, and then polished throughout the main moments of the pandemic. So there was a lot of chaos in the world, and I was hibernating in my room just working on the album, trying to make it feel atmospheric and otherworldly, pulling in ideas from a range of my producer friends. That album leaned mostly into R&B, hip hop at the core, and I think that’s one of the main differences of STARLIGHT vs. DATA BEND.

DATA BEND was a smaller creative circle, a more understood pinpoint of direction I had in mind, and I also experimented with other influences of mine, so you hear more influence of alternative rock, pop, mixed in with the R&B, some hip hop moments still, but just has more guitar, piano, and acoustic sounds incorporated. Elements that I think previous work hadn’t yet highlighted or showcased this side of me.


In terms of production, who did you work with to put DATABEND together? 

VVD SOUND did the majority of production on DATA BEND, he was the executive producer, and had his touch on every single song. That’s a reflection of the creative trust I have for him. He is able to bring what I envision to life so well, and I am beyond thankful for the countless hours he put in with me to create something as special as this project is. He sat with me day after day, night after night, hour after hour, helping me bring what I wanted to create into full fruition.

There’s a few records that began with other producers, PnkBlknt for “Heart Shaped Bullets”, bended on the guitar for that as well, and VVD added some additional layers once we had the main structure. Sammy the Producer on “Down Under” as well as “GIRLS LIKE YOU NEVER LIGHT THEIR OWN CIGARETTES”, which VVD again added additional productional layers after we had the main structure. Kami Osha did some additional Guitar on “Down Under”, and Ack had his hand in “Any Other World” with VVD polishing the rest of the record.

One of the things we really like about you is your ability to push boundaries and consistently grow as an artist. How do you push yourself to new heights, and for new artists that are afraid to go against the grain what is some advice you would give them? 

Well thank you! It is deeply appreciated that you give me that credit and acknowledge what I intend to do, which is that push of boundary, so thank you! Truly. I think for me, I am always reminded of why I do what I do. I deeply love music. I am so passionate about my art, it’s a direct reflection of my actual life, trials, and stories. Joe Talbot from the band IDLES had a quote in an interview that stuck with me, it was along the lines of “if you are interested, you will be interesting. If you are bored, you will be boring.” which to me, means if you have something you are truly passionate about, truly love, the greatest gift that you can give back to yourself and to the people who support you is to be so dedicated to your craft, so thankful for the people who enjoy your craft, your way of repayment to the audience and yourself is to continue to push yourself to those next advancements, to evolve, and to keep things refreshing and enjoyable. You as the artist find growth through that approach, not only creatively, but spiritually with yourself, and your audience gets to benefit from that by getting to now visually see the growth, hear it, and pull inspiration for themselves to evolve in their own life. 

Going against the grain can be scary and I see how it causes fear in an artist, it is not meant to be comfortable though, that is where true growth comes from, putting yourself into something that is out of routine, it may initially feel unnatural, but eventually you will find that there’s a whole new realm of capabilities you have within yourself that would have not ever had the chance to shine if you hadn’t at least given it a try. The key here too is to remove the fear of failure or judgment. There is no room for judgment in the process of creating something that is truly unique, new, and boundary pushing. You have to have an open mind to trial and error, try seven ideas, and then choose what you like, and learn from what you don’t like. I think what would help more artists is to consume more pieces of art outside of your typical consumption. Listen to genres that you wouldn’t typically listen to, go to a museum and look at art that you don’t know how to make, watch films that are respected as boundary pushing films, pull influence from the entire spectrum of art. Art is the only thing in this world that is forever. Learn from the work that we have at our display, and turn that inspiration into a special curation of work that is authentic to you. 

It’s been about four years since  you’ve released LOVESICK, since that time what’s the most important thing you’ve learned? 

Wow, it’s crazy to think it’s been four years since then. In that time span, I feel like I have learned so much about myself, the world, just everything in my life has found new perspectives over and over again. So I think with me even reflecting upon that, there is an important lesson there that I have learned. We truly have the power within all of us, to create the impact that we want to make. We all have purpose, and an internal compass reminding us of the direction we need to go. Trust that feeling, choose a positive goal of action, and go do it. Remove those self doubts within, and dedicate yourself to achieving whatever it is that you have in mind to go do, because it is very possible. The point is, through all of that effort, you will find growth. Continue to grow, evolve, and that to me is what life is about. Evolving, becoming better, and leaving behind a positive impact inside of a legacy that you can be proud of.

So what’s next in 2023 and beyond? 

More music is on the way, very excited to showcase that. More videos are on the way, already filmed a very special video that you will see surface in the upcoming span of this early section of the year. I want to do more clothes, and lifestyle items like furniture, or small appliances that make your daily life better. Hopefully in the bigger picture, I can also act in more movies, finish writing the scripts of the movie ideas I have, and can leave an impact in that space of creation as well. I really love film and want to have a few respected roles under my belt

Any last words?

To close off this moment of time, I would like to say thank you from the core of my soul to anyone out there that even acknowledges my existence, listens to my work, and gives attention to my art. To have your support for my art means the world to me, and makes me feel like my sacrifices are worth it, and it gives me that reassurance that I truly need to keep going and feeling like I am valued. So thank you to those who make me feel cared about.  Love more. Try more, and don’t be afraid of failure. Moving on, becoming better, and learning is the art of life. Believe in yourself, trust your intuitive feelings, and let it guide you to where you are meant to go. Anything that you want to achieve can be achieved, it will not always be easy, but that is the beauty of trying and failing, you can always try again. 

Jackson Grey

Jackson thanks for coming on and interviewing with Nefarious Supply, to get this interview started, tell us about yourself, who is Jack$on Grey? 

First Off I’m Excited to Have this opportunity I would like to thank everyone at Nefarious that’s putting this in motion my name is Jack$on Grey I’m 22 yrs old & I’m from Central, Florida. I started off producing/engineering & which soon turned into me dedicating countless hours to actually creating songs and from that point, I haven’t looked back!

What made you get into music? What did you listen to growing up that inspired you / inspires you to make music today?

Growing up I have always been around music and always liked the idea of creating it. My mom loved to listen to 80s music and my dad was a mix between country, hip hop, & rock so I listened to a whole spectrum of music. I think I express a lot of different types of influences I've heard growing up into the music I make today! To date, I still listen to throwback 80s, Country, and Rock, and of course, I listen to Rap all the way from up-and-coming artists to mainstream artists.

If you had to pick one artist to collaborate with, alive or dead, who would you pick and why?

If I had to Pick an Artist that I could collaborate with. I would probably say, Drake. I know he appreciates the craft as much as I do. I also believe he’s one of the most versatile artists in the game!

For you, how does the musical process flow? Are you constantly thinking about new lyrics and sounds or do you have dedicated time to do your work? and how does that translate into the music you put out?

The creating process for me is simple I catch inspiration from something, establish some sort of flow, and then I add lyrics through the next few months, I make sure the mix is right and fix anything that I think needs fixing and then put it out. That’s all there is to it!

With your first release being only back in 2020, how do you plan to really break into the scene post-pandemic? Additionally, what do you look forward to with the possibilities of live shows now?

So when I came into the scene during the pandemic everything was shut down. I knew that all I could do was just keep working and create the best music I possibly could and hope something stuck. As of now post pandemic I’m super excited to drop some of the music I’ve been sitting on and start to do some live shows.

“Round 4 Round” is credited as being your first single released to the public, and features fellow artist Tsuname on it. While having collaborated with artists like Tsuname and Koi, how have you found the creative process when making a song solo as opposed to having a feature?

Tsuname & Koi are both great artists and I appreciate the opportunity I had to work with them. As far as if a song has a different appeal when there’s a featured artist, I would say yes! It provides a space where you bounce ideas off each other as well as the anticipation of creating something that people can relate to.

All of your music has a very light and lively feel to it, which gives it a very unique sound. This I feel is much needed in the industry. How did you develop your sound?

Developing my sound has taken years to get to where I am today. Just like anything it takes practice, and that is what I’ve been doing every day since I started. I’m still developing my sound! I feel that once u stop developing that sound u lose that IT factor about you. So In my opinion Im nowhere close to where I want to be but I’m just glad people enjoy it right now for what it’s worth!

Your newest release “Gravity” is a fantastic track that displays your sound and great lyricism. Is this the type of sound we can expect from you for upcoming projects and singles for the rest of the year?

Gravity is one of my all-time favorites produced by a good friend of mine “Trap$upafly” I feel like it’s a great stepping stone track to some of the even better stuff I have planned to drop this year!

Are there any plans in the works for a project like an EP or other single releases set to come out soon? Anything we can get a small sneak peek into?

So I have some plans to drop lots of music in 2023, starting off with my recently released Ep “Back To Where We Started” and a single that I just put out called “Taking Half” which is one of my favorites.

Is there anything you would like to say in closing? Anything you would like to say to your fans and fans to come?

Just want to say to the readers that I feel extremely blessed to be able to create and bring an idea to reality through music. To anyone that’s ever supported me, Just know that it means more to me than you will ever know, and to any new fans as well I appreciated every single one of you & Big thanks again to Nefarious Supply for having me! Jack$on Grey






SoundCloud Gems - January 18, 2023

Soundcloud has bloomed over the past few years with a new generation of artists taking the world by storm and lighting a path for young creators of all backgrounds to make a start. In this episode, we’ll highlight new releases from newcomers to the scene, such as reef and JSSR with their anthemic ballad, “austin.”. Reef’s creative lyricism and addictive flow allow listeners to melt into the song and ride along to the electric JSSR feature. The composition is also amazing, even more so with the knowledge that reef produced it himself.

Next, we have kuriosity with “xin fu.”, a large and in-your-face tune that leaves your face scrunched up and ear’s wanting more. From kuriosity’s insane wordplay to his energized adlibs, the young artist will keep you on your feet till the beat ends. Xin Fu is also an Earth Bender from Avatar: The Last Airbender, so extra points across the board!

Aftrr’s “toxic” is an amazing synth-heavy, high-spirited track that makes you feel like you’re simultaneously in 1st Place in the Grand Prix and somehow on a beach, waves crashing against your feet while the sun sets and you reminisce. Toxic is a perfect example of aftrr’s ability to mesh genres and find a suitable sound that balances satisfaction with deprivation.

Rans0m’s track “advantage”, features both kuriosity and aftrr and as soon as we reached the 30-second mark we knew we needed to hear more from these three. The one thing that sets rans0m apart from most others is his creativity with his production. A self-producing artist himself, rans0m will somehow find a way to create the perfect beat for whatever topic he’s trying to convey and/or feature he wants on. His verses are also incredibly infectious.

”in my head” by etterna1 is a song that turned our heads immediately. From xaev’s amazing production to etterna1 incredibly smooth tone and bouncy flow, the song only needed aftrr’s amazing feature for it to be complete. I do wish we could hear aftrr’s vocals a bit more, however, I myself cannot wait to hear more collabs between these two, the song is amazing.

oncite is a new favorite of ours! His voice has a dusty sound to it that adds to the versatility of his lyrics and flow. His track “back in a month” is a beautiful example of the type of music he makes, heavy 808s, an amazing bassline, and finally a melody you can’t get out of your head. oncite is one to look out for in 2023.

DPF’s “target” hits with intensity off the first lyric and doesn’t let its foot off the gas till it's finished with the listener. Produced by ransom, DPF’s skill level with his ability to switch flows and make the production truly his is unmatched. The young artist brings main character energy to whatever track he’s on.

Next we have Staggy with “dirty”, produced by jxyln, and from previous Staggy entries, you’ll know this is a different vibe for the Connecticut-based artist. Over a bouncy, dark, and atmospheric track, with funky kicks and hi-hats that accentuate the incredibly fun hooks and verses Staggy presents.

Mina, also known by his more popular alias, 4cf, came out with a three-song EP, and “ur dumb” in particular stood out to us, simply due to how in-your-face the production is. The track grabs you from the start and your head starts bobbing immediately thanks to feardorian and mental’s collaboration, allowing the effortless flows of 4cf to fit right in.

Funeral and mental came together for a mini EP as well, one that gifted us with the beautiful entry, “one day, someday” in which funeral pines for the moment he will be able to get the girl of his dreams. Mental’s smooth and bouncy production style allows Funeral to get straight into his bag flow-wise. And the lyricism? Well, if you’ve heard his previous albums, you’ll easily pick up the lethality of some of his verses mixed in, funeral’s great of that.

Helper’s track “note to self” showcases his rapping ability which funnily enough he thinks isn’t the best, because we think it’s probably one of the freshest flows and introspective lyrics we’ve heard in a while. Helper has been in his own lane since he first started.

Ryen is an artist we hadn’t listened to before this song, but after hearing “MIA” for the first time, we knew we had to check out the rest of his discography. Ryen is one of the most expressive artists we’ve ever had the opportunity of covering in the Soundcloud scene, and his storytelling abilities as well as his way of capturing a topic and making it his own is a big strength of his. Also thank you typhoon for the amazing production.

Simon M

in

Give us a general description of you as an artist. What cultures and experiences cultivate this persona or identity of yours?

Hello! I’m Simon, I’m a music producer/composer/songwriter from Canada. I work on my own music as a creative director and producer, and on other artists’ records as just a producer. The main artists I currently work with are Babebee, DPF, and Kurtis, but I’ve also got some really interesting placements coming up. I released an album called “poisonedcheeto.com” late last year, which I directed, produced, mixed, and got some of my amazing artist friends to do vocals on.

I’ve been told by Jerome (my manager and good friend that has supervised my creative decisions since we were in high school) that my music is ‘eclectic’ and I feel like that’s a good descriptor. I was raised on the internet, as a lot of us were, my attention span isn’t the greatest, and my goal is always to make something I would enjoy listening to, so I often revel in excess.

Frequently adding elements, changing progressions, and structuring beats in an off-kilter way. In composition and texture, I’m definitely inspired by the 2010s electro-pop/EDM I grew up on, especially old deadmau5, everything he tapped into melodically I see as super influential. Also, JC Foster’s music was a really big influence on the album specifically. He released a tape called 109 900 earlier last year and it really opened my brain to how to make an album live inside its own world diegetically.

How has your experience in the industry been thus far?

Very mixed, to say the least. I wouldn’t say I’m in the music industry cause I haven’t interacted with labels or distributors that much, but the one time I was in talks with one was very strange. A lot of label execs and non-musical creatives in the scene spend more time romanticizing their own success and what it means for their self-image than actually working and I think that’s an extremely toxic and narcissistic mindset.

Underground labels are cool, though. I’ve worked with Lauren Records on a project, and they’ve been fantastic and extremely considerate. Also, let’s be real here, the SoundCloud scene is a really scary place to be a part of a lot of the time. I’ve met some truly amazing people like Keelan, Kurtis, Cricket, Branden, and Alisynn but it’s always a gamble associating with people cause you never know who’s morally bankrupt. I had to cut some musician friends off recently because they were being really weird to my manager on Instagram.

Do you have an outstanding moment since you got into the music industry that makes you realize how important it is to make music like this? If so what would that be?

I dropped a song called “settle” on SoundCloud last summer. It was a song I wrote as part of an album I scrapped, and I didn’t realize it when dropping it but it was the first time I had released a solo song that was entirely written by me, as everything else I had on my page was remixes. And I was scared to release it both because I personally don’t like my own vocals and because it’s a pretty ugly and toxic song, and it also happened to be insanely personal.

I wanted to release it just to put it out there, I didn’t even make a post about it. But it did better than anything I had done before and I got a lot of new listeners because of it. I played it in a set I did for Goop House last year and people were saying in the chat that they loved the song and especially the lyrics, which was really cool to me. I just hope the people who like the song recognize that it was born out of obtuse pessimism and that you really shouldn’t think like this.

What do you think personally sets you apart from the rest of your peers in the music industry? What do you bring to the industry that you believe no one else has the ability to bring?

I think I’m more songwriting-focused than other producers in the scene. I’ve been told by producers I work with that the way I structure my beats is dynamic and that I know how to really flesh out a song, and that’s really cool to hear cause one of the main things I stress about is constantly giving the listener stimuli so that they never get bored.

I’m not super good at sound design or mixing, my priority in music is to compose a track that is solid at its core, and then add some quirk to it. I record all my instruments, I don’t use loops, and I try to have as much control over the finished product as possible. No disrespect to more sound design-based producers, as I believe it’s a much more skillful art and I really admire them, I just prioritize composition in my own creative work.

Is there any one song that you’ve made that stands out from the rest? Any songs that people should listen to that will get people hooked?

It’s definitely “LET THE SPEAKERS BLOW”. I love that one so much. And I was really happy to finally get a song out with IKTL and alt and IAMDEAD, we’ve been friends for a while and we’re all really happy with how insane the song turned out. Other than that, I’d say marionette by miind, SOS by cybertrash and reef, and NAUSEOUS with liza, blaise, kurtis, and aftrr from my album. Also stranded by babebee, which also has an incredible music video.

What keeps your current audience listening and why should people start listening?

I don’t have a super large audience but a lot of people keep coming back to my album, which is really cool. I guess there aren’t a lot of concept albums in the scene. Also not to toot my own horn but I think it’s paced really intensely and doesn’t waste much time, so it’s probably a fun listen for people every once in a while. And people should start listening cause I’m just a silly little guy who loves to have a little bit of fun.

Who do you listen to on a regular basis?

Jane Remover is an inspiration for most people in the scene but her music is extremely close to me personally and she’s made like 5 of my favorite songs ever. Quadeca, Brakence, The Weeknd, and Quinn have also had amazing records this year, especially Quinn, I love how she structures and conceptualizes her projects.

Other than that, a ton of Bladee, I think he’s one of the most satisfying vocalists ever and his songwriting is just so goofily charming and has a real optimistic beauty to it. If we’re talking about the scene, Viizzi is probably my favorite artist ever. He’s made some of the most amazing bangers I’ve ever heard: suicidefreestyle, Murder For Hire, Monster, Faker, Save Me, all incredible songs, and I’m blessed to have him as a friend. Reef is also extremely promising and already has a great EP under his belt.

Are these the same people who inspire your sound? Or are there other factors that come into play?

These people all influence my sound and my creative process.

What do you think is the most important aspect of music as a concept, personally and objectively?

Personally, I feel like the emotion displayed by a song is its most defining aspect. More than any skill displayed or compositional prowess, what’s going to stick with you after a song is done playing is the feeling it left you with. I try to go into every track I work on with a feeling or general vibe I wanna capture, over any tangible melody or progression. And a lot of the time an artist I’m working with will let me know the emotion they want to capture and I have to make sure I’m on target when I compose and record.

What was the main inspiration for poisonedcheeto.com?

When I decided I wanted to make an album, I had a lot of demos of songs I made with artists that they didn’t want to upload. The songs make me bleed, darkness, one dance, and undead were basically done and just needed features (in the case of undead, it was originally a remix of zombie by rouri404 and Vaeo so I needed new vocals altogether).

I was working at a grocery store at the time, just pushing shopping carts and tasks of the like, so I had a lot of time to think about a way to get these songs out. I always loved album titles with digital handles or domain names on them, just cause I thought they looked cool. From there I decided I wanted a really over-the-top announcer voice like there would be on sites like audiojungle and traktrain but way more ridiculous, and creepypasta-adjacent implied lore about the artist who made the website.

After that, I worked out that I wanted the record to have a breakneck pace, and for the announcer tags to represent the producer basically venting through his work, while still being majoritarily comedic. I then started working on new songs for the album, starting with Let The Speakers Blow, then Nauseous, then 2nd Place, then For Your Mind. True Religion was added at the last minute because I bought one of Viizzi’s opens on impulse one day and ended up making something way better than I expected.

Getting everyone’s vocals on time was really tough because I set myself a deadline for the record (I have a bad habit of letting records stay on the back burner until I stop caring about them) but I really didn’t want to rush anyone. I really loved working with everyone on this record, all of the vocalists on here are amazing artists and people in their own right and I’m super grateful to have crossed paths with them.

My manager Jerome helped me a lot with the visual identity of the record. All the pictures I had up on social media in the lead-up for the record were taken by him. We have a very similar sense of humor, and we both understood what type of character we wanted to create. He and his friends helped set up fake poisonedcheeto missing posters around a local college, which was hilarious, and ended up returning a decent amount of pre-saves since we had the domain name printed on all of them. Speaking of the website, it was something I wanted to do in the lead-up to the album but I hadn’t coded html/css in years. Still, I was able to make the website, and I’m pretty proud of how it turned out, even if leastfavorite did the website promo thing way better than I ever could.

Also, massive props to Don Sharpe for the voice acting on the tags, he did an incredible job and followed my vision perfectly, and was overall really nice to work with. You can find him on fiverr here: Sharpvoiceovers | Fiverr

So yeah, it was basically just a recontextualized collection of unreleased songs that I overcomplicated and built on and somehow turned into a concept album.

What are your top 3 favorite songs from the album?

Number one would be Let The Speakers Blow, next would be Make Me Bleed, and then Nauseous. I mean it’s been months but I still can’t get over Grayson’s hook on Let The Speakers Blow, I definitely need to work with all of these guys a lot more in the future.

How long did this album take you to make?

I came up with the concept around July 2022 and finished it in October, one week before release. I can’t lie, it was a lot of effort, especially since I was in school at the same time. I would spend more hours on the album than on my schoolwork most weeks.

And trying to handle promo, the website, publishing, looking for features, mixing everything consistently track to track, and freelancing at the same time to cover expenses was pretty crazy. But I’m super proud of how it turned out and the wonderful people I’ve met through this project.

JC Foster’s interpretation of what he believes is a “poisoned cheeto” is probably the best explanation I’ve ever heard for such an eye-catching name. Do you believe this album will help those listening to try and question the difference in importance between commodity and reality?

Before I get into the explanation thing I just wanna say JC Foster is one of the coolest and most creative people working today and you owe it to yourself to check out his youtube channel, his work is hilarious, ambitious and deeply human. Both his sketches and music have been a huge inspiration in both my personal sense of humor and in the way I conceptualize projects. Here’s his channel, he did fantastic voicework on this album: JC Foster Takes It To The Moon - YouTube

Now I’m going to be completely honest. I wrote all of the skits, interludes and tags on the album, and the intermission was the very last thing I added, and it was basically only for one reason. Since the word “cheeto” is in the album title, I can technically get sued for misleading labeling if the work doesn’t reference the product. So I wrote this whole huge paragraph, bringing up modern politics and philosophy and the horrors of neo-liberal capitalism basically just as a bit to set up how the name means nothing and I just came up with it when I was 17 and really dumb.

Now I still agree with everything said in the interlude, rampant consumerism is ruining our ability to feel empathy and I really tried to hammer that point home in a more empathetic way in the outro. I just find it insanely funny how a ton of people reached out to me saying they found real insight on society at that point on the album when I just wanted to do some trolling. Also, one dude texted me saying he listened to the album on acid and that interlude made him start bad tripping. And I think that’s really funny but I still feel bad for the guy.

What features would like to see on your next project?

Definitely babebee. I didn’t know them when I started work on the record but I love everything we’ve worked on together and hope I can get them on a project soon. Also definitely Vaeo, she’s absolutely amazing in everything she makes. One of the best and most expressive vocalists working today. I’ve also been in contact with Glitch Gum and Jahhlu recently, really hoping to get a song out with both of them sometime.

Lastly, what advice or experiences would you like to share with your peers or anyone else who is up and coming in this industry?

Be humble. Put a priority on the finished product you make instead of indulging in the mentality of being an artist. Talk to as many people as possible and try to make a legitimate connection with them. Treat fellow artists like friends instead of seeing them as ways to grow your own success. Most of all, have fun. It’s important to remember most of us won’t make it or become super successful. If you’re in it for the money, you will realize you’re in the wrong business when you get your first Distrokid cheque. Make sure you’re doing music out of love for the art form and a fondness for the creative process. Thanks for interviewing me, sheku.