What made you start on social media? And how did your social media career turn into a music career & acting career?
- I was recording demos and sending them to A&R’s back in 2016, trying to get people in the industry to listen to them (even though they were not my best work). And that year, I met with this girl who liked one of my demos, and she told me to try and grow an audience online, even before I released original music. She told me that it would be good to have some “buzz” around for when I sign with a label or publisher one day. So I started posting covers… As for acting, I’ve been working on it for a long time, even before I was on social media. But now it is very much part of the casting process and I always keep that in mind.
Did you have a break out song or role that started things for you?
- With social media, and Youtube especially, I saw some unexpected growth on my channel when I posted my cover of “Gemini Feed” by Banks – I only had about 200 subscribers at that point. Then there was the “Bad Things” cover, which is currently my most viewed. And on Soundcloud, it was my cover of “It Ain’t Me” that has over 230 thousand plays, which is still crazy to me ‘cause I never promoted it.
With a massively growing following already your supporters must have a name for themselves* Does your fan base have a name?
- I don’t think they do yet. I know that Laila and Erika run the fan accounts on Instagram and I’m honestly very lucky to have people supporting me like that this early in my career. Either way, I just hope they never call themselves ‘Germs’, or something like that, in the future.
How do you want your relationship to be like with your supporters?
- I truly can’t believe sometimes that I have “fans” – which I’m putting in quotes because it feels like we’re just friends who don’t even talk about music sometimes, just about life. Lately, I’ve been posting less covers and focusing more on the original music I’ll be releasing soon. So there’s been a distance and I’ve been hiding a little bit because of that. But I can’t wait to finally give them stuff to be excited about with me. I feel like it’s my job to give back my best work to the people who support me.
What type of music are you leaning towards for your music career?
- It’s been a couple years since I started recording my first demos and my sound has changed completely since then. Now, looking back, it feels like I was trying to do a “new version” of songs that were already out. About a year ago, my creative process became much more organic and I definitely learned to use my musical influences in a way that sounds original. Recording my covers actually taught me a lot in how to make a song my own. I found a sound that is something I’d like to listen to even it wasn’t mine, and also that I love to make. It’s pop music, by the way.
You released cover songs in the past that gained a lot of attention from your fanbase, are you planning on releasing more music soon?
- Yes! I might release a cover or two before I release my first single just because I don’t like to be away for too long.
Can you spill any details about your debut single & new EP?
- My best friends must be so annoyed with me at this point because there’s only a handful of people I show my music to and share my crazy ideas with. I’ve been collecting the songs that will be on the EP for a year now. And in July, I wrote the final song that I felt was missing in the project, which is less “serious” than the others. After I wrote that one, I knew exactly what songs were going to be on the EP, I knew what was going to be the first single, the title, everything sort of clicked. The songs follow the same theme or message but each explores a different side of it. I wrote them from looking inward, and relating how I felt with how the people around me (my friends) felt as well. It ended up becoming something that will hopefully create a small unique universe that people can escape and connect to – that’s the goal. And when you hear the songs, that’ll make more sense.
Do you have any fun acting projects in the works you can tell us about?
- I actually just wrapped, last night, one of my favorite projects I’ve worked on. It’s a short film about a boy who loses his best friend (his sister) who was raped and killed. The film touches on a lot of different issues but to me it was more about the trauma from his loss, and how it affected him mentally. It was a very heavy role to play but I think it’s important to shine light on stories like that. It was the most challenging and emotionally demanding role I’ve played, which is also why I loved it so much.
What has been your favorite role to play?
- There has been a couple others along with this last one. I did a short called “Maestro” about this young man whose family entered the U.S. illegally, so he has to work to support them. That’s another topic that is very current and important to being attention to, and as an immigrant myself, it was very special to play that character. I also got to play a homeless kid, in “The Fringe Class”, who worked as a prostitute to survive, which was in reality more fun than it sounds. I got to play this guy who’s flamboyant and hides his issues under his “fun” personality. Neither projects are out yet but I can’t wait to see them.
Any other fun things in the works you can tell us about?
- I definitely want to explore different areas of the entertainment industry. I have some ideas and have actually started writing a short film that I hope to direct, produce, and star in one day. I have great creative friends, and we’re developing a cool project for TV that might be too early to talk about. I also want to get more into producing music. Being a control freak, I want to be able to reproduce the sounds I hear in my head when I’m writing.
Any last things you want to tell your supporters?
- I just hope once my music is out we can connect on many different levels. Your support means the world to me! (And please forgive me for not being the best at getting back to you on social media within a reasonable time frame sometimes) I still love you!
Thank you for taking the time to do this interview with us 🙂
