Hey Froy! You just released your Debut single “sideswipe” and it has already gained a lot of attention with your massive fanbase, what has been your thought on the reaction of the song?
It feels like a fresh page. I put a lot of pressure on myself to control what I can about my art, but at times I forget the importance of just putting myself out there. The reaction has been so much more than I could have ever expected. The energy my fans put into my music gives me a renewed lease on my own musical confidence.
Are you planning any fun events to spread the word about your new single?
Not necessarily events, but there will definitely be some online events. It’s important for me to engage with my listeners in other ways than just the sound and the stage, and there will be a lot of that.
This single is the first single off your upcoming EP. What’s the theme for this EP?
The past year has been such an educational experience for me. But, instead of learning from school, I’ve been learning how to be a student of the world. The sudden rush of attention and travel has been overwhelming, so I’ve made some mistakes long the way. I had a nasty habit of blaming myself for everything that went wrong, and the past year has largely been about unlearning that. The EP (from my perspective) is a little lesson in self-love.
Any fun moments while creating the EP?
We have this little song (still untitled) that features some good, old fashioned burping. Basically, in the middle of a vocal take, I couldn’t hold in my air and I burped directly into the microphone (whoops!). Once my producer (Stefan Lit) collected himself from the laughter that followed, he started splicing the burp INTO the chorus. It was dreadful. But, somehow, he made it work! Now it’s a part of the song 🙂
What’s been your favorite song to record and why?
I’m still in the process of recording a couple tracks, but I have to say sideswipe had the most bizarre journey out of all of the songs. The verses of sideswipe have been nestled in the back of my poetry journal since I was literally 15. Before I started work on the EP, I had a track called ’the cup’ that featured those verses. I kind of hated the angst of ‘the cup,’ so I threw it out and forgot about it – but only for a little while. Flash forward to this June, and I riff the super simple melody for the sideswipe chorus. It felt lacking in any depth, so I just lifted some very angsty 15 year old lyrics and put them right next to some simple ones!
How did your acting career turn into a music career?
Acting is and always will be my first love. But, for the stories I want to tell, I had to branch out. My goal has been and still is to simply to connect with people. But there are multiple ways to do that. Film and music are the same language to me, just spoken differently. So, for my vision, it was important to incorporate new, challenging mediums.
You have created a huge social media following for yourself. Why do you think social media is so important for teen actors & singers today?
Social media is such a huge and versatile beast that it’s so difficult for me to analyze or understand it’s content, but I feel like I understand the form of social media. It rewires the way that we communicate with one another, for better or worse, and it is such a valuable tool for people with an audience. Even as a regular teenager! In high school, most of my friends were made online. As an artist, I would have never engaged with the majority of my global fans. I would have a much harder time understanding them and the community we built together. So, of course, I am ridiculously thankful to social media for the opportunity to see the person behind the listener.
With a massive following already your supporters must have a name for themselves. Does your fan base have a name?
We had a little vote a few months back and the one we chose was ‘froyos.’ I like it because it sounds like a cereal brand AND frozen yogurt.
How do you want your relationship to be like with your supporters?
I want my supporters to not feel like my supporters. I want them to feel like they are a part of a community (or fandom), and its important to me that they feel safe to express who they are. I used to be more cynical and critical about the world, but being around my fans taught me that they don’t need another person using their platform to be another negative voice. Instead, I’ve come to realize that my job would best be to reinforce some realistic, positive expression in a culture that lacks it.
What type of music are you leaning towards for your music career?
This will sound like such a cop out answer – but I don’t mean it to be! My taste in music is eclectic, and finding a sound that is unique to you can be a lot of pressure. So, lately, my goal has been to express the feeling in whichever genre or style I feel suits it. Overall, I hope my music comes across as accessible, introspective and different. But I can’t say that I feel any desire to pick a genre or type.
You are now growing a well-known name for yourself in the music industry, what’s up next for you? A tour maybe?
A tour would be lovely, but I want to start my music journey in the same place I started my acting journey: the internet. What’s next is fleshing out the EP with distinct visuals and a narrative that will be available online!
Any other fun things in the works you can tell us about?
I’d love to do some cover work, but only if I can make the original song unrecognizable. It’s in the works.
Can you tell us about the music video for your Debut single?
I don’t know if there will be one! Sideswipe was never meant to be a Debut as much as a buzz single. Naturally, it’s my first song, so there’s some pressure to put out some meaty work. But I wanted to take that pressure off of myself and just give my fans a taste of what’s to come. However, there will be videos for all of the songs on the EP.
Any last things you want to tell your supporters?
Take care of yourself. Please don’t text and drive. It’s alright not to be alright. Stay hydrated. Je t’aime. 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to do this interview with us 🙂
Thank you!! 😀