A Certain Energy – Foreign [Interview]

Describe your sound in 3 words

I would describe my sound as the following: universal, impactful, driven. Each word has a specific reasoning of course. Universal for all moods, impactful to the soul, and driven to make sure it’s timeless.

The production in “Foreign” has a Metro Boomin vibe. How many beats do you listen to before you end up using one? Tell us a few things about your creative process.

Thank you I would agree. Shoutout to David Sinclair-Black for that. Honestly everyone that was a part of the process I’d like to thank. When it comes to writing I will listen to every beat and give myself 24 hours to create a hook. I find the hook to be the most important aspect for a song. It is the make or break for playability. You can create the most complex, head-bobbing verse, but if the hook is subpar that song will not make it far. Writing in general though I’m inspired by any and everything around me. That’s primarily why I chose to live downtown where I reside. I live in Fort Wayne, Indiana by the way, and this city is constantly growing. Hell of a place to invest in for the long run. My team also plays a huge role in my writing process. Adam Eazy is the mixing engineer and primary producer for my sound, Amir Hussain is the videographer, and Bobby Balow is the mastering engineer. All of these guys play a huge role in my sound audio and visually. Honestly it isn’t my sound, but our sound.

What is the story behind your name?

My name was inspired by a power outlet. Long story short, I’m inspired to write based on daily life. That ideology will always give off a certain vibe, otherwise a certain energy. Looking at the power outlet I thought “I love writing about everything. Everything has energy. Everything gives off a certain type of energy. A Certain Energy.” Thus that’s when the name was born. Hopefully I explained it well [laughs].

Favorite rapper, lyricist and producer?

Favorite rapper would be Joyner Lucas at the moment. Lyricist would be Mickey Factz, and the producer would be.. Well, of course Adam Eazy. Shoutout to the goats right there!

What does Hip Hop symbolize in your opinion?

Hip Hop symbolizes empowerment to me. Music as a whole symbolizes empowerment to me honestly. Music gives someone the power to express themselves with any emotion that they’re feeling. That’s a powerful tool in any industry. Music can effectively change anyone’s mood as well. I, for one, have gone through so many times. For example, recently I was driving to pick up my girlfriend from work listening to some more upbeat tempo music. Out of the blue a good friend of mine Tyler Reese’s song “Not Sorry” came on. I immediately wanted to turn the car around and lock myself in the studio and just get all in my feelings [laughs]. I don’t think my girl would’ve liked to hear that, so I kept moving along [laughs]. But in all seriousness though music
is a powerful expression to symbolize empowerment. I love every moment of being able to experience such beautiful artistry everyday. End of story.

What is the best advice you’ve been given?

“Everyone says they put in the work, but the results will always show. These results will show who really put in the late nights, thought of the marketing, consistently put their all in, etc. Who are you going to be?”
Honestly the best advice ever given to me, because it really dug into my soul. Sometimes you have to sacrifice your whole wellbeing to make progress. I’m not saying your health must deteriorate, but from an economical standpoint this is called opportunity cost. What do you deem more important? A night of “turn up” or a night of actually pursuing and making progress in what you really want to do with your life. Most people say “there’s not enough time for me to do any of this!” well I believe you’ll have to make the sacrifice to make that time available. Maybe that’s what makes me different from most. I’m not afraid to sacrifice, and I’m not afraid to be uncomfortable mentally or financially. At the end of the day you’re the one that dictates your future. No one else. For the ones that say they can’t, well I’m from a third world country. At least when I lived there it was. So, I know anyone can do it. They just don’t want to.

Future plans?

In the near future I will be releasing my follow up single “Fake Love” which will be released September 24th, 2021. After that be on the lookout for a new independent label that will take the world by storm. This label will be run by Adam Eazy, Amir Hussain, and I. Can’t wait to officially announce it!

Thank you!

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