Tell us a few things about your new song”ON&ON” . What is the main idea behind it?
I wrote this song to a beat that a guy sold to me on Instagram. The sound is kind of a blend of pop, hip hop, and rock, which is why I think a lot of people like the sound. The lyrics are about struggling to fight for your dreams and passions, but at least having your close friends there beside you for the journey. Without these people, even achieving your dreams would feel pretty meaningless.
Which is your most personal and honest lyric?
“If it wasn’t for you, I’d chase the money alone. Even if I had it all, you know I’d come back to an empty home. Your dreams feel like a prison if your friends are all long gone.”
Favourite album of the past decade?
ARTPOP by Lady Gaga
Is Spotify the music industry’s new Gatekeepers?
Completely.
What was the best film you have watched during the quarantine?
I personally don’t watch many movies, but I had a rerun marathon of Casa de Las Flores, which will always be one of my favorite shows.
What is one message you would give to your fans?
Follow your bliss. It is the most practical thing you could do with your life. Also stream Kristian J ❤
Tell us a few things about your new song. What is the story behind it?
This new track is about the refugee experience and was inspired by a conversation I had with a friend of mine who had spent years imprisoned – fighting for the rights of the most marginalized in his community. Even after all the trauma he went through, his spirit and hope for freedom were still unbreakable. I drew inspiration from his story and from others who had gone through similar situations. I wanted to highlight the perspective of those that have been forced into conflict and had no other choice but to fight for survival or to leave their homes. At the same time, it is also a reminder that the greatest casualties are often the poorest and most marginalized individuals.
For which lyric you are most proud of?
This is a really good question. It’s a hard choice. I’m pretty proud of the entire chorus as it sums up the experience concisely and gets to the main message of the song which continues to be relevant now with what is happening in Afghanistan.
“Now we’re coming under fire, The odds are getting higher, Our city’s sole survivors will watch you raze it to the ground. Are you fighting fire with fire? ’cause greed’s a justifier, And all that we desire is that you lay your weapons down.”
Artists and people who have influenced and inspired you?
Jeff Buckley taught me a lot about delivery and the importance of being raw/authentic. D’Angelo taught me the joy and possibilities of using vocal harmonies to create soundscapes. Joni Mitchell and other singer-songwriters from the 60s and 70s taught me how to tell a story with detail, sensitivity, and depth.
How Important are political statements by music artists? Can music have an impact on politics?
I think that music can be a powerful tool to inspire conversation and bring awareness to issues in our world/community. It can also reflect the collective emotions and perspectives of the people and help them to feel seen and represented. In the end, each artist decides what they feel compelled to say at that moment and how they choose to process what is happening in their environment. I can think of several big artists that have used their platform to impact politics. I try to write music that will help people understand different perspectives and situations. Hopefully through that people will be able to make more informed and empathetic day-to-day decisions about things that might be affecting their communities. If it goes far enough to even affect who they put in office, then it’s a bonus.
If you were asked to rescore a film, which one would you choose?
wow. hard question. I’m not sure. Possibly anything from Alejandro González Iñárritu or Oliver Stone.
What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
I think that choosing to go into music was the most ‘trouble’ I’ve gotten into! It’s a path that always puts the artist in a vulnerable position financially, emotionally, psychologically, and artistically, especially if you have something to say. However, if music calls you, it’s not a choice but a necessity.
Tell us a few things about your new song Friends In High Places . What is the story behind it?
Its a torch song inspired by the likes of Billie Holiday where the protagonist grieves for a love lost before eventually finding herself again in the payoff of the last lines of the song. The track is completely elevated by Becki Fishwick who delivers an incredible vocal on it.
What is the story behind your name?
narcissus is drawn from Greek mythology & was meant to playfully allude to the absurd vanity of being in a band. The story goes that narcissus ultimately kills himself by drowning in a pool whilst admiring his own reflection. Take from that what you will.
What do you enjoy most? Writing music or performing your music live?
We enjoy both obviously but we would say that we are primarily a studio band who love nothing more than the writing & recording process.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced as an artist so far?
To get heard and to get paid fairly for your work from certain major streaming platforms! Obviously the genie is out of the bottle with streaming but the #BrokenRecord campaign does give artists a glimmer of hope for change in future.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Don’t concern yourself with the outcome, trust in the process and serve the song.
What is the most useless talent you have?
Giving witty answers to ridiculous interview questions.
My sound is pretty expansive, but overall it is astral, cinematic, genre-bending pop.
Tell us a few things about your new song ‘(God Is) The Camera’. What is the main idea behind it?
(God Is) The Camera is a multi-dimensional trip around the conscious universe. It’s a pretty intricate, ethereal, sexy and subversive fusion banger with a drill-pop vibe, epic rap verse and transcendental middle 8. Lyrically, it’s kinda sexy and philosophical and portrays the parallels between a conscious universe and the humxn experience.
What first got you into music?
I started playing piano and singing at a really early age, and then taught myself guitar, but it wasn’t til 2016 when I started releasing songs as myself with a full package. I’m a Leo rising (actually the moon is in Leo as I write this), so I am designed to perform. I am really grateful for my background in music and how it has allowed me to create and sustain such an elaborate universe with my artistry.
Favourite album of the past year?
Has to Shortcut To World Peace by… me! On January 1, I released and 11-track CD which featured the title track (my last single) and includes songs that have and haven’t been released yet. You can buy them on my website, NEO10Y.SPACE – it’s been getting great reviews from Billboard, Paper, The Evening Standard and lots of great playlist features, so definitely check it out!
What would you change in the music industry?
I think inclusivity, women’s and LGBTQ+ rights, more payout to artists from streaming are really important. More conscious artists are needed for a spiritual revolution. There is a history of violence and abuse in music that still needs to be exposed. I had to come forward about some problems with an editor back in 2019 and it helped so many other artists heal and move forward with their trauma, and as a result, I would say that the music industry is a better place today. I think it is really important to use your voice.
What was the best film you have watched during the quarantine?
My music video for Shortcut To World Peace is so epic and underrated – created by me, OZAT and Rob Daglish who also did such an amazing job editing the film. It’s the story of a protagonist who dies to manifest a utopian dimension of peace. I have flirted with the expanse of the astral realm and death throughout my life and artistic narrative. The video is a story of a resilient artist who dies so that their message of LOVE could expand and manifest a utopian dimension of peace. I can only hope that the mainstream chooses love and embraces non-violence now.
What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
I get a lot of online hate from enraged anti-vegans because I talk about the need for a vegan future now a lot in media and my art. There is even a hit piece on me that has a million views on YouTube, all you have to do is Google “worst vegan” and it’s the top hit. Pretty wild, but as long as we are talking about it and educating each other about a conscious future, that is all that matters!
Tell us a few things about your new song. What is the main idea behind it?
this song was just a vessel to get some things that i was feeling off of my chest. The main idea was to let it be known i have what it takes.
For which lyric you are most proud of?
“breaking my character im bout to tear every ligament” with me going out of my usual realm i was making sure i went to the greatest extreme to deliver.
Do you think there is a true underground hip hop sound today?
i think hip hop is subjective and can be what you want. underground hip hop wants meaningful bars cause that is apart of the art.
What does hip hop symbolize in your opinion?
hip hop symbolizes black culture.. the triumphs and the struggles in a tasteful manner that we can digest.
In which state of mind do you imagine people might listen to your music?
lost, misguided, intoxicated, vulnerable
What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
i cant discuss that at the moment.. maybe in the future haha
Tell us a few things about your new song. What is the story behind it?
I composed this song years ago when I learned that someone very dear to me was going away. Unfortunately I was not able to convey my feelings to this person before they left and instead wrote a song about it.
Do you like the idea of collaborating? Is songwriting a lonely process?
I don’t find songwriting as a lonely process at all. On the contrary, I always feel heard whenever I write and compose songs, even if no one has heard them or even listens to them at all. Whenever I finish the melody and lyrics of a song, I feel as if my thoughts were fully conveyed not just by the words, but by the music that communicates what words cannot. Whether someone listens to them or not, I always find comfort in the fact that I have shared whatever it is that I needed to release, and if anyone wanted to somehow understand what I think and how I feel, they only need to listen to my music.
I do prefer collaborating with other people. In fact, if my words and melody make up the skeleton of the songs that I write, it is the talent of my brothers, Tommy and Teddy, that adds flesh and life to these songs. My brother Tommy creates the instrumental and my brother Teddy mixes and masters the whole song. Sometimes when the only thing I can share are the words, I ask my brothers Teddy or Tommy to compose the melody and I am always amazed by the outcome.
So, yes, I love collaborating with other artists because I know that my thoughts and feelings only represent a small part of reality and that the contributions of other people matter.
Artists and people who have influenced and inspired you?
Our High School music teacher was the most honest composer I ever met. Her songs and melodies touched and inspired generations of students and I often remember my High School days as both joyful and peaceful because her music was always in the background.
I can’t think of one artist who influenced me, but my music is highly influenced by Broadway music.
What would you change in the music industry?
Hmmm. I don’t know, to be honest. Maybe… nepotism? Gatekeeping? Sexism?
If you were asked to rescore a film, which one would you choose?
That I couldn’t say! Though I can share the films whose scores I do love— Casper, Pride and Prejudice, and Titanic!
What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
With my music? Finding the strength to keep going. 🙂
Tell us a few things about your new song. What is the main idea behind it?
This song is based on a true story about meeting a stranger who was already in a relationship and falling in “love at first sight”. It embraces the deepest desire of having a discreet connection with a “Secret Lover”, encourages us to act on our emotions and feel those butterflies in your stomach even if you’re in a relationship with someone else!
What first got you into music?
Listening to pirate radio stations and bootleg mix tapes. I was the guy who had to have every new release and wanted to share my discoveries with everyone i knew.
Favourite album of the past year?
I don’t have a favourite but i liked the recent music from Nicky Jam, Dua Lipa and the Weeknd. The great thing about music is that every song can have a different meaning that resonates with esch listener.
Can you share something funny that happened during one of your gigs? And what would be your dream performance venue?
I would love to perform at an outdoor festival in far East.
In which state of mind do you imagine people might listen to your music?
Reminiscing on their best memories.
What is one message you would give to your fans?
I can’t wait to share my music with you so you can connect emotionally in a positive way!
Tell us a few things about your new song. What is the story behind it?
I wanted to write about the performative nature of hookup culture in a provocative way. I feel like we’re in this competition of who can care less and it’s gotten to the point where we deny ourselves emotional availability in exchange for shallow acceptance. But then we have a tendency to fabricate intimacy and while we engage in what is supposedly a meaningless experience, we romanticize it.
What first got you into music?
Having had an unstable childhood and growing up in a conservative household, music grounded me and always felt foundational. I moved around A LOT and my environment was constantly changing. Because of that, I centered my life around music and made it my home. I started writing songs when I was 8 and used that pastime as a way to engage my innermost thoughts in a creative way. For the longest time I was afraid to share what I was writing because it felt like publicly reading my diary aloud.
Self-proclaimed astrology whore. Enlighten us a bit more!
So going back to being afraid to read my diary (songs) outloud… I felt it would be much easier to be honest behind a mask. When I decided to start releasing my more vulnerable songs, I created the moniker “queen mars” mostly out of fear of my family finding my music online. I’m an Aries and my ruling planet is Mars, so that’s how I came up with the name. At the time, I didn’t really know too much about astrology but since then I’ve really dove deep into the subject. It really is interesting and so in depth, it feels bottomless. The more I learn, the more I realize I’ve only scratched the surface.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced as an artist so far?
Patience. I’ve always struggled with not receiving instant gratification but I’ve learned that this pursuit is a marathon, not a sprint.
Which book should we read while listening to your music?
My music IS the story…………………(The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene if you must)
I wanted this project to be multi-dimensional, and to have something for whatever kind of mood you’re in. You want a catchy, summertime bop? Listen to “No Lie.” You want a smoky trunk-rattler with a West Coast feel? Bump “Ease Up.” You want something reflective and chill? Play “Golden.”
I changed my moniker to Wolfgang Tatum after years under another name because I switched my focus from being the best rapper possible to making the best music possible. In doing so, I wanted this EP to be a sample platter of what I’m capable of and what’s to come.
Which song of the EP is your favorite?
The answer changes almost daily to be honest. If I had to pick one, I’d say Motion. I wrote that track with the intention that anyone from a toddler to a grandma should be able to vibe with it, and I think I accomplished that.
Your music has an old school vibe. Are you into today’s Hip Hop? Or do you prefer to listen to old classics?
I absolutely listen to new music! Some current favorites are Tierra Whack, Vince Staples, Run The Jewels, Remi Wolf, and EARTHGANG.
What does hip hop symbolize in your opinion?
I think Hip Hop is beautiful because it can symbolize so many things. It’s been modern folk music for POCs. It’s been swaggerful bravado that grants confidence to listeners. It’s been deep self-reflection and catharsis for the artists. Hip Hop, to me, is freedom – if you have something to say and a passion to say it, you can make your voice heard.
Favorite music related film?
Whiplash comes immediately to mind – I related a bit too much to the main character when I first watched it and J.K. Simmons is incredible, as always.
HipHop Paranoia 