Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Lil Cam
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
My earliest memories connected to music go back to when I was about four to six years old, and they’re all tied to my parents. Any time they took me with them in the car, singing would break out. My dad would be out here singing “Pop a Top” by Alan Jackson, and my mom and I would always sing “Dilemma” by Nelly and Kelly Rowland. There’s that little “ohhh” ad-lib after Kelly sings “No matter what I do…” — and little six-year-old me was in the back seat doing that “ohhh” every single time. My mom would laugh because I took that tiny ad-lib so seriously.
Music has been in me since the start.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
Even though I’ve loved music since I was a toddler, my passion for creating music really began in my early teens — around thirteen or fourteen. That was when I became a huge fan of hip-hop, especially the lyricism and the confidence that came with it. At the same time, I was going through a rough period in my life and getting bullied for being gay. Writing raps became my outlet — almost like a personal diary that rhymed. It was the safest place where I could express everything that I didn’t feel brave enough to say out loud. Creating music became a way to survive that trauma.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
Being such a new artist, I’m focused on releasing singles right now rather than a full project — I want to grow my fanbase one story at a time. My most recent single, 2 My Younger Self, is the first song I’ve put out that really taps back into that vulnerable kid who started writing raps just to survive the trauma. It’s a letter from my present-day self to that child version of me who was dealing with constant bullying and ridicule. It’s vulnerable, but it’s also a moment where I puff my chest out and let the world know — Lil’ Cam might be gay, but he is not someone to be played with.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
Laughs — that’s always a tough one because I’m a bit of a shape-shifter. I love bending genres and moods. The simplest way to describe my sound is: hip-hop that blends melody with hard-hitting, hardcore verses. I can go from sensual and sexy on tracks like Denim Genes or Versatile, to vulnerable on 2 My Younger Self, to full-on “gayngsta” — which is actually the name of one of my upcoming songs.
Sometimes I blend all three energies into the same track. I really just try to serve who I am as a person through different lenses. My style can be unpredictable in the best way.
For example, I have a song dropping November 28th called Ponla Sucia, which is almost entirely in Spanish with a Latin hip-hop/reggaetón fusion vibe. It’s definitely for the adult crowd. I don’t speak Spanish fluently, but I wanted to challenge myself as a writer and performer — thank God for translators and a Spanish rhyming dictionary.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
Honestly, the biggest shift for me was changing how I start a song. I used to write everything out on paper first, line by line. Now I just let the beat roll and record whatever I’m feeling in the moment. Freestyling ideas out loud and recording helps me experiment with flow and melody on the spot, and I can hear instantly what direction the song wants to go. It’s made the whole process more intuitive and helps me map out the next sections so much easier.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
My microphones are essential — I use a condenser mic by Solid State Logic and a dynamic mic by Shure, and between the two I can capture my vocals with the clarity and texture I’m looking for. My interface is also by SSL; I use the SSL2, which gives me a really clean, reliable signal.
When it comes to software, my setup has evolved a lot. I started out using FL Studio for everything, then moved into BandLab, which I used for most of my early mixtape work. Now I’ve transitioned into more advanced DAWs like Steinberg’s Cubase and Avid Pro Tools. I love them because they give me way more precision with tuning, EQ, compression — basically all the tools I need to shape my sound exactly how I hear it in my head.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
Lil’ Cam.
I’m really focused on my own music right now — improving my craft and genuinely loving what I’m creating. But I have been hearing a lot of great work from indie artists in general. It’s a tough industry to break into, and there are so many talented people out here trying to through the saturation.
To show some hometown love, I’ve been impressed by Quake Matthews. He’s a huge local inspiration. He recently collaborated with Ice Cube and Scarface — that’s an indie artist doing major things and putting our scene on the map.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
Now that is a great question. This one is deeply personal for me, because being a gay man in hip-hop — a genre that has historically been homophobic — is a unique and sometimes challenging path to navigate. Everything I write comes straight from my own life and experiences. A lot of my aggressive side comes from having my manhood questioned growing up simply because I’m gay.
In my music, I blend my feminine and masculine energy on purpose. I want to show that I can be all of it at once — soft, hard, vulnerable, confident — and still be powerful. I refuse to let anyone box me in or define what I’m allowed to be. My artistic vision is really about owning every part of myself unapologetically.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
It really depends on the song, but overall I want people to feel empowered and confident when they listen to my music. My biggest goal is connection. I want listeners to see themselves in what I’m creating — whether that means tapping into their sexy side with a track like my upcoming Ponla Sucia, or letting themselves process heartbreak with a song like Crushed. Whatever the mood is, I want the emotion to feel real and relatable.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Be you, unapologetically. That’s the biggest lesson music has taught me. Music helped me build confidence at times when the world was trying to take it away — and honestly, it still tries sometimes. I thank God for music, because I truly believe it saved my life.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
Coachella and Madison Square Garden are two huge goals of mine. Those stages are iconic. If I ever get the chance to walk out there and perform — that moment will mean everything to me.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
This will be obvious to anyone who knows me, but my absolute dream collaborator is Lil’ Kim. She’s the artist who introduced me to hip-hop, and as wild as it sounds given her content, her music genuinely saved my life. She gave me the confidence to be sexual without shame, to own my space, to walk into a room and feel powerful.
Lil’ Kim is iconic, and she doesn’t get nearly enough flowers for how much she’s pioneered — from the way women rap to the way they brand themselves today. She changed the culture. She’s the Queen B for real.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
My music is available on all major streaming platforms – below is a list of some, along with my socials!
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/lil-cam/1804592625
Tidal: https://tidal.com/artist/55946564
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.ca/artists/B0F2GGTVM9/lil%E2%80%99-cam
Instagram: https://instagram.com/lilcamxi
Tik-Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lilcamxi
Youtube Music: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCbf9GUE_H5hRp8hfdnbBnBQ?si=d9sVe8WOcbR3ypkv
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbf9GUE_H5hRp8hfdnbBnBQ
Deezer: https://link.deezer.com/s/31BEbIJsb4kJgjjiujusc
Audiomack: https://audiomack.com/lilcammusic
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
I’m really looking forward to continued growth and reaching a point where I can focus on my music full time. I haven’t had the chance to perform my own music live yet, and that’s a huge dream of mine. Performing is such a major part of who I am as an artist, and stepping onto a stage and bringing my songs to life in front of people feels like the next big chapter for me.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
I hope listeners discover that I’m strong, resilient, masculine, feminine, and vulnerable all at once. I contain all of those things, and I’m proud of that balance. I also want people to know that I’m a real songwriter — I don’t have a ghostwriter and I don’t use AI to write my rhymes. I believe deeply in writing your own lyrics as a rapper. That authenticity matters to me.
