Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with VamViper
Introduction of the project: “DEAD 2 THE WORLD” is a synth punk pop autopsy of failed friendships/relationships. It is a post-mortem en masse full of ear worms, angsty vocals, comedic ad libs/voice memos, and hard hitting lyrics. It is my second album overall and my first album that I decided to record/mix/master everything myself! This album is like what happens when the main character of a show is killed off yet still haunts the narrative.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
Reply: I remember being like 3-ish years old and my mom taking me to the cassette store at the mall. She’d always let me pick out a tape. I remember one day we picked up “The Wizard of Oz” soundtrack, Sheryl Crow’s “C’mon, C’mon”, and Lit’s “A Place in the Sun”. I remember riding my tricycle around the house and singing “Soak Up The Sun” at the top of my lungs. Fun fact: My Grandma actually tried to stop me singing it because she thought the lyrics were “I’m gonna suck up someone” LOL. It’s interesting looking back though, these albums shaped my musical persona! Whimsical, fun/introspective, and self-deprecating punk. I was also the only kid that my Grandpa on my Dad’s side would let play his piano, and I have worn one of his rings in every album cover I’ve put out so far!
How did your passion for creating music begin?
Reply: I’ve always written poetry and sort-of made up songs just vocally, but as the pandemic was waning I bought a guitar so I could start working with some instrumentals. There were many snags between then and the creation of VamViper, but songwriting became something I’d turn to day-in and day-out. It truly has the power to turn any day around and that’s why I’m still so obsessed with it.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
Reply: “DEAD 2 THE WORLD” is an album I wrote about constantly feeling alienated/outcast. As a queer person in Oklahoma, and an only child, this is a feeling that always creeps into my life. I learned a LOT about loneliness while writing this album. There’s the isolated loneliness of having no one to hang out with then the loneliness of being surrounded by people that don’t fully *get* you, the awkwardness of relearning how to do things alone after relationships/friendships end, etc. 2025 was basically The Year of the Let Down, ironically even manifesting in the creation of this album. I ended up having to record, mix, AND master all 13 songs by myself in a home studio. D2TW also covers the triumph of not settling and the feeling of empowerment once you realize you can literally just do things by yourself.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
Reply: Supernatural punkish pop, leaning into dark synths and crazy beats! Drenched in lyrical mythology.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music? Reply: Songwriting will always carry the weight of the song, no matter how many people
on SubmitHub or other sites claim “the mixing/mastering is distracting”. Most people don’t even notice a song’s mixing/mastering for the most part. I certainly didn’t before I started making and releasing music. A lot of people in this business get trapped fine tuning mixes for months. At a certain point, you have to trust that your songwriting is strong enough to keep people invested. You also have to keep your audience fed. I’m someone that writes CONSTANTLY and I am ready to start non-stop releasing.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process? Reply: I write my songs using voice memo/iMovie on the iPhone, then I
produce/record/mix in Logic, and master with Mixea. I just got FL Studio and I’m excited to learn how to use that for the next project!
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
Reply: Swandive by Ryan Caraveo. I have *loved* watching his musical journey unfold and have been a fan since 2019. This song felt like my 2025 tbh and has been bringing me a lot of comfort lately. I cannot sing Caraveo’s praises enough and he’s someone I recommend to all of my friends. Perfect music for “Sad Boi Hours” and he has some bangers!
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision? Reply: Oklahoma has a way of dehumanizing/demonizing people that are different. I
have definitely felt that before, and that’s why I relate so much to shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Charmed”. There are these characters that are fantastical and larger-than-life, and it’s like the “normal” people in the show are committed to misunderstanding them, when all they really want is a normal life. I decided to put my own spin on that. VamViper is me being like “Okay so you wanted a monster? Cool. Here you go.” on the surface, but when you actually dive into the lyrics, you find what I actually like/dislike/dream about/fear. VamViper has become my armor. It has boosted my confidence to astronomical heights. When I wake up in the morning, no matter who’s trying to drag me down, what dude is ghosting me, who’s trying to get a rise out of me at my day job, etc, I’m like “I got this. I’m a f***ing pop star.”.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work? Reply: I hope my music empowers people to embrace their shadow selves and stand up
for what’s right. There’s a thorough-thread of political awareness throughout all of my work. Times are really tough right now in the United States, and it feels like the evil people keep winning. I hope my music inspires people to keep fighting, because evil always falls eventually.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Reply: It’s taught me that there is strength in vulnerability. Some people seem to think that because I lead with my heart on my sleeve, that I’m fragile. And some days, there’s some truth to that. Overall though, I think strength isn’t the absence of vulnerability, it’s continuing to press on and feeling the emotions in their entirety. This thought has also shifted my writing process. I used to feel like I was walking through a land mine of emotions just to get a song out because I was afraid of it being “too much”. Now, I know THAT’S where the magic lies. If something makes me feel anxious, it’s probably because it’s emotionally charged and it needs to be in a song and on the record.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
Reply: Vans Warped Tour would be EVERYTHING.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why? Reply: Taylor Swift. She’s my all-time idol. I love everything she does and her tours are
magical. I’ve been to see her 5 times now, twice on the “reputation” tour, and three times on the “Eras Tour”. I love the way her music has a tendency to find you when you’re going through something and lift you up, and deciphering the easter eggs in her visuals/lyrics is something I have loved doing for years. Working with her is an ultimate goal.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links) Reply: https://linktr.ee/vamviper
And @vamviper23 on just about all socials out there (especially TikTok where I’m most active!
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
Reply: I’d like to put out as much music as possible and figure out the logistics of a live show. In the nearer future, I’m entering my self-produced era. My goal is to produce the next album entirely alone. Every bit of it. Including the visuals.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way? Reply: I hope listeners discover the joy underneath all of the angst. Though my music
can get pretty dark, I do genuinely love life and I think allowing ourselves to wallow in the more unpleasant emotions can give us more appreciation for the experience as a whole. I want them to listen to my work and not know if it was written as a romance, tragedy, comedy, or fantasy. VamViper isn’t a stage persona, it’s me in a goth vampire font.
If you want here you can add a representative Youtube video to insert below the interview 🙂
Link: Here’s a song from my latest project that I created 100% on my own 🙂
