Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with F.Y.I.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
My parents loved listening to music when I was growing up. Hearing my dad sing his own original songs in the living room to instrumentals like Art of Noise’s “Moments in Love,” or riding around with my mom listening to whatever was popping on the radio at the time. Music was a part of my childhood from the very beginning. I experienced it in my household or with my uncles, cousins, and aunties playing music around me.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
My passion for creating music came from watching music videos, watching my pops sing, and listening to hip hop at an early age. Groups like A Tribe Called Quest and OutKast really inspired my love for rapping to name a few. A combination of these things is what really got me inspired to create my own music. By middle and high school, I was already creating, writing and recording original songs with the rap crews I was part of at the time.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
My current song, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop” featuring Bishop Nehru. The song is about persevering until you can celebrate your wins in real-time.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
I’ve coined my sound, life music. Those who listen to my music, I call huemans (hue meaning color/shade) because people are not one-dimensional. We are colorful beings, and we all have emotional variations. So when people experience my music, they can resonate with it because it covers the human experience; life’s peaks and valleys and everything in between.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
I’m not sure if there’s been one thing in particular. I see the entire process of making records as a journey, but I guess I can say one thing that stands out to me is being fearless in my approach to making songs. No rules. No boundaries. I’m doing what is in my heart to do and letting the rest fall into place.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
Time. Then my rap notebook, phone notes, instrumental on repeat. That’s it.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
I really like Tems. She’s dope. I’d like to work with Anderson .Paak too. Otherwise, I’m listening to tracks and cooking up my own records. However, some emcees keep my antennae up like Benny the Butcher or much of the local Los Angeles hip hop that surfaces or appears on my algorithm.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
My experience as a black man growing in America resonates in the music. People hear a Southern California perspective, a working class Black perspective, a God fearing perspective, an activist perspective. Like I said, my music is life music. All these perspectives emerge in the music from my first project, Yo! The Places You’ll Go to my latest song, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop” featuring Bishop Nehru.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
Put God first. Believe that you can win in life. Only you can be good at being you so be you to the fullest. Love hard. Hate less. Basically, be hueman.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
That creativity really comes from God. It’s a byproduct of His goodness. I’m simply a vessel being used in all this. It’s not about me, it’s about the music and how it can change people for the better in many ways. It’s really about service and being a servant.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
The Roots Picnic. Quest and Black Thought holla at me (ha ha).
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
From the past – James Brown because I would love to see how he produces records with his band. James and his band had beats for real for real. From the present – too many to name but I’d have to say Q-Tip because he’s really the architect of so many artists/styles from Ye to OutKast to Pharrel to Tyler the Creator to Anderson .Paak. He’s really the root to a very large tree of artists that comes directly from what him/A Tribe Called Quest accomplished.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
Hit me up at www.fyipsalms.com to buy the music or merch. Just google @fyipsalms for all my socials.
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
Touring
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
That my music has texture and range. I definitely pride myself on being a lyricist but I also enjoy writing songs. I’m chill, like to clown around, and don’t take myself too seriously. Even though I like to talk about meaningful things on record; at the end of the day I still like to enjoy myself and enjoy life.
