An Interview with Blake Tinsley

A fresh new release from Blake Tinsley delivers a very unique breed of honesty in the form of songs that blend elements of R&B, pop, and even afrobeat at times come always with a character driven and personality riddled approach making the songs feel incredibly authentic which in turn, makes the songs also feel connected to a lot of people.

For me, the Honest album was well put together and delivered quite a lot of heart lyrically. The performance certainly followed suit with vocals that were passionately performed and still managed to deliver a slew of hooks throughout the record that stick with you for hours after the songs have ended.

This is the kind of album you listen to as a whole. Listening to one or two tracks can give you a bit of a gist of what you might expect from some of the rest of the album, but it will not give you the full spectrum of what it offers as a whole.

These songs are connected in a sense. It's not exactly like a concept record, but it is at the same time. It's almost like these songs are chapters in the artist's life, and he's inviting you to listen to those inner thoughts that come spilling out for everyone to soak up.

I can tell that some of this was probably cathartic for Blake to write and release because there's a lot of vulnerability on this record, and I think that takes guts.

At the same time, it takes that kind of vulnerability to deliver something that feels this genuine.

A lot of the time, he's able to deliver lyrics that you connect with so much that certain songs feel like they could have served as part of the soundtrack to chapters in your own life.

I love listening to songs that feel like they could have been written just for you, even though you know they weren't.

You're just relating to those lyrics and letting the vocals wrap themselves around you so that you can grab onto all that emotional backbone that these songs give off.

Having said all that, this is very pop-oriented. There are a lot of hooks, catchy tracks, some surprises around the corners, amazing production, and well-thought-out arrangements.

You can absolutely tell there was a lot of attention to detail during the creation process of this record; however, it never loses that character or heart that it began with in the first place, and this may be the most important aspect of the entire thing.

The record kicks off with the track called "New Romantics", which is a song that does an amazing job of delivering a lot of the staples that you can hear throughout the record, from unique synth sounds to commercial pop approaches.

Also giving those lyrics that you know came from someplace real.

These are not just staples of the record, but the elements and attributes of it that get you addicted.

I feel like this is a pretty excellent track to introduce the record with.

The deeper into the album you go, the more it opens up and gives you more pieces of the artist, along with musical experimentation.

Although this is a pop-coated album, it does have outside-the-box approaches, and as I mentioned earlier, those provide some great surprises.

Tracks like "Narcotic" give you a lot of introspective, storytelling, and something that feels like a smooth acoustic pop song that you'd hear on the radio. It's so cinematic and emotional that you can't help but fall right into it.

These are the kinds of things that make the record special.

It's not only about how well the production is done, but more about how honest the album can be, which is probably why that's the title of the record itself.

I feel like it takes a lot to give that much on an album. As a solo artist, it can be hard to let everything out the way that Blake does on this record

It's built with fewer boundaries than you may be used to, and I find that refreshing, to be honest.

There are no two songs that are alike, and there's something sort of warm about the record, even though you know these are all real situations, inner thoughts, and feelings that are coming through.

Certain kinds of inner thoughts are feelings that can be scary, but it still means they're real. It's the authenticity that makes this record impactful.

I feel like almost anyone of a certain age can relate to at least a handful of songs on this release, and for Blake to be able to put it out there so few walls built around it, it's kind of a beautiful thing.

As I mentioned earlier, there's plenty of catchiness here. There are lots of songs that are incredibly danceable, hooks that bounce around in your brain for hours or even days after the songs have ended, and tracks that make you want to sing along or dance in the living room.

But it's that authentic realness that sticks. The honesty, the emotion, the vulnerability. All of those things are what connect you with the record and the personality behind it.

So, as I mentioned earlier, listen to this album as a whole, from start to finish, because it's the best way to soak it in.

Doing so with headphones on is probably even better.

Either way, take a deep dive into this one and remember where you heard it first.

With the release of the record, we wanted to chat with Blake to find out more about the album and what may be next for the artist. 

Here's what happened. 

Buzz Slayers: Let's talk about Honest! This record had a vibrant pop approach with some vintage synths and surprises around its corners!  Where did these songs come from? 

These songs were written from a place where I had not one hold back. Not

one person could tell Me a topic was too personal or too much so Honest was born.

Buzz Slayers: I'm hearing a few different approaches to this record! Who are some of your biggest musical influences?

I would say Elvis, Cash, but new age Post Malone, Tony B RIP.

Buzz Slayers: Did you record this at a home setup, or at a big studio?

It was done in a studio but using older microphones to get that raw sounds which was a huge choice of mine. 

Buzz Slayers: Where do you find your favorite synth sounds?

That would be my production team mainly my boy Blayden. He has a way of hearing what I want in my lyrics and brings it alive.

Buzz Slayers: How did this all start for you as an artist?

I was a Disney kid and my mother a stage mom pushing me into anything and everything from TV, Movies, Music, and Modeling.

Buzz Slayers: Are you performing live right now? 

I am taking bookings for shows as well as tours just email: shows@blakefordmusic.com

Buzz Slayers: Now that this is out, what's next for you?

Promo, Collabs, videos, different story telling options, and hopefully a tiny to shoot some movies. I have someone sending me scripts and taking more submissions: management@blakefordmusic.com

Buzz Slayers: Who's in your headphones right now?

JP Saxes & Jessie Murph

Buzz Slayers: What would you tell people they can expect on this release?

New promotional material from me, limited edition signed vinyls,

CDs, and Cassettes plus limited edition signed merch when will disappear when they least expect it making everything rare plus promo shows from

intimate shows to a huge tour!!  

Buzz Slayers: Before we go, what would you like to express to fans of the music? 

This era will be a do Not second guess yourself type of event if you want the merch grab it, if you wanna see a show grab a ticket cause I might do 1 of 100!!! It all Depends on the demands of the fans so it’s all in your hands! Do I stay home or do I hit the road? Do I hide in my dressing room or do I offer meet and greets!

It’s up to you and how much you support the record!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDhT8qLp7amjE&v=hT8qLp7amjE

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