A brand-new single from Erik Evy brings on a confluent and smooth genre crossing and colorful blend of hip hop and pop with touches of dream and indie pop riddled throughout the songs course. "Synonymous" is lush and full with a gorgeous palette of sounds to go along with a passionate conscious hip hop rap style that really works incredibly well with the natural instrumentation the track brings. The single screams underground rap but shines like a mainstream radio single would as the vocals come with all the swagger you could want. This is a youthful and fully energized single that really gets under your skin in all the best ways possible. This was bright, edgy, and brought its own atmosphere. Best of all is the artist's outstanding lyrical phrasing and ability to just push the envelope enough to make a difference. Evy has been releasing songs and albums throughout 2021 and is gearing up for another release so it's wise to keep your eyes and ears open for this one. With such a killer new single release, we wanted to have a chat with Erik Evy to find out where this track came from and where things are headed for him.
Here's what happened.
BuzzSlayers: Where did this track come from? I am from Glen Ellyn, IL a suburb of Chicago. Very lucky to be so close to such a musical city BuzzSlayers: I'm certainly hearing some different styles mixed in on this one. Who are some of your biggest musical influences? Growing up I had a mixed bag of influences. Linkin Park, Green Day, and Fall out Boy were my 3 favorite bands growing up. And when Linkin Park did the Numb Encore song with Jay Z, then I discovered hip hop. My influences may or may not reflect in my music, but Lil Wayne, Kanye, Mac Miller were some of the major influences, and then recently I have been inspired by people like Amine, J Cole, Tyler, Vince Staples. Incredible talent in music right now. BuzzSlayers: So how did all of this really start for you? I LOVED the charisma and energy hip hop artists have for their craft. It was head and shoulders more exciting than some of these band personalities. I felt like they were being themselves, and authenticity is the most important thing for me. Once I dove in, the storytelling, and cool beats kept me hooked. I knew I could write and after I graduated college I knew taking a back seat would be something I would regret for the rest of my life. I am learning so much about myself. BuzzSlayers: Do you do any live performances?
Not yet! I've had a few canceled from covid, but that is a major goal for 2022! BuzzSlayers: What kind of things inspire you to write?
Life in general. I think one of my biggest strengths is being able to connect with a wide variety of people. I want to make music that tells stories, and I want to capture every emotion of what it means to be human. So other people inspire me to write. BuzzSlayers: Can we expect any music videos coming from you this year? Yes! I will have a surprise music video / song drop within the next month. Getting comfortable in front of a camera has something that has been tough, but with tik tok and all these platforms, everything needs to be visual to stand out. So PLENTY of music videos this year. BuzzSlayers: What's next for you as an artist? Is there anything new in the works even now?
The song / video mentioned a second ago will be out soon! And these songs, (No Harm, No Foul, Synonymous, and the surprise) are building towards a project later in the spring. ALSO I am finally moving to city of Chicago this month. The goal is to go to a variety of open mic and networking events to develop a new following before I drop this project. BuzzSlayers: What are you all doing when you're NOT working on music?
Good question haha, I am always staying active! Its my favorite way to decompress from the day. Basketball, golf, intramural softball, and then I'm trying to balance a social schedule too. I have a full-time job working remotely, but one day I will put myself in a position where music becomes my main source of income. BuzzSlayers: This track feels like a big undertaking. What kind of advice would you have for other up-and-coming bands out there?
Be yourself! We see popular trends and the sounds they are using. Do not follow the trend of a certain sound because you think that is what's hot. If that sound copying works, people will love you for something that isn't truly you. And I would say connect connect, connect. You don't know who knows who, so be nice to everyone you meet, and support other artists!! Nobody will listen to your work if you don't listen to theirs. In terms of the music craft, I would also say to expose yourself to as many different skills that will help you with your brand. Photo/video editing, mixing, production, marketing skills, writing emails, building a website. The more you are able to take control of the process, the more leverage you will have in the future. I have realized the more work I put in, the more work I need to do. It's one hell of a cycle haha. BuzzSlayers: Okay so you wake up in the middle of the night starving. What's your go-to midnight snack? (a question of character here)
Vanilla bean ice cream. Best desert out there, plain and simple. A lot of the times I will say no to the dessert menu because I know I have the ice cream at home BuzzSlayers: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
I am going to challenge you with different sounds. Synonymous, this most recent song, was my first true test to my audience. I want to get to a point where you have no clue what kind of sound will come next from me. So, I just want to say thank you for being open-minded with my sound and thank you for listening. Also Buzz Slayers thank YOU for having me on your platform. I admire what you guys do for up-and-coming artists.