Interview with Yxngxr1

What's going on? It is Adam. Welcome back to bringing it backwards. A podcast where both legendary and rising artists tell their own personal stories of how they achieve stardom. On this episode, we had a chance to talk to younger one over zoom, video, Timothy AK younger one was born and raised in south Wales. And he talks about how he got into music. Actually didn't get into music as far as performing and writing until much later in life. He talked about the first concert he went to when he was five years old, he brought a blow up air guitar, and he still has it at his parents' house, which is amazing. He then attended a punk rock show when he was 17, that blew his mind. So he started to try to write songs. 4 (2m 10s): He'd grab beats off YouTube and try to rap over it. He then sent those songs to his friends and his friends were like very harsh. And to said, you know, don't quit your day job or get a day job kind of deal. He was working at Footlocker at the time, but he eventually attends the Redding festival. And when he's there, he sees Brock Hampton. And that just changed his life. He's like, I'm going to go back. I'm not going to tell anyone I'm doing this. And then he started the alias younger one and started putting music out that way. He talks about putting out Tyler on SoundCloud and how that changed everything for him. He discusses getting signed to empire and all about his new record, which is called teenage motel. You can watch our interview with Timothy on our Facebook page and YouTube channel at bringing it backwards. 4 (2m 54s): It would be rad if you subscribe to our channel like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Tik TOK at bringing back pod. And if you're listening to this on Spotify, apple music, Google podcasts, it would be amazing if you follow us there as well and hook us up with a five-star review. 5 (3m 12s): We'd appreciate your support. If you follow and subscribe to our podcasts, wherever you listen to podcasts, 4 (3m 18s): We're bringing it backwards with younger one, right on well I'm Adam and this podcast is about you, your journey in music. And we'll talk about the new record and how you got to where you are now. 6 (3m 30s): I say I'm excited. 4 (3m 32s): Okay. So I saw your, and I'm not going to lie. I've listened to your music. It's awesome. I've never watched or seen an interview with you because I want to try to pronounce your, your artist name. And I want to see if I totally screwed it up. Is it younger one? Is it really? It was like, I was like a mad libs. I'm like, huh? 6 (3m 54s): Yeah. I don't even remember making it honestly. Like I asked one of them ones. I was kind of like, where did I even come from? I have no clue. 4 (4m 2s): It's good. It's really good. Cause I'm like anger. I was like trying to, cause I, I kind of went with the, okay, he's doing the X instead of vowels. And then instead of like, you know, some people will just do it with no vowels and they crush it together and you've got to figure it out. But then I was like, yeah, like it took me about 10 minutes and I'm like younger. Like I was learning to read younger one. That's gotta be, 6 (4m 22s): That's the one it's a strange, I dunno why the Xs are there and I don't know why it's smiling, but thank you. Thank you. 4 (4m 31s): It looks good. It looks really good because when I first saw it, I'm like, okay, this has got this, got to say something, right. It's not just going to be a bunch of letters. And then like, it took me a few minutes of really staring I'm looking at it now. Just kind of like, and it finally clicked to me cause I'm like, like about 10 minutes ago. I'm like, dude, let's just see if he has another interview where he says his name. 6 (4m 51s): We've I want to be in a good, a good shot as well. 4 (4m 54s): So I was like, I'm just going to go for it. Let's see what happens. Yeah. 6 (4m 57s): And honestly, I mean, you've got it. Right. So, I mean, you still have to answer, you got it. 4 (5m 1s): Oh, that's awesome. Amazing. Well, first off you were born in Cardiff. Is that what I read? 6 (5m 7s): I was yeah. In south Wales. 4 (5m 8s): Sweet. Well, tell me about that. 6 (5m 11s): It was cool as required. It's very like if you're friends with a lot of people, like it's a very tight knit community kind of thing. Like S S a sick place to grow up. There's like a beach, but it's not like a normal beach. I don't know 4 (5m 27s): If I'm from Southern California. And we had the Pacific ocean. I don't know. 6 (5m 32s): It's not like a California beach. It's like, it's like big rocks. Like the size of that identifies a good measurement or not, but like S all the, all the beaches are 4 (5m 43s): No sand. You don't like kick out your, your, Your like, sunshine and hang out there. Or do you 6 (5m 51s): It's. I mean, it's, it's sunny for about 10 minutes. Oh yeah. Just like overcast and, you know, it's whatever, like, we'd have to complain about the weather on a sale over here. Like, it's just, it's poppy and British these days. It's just whatever. But yeah, it was cool. Like, it's very, yeah. Very tight knit. Like, everyone's kind of friends with each other. If someone knows each other, they'll know if someone else and someone else and someone else, someone else. And it's really, it's really cool. It's like, just to be part of that little, like thing growing up, because Everett, like, there's a certain amount of pay, so you can kind of go likewise from off. So there's a certain out of place you can go. So like me and the boys would go and like run out. 6 (6m 33s): It sounds really weird. Yeah. But like, there was this, there's this like bowls, you know, the balls they play outside. Like they rolled the ball. The 4 (6m 41s): Grass 6 (6m 42s): Is green as oppose green. 4 (6m 46s): Is that it 6 (6m 46s): May, it's like, they have like big, like heavy. It's almost like bowling, except you have a ball at the end here and you'll roll a ball. And like, how, like, if 4 (6m 54s): <inaudible> Okay. Yeah. I don't know what you guys call it. That's what we called it here. 6 (6m 60s): But yeah, like one of them, like pieces of grass and then like, they'd be like, covered, like surrounded in bushes, big bushes. So like, nobody could like go in and kind of thing. So like me and the boys would like, occasionally I say occasionally, like, or sum up very much, like go up and a run across these massive bushes yet. And like, there'd be holes in sun. So you'd be running for about like, I don't know, like five meters. And then next thing you just see someone drop. Honestly. That's like probably the biggest part of like my childhood, honestly, just seeing, 4 (7m 29s): I remember having a, a portion of my life when we were young, like jumping in bushes, that was like a thing we'd like put on sweatpants and sweatshirts and whatever. Like in the middle of the summer, you can just go jump in bushes. I'm like, I don't understand how that was fun, but 6 (7m 44s): Why do we do it honestly? Like, it was the best thing to do, like buy a bushes, like just harassed. They may, it makes no sense just jumping into bushes for no reason. 4 (7m 54s): That's awesome. What about music? Was that a big thing in, in south Wales or not as much, 6 (8m 1s): Like there was when I was like a bit older, like I remember I used to, when I was a kid, I used to listen to like a lot of like pop bands. So like there was a band called busted and obviously McFly, they were massive out here. I'm not sure if they like reached the U S law or outside of the UK. But like, I remember my mum took me to a busted gig in, I think it was the motor point, which was like a, kind of like a big arena in, in Wales or south Wales. And I remember I got a blow up air guitar, which is sick at my mom's house. Now Nobody's ever moved the it's kind of like an old, like memory of like, just that time. 6 (8m 41s): Was that 4 (8m 42s): Your first show? Your first? 6 (8m 44s): Yeah, so I was playing like, I was probably like five or six, maybe it was, this was like, oh my God, like 17 years ago now, which is actually insane. But like, I think 17. Yeah, it would have been like 17 years ago. I know. Then from there, I can't remember. I should go into like many. I remember my mum used to go out to like a lot of gigs, but like, it was for like people that she knew like locally and stuff were just kinda like really sick. Like I remember back in the day, it'd be like, why are you going there? Why are you going there? But I would make so much sense. It's like, oh, cause you actually really love this, this artist or whatever. Then when I was about 16 or 17, I remember the boys were like, yo, we're going to go see this band called Astro boys, which is like a very like punk rap. 4 (9m 31s): I know that I've heard that band before. 6 (9m 32s): And yeah, we went there and that was like my first ever taste of like real modern gigs. If that makes sense. Everyone's mush. Everyone's really tight. There's like a merge stand. And it's like, not like an arena merged on where everything's kind of yeah, 4 (9m 48s): Yeah. It was like a punk club. Yeah. Like a more of a teen show. That makes sense. 6 (9m 53s): Yeah, it was so it was so cool. And it was like, I remember being there and I was like, whoa, imagine like what it's like being on stage and all this kind of stuff. And then, yeah, that was cool. And then, 4 (10m 4s): Well, Hey, real quick. I wanna, I wanna rewind here for one second. Cause you you're talking about that show that you went to when you brought the, the blow guitar, like, okay. So you go to that show with your mom. You obviously did you know the music of this band or are you just like, okay, there's going to be a rock show. I'm bringing the blood guitar. Cause I'm five or six. 6 (10m 22s): This is, this is, we knew, we knew that that's all I've listened to is busted. And it was like, that was solely like my main focus in music. It was like, just this band is the only band ever to live. Like it's the only music that exists in my mind. Apparently. 4 (10m 42s): Like 6 (10m 42s): I remember they were like, I can't remember the, like the actual gig, but it's like, from what people have told you and you know, you made like little imagination in your head and you're like, oh, this was the popping of this. So like, I just, yeah, it was just, I just remember probably like, well actually remember nothing, but I can just imagine myself like going insane and just like, like I still know all the words to this day. It's so my, when it, when someone plays like a busted song, I'm like, whoa, is there. So like the wage, I like, it's just like our members, like from, 4 (11m 15s): It just takes you back. It's like, yeah, that's so cool. I've never heard of this band, but now I'm like super curious to look them up after this interview bus. Yeah. 6 (11m 24s): It's the busted their like, and then they, they might fly. They did a co like a collab. I know they call it muck busted. I'm honestly Like, that was probably when I was like, I want to say maybe when I was 10 or nine and honestly the UK music scene has never been the same. That's what I'm saying. 4 (11m 41s): Okay. I'm going to check them out for sure. Now I'm like super intrigued by how this band is going to sound. Okay. So then you go to this punk club that was when your, what? A teenager. 6 (11m 50s): Yeah. I was like 17. I think it was 16. 4 (11m 54s): And were you doing music at all at this point? Or were you just a fan? 6 (11m 58s): Well, the thing is, I didn't even, like, I'd only hear the, of like people talking about them and like, I hadn't, hadn't actually listened to any of the music. It was kind of like, yo, we're going here. Like you should come out, blah, blah. I was like, yeah, I'll come. Like, what's the worst that can happen. It's like, I was like, good music. Like if you're, if you enjoy it, I probably would as well. So then I went there not expecting like, well, not really knowing any of the music, not really expecting anything. And there was a guy called, I think it's Daniel OJI. And he played, he supported. And I was like, this guy is like sick. I was like, what the fuck? Like this guy is amazing. And then the, then the main art came on, Astro boys. 6 (12m 40s): And like I remember ever was Masha. And I'd never been in a mosque for 5, 17, 16 years. I'd never been in a much, I didn't know why. I didn't know what was going on. I was like, I've never been pushed into shoving what's going on. But obviously with joined in, got a couple of punches is fine. Just like wipe it off is fine. It's whatever. And then, yeah, I remember leaving. Like that was just, that was just mad honestly. But yeah, it was weird. I wasn't doing any music whenever, even fall about music and that kind of like sense of like, oh, I want to, I want to do something to do in music. It was, it was really, yeah. It's yeah. It was mad. It was the middle of show. 4 (13m 15s): Wow. Did you, so you didn't play piano or anything like that? Growing up as a kid? 6 (13m 18s): Oh, actually I did. Oh, actually. Okay. This, I forget because it was kind of like, I, okay. I play, I used to play call on it. Cause my like, like it was like a trumpet and cause my brother did and I thought my brother was the coolest person at an Easter last week. So like, I was like, yo, he plays corner. So like, I'm going to do that obviously, because you know, I have no originality here, 4 (13m 42s): Brother brother does. Right. 6 (13m 44s): Exactly. Which is why I'm the younger one because I'm the younger one to my brother, which is where the name after I made it, after I made it, where it came from, 4 (13m 52s): Like now it all, it's all coming together. 6 (13m 54s): Yeah. So like he did that and I was like, oh yeah, I want to play that as well. And then I did piano when I was probably, oh God, I don't even know when that was. But I used to go down the road. I remember my mum used to walk me to this woman's house blesser. And then like, I was just like, just couldn't concentrate or anything. I used to try and do my own thing. I'm like, no, no, this is how you play it. Even though she's a professional instructor. Like, no, no, no, this is how 4 (14m 21s): This sounds better. 6 (14m 22s): Yeah. Like I don't know what y'all doing, but like, I'm trying to make music over here and y'all just ruin it, my vibe. But Like I was, yeah. I played piano and then my brother and my uncle used to play a, well, they still do pick us up up. There was, you know, football, like soccer. Yeah. Like there was a team called, well, there was a team called I dunno, I keep saying was, I guess, because it's talking about it in the past, 4 (14m 48s): They still exist. 6 (14m 49s): They exist and they're still running. But like basically, like we had season tickets to that, to the football team and every now and then I'd kind of be like, oh, I don't really want to go to go over to our nuns house and wherever. And my brother and my uncle used to put away SIS live sets on the TV and play guitar, like along with it kind of thing. And for some reason at the time I thought like, I wouldn't have said anything because it would have made me look like a little nerd. But I was like, I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Like they were both kind of just like John man, like both singing. And it was like, I remember just being like sat there, just like, I want to play a guitar, but I never actually did. And that was the side of the spot. The only do you have any instrument? 6 (15m 29s): I want to play. And I was the only one I'd never did. 4 (15m 32s): Oh, you never even did it. You never picked it up. 6 (15m 35s): Wow. Now 4 (15m 37s): There is always time. There is always, 6 (15m 39s): Yeah. Yeah. I just thought we got some where I don't even see that. There's like one that gets all hung up on the wall by the, Yeah. 4 (15m 48s): Like we can just move like sideways up on the wall. Okay. 6 (15m 51s): So I might try and try and get that down and stuff. 4 (15m 54s): Awesome spot man. All the windows. I love that. 6 (15m 57s): Like, I'll show you now. So we've got, if you can sit properly, 4 (16m 2s): Like downtown or something out there that 6 (16m 3s): Like around here is like all of 'em like the city where they go, like the actual, like central London, we can see like all the high-rise buildings from here. Like it's actually, I'm not spot. I don't know how we got it for the price. We got it. Like it 4 (16m 20s): Was gosh, it's like sick. 6 (16m 22s): Yeah. So we were like super excited when we came here, like we were told that the price was lowered because contraband, well, the reason was, but they were like, nobody was going for it and all this stuff. So we were like, oh, okay, cool. We'll have a look at it just to see what's going on and came here. And they hadn't added any photos of what the outside was looking like, but you can see everything from here. And so we were like came in and instantly we were like, we were like, yeah, we've, we've actually found a diamond right now. So we just say she made an offer on the spot. And they were like, yeah, chillin. Let's do it. And we were like, what? Okay, fair enough. 4 (16m 60s): Yeah. They obviously don't do, they don't know how to do really very well. If they were taking pictures of like that view you have. 6 (17m 6s): Yeah. Joanne, our state agent, our letter. I don't know how they call it in, in, in America. Like how you Be, like the people who sell the, the, 4 (17m 18s): Yeah, like a relater. 6 (17m 19s): I, yeah, that's the one. Yeah. Like our one is a beautiful man and he's called James and he is the nicest I've ever met in my whole life. Blessing is so sound so shout out, James, if anyone wants to, I don't even hit them up. 4 (17m 32s): You can get it by yourself, a house. 6 (17m 35s): And then for no reason here, honestly, but he, yeah, he was beautiful and we got a beautiful space and just excited to be in London, you know, like so much stuff happening here. 4 (17m 43s): Yeah. Okay. So you recently moved to London then? 6 (17m 46s): Yeah. We just, just moved from literally last, last week. It was 4 (17m 51s): Really when you were in south Wales prior to that. 6 (17m 53s): Yeah. Like I've been that full old 23 years of my life. It's like, so S yeah. It's, it's just weird that the music has come like so far from being somewhere where not a lot of people really know. Yeah. 4 (18m 9s): I was just gonna say, like, what, I mean, obviously it, wasn't your job that moved you down to London. 6 (18m 14s): Yeah. Yeah. 4 (18m 16s): Makes sense. 6 (18m 16s): Yeah. So we just got, got like new management people and I'm not in new management, but like, so I'll work with another team called cloud X and that basically based in Brixton. So they were like, I was like, oh yeah. May as well as come up, like, come see him every now and then, like, you know, as I was always up and down here anyway. So it's was like, once I have like driving the car always and just like wasting petrol and, you know, killing their environment. 4 (18m 44s): How far is that from where you guys? 6 (18m 46s): As a solid three hour drive. 4 (18m 49s): Okay. 6 (18m 50s): So like it be three hours driving up and then three hours 4 (18m 52s): Drive back. Got it. So 6 (18m 54s): I remember the first time I did it, like, I didn't realize that they just wanted like a, like an hour in, not interview, but like an hour talk. They were like, oh yeah, come up, come up. And I was like, okay, say I woke up at six, 6:00 AM my mom. Even before my mum went to work, she was like, okay, cool. Like, no worries. You're going to do your thing. Drove up, took me three hours to get here. And then I stayed here for an hour and drove back three hours back. Oh no. I was like, I was like, oh, wow. I thought I was going to spend the whole day here, but nevermind. That's cool. 4 (19m 26s): I was like, this could have been done in the phone call. 7 (19m 29s): Honestly. 6 (19m 32s): I was like, fair enough. It was nice to meet you on the, like, 4 (19m 36s): That's funny. Okay. Well getting back to your, your music. So when did that punk show got you kind of intrigued in the whole thing, and then when do you start making music yourself? 6 (19m 49s): So then when, so that show is all cool. And it was kind of like the thought of like, oh, imagine beyond stage. And then it was, I left, we left school. So like everyone went off to university and you know, your boy here fucked all of his grades up, you know, it's coolest, whatever it's whatever. And I got like, it's like the worst grading guests called a you it's like when you got a, you it's like a, B, C, D E, and then I'm not sure if you got an F, but then it goes to see the F and then you 4 (20m 24s): Like incomplete. Or like 6 (20m 26s): They say, like, unmakeable 4 (20m 28s): Okay. 6 (20m 28s): I got two of them. So no big facts or anything. So my unmarketable apparently so, 4 (20m 34s): Well, maybe it was just so good. They couldn't even put a, a grade on it. They're like, you know what? These gods stuff in here. 6 (20m 42s): Yeah. This guy is so good yet. Put them at the bottom of the list in a PHL. 4 (20m 48s): We don't want him to get an ego. 6 (20m 49s): Exactly. That's the thing. So basically I, like, I ruined all my exams and oh, I did so well that we don't know. Like, 4 (20m 58s): I mean, it's up in the air now. 6 (20m 59s): Yeah, exactly. So I did something with my grades and I had to, then everyone left off the university and I mean, it was at a time where like ski mask and ax and little pum and smoke perp and all them, like the SoundCloud era Coming up. And I was like, yeah, if they can do it, like, so can I, like, I've got nothing to lose kind of thing. I remember I made like a first batch of like demos and I sent it to my old friends from school and I genuinely, I know it was like, everyone says it, but genuinely, they were like, yeah, bro, like, it's probably bad for you to like, try and get a job. Cause this is not, 4 (21m 38s): This is not going to work. 6 (21m 39s): Like I was like, I was like, okay, no worries. And then, 4 (21m 41s): Well, real quick, where you, where you like writing the beats and everything yourself, or were you just getting beats and then 6 (21m 49s): You shoot 4 (21m 49s): You. 6 (21m 50s): Okay. Yeah. It's like, you know, like smoke per type, beat little pump type B and then January, like looking back at them now, honestly, I'm so glad that they said that because we just wasn't, it just wasn't good. Like I can't lie, but, and then, and then yeah, 4 (22m 5s): The, after your friends say it's not good. Like, are you like, ah, okay. I should not. I mean, obviously you continue doing it, but was that like a decision that was hard to make or no, 6 (22m 14s): It was like, I was kind of like, okay, cool. I was just like, kinda like stopped doing it for a little bit. And I was like, oh yeah, maybe not. Maybe I won't do it. And then I finally got a job in Footlocker and I was like, oh, okay. I'm back. I'm just going to try and progress that I went through this phase of like wanting to become a skater. Now I wanted to become a, I wanted to own my own vintage shop or like reselling shop. And then I was kind of like, you know what, actually, I'm just going to try music and change my name and not tell anyone I'm doing it and change the whole sound of it. And whatever comes from it comes from it. I'll post I'll put it out. And if anything takes off or if anything moves, like, you know, nobody's going to know it's only me that knows. 6 (22m 56s): And that's it. I don't know. 4 (22m 57s): Wow. So you just kept yourself totally like incognito, 6 (23m 1s): Literally so hard. Cause like that's actually, I'll tell you a second. Best thing is I can be like, yeah. So it was actually, so I worked in Footlocker and I got promoted to like, it's like, just, it's like the fourth underneath the manager, but like the second above, like a shop assistant, like an assistant. 4 (23m 22s): Did you have a key to the store? 6 (23m 24s): I did. I used to open, open and close. 4 (23m 27s): I used to work at a mall store like that. I worked for van shoes and it was the same thing. I didn't, I didn't make it up to holding the cave, but there was yeah, there was always like the person that wasn't the manager or the assistant manager, but they were allowed to like close. 6 (23m 40s): Yeah. And they, they kinda like, they kind of have the authority for, they kind of really didn't it's like, you're kind of on that still friendship level of like, if I said to someone, oh, do you mind just doing this? They'd be like, no, you're one of us like, even try and tell me to do anything. 4 (23m 55s): I remember a girl got promoted like that at our store. And everyone's like, yeah. Right. 6 (23m 60s): Jami, the worst positions of being like, you can't do anything. It's like, if they say no to you, I'm not going to be like, no dude. I just be like, yeah, to be fair. I'd be exactly the same as they even stress. I guess it's not, don't worry. It was honestly the worst. Like actually the people that I was working with were actually really, really, really calm. So like if I said do something and they said, no, like that you'd be like, I just be like, okay, no worries. And they'd be like, yeah. When I was going to go and do it anyway, so I may as well do it. And I 4 (24m 28s): Was like, 6 (24m 29s): Okay, well, fair enough. Fair enough. Yeah. Then I did that. And then I remember I asked for, I asked for a week off for wireless festival. No, a weekend off, sorry for wireless festival and a week off for Redding festival. And I remember I got denied the wireless festival and they said, even though I bought my tickets as well, what'd you have denial it. Yeah. I gave it to one of my friends and that was, so that was the one where DJ Collins was meant to come out, but he didn't perform. And Drake came. 6 (25m 10s): So I was like, so I was like, yeah, no worries. Like that's, that's chilling. Oh, by the way, just as a pre notice, I've now missed Drake and Kanye live. So that's fine. There's no video. 4 (25m 24s): I'll be back around. 6 (25m 26s): They'll happen sometime. Just watch them both say like we're never going to perform ever again, but don't worry. I'll just hold my tears back is fine. Don't worry about 4 (25m 35s): It. You they'll they'll hologram. 6 (25m 37s): Yeah. I'll be, I'll be like an NFT. So I'll be watching them. Like all my phone is like, yeah, well at least this is going up in price. Brilliant. And then I went to Redding festival and I remember I saw suicide boys. I saw scar Lord. So Brock Hampton, which was Brock Hampton were the ones that pushed me to like do music. It was really weird. This is the really strange thing. So I remember I saw them live. And again, this is one of the things where I was like, I don't know who they are. Never heard them ever, all the boys saying, yeah, we're going to go Brock Hampton. 6 (26m 20s): I'm not going to say no, I'm not going to be like, oh, I'll go back to 10. So I'm like, oh yeah, I'll come with you. Obviously when there, and I was like, Brock Hampton, Brock Hampton. Like that sounds like a, like a strange name. I wouldn't even be able to put like a face to anything. Like I was like, bro, like, why is, why is a Brock Hampton? I don't understand. And then they came out and I checked. You're not, yeah. Sorry. If I'm not allowed to swear. 4 (26m 45s): I swear. 6 (26m 46s): I shit. You not yet. The best set I've ever seen in my whole life. I have the, the YouTube video saved on my phone. I go back and watch every now. And then when I think about doing shows, like I'm like, if my shows, if any of my show has ever reached that level of like performance and how they did it on that 2018 set and read in, I will be happy with myself because that was the one where I was like, yeah, I'm going to do it. I'm going to, I'm going to do it. Yeah. Honestly, 4 (27m 13s): What? You just found the YouTube video or you like shot it and you just haven't. 6 (27m 16s): No, I, I found that it was on it's on YouTube now. Someone who's grandfathered the whole 47 minutes. I think it is. 4 (27m 24s): Yeah. 6 (27m 26s): It's just insane. Like, 4 (27m 28s): Like who's this Brock Hampton fellow and then there's like 10 of them on stage. 6 (27m 32s): Yeah. Honestly. And then they just changed my whole life, these guys on it. And next day I was like, right, I'm going to do music then that's my job. I'm making music. So yeah. Then after, after Redding, I went back to work in foot locker and I was like, you know what, I'm just going to start doing this thing. And if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. So whatever I'm going to change my name, blah blah, nobody's going to know. And then it was, I think it was the 20, the 2018, the following October. So that would have been in August. Then the following October. I remember I put out a song called ghost two out, which is like a song that I'd found that it was already a song where it's like an instrumental. 6 (28m 16s): And I remember I put some vocals over it and I released it on Halloween. Cause it had like a very revive to it. And I remember I got promoted and maybe put like $20 into the promotion just for one page to post it and kind of be like, yeah, this is the song, blah blah. Remember it. Like I woke up and I had like a thousand plays and this is a thousand more plays than anything I've ever had in my whole life. 4 (28m 38s): And this is the first song you ever put out? Like yeah. Under, yeah. Okay, gotcha. 6 (28m 42s): Yeah. Under the new name. And then I remember, I was like, oh, I was, I remember thinking, I was like, whoa, this is like, what all the, like the celebrities must feel like this is what the actual music musicians must feel like they got a thousand plays obviously back at and like a thousand plays a second, you know? But Yeah. Yeah. So I remember then I, I put out a couple more songs and like, God love. Hey. And people were like, yeah, like you don't have to make music, blah, blah, blah. I was making my songs often, often iPhone five. See, I was smashed. Like I didn't have a mic. I used to record into like the bottom part of the mic, like on garage band with headphones, with the wide headphones in with my phone. 6 (29m 27s): And I used to sing into the thing like this <inaudible> like that. And yeah. And I never had a problem, Mike and I remember people would be like, it's weird. I was thinking about this the other day. And I was like, people used to comment, like when he gets, when he gets an actual mic, he's going to blow up. And now like I got the first time I got a proper mic, it was Robidoux and it blew up and I was like, how have you guessed that? So crazy. Yeah. It was so strange. But yeah. Then I started putting out more music, more music, more music. And I remember I hit a hundred thousand plays on SoundCloud a couple of days before new years of like the 2019 going into 20, 20, no 2018 going into 2019. 6 (30m 8s): Yeah. And then, and then was it, I remember I posted a song on the, oh no, don't say I've forgotten the date now. I think it was the 14th of January chords Tyler. I remember I wrote that song and I knew that song was going to be something like, it was really weird. It's like, I don't want to be like when everyone's I was like, yeah, I just had, like, I just knew it was such a good song because it wasn't the best song, but it had something in my head that was like clicking. I couldn't stop listening to it. I remember I put it out on the 14th of Jan and I went to bed and usually whenever I post a song, I suppose that at 11 and UK time Gale, the promo is running and then I'd go to bed on a Sunday waking up next day for the Monday morning. 6 (30m 52s): So I could go to Footlocker to work. But I had the week off the week after. So I was like, okay, like, I'm just going to like go to sleep, like falling asleep as if I was waking up at six or seven, the next morning. I remember I had my phone laying flat on a, on a, like a, let's say a, like a side table or something. It was like, it's like, it was like a pillow, actually. It was like a football kit, like a Jersey pillar of the Cardiff team. And I remember I put the phone down like this and the phone like would not like, would not like turn off. It was, it was like, there was obviously notifications of notification on location. Cause I wasn't big enough to like turn my notifications off or whatever. 6 (31m 33s): Right. I was like, I remember I was listening to Banno as well by post-it note on my postpone playlist on. And I remember I like, I, I was like, something weird is happening. I can feel that I can really feel it. It was, I can't explain like the fear. It was so strange. I was like, something's happening on that phone? Which doesn't usually happen when I post a song. I remember I woke up the next day and the song had 50,000 plays on it on SoundCloud. And I was like, whoa. I was like, what the fuck has just happened? Like, how is that? Like, why is going on? And I remember it just kept like going up and up and up. And I remember I was at the week off, so I was like, I was meant to go down and see my friends in Bristol. 6 (32m 17s): I remember he was like, yo, you coming down. And at that moment I was like, nah, I'm going to try this music thing. Like, this is what I'm going to do. And then, yeah, she just kept like kept making music, put a song out on the Wednesday and then the Sunday and then the following Sunday, Sunday, Sunday, Sunday. And yeah, they kept like doing more and more and more and more and more. And then they should like the first, ah, I want to say it's like the first like four or five, maybe five or six actually, Mel on SoundCloud. Like I didn't even like, know what royalties were or anything. I was just kind of like, I just kinda let it sit. And I was so happy seeing the numbers. I can refresh on everything. Like, oh my God, that's just done up like a thousand streams in like two minutes. 6 (32m 60s): Like, how is that happening? Why was it happened? And that was honestly the maddest thing. And then the, she just all kind of like snowballed from that. It was my 4 (33m 8s): So. Wow. So then how do you get your, your, your fans and your listeners then over to Spotify? Was that cause I, I think, I don't think you can make, can you make royalties on SoundCloud or no, 6 (33m 19s): You can be up to like go into like, you think you have to like pay for that 4 (33m 24s): Premium or whatever was 6 (33m 26s): Like, so like, I was still like all, I just had no money. I was working in foot locker. So I was like, I was like, I don't, I'm getting paid from this job. I'd done cab, I'll reinvest in everything back in, even if I'm not making back doula and just seeing people react to stuff and you know, whatever. So then, then I remember I was like, my Instagram was kind of like, it wasn't like, it wasn't the best, but it was like had like a, a better following. And people were kind of like everyday, like post this on, on Spotify and Spotify, I guess it's by apple music. We want this here. And I was like, okay, I'm going to try and figure out how to do it. And I remember I went through distro kids and it was strange. 6 (34m 6s): Cause I remember I posted this song and then like, even when it goes on my Spotify for artists now, like it's like zero. And then the next one from like when I first started, it goes on zero to 30,000 listeners. And I was like, I have no clue how that happened. How people were like coming from that to that without push or anything. When I probably had like 10 or 15 K on Instagram and I was like, I don't know how the transfer happened, but it did. I'm glad it did. And I'm glad people really enjoyed it. It was really mad. 4 (34m 36s): Wow. And you've put a bunch of records out and like tours of like, not even what, two years now. 6 (34m 42s): Yeah. Literally. 4 (34m 43s): Yeah. You have so many and you have a new record coming out or you must be just, do you just constantly, right? Like did it just become like an obsession after that stuff started hitting? 6 (34m 53s): Yeah, it was, yeah. It really did. You know, like it was really unhealthy at one point, you know? Cause like everyone would be like, oh yeah. Do you wanna like come out and I'll be like, nah, I got this to do real quick. I got finished. And I was still working on like my iPhone five C the smash one and stuff. I'd be like, no, not like I'm recording today. And they were like, what? And I'd be like, yeah, I'm just like making music and be like, oh, okay. Thinking like you go into a studio, but you're actually sitting in your mom's bedroom 4 (35m 19s): Recording into your phone. 6 (35m 22s): And it was like, it was doing well. So I was like, I ain't going to complain. 4 (35m 25s): Oh, so you didn't even have a mic yet. Like when you put out Tyler and it blew up, that was still on the wow. Okay. That's crazy. 6 (35m 34s): The first song that was not recorded on the phone was Robidoux, which is now my most streamed. 4 (35m 41s): Yeah. That one has a ton of hunt town plays. Well, okay. So that was, well, they were right. I guess, too, when you get a new, what do you get in Mike? You're going to blow up. Not only that you've where you've already blowing up, but that one has like 50 million place or something. 6 (35m 55s): Yeah. It's I don't even understand how that even happened. Like I don't even know. Like I even know why. I mean, we just made that song and we kind of like, okay. Onto the next, it was like, we were right in that like first like little EAP and we didn't really see any like massive song in there. And I remember I said to my manager, I sent Ravi to Maya and he was like, bro, you're going to have to trust me on this one. Yeah. Like this is the one that we hadn't released anything before. Like we had like, just like signed empire. And I was like, I was like, okay. I was just handing me songs going, like, what'd you think of this? What'd you think of this? It's probably like annoying him, spamming him with the amount of like, as long as I come through, I was like, what'd you think of this one? What do you think of this one? What'd you think of this one? 6 (36m 35s): I remember I sent Robidoux and I still remember to this day he was like, yeah, this is, this is the one, this is the one. And I was like, oh, okay, cool. Like, I don't, I don't wanna hear it, but like fair enough. And then yeah, like that song just did numbers from the often it was insane. 4 (36m 50s): Wow. So you already signed to empire at this time. And did they find you off of the SoundCloud success? 6 (36m 56s): Yeah, so like, yeah, it was, it was one would have been 20, early, 2019. It was when I like, I like recorded all these songs on my phone and like, it was, it was, everything was going on. I changed jobs then to work in Scots, which never like retail job. And then yeah, like everyone was kind of like emailing and it was going on. Cause at 4:00 AM with a diff this different label or this different ANR and all these different people were saying, yo, we really like your sound that we all this. And then yeah. Then they came and they were like, yo, like we actually really like you. And I was like, okay, cool. And then I just released all the songs I had on my phone. 6 (37m 38s): Cause I felt like they weren't good enough to be unrelatable. So I was like, okay, I'm going to push out all these songs I have on my phone and start fresh and then buy a mic and then try and produce some good stuff. Which was actually looking back was actually a, such a risky play because like, I like, we like this sound and I'm going sick. I'm going to make a different one. That's cool. 4 (37m 60s): Okay. You really like this? And you're going to assign me. So I'm going to go to a totally new direction. 6 (38m 4s): Jami. It was actually once I went into the office in London when they had, I know, I remember I played them a bunch of songs and they were, they were like, this doesn't sound like you, like, this doesn't sound like your sound. Like what? Like why? Like why are you doing? And I was like, oh, I just wanted to try something different. They were like, oh, okay. That's that's fair enough. Then like, looking back now, I was actually like that with the stuff that we made would never have worked. Like It sounded like I was trying to be Brock Hampton, ironically enough. 4 (38m 40s): Wow. I mean, so much has happened. So I mean, in such a short period of time, that's crazy. And then you're probably able to quit the retail job. 6 (38m 48s): Yes. Then. Yeah. I left and then kind of like, it was kind of like, it felt like an all or nothing. It kind of felt like, right. I'm going to do everything I can now to kind of like make this last. And if it doesn't, it's fine. I still got my job there in Footlocker and you know, it was like, it was like, I didn't have it to fall back on, but I was like, if anything does go like tits up, this is I can, it's not the end of the world. Like I can still work in retail and I can still make my music and nobody has to like care. I like the fact that I got emailed by labels is the coolest thing ever like them more than a lot of people can say. So I was like, yeah, like whatever. 6 (39m 30s): And I was in my head. I was like, no, I, I need to make this work honestly. 4 (39m 34s): Wow. And at what point do you call your friends back and be like, Hey, remember when you told me that I can't, I should quit. Oh, this is the project I've been doing and look at this. 6 (39m 42s): Yeah, it was actually, it was actually, everyone was like my drunk. Yeah. But do you want, I was saying about new years from 2018 to 2019. Like I remember, I don't know if anybody would have remembered, but like I told, I was like, yo, like I got a hundred thousand streams like on this album was kind of like, oh yeah. Okay, cool. Whatever. But like I'm an average was just like way to gone to even probably like, remember I told 4 (40m 7s): Them about it. Yeah. 6 (40m 9s): Yeah. Maybe like I kept getting DMS on. Cause I had like two accounts, which is like one was like about personnel, which I used to use for like, like hosting an outfit. Yeah. Like posting outfit, pictures for like my friends and all that kind of stuff. Then one was like the music one. And then it was weird when I started using the music one as my normal one, people from my other account would be like, oh, Hey, we didn't know that you had this account. Like, do you remember me from blah, blah, blah. And I'd be like, oh, hi, how are you doing kind of thing. Cause that's when all the friends started coming over. It was quite cool though. 4 (40m 41s): That's awesome. That's yeah. And then when do you, like obviously 2020 is a wash as far as like going out and seeing people did that. Just allow a lot more time for you to write and focus on putting out music. 6 (40m 53s): Yeah. So like that whole year was just strange. I remember my sister became like my new best friend. It was, it was mad. Like we, we had like an, it was like an hour, you and I was out to go exercise or whatever it was clothes and stuff. So like we both use that like hour to film videos and pictures for Instagram. So like that's what we did that that hour. And then yeah. People seem to like it, cause it was like, we're all kind of in the same bubble of like, we can't go out or do anything, but we kind of make the most of it, like rolling out gardens. And it was, it was boiling over here as well. It's like, it was really sunny. So like, I was kind of cool. 6 (41m 34s): Like I guess people, well, it was like everyone was doing the same thing. It wasn't like, oh, this guy is in a private jet and this pie's doing this thing and my into this place or he's out in this party or blah, blah. We're all kind of just stuck in our own houses. So it was like everyone was doing the same thing. The what was it? The, the concerts from like in people's bedrooms, people would do 4 (41m 58s): Live streams and all that stuff. It was 6 (41m 60s): So sick. Like looking back on it now, it was like, I regret, like I remember I turned one down because I was like, I've never performed. I've never done a show. Like, I dunno what people are gonna think. Like, I don't know. I don't want to do it, but like looking back now, I was like, that was probably one of the biggest like regrets ever of like, not doing Live streams because they just looked so fun. And like even looking back now, like there's a band course, easy life. And they did one from there, like homes as a, as fans, they're all in different houses and obviously must've recorded all that separate bits to a match home and sent it over and then filmed it at the same time. And it's, it's just S so it was such a strange little moment in like life when everyone was kind of like, oh, well we're all at home. 4 (42m 43s): That's just crazy. It's so weird to think about 6 (42m 46s): Is so strange. So strange. 4 (42m 48s): Yeah. Wow. Okay. Well, I'm going to talk to you about the new record teenage motel. When do you start working on, on that? 6 (42m 57s): That was like, literally like, almost like a year and a half ago now. Like we started, Like, it was, that was time, honestly, like it was, I remember we came out of lockdown. It was me and the producer was saying, we want to make something big. We want to make like a big album. I remember there's tweets as well. I like support. And it's kind of like, it's like, I'm going to make this 24 song album to, oh no, 22 song album. Cause I'm going to be 22 this year and this is what I want to do. And I remember like, it just wasn't happening. It wasn't coming along in the way that we want it to, to so like everyone kind of got delayed. 6 (43m 38s): So we stopped putting out like mini EPS. Cause you're like, when you don't feel like you've put enough music out there as like somebody who was 4 (43m 44s): Interested. Yeah. 6 (43m 45s): Yeah. Like we're still trying to grow. So we should probably put something out. So like some of the songs that are on like the last two EPS were like songs for this album or whatever. Like we kind of just took them out and kind of gone. Yeah. Like that that'll fit in here and we can make it kind of like coherent, cohesive, 4 (44m 3s): Cohesive, 6 (44m 4s): Cohesive. Yeah. Make it all sound like flowy and stuff. I didn't even know. Yeah. And basically we did that and yeah. A lot of those songs were meant for that this project, but kind of then have a fit in. And we just kind of kept working on this thing all the way through the year. And then we finished it like last, oh, when was it must have been sent in maybe early this year. I think like late last year. Yeah. Like everything was kind of like, I sent it to manager and empire and everything. I was like, this is what I want to do. This is the idea. This is the songs is everything. Like I have a run through, obviously they'd all get like snippets every now and then, and be like, oh, this is what, this is the song I'm doing right now. 6 (44m 50s): And this is this blah, blah, blah. And yeah, it was sick to have everything like, and one, sorry, they, if you're gonna hear that we have a helipad right outside. Like 4 (45m 1s): I 6 (45m 1s): Said, it's not, it's not like, I wish it was my handy pad, but 4 (45m 4s): I was gonna say, is it landing on your roof? 6 (45m 7s): It's actually just, it's picking me up right now. So I just go into Selfridges and it's just like a round, like the corners it's quite mad actually. He'd like, oh, we live, sorry. I will carry on. But we live underneath the, he fro Astra, like when the planes come into the land, like probably like a couple miles down the road, but yeah. All the planes like come across this way and 4 (45m 32s): You hear them. 6 (45m 33s): Yeah. And I have the flight tracker app on my phone. So like every time they come across you I'm like, oh, that one's from Barbados, London. LHR Lindley fro. So anyway, sorry. Yeah. Anyways, I'll get back to the site anyway, the album. Yeah. So that whole level. Yeah. We the whole year, like, and then we submitted everything and then I like told them what I wanted the album to look like. And I was like, this is kind of like the vibe. This is all the pictures that I got off Pinterest when I first like making it or as the song starts to come together. And this is like the clothing and stuff. This is like why I was really into, and we kind of built like a whole like storyboard when we went and we made like the music videos, they came up with like sick ideas for both BMW and nice guy. 6 (46m 19s): And yeah, it was kind of like everything kind of like happened in that like little one, like two months ago, like a month ago, like everything seems to go like, and it all came together as like this big project. And it was so strange after holding, holding so much music for like a year or like just over your, and then having it all come as one little thing right at the end was actually insane. 4 (46m 43s): That is why I have to think that those songs, don't just the fact that you've put out so much music. And then you're saying that these are like a year old. Like that's crazy to me to think. 6 (46m 52s): Yeah, that was, I think this was like the first project where I was kind of like, you know what, maybe quality over quantity. 4 (47m 1s): Okay. That's awesome. 6 (47m 3s): It's actually a mad thing to say. Cause like, realistically, it should be like that all the time, but I've always been scared that like, if someone doesn't like the less song, they might like this one, if they don't like this one, they're like the next one. If they don't like that one, they like the next one. And yeah, I've always like comfortable like that. But now I'm kind of like just going with my gut and being like, these are the best, like 14 tracks I've made in the last year, a year and a half. And these are, this is what I'm going with. And I love all these songs where my whole heart, if you hate them, I will literally fucking come for you. I'm fine. I will, I will fucking make you listen to the whole album on repeat until you like it. Okay. 4 (47m 43s): So you like it? I love it. Yeah. Well, I didn't know if you're going to go like, well, we're going to, you know, I'm turning 22, so we're going to put 22 songs on the record. So now I'm going to have to put 23 songs on the record, but you just went into a totally different space. Yeah. 6 (47m 55s): We went completely different where like maybe 20 twos a bit too much. And I've made with anyone actually go for a whole 22 album, my voice singing about a relationship or something else or about nostalgia or about like, about a car that he likes or maybe about like, so whatever I was like thinking, ah, maybe if we narrow it down, it's like a couple, because realistically that was eight songs I believe on dedicated one and eight on, did you get two? So that was another 16. So this album could have literally been like 30 odd songs long. 4 (48m 36s): Yeah. 6 (48m 36s): And then there's the ones that didn't even make a cut. Like I just like just, it's still there. Just like floating around. People are still asking for that, like release this song, release this. And I'm like, probably not right now though. Like we still got a whole like, 4 (48m 51s): Right, right. Amazing. Well, Timothy, thank you so much, man, for hanging out with me. I appreciate it. 6 (48m 57s): It's chilling. It's calm. Thank you very much for having me. 4 (48m 60s): Of course. My last question for you is if you have any advice for aspiring artists, 6 (49m 8s): I'd say actually I'd say only because it's started to happen to me, like recently as well. Just do whatever the fuck you want. Yeah. And let people like talk shit. Cause like people still talk shit to me now. Yeah. And like, we've got like 185 Mel plays on Spotify and people still talk shit. It could be a friends or it could be someone who like don't care what anyone else has to say. And even when we were talking back in the, at the star, this, it was like, my friend said, maybe find a job. I still did it. And look where we are now. Like, I'm here, baby. 6 (49m 49s): Like I'm being interviewed. I'm just chilling with your boy.