20 questions
Can you share a bit about yourself and how you got started in music?
I first started making music when I was like, 12 or 13 I think? It was quite an awkward time in life, because that's when I started experiencing severe bullying at school, so having fun with software that allowed me to create songs felt like a safe space where I was able to unwind after a long week of dealing with strangers thinking I was too gay for them to not comment on that particular detail.
At first it was just a simple audio editing program that had these blocks you could put together where every key was represented by a specific number, so if you wanted to create a song in the key of A you'd have to gather sounds that had the number 6 and hopefully a similar tempo as well, and it's not like I poured much creativity on that activity because I didn't know anything about music composition nor about creating my own work, but eventually I started to get more and more involved in expressing myself through creating songs where all the sounds were made by me.
What inspired you to become a singer-songwriter?
I've always liked singing but it's not like I've ever felt good at it, so I've never been to comfortable with the "singer" part of the tag "singer-songwriter". Moreover, people online kept posting these brutal remarks about me when I first started releasing Japanese-language songs without allowing me to improve and evolve as an artist, they just heard the first 20 seconds of a song and thought to themselves "oh, I'm going to ask this stranger to kill himself because this song sounds terrible", and it made me feel super self-conscious about my own vocals.
The truth is I simply wanted my songs to have vocals so they'd feel somehow more complete and reach more people, but as time went by I started to look for alternative ways to achieve that, such as finding someone else who'd sing my songs, trying a vocal synthesizer called Vocaloid, or even AI voices these days. However, during the past few years I've grown to enjoy my voice, and I know it's not too expressive but that's just the way I am as well, so these days I'm kind of learning to love myself vocal-wise.
What is your songwriting process like? Do you have any specific rituals or habits when you sit down to write music?
I sit down to write music whenever I feel like it, which is pretty much anytime every day. There have been days where I've spent well over 10 hours working on music, and it's because I have this passion and ambition to create as much music as I can while I'm alive that I'm able to simply drift away and get into my own world in a way I eventually forget what time is it. As for my songwriting process, it always starts with composing the instrumental section of a song, then I create the vocal melody by humming random verses, then I write lyrics that match the vocal melody, and eventually I record the vocals, arrange the song, and master everything together as good as I can.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
I thought I wasn't the kind of person who had any so-called influences, because I mostly create music based on ideas that are somehow born in my brain after hearing commercials on TV or music in a movie thinking "I'd love to create a song in that genre", therefore there isn't any specific artist that inspires music-wise. However, these days I've noticed how much artists like Melanie Martinez, Emei, Cloudy June or Aly&AJ have inspired me as a lyricist, because writing the lyrics used to be the part of my songwriting process I enjoyed the least ("English isn't my first language" sounds like a cliché but it's definitely quite a handicap), but such artists made me realize it's okay to write about anything, no matter how deep, or sad, or even crazy it sounds, because it's okay to express whatever I'm feeling at the moment.
Can you describe the type of music you create in three words?
I'd define my songs as varied, catchy and cool!
What message or emotion do you hope listeners take away from your music?
It really depends on the song itself, as sometimes I make a specific song thinking it sounds like the kind of track you'd want to dance to no matter where you are, while other songs might sound more chill and it's the lyrics that kind of add depth to them. But if there's a message I'd like people to get when they listen to my songs, that'd probably be "I hope you liked it enough you'll want to listen to it again!", honestly.
Do you have a favorite song or piece of music that you've written? If so, what makes it special to you?
The thing is my favorite song pretty much changes all the time! Sometimes I create a song, I write its lyrics, I record it, I edit everything, and after listening to it I realize my eyes are kind of teary because I'm really moved by how good it sounds, and then I usually think to myself "wow, this is the best song I've ever made!", but the truth is that kind of thought happens quite often inside my brain. I probably make my best song like once a month. There are times when every song I finish sounds like the best one I've ever made, so it's like I'm constantly getting teary-eyed feeling super proud of myself by thinking this new song sounds amazing without realizing that 4 days ago I had the exact same thoughts about my previous track.
How do you handle writer's block or moments of creative doubt?
I never really experience writer's block as in not being able to create music, but I definitely go through times when I just don't feel like creating music. For example, as an independent artist who pretty much manages every aspect of a music career, having my computer crash and lose part of my work is one of the biggest blows I can go through, and unfortunately it's happened quite a few times so, when that happens, it usually takes me a few months to go back to my so-called normal self and be able to enjoy creating music again. It's not that I don't want to work on music, but I really have a hard time having to install all the programs and organize all the folders and stuff, because it's not like computers make it any easy and it's likely that some software won't work on the new computer and it feels really frustrating, so I usually feel really sad about having to go through that once again and it takes me at least a couple months to recover.
How do you incorporate feedback or criticism into your creative process?
I don't. I mean, I love it when people enjoy my songs, but I also know I often encounter hate comments online just like everyone who creates something does, so I try to not pay too much attention to any of them. I know I'm not good at not paying attention to the negative comments, but it wouldn't be fair to just look at the positive ones and think I'm such an awesome human being because I only focus on the compliments, so I tend to do things the way I want them to do to please my own expectations.
What has been the most memorable moment of your musical journey so far?
Standing on stage in Japan! It's definitely been my favorite moment when it comes to my music career, not only because I know that an independent artist coming from Spain performing live in Japan without any kind of backing nor support was a really bold move from me and I'm really proud of myself for it, but also because it's a really tangible event. I mean, I was there, I sang, I signed autographs while selling CDs, I took pictures with people in the audience, and I had all these experiences that feel somehow unreal but they were real indeed! It's an incredible memory I'll never forget, and I'll never be thankful enough for it.
Are there any upcoming projects or releases that you're particularly excited about?
Honestly, these days I've been kind of discouraged about my own projects. It's like I'm too tired to keep pushing on my own, and it also feels like I've just used up all the attention I could get from people around me after all these years, so these days when I share a new song it's likely that not even my friends and family listen to it. And it feels both sad and frustrating, because I keep working as hard as when I first started releasing Japanese-language songs (or even harder actually), but I've also had time to improve and evolve so much that I'd like everyone to notice and support that progress, and in a way I guess my own expectations ruin my motivation towards upcoming projects. But I also keep making songs knowing damn well that whenever the right track comes to life I'll do everything I can to turn it into an amazing project I'll work hard on!
How do you balance the creative aspects of being a musician with the business side of the industry?
I personally think I'm not the best at self-managing my career when it comes to the business side of it all. Marketing strategies, social media, creating some kind of hype, engaging with people online... There's just so much to do, and I know I lack the knowledge to pull it all off the way I'd like, but as I discussed in the last question, I also think it's all a matter of motivation, and the fact that I kind of lack that sometimes. So getting serious about my social media activities is definitely a plan these days, and I want to start posting videos to share aspects about songwriting, remixing songs, and stuff like that.
Can you share any interesting anecdotes or stories from your experiences performing live?
I'm so bad at remembering my own lyrics. I mean, I'm not bad at it, I'm terrible at it! So I've had multiple experiences forgetting the lyrics and either making them up on the spot or singing other parts of the song. And it's not like neither of these work anyway, because there's always a backing track with pre-recorded vocals playing and exposing my mistake as what I'm singing and the backing track don't seem to match. It's never been so bad I stopped singing though because you know, they say "fake it 'til you make it" for a reason, but I must admit I've thought to myself "wow, there's no way this sounded good" a couple times because of that intense fight between the backing track and my terrible lyrics memorizing skills. Also, one time there was this naked guy running around the concert venue minutes before I was supposed to go on stage, that's such an unexpected anecdote indeed!
How important is it for you to connect with your audience during live performances?
Most of my audience was Japanese after all, so it was really important for me to be able to express myself while speaking to them in Japanese, tell them why a Spanish person was standing on stage that night, and connect with them so they'd get to know me, my aspirations, my dreams, and also my mistakes forgetting the lyrics in a 7-song setlist. I must say I'm really proud of myself though, because I really think I was able to connect with the audience during those live performances, and it definitely shows seeing people have a genuine interest in knowing more about me both during and after those concerts.
What advice would you give to aspiring singer-songwriters who are just starting out?
Don't read the comments online! A few weeks ago I posted this video called "moments that surprised me while performing in Japan", and there was this random old lady who left a comment saying "none of that happened, buddy" insinuating I was a liar, and then a teenager popped up saying "those moments surprised no one because they never happened, loser", and it was frustrating because first of all, what would I gain from lying? And the most important part is that those are some beautiful experiences I treasure in my heart, and I was really sad after seeing a couple strangers questioning them.
It's something that happens from time to time when I post videos about my music, and a random stranger shows up to say the song sucks, or I suck, or something sucks overall, and I know I shouldn't pay attention to it because nothing changes after that comment, and my life remains exactly the same even if someone thought they could vent their own frustrations by attacking me on the internet because we seem to live in a society full of online hatred, but I can't help but feel hurt by those comments. So my one and only advice is definitely to not read comments, or even deactivating them if possible.
How do you see your music evolving in the future?
It's evolved so much during the past few years that I think it'll simply broaden to new genres, new sounds and new ideas. Last week I made my first track inspired by Jersey club music, and I created a trap-inspired beat for the first time, and this week I chose a French word for the first time for a song's title, so I'm constantly trying out new stuff when it comes to my music, and I definitely think the way it'll evolve in the future is by expanding even further to approach new ideas.
Are there any specific themes or topics that you find yourself drawn to in your songwriting?
Freedom is quite a recurring topic in my songs. I tend to find myself writing about running away quite often, and it's not that I want to literally run away and start from scratch somewhere else, but somehow I want to feel free to fully know myself and be that person I'm not sure I've gotten to know yet. When songs talk about running away, in a way it kind of sounds like the songs is saying "I'd like to move to Canada, name myself Tom, get a job, make friends, and act like my previous life never happened", but when I write songs about freedom I usually think of that topic as a way to leave inhibitions behind and simply be who we always thought we could be but somehow never were.
Do you have any pre-show rituals or routines that you follow before going on stage?
I haven't performed live in quite a few years, so I'm not sure whether I'd come up any pre-show ritual these days, but back then I was simply waiting for my turn to go on stage. I didn't really get nervous and I didn't do anything special before performing, I was just waiting standing like a robot. I remember some staff members from the concert venues even complimented me on that saying "wow, you are so diligent and hardworking you seem like a Japanese person now".
What role do you think music plays in society today?
Music can change everything. It can make you feel happy, or it can remind you of a traumatic breakup, or it can even encourage you to do things you never thought you'd do. It can affect your mood in any way, and it can add much more depth to daily life events like taking the subway or going to college. I recently discovered how much joy I get from discovering new artists on Spotify on the way to work, because the 1-hour subway ride feels endless and heartbreaking, but listening to new songs makes me feel less worn out somehow.
Music can make all the good moments feel even better, and it can definitely make all the sad moments feel even more traumatic, and that's how magic music can be that it has such an amazing power to influence our lives so much.
Finally, what do you hope to achieve with your music in the long term?
Performing live in Japan was my goal for quite a long time and, despite how hard it seemed, I eventually reached it, so my goal at the moment is getting my music played on the radio. I know some radio stations have already played my songs, but they're often located so far that it somehow doesn't feel real to me, so I think if one of my songs was played on a Spanish radio station I'd come to realize I've truly achieved that goal. And I hope I will!
