What was the beginning pint for your music career? How did it all start?
It started pretty young actually. I began performing on stage when I was only in kindergarten and from there my career only evolved and grew into what it is today. But it wasn’t until high school that I discovered hip hop and molded my love of poetry into a more cadence filled art form. And then little later on in my early adulthood is I discovered metal and quickly found myself merging these two passions together, forming my first official band.
Was there any bumps on the road? What kind of challenges did you have to deal with?
The industry is difficult enough to navigate but sometimes the artists you work with can be just as challenging as the business itself. As I was going in to record my first album, I had people quit the project last minute and then had a difficult time finding artists to commit to the recording project despite having the studio fees covered. You would think being part of such a production for free would be a dream come true for a musician looking to make a name but alas I resorted to having mostly session players complete the task. It really wasn’t until after the album was done, that I was able to find the official members and build the band that is now Fatal Switch.
What was the most fulfilling and satisfying moment so far?
Being an unknown artist who never released a single before, having all my singles since the first air on national television with very healthy rotation is something I am incredibly proud of. Seeing my name appear next to some of my idols is something I never thought I would see happen so quickly. I am very grateful to my manager for putting me on the map.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
Heavy groove driven rap metal rock injected with in depth and thought-provoking hip-hop story telling.
What is your creative process like?
It varies quite a bit. Sometimes it starts with a riff, other times a more complete idea that some one will present. And other times the lyrics will come first and we will work a song around that idea. But one thing we are all really big on is refining and sculpting the song until we are all happy with how it represents each of us individually.
If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
Wow. Geez. I would say more funding and opportunities need to be given to unknown artist and young labels. Maybe this can be done by either by capping how much a major can make or by having government funded bodies that work for the artist. Government support just isn’t what should be and I much rather see my tax dollars going towards works of art rather than dumped into war.
If you were asked to give a piece of advice to upcoming bands, what would that be?
Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Stay together, work through your issues and challenge each other to be better. Attend events and conferences and above all else build yourself a team that will contribute to your growth and success. If you think you can do it on your own, chances are you’ve already lost the battle.
What has been the best performance of your career so far?
Indie week 2019. It was a great time and being funded by FACTOR and indie week as a sponsored showcase made it all the sweeter. But the show would not have been half as good would it have not been for the sound tech that night, he really made all the difference. He knew the sound of the house like the back of his hand and that translated into confidence from the band and an overall amazing show.
If you didn’t become a musician, what would you be doing now?
I really don’t know. Music is my everything. Perhaps a degree in law? I seem to enjoy defending my rights and have had a natural ability to communicate my stance effectively. Using these skills of communication to better the world might be something that I would have delved into.
What is new with the band at the moment? What are you currently working on and would like to share with the world?
We recently released our debut album Doctors & Demons and would love for you to go and check it out on Spotify. We’ve got 10 killer tracks to for you to rock to. In the meantime, we are working on new material for 2021 and are beyond excited to get that into your ears asap as well.
Thanks for having this chat with us! Feel free to drop us a line on our socials!
