Atlanta, GA – Coming through our speakers from Georgia, Atlanta artist Quie has been quietly working away for most of 2016 on his debut album, Darkside. The project dropped on Soundcloud last week, and we recently had the opportunity to get the low-down from Quie on the motivation and inspiration for the album.
Composed of 6 tracks, the project is fully original in its’ approach to the genre, with a variety of atmospheric vibes. The dark instrumentals, and blurry musical definitions help the tracks comfortably seep into the ears of his listeners. Whether he’s smoothly crooning the high notes of “Numb” or bringing a stronger energy on “X Piles”, the arrangement of tracks will appeal to a wide audience.
Check out our conversation on Darkside below, and stream the album.
Quie: Q&A
HipHopCanada: Thanks for speaking with us on your new release. This project will be your first introduction to most of our audience. What are some things that you wanted to establish with his project in terms of your identity as an artist and producer?
Quie: Thanks for giving me the opportunity to speak with you guys. It’s an honor. To answer your question, I wanted to establish that I’m that thing that musics missing. A lot of music, mostly directing to hip hop and R&B, that you hear nowadays is similar in every aspect and that’s something I’m not opposed to but I’d rather be different. When I was younger, music was authentic. That’s something I wanted to establish. Authenticity. It’s so easy to make music now, nobody’s trying to be different or authentic. It’s sucks. I feel like I created my own sound and now I want to give it to the world.
HipHopCanada: Why did you name this album Darkside and what kind of things influenced the subjects and content?
Quie: I named the project Darkside because I felt this was a side of me no one has ever seen. I’m an introvert, I keep to myself. This project is the other side of me I never revealed… until now. I was also in a dark place. I just moved to Atlanta, I really don’t have anybody out here. It’s been me and my music. When you’re in such a atmosphere you start to reminisce and think about past events, people that you’ve missed etc. You start soul searching and I think that was a big influence.
HipHopCanada: Congratulations on self-producing the whole project, because that’s a feat in itself. What are some challenges that you face in your creative process when you’re handling both performing and producing?
Quie: The most challenging thing about doing both is staying original and making sure every track is distinct from the other. I want everything I make to be unique. 1 of 1. Starting with production all the way to performance.
HipHopCanada: If I’m correct, you’re originally from New Orleans but relocated to Atlanta. How have both of those places influenced your music, if at all?
Quie: Growing up in New Orleans has influenced my music in ways I wouldn’t even know lol. There’s so much culture going on down there. I add a little bit of everything into my music and New Orleans is probably why. Atlanta’s trap sound has taken over hip hop in today’s world. It’s being incorporated into every genre so I had to incorporate it into my own. Why not.
HipHopCanada: What did this project mean to you, and what did you want your audience to take away from the experience?
Quie: This project means a lot to me. It’s been a long road. I’ve been in and out of different studios all of 2016 constantly creating vibes that I thought people would enjoy. Now I finally have them in one package. I want my listeners to get a dose of something new. I want to be the refreshing breeze.
HipHopCanada: Which track are you proudest of, and how did it come about?
Quie: “Northern Lights”. It’s just so different and I didn’t expect it to come out like it did. I tried to record it in 2015 but things didn’t go as planned. In December 2016 I rediscovered the beat and something told me record the song. It’s my favorite track. A lot of people won’t like it, a lot will. I think it’s special.
HipHopCanada: What was your goal with this project, and what kind of approach have you taken with your music this last year leading up to its’ release?
Quie: Being that it’s my first project, I wanted to just lay a solid foundation for what’s to come after. I wanted to let whoever’s listening know that this is only the beginning. Leading up to the release, I’ve just been promoting and mostly networking, reaching out to people that can either help me or push me in the right direction. I released a few singles to get a buzz going also.
HipHopCanada: I really love “Numb” and the overall atmospheric sound that you give to the track when you sing on it. How did you get started creating music, and do you enjoy singing more than rapping?
Quie: I started creating music at a young age. My dad was a musician so playing instruments was something that grew with me. I was born with a voice to sing, but I always wanted to be a rapper. I have more fun rapping but it’s not on the same level as singing. It just doesn’t give people the same feeling.
HipHopCanada: The rest of the album seems to be full of vibey, and similarly darker tracks. How close to your personality does the music match up in comparison to the style and persona you take on the album?
Quie: Everything’s vibes. Every track I make starts with the beat. My beats originate from whatever mood I’m in. I’m actually a quiet person so if you don’t really know me, you wouldn’t see the side I portray in my music.
HipHopCanada: What can listeners expect from you in the near future?
Quie: In the future my fans can expect more and even better music from me. I just want to keep getting better and keep giving my fans something to look forward to. A lot of artists aren’t consistent, i don’t want to be like that.
Stream Darkside below.
Interview conducted by Kira Hunston for HipHopCanada
No comments:
Post a Comment