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Music Interview: Animation on his creative tastes, musical influences & hit single “Change”


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    Credit: Zac Rae

    Great to have you on Xttrawave. Please, introduce yourself.

    Thanks for having me on, this is my first interview. My name is Animation I’m 21 years old from and based in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada.

    What got you into music and made you realize that it was your chosen path?

    I fell in love with music from a young age with influences from rock bands like Metallica, Nirvana, Green Day etc. and once I found old school Hip-Hop I was addicted from age 7 to artists like Eminem, Mobb Deep, Wu-Tang, Tupac, the lists go on.

    Nothing in my life has ever made me feel the way music does, it’s something I think we are all connected to and although it’s just vibrations, music has saved my life more than once. We only have one life and I’ve always wanted to spread positivity with mine and live a life I’ll be happy with, making music is the best way I know to do that. I am trying to create a voice for myself.

    Tell us about your new music? And what’s the story behind it?

    My most successful song currently with over 130,000 streams across platforms is ‘Change’ which is something I’m very proud of but also something I feel myself and the others that worked on this track made happen.

    A big side of this industry is promoting music and getting it out there, of course. As a young person trying to live in Canada I work a full time job to pay my bills and on the side whatever I have left is devoted to creating and properly putting out music. ‘Change’ was a track first made possible by someone I work very closely with on everything I create, my engineer ‘KAI’ who also produced my next project dropping 2021.

    In the studio with KAI the day we recorded this track he pushed me to try things with my vocals that I hadn’t before, as he always has but this time I feel I found my sound and with that going forward I knew I needed to save some money and sit on this track to push it further than my other ones. First came working with video producer, Marcus Letts. Letts is one of the best videographers in the City of Toronto and has been quickly progressing his career, someone I am proud to have worked with and was amazing to work beside and I hope to do more work with him in the future.

    I wish I could drop every single this way but creation and promotion is expensive so unfortunately I must be picky with which singles I focus more attention on, however, I am glad for what I did with this one and am proud of how far it has come.

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    What makes your music unique? And how would you describe it?

    What makes my music unique is the modern sound holding the old school substance.

    While my production is up to par with current hit music and the sounds artists are creating for people to vibe to, my lyrics are punctual and significant. The fact that I have been studying Hip-Hop/Rap music from before I was born since a child until now, 15 years later studying the pop culture that people love has given me flows and a sound unmatched by any other artists.

    Do you play any instruments? And why do you love it?

    I used to play the guitar as a child but lost interest and loved playing the drums but moved my focus to the lyrics because I felt that was where my true passion lied. I’ve also tried mixing music as a DJ and producing beats and hope to come back to all these things in the future but for now need to focus on being a writer and recording artist.

    Who are your biggest musical influences? And any particular artist/band you would like to collaborate with in the future?

    Perhaps every white rapper will say this but Eminem will always be my first big influence haha.. Someone whose story will always be inspiring and lyrics will always be too distinct for any artist to match, a legend in my eyes and someone I will always want to work with. I would also love to work with some rock musicians, definitely Green Day! And Gorillaz.. everyone has to work with Gorillaz.

    • RIP MAC MILLER
    • RIP X
    • RIP PEEP
    • RIP JUICE
    • RIP NIP
    • RIP POP

    Which is the best moment in your musical career that you’re most proud of?

    The first show I ever played.. we sold out our venue in downtown Toronto and although it was just a bar we had people packed out the door.

    This was the first time I genuinely knew I was a performer. Ever since I was a child I’ve been a people person, love to make people laugh and hate to let them down, I was the class clown. That was a couple years ago now, we’ve run and played our fair share of shows, taken our fair share of losses and definitely some more sell outs. When I’m on stage I am unstoppable, my energy is infinite and I can control any crowd.

    I love performing more than anything in the world and hope I can take over some big venues one day.

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    How do you balance your music with other obligations – family, friends or work?

    This question is funny for me, I released a project last summer called ‘Balance’ because that was when I finally learned how important it was.

    There were times when I was young that I would focus all my attention on one thing, I can have an addictive personality. I would work myself into a grave sometimes, only focused on money, or fall in love and devote my whole life to one person. Now I’ve come to see I can’t only lock away in the studio because I need to fund my business in music, everyone I love is important and I am important to myself which can be hard to remember.

    I balance because it is the only way to truly succeed.

    What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?

    As an aspiring musician myself the only single thing I can thing that’s helped me in every situation and would help anyone but sounds corny is… you guessed it ‘Don’t give up’ haha.

    Seriously though, that’s all you can really do or say, there is no formula but you WILL get down on yourself, you will want to quit and you will question if you’re doing the right things. I do every day, but I just know the only thing I CAN’T do is quit, because then it was all for nothing and it’s all over. Im exhausted and I’m not even close but I won’t let off.

    If you had one message to give to your fans, what would it be?

    I don’t have fans, I have supporters and the only thing I say to them is thank you. For believing I stand a chance, and keep spreading this music like wild fire.

    What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects?

    There’s always something next, me and my team are always plotting and I’m always planned 5 releases of what I have released. ‘Pretty Boy’ is out now! EP produced by KAI dropping next year and much more in between.

    Thank you for the time I really do appreciate it and keep up with all this movement on my Instagram @animationraps .. follow me now or you will one day its all the same to me. SO MUCH LOVE LETS MAKE CHANGE!!!

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