Hiya Joho, thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today. Grab a brew and take a seat.
Thanks for joining us today… Tell us a bit about where you are from and how you got into music?
I’m from New Orleans, but based in Houston these days. I’ve been writing songs since I was maybe 5 or 6 and joined choir in middle school. Music has somewhat been a hyperfixation of mine my whole life and after I finished playing football in college, I began creating my own music. This new album is my tenth, and one that I feel like encapsulates a lot of the sounds I’ve experimented with throughout my career.
What’s the live music scene like in Houston right now?
The Houston Music Scene is alive and well. There are so many talented musicians, bands, and solo artists, as well as a lot of creative visionaries. It seems like every week there’s a new festival being put on by members of the local scene and everyone is very supportive of one another and pushes each other to make the best songs and put on the best shows.
Anyone we should be looking out for (bar you, of course)?
Too many to name, but among some of my favs are Hate Mail, Sorry Sarah, The Kiddos, Rinas, Wesley Dox, Valhalla, IIRIIS, Exit Bag, Almost A Cow, ArmstrongWW, DimDaisies off the top of my head, but many others.
Do you think it’s easy to become a victim of our surroundings sometimes?
Very much so. Art is really just an expression of our personal reflections on life. What you see and hear and surround yourself with can become a very big influence on you and it’s up to you whether or not you allow yourself to be victimized by it. Some of it can be used to your advantage with the right mindset and strategy I guess.
What are your ambitions as an artist?
I want to make memorable art that resonates with people. When I write and produce I aim to create moments. I want people to have specific memories associated with my songs. I want my songs to get people through difficult times and to inspire other artists to create and express themselves in a similar manner. I just really want to leave something behind that outlives me.
What’s your favourite social media platform to use and why?
Instagram has always been my favorite. I used to use my stories as pages of a digital magazine just sharing the things I found funny or pictures I like with the songs I’m vibing with that day. I feel like the app itself is almost an artistic medium of sorts. But I’m definitely trying to use social media way less.
We believe its essential to have a presence on Facebook, Instagram and X to introduce yourself to all the different types of audiences out there, what’s your thoughts on that?
Sure man. I definitely only post my music passively on x. I’m just on there to talk about sports if we’re being honest. That app has become pretty toxic, but it’s definitely important to mobilize and use social media’s capability to extend your reach and platform yourself to the world.
What’s your view on the Music industry today?
I think music is in a great place, but as for the music industry… I’m not sure music was ever meant to be an industry. It’s art and we’re artists. The industrialization of it has led to a lot of very disinteresting stuff being platformed, but there are so many amazing, boundary pushing artists that deserve so much more attention. I find new artists every week that I become major fans of and can appreciate the accessibility streaming and social media have given to help me discover them, but I wish they all received the critical and commercial success they deserve, but that’s just not the way things are.
Whats your thoughts on AI generated music?
I think that as AI becomes more smarter and more refined it’ll be easier to be fooled by what is human made or not. That being said I think one thing AI cannot replicate is live music, and I think live music is going to be the big separator for musicians moving forward. People will always love the feeling and communal aspect of concerts so one thing I think is very important for musicians is to play as many shows as you can.
Whats the biggest thing you have learned recently as you progress with your music?
I think just trusting my gut on songs I make where I am the target audience. I feel like there have been moments where I thought too much about how certain lines would be received or if melodies were catchy enough to sing along to, but I truly think the best music I’ve made is the stuff I made for myself to get through difficult times or things that were my personal vibe at that moment.
What’s currently in your ears and on rotation at the moment?
Lately I’ve had a lot of Slayr in my rotation, as well as the new Baby Keem and Hilary Duff albums, some old Hannah Montana to prep for the 20th anniversary, Youngboy’s last album, After, Wednesday, 50 Cent and Pavement.
What was your worst experience on stage? Any funny stories to share?
It’s always bad anytime your earpiece monitor goes out or your guitar disconnects mid song and you have to adjust on the fly. I mean it’s not the end of the world. We’re humans and will mess up of course, but of course you wanna put on the best possible show for anyone who takes time to come out and support you.
I hear you have new music. What can you tell us about it?
It’s my tenth album, and it’s called numbness is exhausting. Itexplores heartbreak, grief, and emotional burnout while pairing deeply personal songwriting with danceable production and pop-forward melodies. The title really sums up the idea behind the project. After enough loss, people sometimes learn how to shut parts of themselves off just to survive. But eventually you realize that constantly becoming numb takes more energy than just allowing yourself to feel and move forward. The album lives in that space between heartbreak and healing.
What was the recording process like?
Many of these songs were made during a very rough time in my personal life so I recorded them from my home studio in isolation. I think it’s reflected in the tone of the album and the black and white visual identity.
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
There’s always little things you wanna tinker with until the final hour but at the end of the day I can say I’m happy with the project and proud of how it turned out.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
Outside of this release, I’m also really excited about what’s coming next. I’m looking forward to releasing new music with my band Buff Speedy later this year, and we’re excited to start playing more shows, not just in Houston, but hopefully all around.
FOLLOW JOHO HERE
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