We speak to the constantly developing talent that is UNKWN this week, who keeps surprising and delighting with his trademark blend of trap and bass. Check out our exclusive interview below.
Hey! Big ups for chatting to us. Can you tell us a little bit about your journey in music, from where you started out to where you are right now?
My journey started immediately after I dropped out of med school back in 2011. Music has always been a big passion of mine and I couldn’t picture myself working in a hospital the rest of my life, lol. UNKWN was something I started as a side project back in August of 2016. I released a few remixes to get my name out there and the support was incredible. In a matter of 2-3 weeks I was up to 5K followers on SoundCloud with amazing support from major artists such as UZ, Candyland, Breaux, Fabian Mazur, and many more. The amount of support inspired me to invest more time into the project and with a few more releases, the rest was history. It’s crazy to think my journey is just starting, and I can’t wait to see where I’ll be next year 🙂
What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned along the way? If you could give your younger self, starting out, any advice – what would it be?
Oh man… so many things, lol. I can list a thousand but I’ll just leave it at this: I think it’s most important for an artist to focus primarily on the music. Yeah, promotion and release plans can be useful but ultimately if your track’s banging it will do what I call a “Snowball” effect, where it promotes itself automatically. Another major advice I’d give is as an artist you MUST teach yourself 1-2 new things everyday about mixing, music theory, mastering, etc… you can never be a “perfect” engineer, there’s always room for improvement.
When you were younger, what artists inspired you? Do you still have similar tastes now?
Honestly, so many. I think some of the major influencers would be Troyboi, UZ, Stööki Sounds, Mr. Carmack, and many more, because their sound was so unique and different compared to the “generic” trap sound that was being released back then.
You’ve done some wicked remixes in the last year, including your latest for UZ’s ‘Bang.’ Do you have a favourite out of them all? How have fans taken to the UZ remix?
Honestly, I’d have to say my ‘Cavern’ remix was definitely my favourite, not only because it catapulted my name but it also opened a lot of doors for collaborations, remix requests, and many more. Next, I’d definitely say ‘Bang’ was another one of my favourites because it was such a unique track to remix. UZ and Stööki Sound really put in the work! Regarding the fans reactions to my remix, I know this might sound a bit selfish but I try not to pay attention. Appealing to your fans is definitely important but I think it restricts creativity if you beat yourself too much over it. If the track you are producing sounds good, release it. That’s how you earn “your” style at the end of the day.
What makes your sound unique, and how do you want your music to make people to feel?
Whenever I sit down in the studio to make anything, I tell myself make something that will give chills to people that will hear it – whether it’s at a festival, in a mix, car, show, radio, etc.. I think with that “rule of thumb” in mind, that’s how you create uniqueness.
What are your best musical memories and highlights from 2017?
Definitely when UZ brought me out in my hometown festival and played like 2-3 of my remixes of mine, such a surreal experience. Another cool moment was when I saw Zedd drop my ‘Cavern’ remix live on tour… the way I saw the crowd react literally inspires to create even more crazier shit.
Now that we’re about to head in to 2018, what do you have lined up for us next year? Is there anything in particular you’re set on achieving over the next twelve months?
I can’t believe how fast this year passed by! In 2018 I definitely have some MAJOR MAJOR collabs in the works, MAJOR remixes, MAJOR singles, and possibly a EP which I won’t confirm, just know 😉
Stay trappin’!