Lánre: "idk" (Exclusive Interview)
Where are you from?
I'm originally from New Jersey, but I've lived in Atlanta, GA for about 15 years!
How did you get your start in music?
I've been singing and performing since I was 8, but I started releasing music professionally a few months before the nationwide lockdowns in 2020. In a weird way, it was the best time for me to start my career because I had to learn how to record on my own and market myself from my laptop. It was a great challenge to see if my music was as good as I thought it was and if an audience connected, which I'm glad to say they did!
Any famous musicians in your family?
Yes! My great-uncle Ebenezer Obey is a famous gospel singer in Nigeria and very well-known in other countries around the world.
What artists and songs did you grow up listening to?
I grew up listening to everyone from Luther Vandross to Nsync. My parents had a collection of 80s/early 90s r&b CDs and tapes that I listened to constantly before I made my own CD collection. Back then, the artists that I had on repeat were Destiny's Child (and Beyonce), Usher, Justin Timberlake, and Michael Jackson. All of these artists played a huge role in my falling in love with pop and r&Bmusic, and are major influences in my music and style today.
What is the biggest message you want to bring to your audience?
One of the major throughlines of my music is finding the beauty in imperfections and making the best of every situation despite its obstacles. I'm also not afraid of showing my whole range of emotions in my music, which is something I hope becomes a normal thing for black men to express. I will continue to do so in music and brand to help create the world I want to live in!
What has been the most challenging part of your music journey?
When I was first starting to release music in 2020, I had a lot of days when I wanted to quit because of criticism of my songs. I was so attached to my music at the time because that was all I was doing due to the lockdown, so when I received criticism from other industry people it really hurt. I've become a much better artist since then, but I also learned an important lesson about having tough skin when it comes to critics. Not everyone is going to like my music, and that's ok because not everyone should! I don't get discouraged by that kind of stuff anymore, it's just part of the gig.
Any good vocal health tips you can share?
Drink PLENTY of water. It sounds so cliche and obvious, but I learned the importance of this recently when I had multiple shows back to back. Vocal health and longevity is super important to me, so when I discovered the benefits of drinking plenty of water 2-3 hours before you perform or record to hydrate your voice. I always thought drinking it while you're performing helped when it really doesn't help hydrate your body and vocal cords until hours later. Bonus tip: If you have year-round allergies like me, use a Neilmed saline solution to clear your sinus'! Works like magic.
What are your goals for the rest of 2023?
I'm releasing my first single of the year called, 'idk' on March 3! I'm so excited about this release since I get to share the new sound I've been working on for the second EP I've been working on. I have a bunch of surprises instore for this EP, and I can't wait to share more with my listeners. When I’m not in the studio working on the EP, I’ll be out on the road playing shows! I’m doing a few more shows in Atlanta for the next few months before I head west to play in different cities like San Francisco, Denver, and Napa. I’ll also be spending a lot of time in LA over the summer where I have a few shows lined up as well. That’s all I can say for now, but there are a few more exciting projects in the works that I’ll be sharing on my social pages soon!
SOCIALS
https://music.lanre.us/links
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lanre.official/
