Having released his brand new single Come Home, artist and rapper Bottom Line gifted us an in-depth interview to talk about his creative process, what drives him in music, and what his plans are for 2021. Here’s how it went.
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Hey – thanks for the interview. Congrats on the rising success and so many great tracks to your name. For those who don’t know, how long have you been making and releasing original music, and what first inspired you to start?
I’ve always enjoyed music I’m specifically the rap and hip-hop genre. I was listening and I just wanted to try for myself and from then on I just been consistent in my life.
What prompted you to choose your artist name – what does it represent?
My artist name is Bottom Line because the bottom line is the final statement – there is no if and or buts about it. The bottom line is the essential point and is the central message that you need to get.
Come Home is a distinctly heartfelt, contemplative single – what inspired you to write this?
Writing come home was I actually a very quick process. This song is simply about a girl I’m in a relationship with. I have strong emotions for her so I put it into the song. Believe it or not this is not the first song about her though, I actually have an EP called line of love.
Do you ever worry about revealing too much of yourself or your vulnerabilities in music, or is this the key to longevity as an artist?
Being vulnerable is a choice. Being vulnerable is not for every artist and every genre. I feel like being vulnerable for me is more of me just venting or letting my emotions out on a track.
Another thing that comes with being vulnerable in your music is you create a relationship in a connection with the listener whether it’s a line or phrase that you say or the whole song in general, being vulnerable allows the listener to connect with you and relate to you as an artist. It’s not necessary to pour out your whole emotional framework on a song though.
Being vulnerable with your Fanbase or to listeners can definitely help with longevity as you’re constantly connecting emotionally with them – music is like a drug and they will keep coming back if you emotionally connect with them.
The album Heart Line 2 also has a notably thoughtful, heartfelt aura to it – what are the main values you want to bring to the hip hop scene, and what do you hope listeners take away from the experience?
I’m just looking to have fun and express myself in a different, more creative way. I’m very versatile when it comes to style and Sub genres. Hip-hop and rap, it is known that the genre is over-saturated. There are many people trying to sound the same or emulate similar sounds to already established artists, but the reason why they are there and in the position they are in now is because they are different and sound different and provide a different connection with audiences.
I have a melodic sound as well as a lyrical or hype sound. I just want listeners to listen to what I’m saying and just have fun when you listen to enjoy the experience and that’s what music is. Music itself is an experience and I want listeners to enjoy. That’s it.
The production is superb throughout your collection – do you self-produce, or play any instruments, and how do you choose which direction to take a particular track or story in?
Currently in the last about a year or so I have mixed and engineered all my music. I’ve gotten so much better at it. I’ll let took was just some time and just practice and that’s it. When I’m in my mindset of creativity, I simply just look for the vibe of the beat or how I’m feeling at the time. Some checks I may feel transparent and emotional, and some checks I may feel lifted or have a Lotta energy.
Which would you say is your personal favourite lyric from your catalogue to date, and why?
My favorite lyric I would say is actually from an unreleased song, in the song it says “Got to get it, know I’m cashin, I’m still real when the camera flashin. Shoot yo shot you finna miss,only mess with me for benefits. People too worried how they image it, all they worried about coverin up blemishes”.
This lyric just screams me because it highlights how I love you and how the world really is. People are too worried about putting on an image and looking good for this person and that person Instead of just valuing ourselves in using ourselves is power but instead they put on a façade. It also highlights how real I am, I’m still real where the camera is flashing and when the cameras off I’m gonna be real I’m going to be me.
And back to what I was saying earlier about how the world really is, it highlights that people can because they’ll mess with you just for benefits or just to benefit themselves rather than being genuine for you or in support for you.
Have the events of 2020 impacted you as an artist, and in either case – what do you have planned creatively for 2021 and beyond?
I would not say the year 2020 has impacted me musically at all. If anything I’ve elevated musically and I’ve gotten better. In 2021, music should be expected, better production, new features, new projects, singles, music videos finally, podcast, I got everything coming. It’s all about when. So when it comes out you have to tap in, you have to get in tune.
What’s something about you that most people don’t know?
Something that not a lot of people know about me is that I do a lot of things well and get things done in any situation I am in.
Is there anything else you’d like to say?
Follow me on Instagram at bottomline_dtb. I’m still looking for other artists to collaborate with or work with. I advise everybody to go check out what I have on platforms right now. And lastly, show some love, give me feedback. I’m just trying to get better and have fun with this. Nothing more to it.
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Download the music via Apple. Check out Bottom Line on Instagram.
