To coincide with the launch of his distinct and slick new self-titled EP, we caught an interview with rapper and songwriter Milovay, to find out more about the music, the stylish production, the vulnerability of the songs, and his evolution as an artist. Here’s how it went.
* * *
Milovay – great to connect with you, huge congrats for the new EP release! To introduce things, where are you based, and how long have you been making music?
Thank you for having me, to help start this off I’m based in the Worcester County of MA in the US, and I only started really recording music when I was 25-26. I’ve been in love with music for a good 15 years…probably 17-19 now the longer I think about it.
Why did you self-title this new project?
This project is suppose to introduce myself entirely. The project’s purpose is to show you my vulnerability which is something I have a real hard time showing a lot. I mean it’s easy to speak on it behind a screen but I made this project in such a way that forced me to take a look at myself and realize I wasn’t who I was trying to be. So along with the help of my guy Vinothekidd, we both thought “MILOVAY” would be simplistic but enough to make you think “wait….oh this real real”
Finally Open is the first track, dreamy and unique production, warped vocal layers and evocative, poetic sentiments. What inspired the writing of this song?
So I’m weird right haha…when it comes to projects, something about the first track has to be the best of the best in both quality and shock value. Finally Open speaks on me opening myself to the emotions of love and allowing myself to be SUPER vulnerable. I wanted it to resemble the truest forms of R&B which is why you get the alternative sounds but with that comes to realism of the words I speak. Literally….finally opening myself after years of hiding
Who are your biggest influences style-wise, and are you musically trained, do you produce your own beats, play any instruments?
My inspirations in this music thing are heavily Tech N9ne, Tory Lanez, & Vinothekidd. Tory and Tech got me to fall in love with everything involving music and Vino although being my ride or die….also is my only competition. I don’t feel challenged by my local artists and a lot of us are kinda doing our own thing. So me and Vino even though being VERY different artists…when I see him makes crazy moves it motivates me to top them off and we both go back and forth heathy on that.
Crazy enough, my training comes from trial and error. I mix my own vocals, master my own songs, and never took classes on singing. I actually never was a singer from the start. I was deep in rapper territory…I actually was really bad at singing. The thing is your vocals chords are muscles and when you at the gym its to better those muscles…so the more reps you do…the more time I invest…your bound to make improvements…thats how I learned sing….I just kept singing my lil heart out…but I made sure I did it to the best of my ability…which was a lot of “SHUT UP” from the folks haha but they loved my singing hahaha.
I’m currently taking schooling on Audio Engineering so I’m slowly teaching myself an getting taught by professors the rights and wrongs in music production. I used to play the bass guitar back in middle school but after 2 years of that I realized that singing was more me then any instrument
You released Silver Lining as the single – why this track?
HAH! This wasn’t only my decision. I was actually torn on music video standards. Cause I went about it like this…either I do the visuals for “What I Need” or “Silver Lining”. What I Need was more of a nostalgic feel with that hook and the sounds but it wasn’t CRAZY overall…I love the song but it wasn’t meant to be put on the caliber I put Silver Lining on. Plus I ended up dropping What I Need as my first single for the rollout. I wanted to drop visuals the same time the project dropped and I didn’t want time to over run the system I had. Silver Lining was the single after the first to be fresh enough to stay in peoples heads and with a surprise music video to top it off??? UN-MATCHED!!!
How did you build the storyboard and vibe for the accompanying visuals for Silver Lining, and how does the creative process for videos compare to that of writing songs?
Funny cause I was just talking to my cousin about this, she’s a soon to be graduate in videography and I was telling her my version of storyboarding is on sight. Like I can’t sit in one spot and brainstorm, my brainstorming happens while I’m creating or while I’m on the train to the city…or like at Starbucks….storyboarding happens at that very moment…like I can’t even make that sound better, cause I know it sounds wild.
Silver Lining was highly improved and fleshed out during filming. I always give my thanks to the Videographer Trill, and co-star Tes, and my dawg Vino. So my methods don’t really compete with each other…its all the same process just thought about a tad different.
How important is collaboration in what you do?
I don’t just think they are important…but also fun. When something is fun and you wanna still respect it as a job but not too too deep to where it feels like a job. With collaborating…that’s what makes this sport fun, cause I see it all as a friendly challenge. I strive to go above and beyond so when so and so lays a 16 bar verse down and it works…imma pull some Eminem and Busta Rhymes type thing and do more and send it back until we feel like its done with haha.
The passion reaches new heights for the fast-paced rap track Battle of the Two-Heads – walks us through the creative process here, what does the title represent, and what do you hope listener’s take away from the song?
Tuh, well first things first, this song was 3 years in the making. I had stumbled on the beat and I instantly had the flow & melody….but I needed the concept. So I don’t have writer’s block because I freestyle everything. Every day brings a new topic to speak on but for this song specifically, I was very sensitive about what I wanted to speak on.
It only took those 3 years for me to find myself in a situation where I was constantly trying to take this girl down to pound town but the issue was that I let myself go so far that not even I would consider doing so. Not to mention I was smoking her cannabis to help improve my thinking about how I actually didn’t want to do anything with her. Then it hit me….that was the concept AND it worked for the concept of the project.
The title is the battle of two heads….on being my brain head…and as a man…the other being….yea. I would like my listeners to take way the feeling of “whoa….that was a lot of personal stuff he just through out there”.
What I Need is brilliantly emotive and catchy, your voice unmistakable by now. Why does this song end the EP conceptually?
Thank you thank you. It’s a story. Tracks 1-3 are all based on my struggle with love and being open about it. What I Need, is the ending plot that I want everyone to take away. Even with it being the first single of the rollout. I wanted listeners to walk away feeling the vulnerability I have tried so hard to understand myself. Plus it was a perfect closing song with the project…after hearing all this war and love…in the end….I know I’m ready for love and that’s truly all I really want out of all this.
You’ve amassed a lot of followers on social media; you also share a lot of strong visual snapshots with a focus on alternative fashion. How important is the image side of being an artist for you?
I had A LOT of struggle with this because its all heavily social media influenced. Being a artist or creator in general nowadays…social media unfortunately plays a huge factor in gaining traction. People need reliability and a face to put on that. Now I decided to go fashion because it coexists with music which is why you see my at NYFW every twice a year. Same reason why you get hype when you see Gunna, Leon Thomas, Carti, Don Toliver, its another form of creation I can speak through. Also I got my lil side hustles for future endeavors.
What’s Luvluss all about?
Luvluss is a collective that helps its artist push up their career. It was founded in 2020 by Vinothekidd during Quarantine. I was named the Co-Founder and basically pushed it through my brand-able efforts to promote it.
The artists range from UK Producers to Pop singers. As of right now its still a very small collective but with me pushing the music I’m pushing out this year and with Vino pushing his brand out, I think our efforts will push it even further then we anticipated and come next year, I’m thinking me and Vino will start REALLY focusing on the it as a whole.
Will you be performing this new EP live anywhere soon?
When the time calls for doing so then yes. Though right now I’m just focused on pushing out music and promoting it to the best of my ability. BUT I WILL SAY it isn’t something I haven’t thought about….I’ll leave it at that hehehehehehehehehehe
What’s something about you that fans would be surprised to hear?
Anything the doesn’t involve music haha. Being an indie artist isn’t all glitz & glamour. I needed a computer to further my work in school so I built one and figured it out on my own……a good couple bands later but figured it out…also living on my own in a house I refurnished with my family that I used to stay in WAY BACK when I was a jit…yea I could go on for days dude…..my talents don’t JUST stop at music….music is just my core and blood.
Is there anything else we should know?
Future releases??? Yurp…….will I disclose the schedule???? NOPE hahaha but yes I have the whole year planned out and scattered music drops, promo weeks, and everything nice. It just comes down to patience now.
* * *
Find Milovay on Apple, Instagram, YouTube.
