Prior to the release of the brand new video dropping October 27th, we caught an interview with songwriter and artist Vontaemadeit, to find out more about the music, the journey that led to this point, the emotion and inspiration underneath it all, and what the future may hopefully bring. Here’s the conversation in full.
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Hey – thanks for the interview! To introduce things, where are you based, and how long have you been making music?
I have been making music off and on with random drops here and there and no consistency since 2020, but I have been consistently making music for about a year.
Are you musically trained, and do you self-produce your tracks or play any instruments?
Everything I have done has been self-produced and just experimenting. I recorded in a studio 4 times and after that I went and bought my own in-home studio equipment and even when I recorded in the studio the few times, it felt rushed and like a waste of money. But I have gotten no vocal training, no singing lessons, no song-writing lessons or music business lessons, I just go try and see what works and what does not.
You are quoted as saying that all music begins with a passion and an experience – what first ignited your passion, and what is it about music that brings out such openness and creativity?
The first thing that actually got me into music was a friend of mine St6tic (Dellario), actually in a snow storm in 2020, in Detroit MI – he just wanted me to accompany him in the studio while he recorded a song and from there he recorded his first song he was like ‘bro, you have lived a hard ass life and are trying to make a good ass situation out of the hand you was dealt, let some of that off your chest with a freestyle behind the mic’. I recorded my first 4 songs and released that as an EP Brink Of Break, but that night started me into the music direction. The passion was given to me by my determination and drive to just want to make it out of Detroit and bring Greatness to my life and name; without that drive I don’t think anyone can be great.
Given the heartfelt depth of songs like Case, how do you choose what topics to write about or what stories to tell?
I base every song from life experiences that is happening to me. It is a way of constructively letting frustration and pain out and letting other people feel what I am saying through the song and not only is the music good, but I hope that if someone is going through a comparable situation that it helps them feel less alone.
You then switch to a smokier jazz vibe for the likes of What I Want – how important is versatility to you, and what are some examples of the different artists who influenced you over time?
I believe versatility is what separates rappers and singers from being actual artists. I don’t really have any artist that influenced me or my music. What inspires me to be versatile is how versatile my life has been and how versatile my skill set is, even beyond music – I grew up selling drugs, loading bitcoins and bussing scams, with skills of being able to fix cars cut down trees code great websites and a natural talent for business. I believe my entire life has been versatile, always evolving, and my music is just an extension of that, so it comes naturally.
What can you tell us about the new visuals you’re about to drop?
I can tell you that it’s cinematic 100 percent from beginning to end. If you pay close enough attention you will see a huge subtle story unfold before your eyes and it was 10-12 hours of constant hard work and on the fly innovation on shoot day, and a month of talking and planning before shoot that brought this vision to life – and of course Fortemfilms and the directors Deerich Hart Field and Ellie Skinner. Official Watch Party/Halloween party will be in Tacoma October 27, at a cinema I rented out.
How important is image and identity for you as a modern artist, and do you consider this when you write songs and bars, or do you just roll with the flow?
I don’t necessarily try to set an image for myself as an artist, I believe that’s acting and that’s fake and I don’t do fake, I just live my life and let others see that I think as an artist the only image you should be putting out is the image of who you are. Either they like it or don’t. Pretending to be something that you’re not is an actor, not an artist.
What was the first track you ever recorded, and in what ways has your style or understanding of music evolved since then?
The first track I ever recorded was never changed and since then obviously the quality has gotten better but I leaned to speak clearer take more brings and throw my own swag on beat and how not to record all in one take.
What’s the best thing about the freedom of releasing music independently, and on the flip side, what’s the biggest challenge within the music industry at present?
The hardest challenge is off the bat getting venues to let you rent them out, because I’m independent and I’m not a huge artist, even with the same budget I get turned away because of their lack of confidence in me getting a huge turnout, which I understand. But on the flip the best thing is I know what I’m investing – I know what I’m making and I know that there isn’t anyone making business decisions for me, so if something fails I can only blame me, which I 100 percent love. I can drop my own music whatever I want to, without it going through an approval process, and if I ever was to sign a major record deal I would only want to sign if that meant freedom as an indie artist but with access to their resources
If you could sit down for a chat with anyone at all, past or present, who would you choose, and what would you ask them about?
I would sit down and talk to Sabrina Carpenter and talk about what music means to her personally and talk a feature into that conversation somehow.
What would be your dream venue or event to perform at, and why?
Ford field – I love football and I would love to sell out a football stadium with me as a headliner and doing a full concert in my hometown for my home and favourite football team the Detroit Lions.
What’s next for you?
What’s next is doubling down and dropping an album – a full 21-song album. But if you mean after music, I’m currently looking into modelling and talking with agencies and opening a studio and record label back in Michigan, to bring some greatness back to my community and help bring some people’s dreams to life.
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Find all things Vontaemadeit or follow on Instagram.
